Somoleptus paramocola, Irmler, 2024

Irmler, Ulrich, 2024, Additions to Neotropical species of the genera Lithocharodes Sharp, 1881 and Somoleptus Sharp, 1881 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), Contributions to Entomology 74 (1), pp. 13-34 : 13

Somoleptus paramocola sp. nov.

Figs 16a-d , 21D

Material examined.

Holotype: COSTA RICA male; Cartago; Cerro Chirripo; Valle de los Conelos ; 9°28'37"N, 83°29'23"W; 3600 m elevation; paramo shrub litter; 26 VI 1999; R. Anderson leg.; KNHM CR1A99 104D.

Paratypes: COSTA RICA 3 females; same data as holotype; KNHM ; 1 male; same data; UIC ; 1 male, San José /Cart.; km 71 Int-Am. Hwy; nr. Tres de Junio ; 9°37'44"N, 83°50'13"W; 2900 m elevation; wet cloud forest litter; 23 VI 1999; R. Anderson leg.; KNHM CR1A99 101A .

Diagnosis.

Together with S. alajuelae sp. nov., S. paramocola forms a new sub-group. The species resembles a group of other species with short elytra and extremely short eyes, S. brunneus Irmler, 2022, S. triangulus Irmler, 2022, S. longiceps Irmler, 2022 and S. ovatus Irmler, 2022 from the same high montane region of Central America. It can be differentiated from those species by the extremely short eyes with PS:E ratio 6.4 and the unique structure of the aedeagus.

Description.

Length: 6.1 mm; Colouration: completely black; legs and antennae dark brown.

Head: 1.06 mm long, 0.91 mm wide; eyes not prominent; extremely short; PS:E ratio 6.4; postocular sides slightly divergent; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior edge straight; inter-antennal furrows short; not reaching front edge of eyes; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures half as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished; antennae with first antennomere elongate; half as long as head; second and third antennomeres longer than wide; conical; combined half as long as first antennomere; following antennomeres wider than long; anteriad increasing in width. Pronotum: 1.86 mm long, 0.78 mm wide; widest at anterior third; anteriad, convexly narrowed to neck; posteriad slightly convergent; posterior angles sub-rectangular; centre of posterior margin straight; setiferous punctation deep and moderately dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; a long wide impunctate mid-line denser; adjacent to mid-line, 17-18 punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished. Elytra: 0.78 mm long, 0.87 mm wide; humeral angles oblique; posteriad, sides divergent; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin deeply retreated to suture; hind wings absent; setiferous punctation slightly finer than on pronotum, but as dense; on average, interstices between punctures 0.8 times as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished. Abdomen with setiferous punctation still finer than on elytra, but as dense; surface with transverse reticulate microsculpture; shiny; sternite and tergite VII of male with short central emargination; meso- and meta-tibia with one ctenidium each. Aedeagus nearly circular; dorsal plate covering nearly total central lobe; apical edge slightly prominent; straight; cones at apical orifice translocated laterally; combined forming a shape like cattle horns; parameres bilobed; inner lobe wide at base; abruptly narrowed in apical half to acute top; covered by several setae; two setae in apical half thicker than at base.

Etymology.

The species name is a combination of the words Paramo that names the habitat in high Neotropical mountains and the Latin word colo meaning “dwelling” and refers to the habitat where the species was collected.

Geography.

Central Costa Rica.

Ecology.

Floor of high cloud forests and in Paramo between approximately 2900 and 3600 m elevation in June.

Figures

Figure 21. A. Fore-body of Somoleptus densiceps; B. S. guianensis; C. S. luteicornis; D. S. paramocola; E. S. puntarenae; F. S. umicola. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figures 13 - 16. 13. Somoleptus densiceps; 14. S. guianensis; 15. S. luteicornis; 16. S. paramocola. a. Aedeagus; b. Paramere; c. Sternite VII; d. Tergite VII. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (a, c, d); 0.1 mm (b).