Euconnus kilmeri, Caterino, 2022

Caterino, Michael S., 2022, First report of the Euconnus Thomson subgenus Cladoconnus Reitter in the New World, represented by thirteen new Appalachian species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), ZooKeys 1137, pp. 133-175 : 133

Euconnus kilmeri sp. nov.

Figs 10D , 11

Type material.

Holotype ♂, deposited in FMNH: "USA:NC: Graham Co., 35.3433°N, 83.96207°W, Joyce Kilmer, VII.20.2015 S. Myers, Sifted litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000011399" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC11827"; Paratypes (0).

Diagnostic description.

This species exhibits no obvious external differences from the preceding two species, and can best be distinguished by male genitalic characters; antennal carinae slightly weaker than preceding; aedeagus (Fig. 10D ) with median lobe rather short, narrowed to bluntly rounded apex, only very weakly knobbed; parameres with apices obliquely truncate, bearing three long, curved setae; compressor plate strongly asymmetrical, apex narrowly knobbed and displaced to one side; endophallus with dominant upper sclerite sickle-shaped, with long straight inner edge, outer edge strongly curved, broadest just beyond middle, bearing a secondary inner tooth directed mediad and inward; lower endophallic sclerite shorter, bearing two widely separated distally pointing spikes, and an obliquely directed subapical spike on one side.

Distribution.

Euconnus kilmeri is only known from a single locality within the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in far western North Carolina. This site sits at an elevation of 2800ft.

Remarks.

The aedeagus of E. kilmeri is quite distinct in the shape of the strongly asymmetrical compressor plate, the long, straight inner edge of the upper endophallic sclerite, and in the trifid lower sclerite, with two apically pointing spines similar in length.

This species is named to honor the American poet Joyce Kilmer "I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree..." for whom the type locality stands as a proper monument to his appreciation for nature.

Figures

Figure 10. Aedeagus. A Euconnus falcatus B compressor plate and upper endophallic armature of Euconnus falcatus (Plott Balsams variant) C Euconnus cataloochee D Euconnus kilmeri.

Figure 11. Map of collecting records for Euconnus (Cladoconnus) falcatus complex. E. (C.) falcatus (circles), E. (C.) cataloochee (stars), E. (C.) tusquitee (triangules), E. (C.) draco (hexagons), E. (C.) kilmeri (plus sign), and E. (C.) attritus (x).