Custotychus natchez Chandler and Geromini, 1962

Chandler, Donald S. & Geromini, Sarah D., 1962, A Revision of the Eastern Nearctic GenusCustotychusPark and Wagner, 1962 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 1962 (2), pp. 217-242 : 217-242

13. Custotychus natchez Chandler and Geromini , new species

( Figs. 1 , 14 , 27a–b , 36 )

Specimens Examined. n = 66. Holotype male: // Jordan Motel , TENN. Jamestown, Fentress Co., 16.VI.62, forest floor debris C/ H.R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H.R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [red label] HOLOTYPE Custotychus natchez Chandler & Geromini // ( FMNH) . Paratypes: Arkansas : Cross Co.: Village Creek State P [ar]k, III-13/14-2013, L.E. Watrous, leaf litter (1M (1F, UNHC) . Polk Co.: Athens , Caney Creek Wildlife Area, V-3-1992, C.E. Carlton & Robinson, deciduous berlese (1M, LSAM) ; same data except, VIII-17-1991, C.E. Carlton & Robinson, maple beech berlesate (1M, LSAM) . Rick Mountain , Acorn Overlook, VI-5- 1992, C.E. Carlton & Robinson, deciduous berlese (1M, LSAM) . Yell Co.: 4 mi. S Blue Mountain Lake , III-24-1992, C.E. Carlton & Robinson, deciduous berlese (1M, LSAM) . District of Columbia : Washington, D.C., II-22-1886 (1M, FMNH) . Indiana : Montgomery Co.: Shades State Park, X-20-1957, M.W. Sanderson, floor duft and tree holes (2M 1F, FMNH) . Tippecanoe Co.: V-22-1971, M.N. Downie (1M, FMNH) . Kentucky : [state record only] (1M 2F, FMNH) . Edmonson Co.: Mammoth Cave Nat[ional] Park, VIII-8-1950, L.J. Stannard (1M, LSAM) . Hart Co.: 3.3 mi. WSW Horse Cave , II-16-1991, E.A. Lisowski, berlese sample of moss (1M 1F, LSAM) . Lyon Co.: Land Between The Lakes , 4 mi. SE Grand Rivers, I-26-1991, E.A. Lisowski, berlese sample of moss (1M, LSAM) . Mississippi : Pontotoc Co.: 1 mi. SE Ecru, V-8-1980, W.H. Cross, pitfall traps in deciduous forest (1M, MEMC) ; same data except, VI-4-1980, W.H. Cross, pitfall traps in swamp (1F, MEMC) . Warren Co.: Vicksburg , Waterway Exp [eriment] Sta [tion], V-25-1996, P. Kovarik & C. O’ Brien, beech-magnolia forest leaf litter extraction (1M, LSAM) . Yalobusha Co.: George P. Cossar State Park, VI-28-2005, J.A. MacGown & R.J. Jones, berlese litter in hardwood forest (1M 1F, MEMC) . Missouri : Crawford Co.: Hwy. E at Huzzah Creek Crossing, I-27-2007, L.E. Watrous, leaf litter (1M, UNHC) . Platte Co.: 1.7 mi. SE Weston , X-29-2012, L.E. Watrous, leaf litter (4M 3F, UNHC) . St. Louis Co.: St. Louis , Crêve C[oeur] L[ake], III-20-1897 (2M 3F, UMIC) . Taney Co.: 4.7 mi. W Reuter , XI-2-2012, L.E. Watrous, leaf litter (1M 1F, UNHC) . Ozark Underground Laboratory , X-23-2007, L.E. Watrous, soil near rock outcrop (2M 5F, UNHC) . Ohio : Washington Co.: Marietta, XI-10, Hubbard & Schwarz (1M, USNM) . Pennsylvania : Allegheny Co.: Pittsburgh, VIII-1920 (1M, CMNH) . Tennessee : [state record only] (1M, CMNH) ; F.C. Bowditch (1M, MCZC) . Blount Co.: G[reat] S[moky] M[ountains] N[ational] P[ark], lower Gregory Ridge Tr [ail], 630 m, VII-28- 2004, A.K. Tishechkin, forest litter (2M 1F, LSAM) . Lower Gregory Ridge Trail , 630m, VII-28-2004, A.K. Tishechkin, forest litter (2M 1F, LSAM) . Cocke Co.: G[reat] S[moky] M[ountains] N[ational] P[ark], Foothills P[arkway], 1st outlook E Cosby, VII-21-2003, P.E. Skelley, ravine leaf litter berlese (1M, LSAM) . Fentress Co.: Jamestown , Jordan Hotel, VI-16-1962, H.R. Steeves Jr., forest floor debris (2M 1F, FMNH) . Lauderdale Co.: Fort Pillow St [ate] P[ar]k, III-21-2013, L.E. Watrous, leaf litter (1M 1F, UNHC) . Roane Co.: Pine Sta [tion], I-11-1960, J. Olsen, beech litter (1M 1F, FMNH) . Virginia : Carroll Co.: Stewart’ s Creek, 2 mi. NW Lambsburg, III-25-1996, R.L. Hoffman (1M 1F, DSCC) .

Description. Body: Brown; 1.56–1.72 mm long. Male: Eyes with about 35 facets; metasternal tubercle ( Fig. 27a, b ) just anterior to apical margin

of metasternum; in lateral view, angled slightly posteriorly, apex narrowly rounded, posterior face concave; in posterior view, strongly T-shaped, apex shallowly convex, stem margins slightly constricted; tubercle height 0.045 mm, maximum width at apex 0.037 mm, minimum width stem 0.030 mm [tubercle measurements based on specimen from lower Gregory Ridge Trail, TN]. Mesotibiae with thin apical and preapical spurs. Abdomen with ventrite 2 broadly convex; ventrite 6 shallowly impressed at middle throughout length. Aedeagus ( Fig. 14 ) 0.31 mm long; median lobe elongate, lateral margins nearly parallel through most of length to truncate apex; in lateral view, median lobe sinuate; lateral arms of dorsal plate with large, ventrally curved tooth at apex, with small dorsoapical projection, both visible in dorsal view; parameres with large apical lobe, in lateral view margins narrowed from base to middle, from middle evenly expanded and curve in outline similar to that of median lobe. Female: Eyes with 8–10 facets; lacking mesotibial spurs.

Collection Data Synopsis. Specimens have been taken in all months except April, August, and December. They were primarily collected by processing forest litter from hardwood forests with Berlese funnels, but also taken by pitfall traps. Material is present in the following collections: CMNH, DSCC, FMNH, LSAM, MEMC, UMIC, UNHC, and USNM.

Distribution. Custotychus natchez is found from southern Ohio to northern Arkansas and northern Alabama, with one old (1886) record from the District of Columbia ( Fig. 36 ). Specimens were seen from the following states: AR, DC, IN, KY, MS, MO, OH, PA, TN, and VA.

Etymology. The species is named for an indigenous American group known from the southern portion of the Mississippi River drainage.

Comments. This species has the median lobe elongate and with parallel margins, the slender lateral arms have a single curved ventral spur, and the apical half of the parameres are enlarged and clearly setose on the apicomesal margins. This combination of characters, plus the rounded apex of the metasternal tubercle in posterior view without lateral angulations, serves to separate this species from the others in the species-group.

Figures

Figs. 1–7. Custotychus species. 1) C. natchez, dorsal habitus; 2–7) Aedeagus, dorsal and left lateral views:

Figs. 8–15. Custotychus species, dorsal and left lateral view of aedeagus. 8) C. cavei; 9) C. verticalis; 10) C. watrousi;

Figs. 16–27. Custotychus species, scanning electron micrographs right lateral (a) and posterior (b) views of metasternal tubercle. 16) C. chickasaw; 17) C. daggyi; 18) C. lobatus; 19) C. turnbowi; 20) C. rothorum; 21) C. spinosus; 22) C. verticalis; 23) C. watrousi; 24) C. carloritaorum; 25) C. leei; 26) C. minor; 27) C. natchez. Grid for measurements of 20 or 50m at bottom of micrographs.

Figs. 34–36. Distribution of Custotychus species. 34) Distribution of species in the spinosus and verticalis species-groups: C. rothorum and C. spinosus, and C. cavei, C. verticalis, and C. watrousi; 35) Distribution of C. minor; 36) Distribution of other species in the minor species-group: C. carloritaorum, C. leei, C. natchez, and C. pocahontas.