Belonuchus linuzensis, Márquez & Asiain, 2022

Márquez, Juan & Asiain, Julieta, 2022, Taxonomy of the Mexican species of Belonuchus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Zootaxa 5152 (1), pp. 1-129 : 32-34

Belonuchus linuzensis sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/94322d37-1159-407a-94b1-7aa5b1b01a60

Figs. 2h , 12k, 12–l , 15i , 18h , 21g , 29a

Total body length 11.2 mm. Black on head, pronotum, posterior 3/4 of fifth visible abdominal segment and entire sixth visible segment. Reddish on mouthparts (except mandibles), scutellum, elytra, legs, sterna, visible abdominal segments 1–4 and anterior 1/4 of fifth. Genital segment pale reddish.

Head: transverse, ratio length/width 0.71. Dorsal surface with sulcate longitudinal midline slightly visible only at anterior half of head; front moderately foveate near anterior margin. Eyes nearly 0.5 times the cephalic lateral length, slightly protruding laterally. Antennomere 4 elongate, 5–10 transverse. Mandibles 1.37 times longer than head; with well separated basal and middle teeth; mandibular channel well developed, external margin clearly separated from internal margin at base, internal margin extending forward beyond level of middle tooth. Apical palpomere of maxillary and labial palpi nearly 1.25 times longer than preapical palpomere. Head 1.1 times wider than pronotum.

Thorax: left dorsal row of pronotum with six punctures and right dorsal row with five punctures; pronotum slightly longer than wide and slightly wider at anterior corners than at posterior corners (both ratios 1.07). Scutellum reddish as elytra, with punctures denser than on elytra; elytra with fine punctures moderately dense. Prosternum reddish, without homogeneous color, zone behind anterior margin slightly elevated and with a fine transverse line. Intercoxal process of mesoventrite shield-shaped; transverse discal ridge clearly visible, broadly U-shaped, slightly acute posteriorly, not meeting margin of intercoxal process laterally, although leading very close to it. Profemur with row of spines initiating slightly before half length and not reaching apex; internal apex with few spines; all spines of small to moderate size. Metatrochanter modified like a hook, reaching about 1/2 of the length of metafemur, hook almost straight in 3/4 of its length and only in apical fourth curved and acute ( Fig. 12–l ); metafemur clearly curved at level of overlap with the hook; metatibia curved in anterior third. Tarsomeres dorsally flattened.

Abdomen: first three visible tergites with posterior basal transverse carina well developed, adjacent area slightly depressed and covered with wide-superficial punctures that are moderately dense; remaining surface and following tergites with sparse, wide-superficial punctures combined with fine punctures; visible sternites 1–4 with wide-superficial punctures denser than on tergites 1–3, remaining sternites with sparse, wide-superficial punctures combined with fine punctures. Male pregenital sternite with weak, broadly arcuate emargination at posterior margin ( Fig. 15i ). Male genital sternite moderately long (2.58 times longer than wide), very asymmetrical, anterior portion occupying 34% and posterior portion 66% of its length, apical emargination deep ( Fig. 18h ). Abdominal styli slen- der.

Aedeagus: length 1.5 mm; cone shaped with middle constriction; apex moderately acute; apical half slenderer than basal half, with sides gradually becoming narrower toward apex; basal half rounded; internal sac visible ( Fig. 21g ).

Variability. Total body length in males 10.3 mm (range 9.2–11.2 mm), in females 9.5 mm (range 8.3–10.5 mm); proportion length/width of head in males 0.78 (range 0.67–0.88) and in females 0.85 (range 0.83–0.88); males with mandibles moderately longer than head (ratio 1.16, range 0.91–1.50), females with mandibles shorter than head (ratio 0.84, range 0.73–0.88); head wider than pronotum in males (ratio 1.26, range 1.16–1.40), and in females (ratio 1.15, range 1.10–1.18); pronotum longer than wide in males (ratio 1.11, range 1.07–1.16), and in females (ratio 1.18, range 1.15–1.25), almost as wide at anterior corners as at posterior corners (ratio in males 1.05, range 1.02–1.07, in females 1.02, range 1.00–1.04); male metatrochanter modified like a hook that in large specimens is nearly 1/2 of the length of metafemur, but in small specimens is only an acute spine not reaching 1/5 of metafemur length. In addition to the above variation, in females the antennomeres 5–10 are more transverse and antennomere 4 is smaller than in males. There is great variation in the number of punctures forming each dorsal row of the pronotum (5:5, 5:6, 6:5, 6:6). The scutellum can be a little darker than the elytra or with the same tonality; a male specimen has the scutellum almost black. The fifth visible abdominal segment is commonly reddish in the anterior third and black in the posterior two thirds, but there is some variation in this ratio that does not become half reddish and half black.

Taxonomic comments. This species was identified as B. zunilensis in the past ( Navarrete-Heredia et al. 2002; Asiain et al. 2011, among others), since they are very similar and only the review of the type material allowed to recognize that they are two species. Both B. zunilensis and B. linuzensis are relatively easy to distinguish from the rest of the species in the trochanterinus group by having the scutellum of similar color as the elytra (reddish) and the last two visible abdominal segments almost completely black. They are distinguished because B. linuzensis has the metafemur curved at the level of its overlap with the hook and the metatibia is curved in the apical third, the male pregenital sternite is slightly emarginate at posterior margin, the male genital sternite is moderately elongate and very asymmetrical, and due to the shape of aedeagus; whereas B. zunilensis , despite having the male hook-like metatrochanter shorter than in B. linuzensis , the metafemur is curved in almost 1/2 of its length, the metatibia is straight, the male pregenital sternite is not emarginate at the posterior margin and has a peculiar shape (Fig. 17n), the male genital sternite is very elongate and slightly asymmetrical, and the shape of the aedeagus is different.

Etymology. The name is an anagram of “Zunil”, in relation to the similarity it has with B. zunilensis .

Type material (91 males, 32 females): Holotype (male, CC-UAEH): “ México : Hidalgo, La Misión, Lomas del Pericón , bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1377 m, N21°60’46.0”, W99°6.0’ 15.6”, NTP-80 (calamar), 29-III al 05-IV-2009, J, Márquez, M. Rivera, M. Torres, M. Vargas y J. Sánchez cols.” . Paratypes: Mexico: Hidalgo :

“ Chapulhuacán, Puerto del Zopilote, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1134 m, N21°09.9’ 7.9”, W98°55.8’ 04.0”, NTP- 80 (calamar), 28-VIII a 11-IX-2011, J. Márquez col.” (5, CC-UAEH). “Chapulhuacán, Tamaulipas, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1133 m, N21°09.9’ 7.9”, W98°55.8’ 04.0”, NTP-80 (calamar) #3, 12 a 26-III-2011. J. Márquez col.” (1, CC-UAEH). “Huehuetla, Rio Blanco, bosque tropical perennifolio, 588 m, UTM (WG-384), 14594809 E, 2257303N, NTP-80 (calamar), 1 al 30-V-2010, C. Berriozábal col.” (3, CC-UAEH). “ Jacala de Ledezma, 1 km E de El Durazno, bosque pino-encino- Junniperus, 1694 m, N20°3’11.1”, W99°1’20”, NTP- 80 (calamar), 8 al 16-III- 2008, J. Márquez y J. Asiain cols.” (7, CC-UAEH). “Juárez, bosque mesófilo perturbado, 1973 m, N20°45’59.7”, W98°49’1.8”, NTP-80 (calamar), 7 a 14-III-2009, J. Márquez, M. Rivero, M. Torres, M. Vargas y J. Sánchez cols.” (3, CC-UAEH). “La Misión, Lomas del Pericón, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1377 m, N21°60’ 46.0”, W99°6.0’ 15.6”, NTP-80 (calamar), 8 al 16-III-2008, J. Márquez y J. Asiain cols.” (4, MAAS). Same data, except: “ 14 a 29-IV-2011, J. Márquez col.” (1, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “ 26-VIII a 9-IX-2011 ” (5, CC-UAEH). “La Misión, Los Naranjos, Palo Hueco, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1276 m, N21°08’06”, W99°05’02”, NTP-80 (calamar) #6, 10 a 24-III-2011, J, Márquez col.” (2, CC-UAEH). “La Misión, Lagunita de Pilas , El Divisadero, N21°08´15”, W99°07´08”, 1,210 m, mezcla encino-bosque tropical subcaducifolio, en NTP-80 (cal.), 17-IV a 11- V-2019, J. A. Lora Díaz col.” (1 male, CC-UAEH). Same data except: “coprotrampa, 11-VI a 10-VII-2019 ” (1 male, CC-UAEH). Same data except: “coprotrampa, 15-IX a 12-X-2019 ” (2 males, CC-UAEH). “Molango, Acuatitlán, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1715 m, N20°45’38.4”, W88°42’50.7”, NTP-80 (calamar) #6, 15 a 29-IV-2011, J. Márquez col.” (14, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “trampa de intercepción de vuelo” (1, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “hojarasca cernida, 12-IV-2011 ” (1, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “ 30-V-2011 ” (1, CC-UAEH). “Pacula, Puerto Grande, bosque de encino, 2103 m, N20°53.812’, W99°19.568’, NTP- 80 #1, 28-III al 24-IV-2009, J. Márquez, M. Rivero, M. Torres, M. Vargas y J. Sánchez cols.” (1, CC-UAEH). “ Tenango de Doria , camino a La Viejita, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1647 m, N20°19’37.9”, W98°14’ 39.7”, NTP-80 (calamar), 12-VIII-2010, C. Cornejo col.” (13, CC-UAEH). “Tepehuacán de Guerrero, San Juan Ahuehueco, selva mediana, 1016 m, N21°01.784’, W98° 54.277’, NTP-80 (calamar) #2, 29-III al 05-IV-2009, J. Márquez, M. Rivero, M. Torres, M. Vargas y J. Sánchez cols.” (1, CC-UAEH). “Tepehuacán de Guerrero, Chilijapa, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1401 m, N21°1.2’ 5.1”, W98°51.8’ 2.1”, NTP-80 (calamar) #2, 11 a 25-III-2011, J. Márquez col.” (1, CC-UAEH). “Tlanchinol camino a Apantlazol, El Pozo, bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1391 m, N20°59’6.73”, W98°37’39.86”, NTP-80 (calamar), 16 a 30-IV-2011, J. Márquez col.” (1, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “ 1 a 22-X-2011 ” (2, CC-UAEH). “Zimapán, El Salto, a 2 km al E de Durango, bosque de encino, 2099 m, N20°54.023 ”, W99°12.933’, NTP-80 #1, 28-III a 4-IV-2009, J. Márquez, M. Rivero, M. Torres, M. Vargas y J. Sánchez cols.” (2, CC-UAEH). “Zimapán, P. N. Los Mármoles, Minas Viejas, bosque de encino, 1892 m, N20°55’5.2”, W99°12’41.1”, NTP-80 (calamar), 13-VII al 17-VIII-2007, J. Márquez, J. Asiain y S. Sierra cols.” (3, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “11-X al 17-XI-2007 ” (7, CC-UAEH). Same data, except: “coprotrampa, 11-X a 17-XI-2007 ” (1, CC-UAEH). “ P. N. Los Mármoles, Zimapán, Trancas, bosque de pino-encino, 2444 m, N20°48’12.222”, W99°14’41”, coprotrampa, 22-VI al 12-VII- 2007, J. Márquez, J. Asiain y S. Sierra cols.” (1, CC-UAEH). Puebla: “ Zacapoaxtla, Ex-hacienda Apulco, cascada La Gloria, N19°54´12”, W97° 37´00”, 1,508 m, dentro de cañada bosque mesófilo de montaña rodeado por pinos, NTP-80, 18 a 28-V-2021, familia Márquez-Asiain cols.” (3, MAAS). Veracruz: “ Córdoba, camino a Plan de Ayala , bosque mesófilo de montaña, 1352 m, N18°57’15.2”, W96°58’41”, NTP-80 (calamar), V a VI-1999, J. Asiain, Q. Santiago, J. Márquez cols.” (6, MAAS). “ Córdoba, San Rafael, Calería, Ojo de Agua , selva media subcaducifolia, 1127 m, N18°57’15”, W96°56’ 24”, NTP-80 (calamar), 19-II al 20-III-1999, Q. Santiago, J. Asiain y J. Márquez cols.” (9, MAAS). Same data, except: “ 23-IX a 23-X-1998 ” (2, MAAS). Same data, except: “ 2-II a 2-III-1999 ” (3, MAAS). Same data, except: “ 20-III a 17-IV-1999 ” (3, MAAS). Same data, except: “naranja podrida, 20-III-1999 ” (2, MAAS). “ Jalapa, La Herradura, N19°31’ 07”, W96°53’45”, 1292 m, bosque mesófilo de montaña, NTP-80 (calamar), 26-Ix a 26-X-1998, Q. Santiago, J. Márquez y J. Asiain cols.” (1, MAAS). “Totutla Mata Oscura, 1 km S de Zacuapan, selva mediana subcaducifolia, 864 m, N19°12’23”, W96°50’32”, necrotrampa (calamar), 20-II a 19-III- 1999, J. Asiain, Q. Santiago y J. Márquez cols.” (3, MAAS). “Huatusco, Coxcontla, bosque mesófilo de montaña perturbado, 1250 m, NTP-80 (calamar), 14-I a 11-II-1995, M. A. Pensado y Q. Santiago cols.” (4, QJSJ). Same data, except: “ 19-XI a 17-XII-1994, coprotrampa” (1, QJSJ). Same data, except: “ 3-VI a 1-VII-1995, coprotrampa” (1, QJSJ). Same data, except: “ 17-XII-1994 a 14-I-1995, NTP-80 (calamar)” (1, QJSJ). Same data, except: “ 8-IV a 6- V-1995, NTP-80 (calamar)” (1, QJSJ) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal view of males of: a) Belonuchus alternans (syntype, NHM©), b) B. alternans, c) B. apiciventris, d) B. cariniventris (lectotype), e) B. colon, f) B. confusus (holotype), g) B. julietitae (paratype), h) B. linuzensis (paratype). Scale bars = 2.5 mm.

FIGURE 12. Mesoventrite of males of: a) Belonuchus viridipennis, b) Belonuchus sp. Q, c) B. cyanipennis. Ventral view of the left femur of male anterior leg of: d) B. apiciventris, e) B. oxyporimimus, f) B. oxyporinus, g) B. tepoztecus, h) B. bidens, i) B. viridipennis. Ventral view of the left posterior leg of males of: j) B. julietitae, k) B. linuzensis (small specimen), l) B. linuzensis (large specimen), m) B. metafemoralis, n) B. oxyporimimus, o) B. oxyporinus. Red arrow: intercoxal process of the mesoventrite, blue arrow: transverse discal ridge.

FIGURE 15. Male pregenital sternite of: a) Belonuchus alternans, b) B. oxyporinus, c) B. tepoztecus, d) B. jalappensis, e) B. iridescens, f) B. platypterus, g) B. cyanipennis, h) B. apiciventris, i) B. linuzensis, j) B. metafemoralis, k) B. rufisternus, l) B. tenuistylus, m) B. bidens, n) B. pollens, o) B. longitarsus.

FIGURE 18. Male genital sternite of: a) Belonuchus altenans, b) B. apiciventris, c) B. cariniventris, d) B. colon, e) B. confusus, f) B. julietitae, g) B. magnistylus, h) B. linuzensis, i) B. metafemoralis, j) B. oxyporimimus, k) B. oxyporinus, l) B. pulcher, m) B. rufisternus, n) B. singularis, o) B. tenuistylus. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 21. Ventral (left) and lateral (right) view of the aedeagus of: a) Belonuchus alternans, b) B. apiciventris, c) B. cariniventris, d) B. colon, e) B. confusus, f) B. julietitae, g) B. linuzensis, h) B. magnistylus, i) B. metafemoralis. Scale bar = 0.5 mm (all figures).

FIGURE 29. Geographical distribution in Mexico of: a) B. linuzensis and Belonuchus sp. Q; b) B. cyanipennis, B. flavipennis and B. tepoztecus.