Brachinus velutinus Erwin, 1965

Erwin, Terry L., 1965, A Revision Of Brachinus Of North America: Part I. The California Species (Coleoptera: Carabidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 19 (1), pp. 1-19 : 17-18

Brachinus velutinus Erwin , NEW SPECIES

TYPE LOCALITY: Davis , Yolo County, California.

TYPE SPECIMENS: The holotype male and allotype female have been deposited in the entomological museum at the University of California, Davis, California. Both were collected at the type locality by A. T. McClay, on September 1, 1949. Fifteen paratypes collected on various dates and at various localities are indicated in the CALIFORNIA LOCALITY RECORDS and were returned to the museums also indicated there.

DISTRIBUTION: This species has been collected from only four locations in Central California ( fig. 17 ).

DESCRIPTION: Size. Length 7 to 8.2 mm.; width 3.2 to 3.4 mm. Coloration. Elytra of both sexes blue with a violaceous cast and with epipleura blue; head and pronotum ferrugineus; mandibles piceous at tips and along mesal edges; antennal segment 1 ferrugino-testaceous; antennal segments 2-11, legs, palpi, mesepisterna ferrugineus; sides of abdominal sterna brown to piceous. Head. Labrum entire; dorsal surface of mentum flat with a seta at each anterior corner and a few along caudal edge; bead on dorsal part of eyes only; frons with very shallow frontal furrows; only a few setae arise behind eyes and on top of head; microsculpture consists of very fine isodiametric meshes. Pronotum. Widest just behind apical margin with sides moderately sinuate behind; anterior angles slightly prominent; posterior angles prominent, acute, with lateral margins slightly reflexed without a definite bead; lateral basal impressions shallow; disc flat, and barely rugose down midline, with dense pubescence on entire dorsal surface; microsculpture consists of small isodiametric meshes. Elytra. Male elytra truncate, widest at apical third narrowing strongly toe very narrow humeri which are not at all prominent; not costate; microsculpture consists of very small isodiametric meshes; pubescence densely covering elytra. Female elytra similar, but proportionately slightly wider than those of male at apical third. Aedeagus ( fig. 9 ). Phallus asymmetrical, ending in a twisted blunt knob; microsculpture lacking. Endophallus bears a poorly pigmented virga consisting of two lateral plates which are fused apically.

CALIFORNIA LOCALITY RECORDS: 15 paratypes were examined. Contra Costa County: (Brentwood) CAS; Stanislaus County: (Newman) ATM; Tulare County: (Visalia) ATM; Yolo County: (Davis) CAS ATM.

DERIVATION OF THE NAME: Latin, velutinus -velvet; referring to the velvety-down appearance of the elytral pubescence.

DISCUSSION: This species is the most peculiar of all the California species. Its members, with their narrow shoulders and densely pubescent prothorax and elytra, do not appear to be closely related to any other species from this area. The twisted aedeagus would seem to place it, however, near B. favicollis and B. imperialensis .

Figures

FIGURES 14-17, Brachinus spp. California distribution maps.

FIGURES 1-9, Brachinus spp. Aedeagus from dorsal and