Lithocharodes zamorae, 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

Lithocharodes zamorae sp. nov.

Figs 10a-d , 20D

Material examined.

Holotype: ECUADOR male; Zamora-Chinchipe; Rio Bambuscaro ; 4°7'0"S, 78°59'0"W; flight intercept trap; 26 Jun - 4 Jul 1996; P. Hibbs leg.; KNHM ECU1H96 001.

Diagnosis.

According the structure of the endophallus, L. zamorae should be assigned to the L. fuscipennis -group because the elongate endophallus is covered by minute teeth in the basal part, but short lobes are also present in the straight apical part. Size and punctation of the head mostly resemble L. nigripennis (LeConte, 1863). Postocular space in L. nigripennis is distinctly longer (PS:E ratio 3.6) than in L. zamorae (PS:E ratio 3.1) and front part of the pronotum in L. zamorae is narrower.

Description.

Length: 5.6 mm; Colouration: completely black; legs and antennae lighter brown.

Head: 0.89 mm long, 0.74 mm wide; eyes moderately large; slightly prominent; postocular sides slightly divergent; P:S ratio 3.1; setiferous punctation deep and dense; irregular; on most parts, interstices half as wide as diameter of punctures; along sparsely punctate mid-line, interstices distinctly wider; partly impunctate; surface without microsculpture; polished; antennae with first antennomere slightly shorter than half-length of head; second and third antennomere longer than wide; combined longer than half-length of first antennomere. Pronotum: 1.07 mm long, 0.71 mm wide; widest in front of anterior third; 1.16 times as wide as in posterior third; sides slightly convergent posteriorly; anterior and posterior angles obtuse; posterior margin approximately semi-circular; setiferous punctation as deep as, but less dense than on head; on average, interstices at least as wide as diameter of punctures; wide mid-line impunctate; surface without microsculpture; polished. Elytra: 1.01 mm long, 0.94 mm wide; humeral and posterior angles sub-rectangular; sides nearly parallel; posterior margin slightly retreated to suture; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures half as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished. Abdomen with setiferous punctation finer and sparser than on fore-body; sternite VII of male with emarginate posterior margin; within emargination sinuate; posterior margin of tergite VII of male slightly convex; meso- and meta-tibia with 2 ctenidia each. Aedeagus oval; anteriorly sub-rectangular; dorsal plate covering nearly total central lobe; divided in anterior third; endophallus elongate; with wide basal part covered by minute teeth and narrow apical part with short lobes; parameres short; hook-like; inner edge with numerous setae.

Etymology.

The species name is derived from the Ecuadorian Province Zamora-Chinchipe.

Geography.

Southern Ecuador.

Ecology.

Unknown.

Figures

Figure 20. A. Fore-body of Lithocharodes lituratus; B. L. montanus; C. L. parallelus; D. L. zamorae; E. Somoleptus alajuelae; F. S. curtioculatus. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figures 9 - 12. 9. Lithocharodes parallelus; 10. L. zamorae; 11. Somoleptus alajuelae; 12. S. curtioculatus. a. Aedeagus; b. Paramere; c. Sternite VII; d. Tergite VII. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (a, c, d); 0.1 mm (b).