Lithocharodes curtipennis, Irmler, 2021

Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1), pp. 29-85 : 39-40

Lithocharodes curtipennis spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:49C417E3-A17C-4A28-9D32-950C09CDBD1D

Figs 32 a-c, 45 A, 50 A

Type material: male, holotype: Mexico, Chiapas, Mpio., Angel Albino Corzo Reserva El Triúnfo, Pico El Triúnfo (92°48.70'W, 15°40.16'N), 2400 m elev., cloud forest litter, 16.- 21.11.2001, leg. R. Anderson, #MEX1A01 204 ( KNHM) . Paratypes: 16 females, 8 males with same data as holotype (20 KNHM, 4 UIC) ; Chiapas, Mpio., San Christóbal de las Casas , Reserva Huitepec (92°40.70'W, 16°45.84'N), 9 females, 1 male, 2200 m elev., oak forest, 13.11.2001, leg. R. Anderson, # MEX 1A01 201 (9 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; same region but cloud forest litter, female, 2800 m elev. 22.11.2001, leg. R. Anderon ( KNHM) ; same region but Cerro Huitepec ( Pico ), ca. 5 km W San Christobal, cloud forest litter, 2750 m elv., 2 females, 18.9.1991, leg. R. Anderso, #91-107 ( KNHM) ; Chiapas, 8.9 km E Rayon , 1500 m elev., cloud forest litter, female, 19.9.1991, leg. R. Anderson, #91-109 ( KNHM) ; Nueva Leon, 23 km N Linares, Hwy. 85 at Rio Conchus , washing moss on rocks beside rive, 420 m elev., female, 5.7.1992, leg. J.S. Ashe ( KNHM) ; Veracruz, 3.2 km SW Las Vigas, Hwy. 140 pine treefall litter, 2830 m elev., female, 11.7.1992, leg. J.S. Ashe ( KNHM) ; Guatemala: Zacapa, San Lorenzo, Cerro de los Monos (89°40.685'W, 15°06.806'N), 2284 m elev., sifted mixed oak-cloud forest litter, 1 female, 6.7.2007, leg. R. Anderson, #LLAMA07 RSA003 ( KNHM) .

Diagnosis: Lithocharodes curtipennis can be easily identified by the short elytra in combination with the short eyes. These characters are frequently found in the genus Somoleptus . Thus, L. curtipennis closely resembles species of Somoleptus . However, the two specific cones at the orifice of the aedeagus are absent and the interantennal furrows are present. Therefore, L. curtipennis was placed in the genus Lithocharodes .

Description: Length: 4.2 mm. Colouration: Brown; legs and antennae lighter brown.

Head: 0.72 mm long, 0.56 mm wide; eyes small; postocular space 5 times as long as eyes; sides slightly divergent posteriad; posterior angles widely rounded; shape approximately oval; interantennal furrows deep, reaching mid-length of eyes; slightly divergent posteriad; setiferous punctation deep and moderately dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; on posterior vertex interstices between punctures wider than on anterior vertex; space between interantennal furrows impunctate; vertex with irregular midline impunctate; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere as long as halflength of head; second and third antennomere each longer than wide; conical; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere 1.5 times as wide as long; tenth antennomere twice as wide as long; four to eleventh antennomeres densely pubescent. Pronotum: 0.83 mm long; 0.52 mm wide; widest in anterior third; conically narrowed toward neck; slightly narrowed posteriad; at posterior margin 0.82 times as wide as at widest width; posterior margin smoothly rounded; posterior angles obtuse but distinct; setiferous punctation evenly covering surface except impunctate midline; adjacent to wide midline with irregular line of approximate 17 punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Elytra: 0.56 mm long, 0.61 mm wide; sides distinctly divergent posteriad; humeral angles absent; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin deeply triangularly emarginate; setiferous punctation weaker and sparser than on pronotum; on average interstices between punctures twice as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Abdomen with dense setiferous punctation; weak isodiametric microsculpture; surface less shiny than fore-body; posterior margin of male abdominal sternite VII triangularly projecting; male abdominal tergite VII without peculiarities. Meso- and metatibia with one subapical ctenidium. Aedeagus oval; convergent anteriad; endophallus with single string recurved anteriad; anterior part covered by medium-sized teeth; posterior sack covered by shorter teeth; paramere slender; slightly sinuate; with long setae at inner side.

Etymology: The species epithet is a combination of the Latin words curta (meaning short) and pennis (meaning elytra) and refers to the short elytra of the species.

Figures

Fig. 31–36: L.-??-group: Lithocharodes spinigera (31), L. curtipennis (32), L. fusciventris (33), L. nigerrima (34), L. puncticeps (35), L. bicolor (36); aedeagus (a), paramere (b), sternite VII of male (c), tergite VII of male (d); scale bare: A–D: 0.2 mm; B: 0.1 mm.