Lithocharodes fuscipennis SHARP, 1876

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 : 44-45

Lithocharodes fuscipennis SHARP, 1876

Figs 19 a-d, 45 A, 46 A

Lithocharodes fuscipennis SHARP, 1876: 205

Type material examined: female, holotype: Brazil: Tapa-

jos ( BMNH).

Additional material examined: Columbia: Honda, R. Magdalena , Leptacinus rufotestaceus type Bernhauer in litt., male #12719 ( SDEI) ; French Guyana: Coralie (52.21 W, 4.3 E) male, 14.11.2011, leg. T. Struyve ( TSC) ; Caussade (52.3529 W, 5.0357 N), 7.11.2011, leg. T. Struyve ( TSC) ; Brazil: male, without more information ( BMNH) ; Bahia, Salvador de Bahia, det. Bernhauer, female, #12708 ( SDEI) ; Mato Grosso, Santa Carmen, Dona Dozolina farm (55°1.13'W, 11°5.97'S), field, in 0-10 cm depth of soil, male, female, 2.5.2014, leg. K. Peña ; São Vincente farm (55°2.15'W, 12°0.37'S), pasture, in 0-10 cm depth of soil, female, 4.5.2014, 2 males on pasture, 3 males, 1 female on field, 3.5.2014, leg. K. Peña ; Campo Verde, Santa Luzia farm (55°2.09'W, 15°433'S), pasture, in 0-10 cm depth of soil, 2 females, 25.3.214, leg. K. Peña ; Rio Engano farm (54°5.07'W, 15°23.26'S), field, in 0-10 cm depth of soil, 1 female, 1 male, 12.3.2014, leg. K. Peña ; Primavera do Leste, Ilha Grande farm (54°1.46'W, 15°2.66'S), field, in 20-30 cm depth of soil, female, 9.4.2014, leg. K. Peña ( UIC) ; 40 km S Poconé, Rio Clarinho (51°43.47'W, 16°36.38'S), fruit decay, female, 15.3.2013, leg. U. Irmler ( UIC) ; Cuiabá, Várzea Grande, Parque de Exposição , black light, male, 12.5.1972, leg. R. Williams ( FMNH) ; Paraguay: leg. Drake, without more information, L. gracilis det. Bernhauer, 2 females, #12710, 12711, 1 male. #12712 ( SDEI) ; Dept. Central Lambaré , 10 females, 22.1.1991, 30.1.1991, leg. U. Drechsel (9 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; San Lorenzo , female, 9.2.1991, leg. U. Drechsel ( KNHM) ; Canindeyu, Maracana , light, primary forest, female, 24.- 30.1.1995, leg. Drechsel ( KNHM) ; Guairá, Melgarejo, Tacuara Creek , flood detritus, 1 male, 1 female, 20.10.1994, leg. U. Drechsel (1 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; Canindeyu, Maracana , primary forest, at light, female, 24.- 30.1.1995, leg. U. Drechsel ( KNHM) ; Central Asunción, 2 females, 8.9.1991, 5.10.1991, leg. U. Drechsel ( KNHM) ; Boquerón, M. Estigarriba, female, 8.- 9.5.1992, leg. U. Drechsel ( KNHM) ; Boquerón, Transchaco Hwy km 430, at light, female, 19.- 28.4.1995, leg. U. Drechsel ( KNHM) ; Argentina: Buenos Aires, 1 male, 3 females, leg. Arribalzaga, 1905, coll. Sharp ( BMNH) ; Salta, Tartagal , at black light, 2 females, 12.- 19.12.1990, leg. M. Archangelsky ( FMNH) .

Diagnosis: Among the Neotropical Lithocharodes species , L. fuscipennis can be identified by the extremely sparse and fine punctation of the head in combination with the light colouration. However, the light colouration can vary according to the large series of specimens from South America. Head can be totally yellow, anterior half dark or totally dark. The pronotum may be slightly infuscate in anterior half. Dark specimens of L. fuscipennis may resemble L. hanagarthi . However, the posterior margin of elytra in L. hanagarthi is never as broadly lighter than it is in L. fuscipennis . A more detailed description with figures is given by BUSANELLO & CARON (2019). Here only a reduced description shall complete the review of species.

Description: Length: 5.1 mm. Colouration: Head orange; in some specimens darkened anteriad to yellow-brown; pronotum orange; anteriorly darker than posteriorly; scutellum yellow; elytra black with large spot at posterior angles yellow; abdomen yellow-brown; darkened posteriad; legs light brown; antennae darker brown with apex of antennomere 11 yellow.

Head: 0.83 mm long, 0.66 mm wide; postocular sides more than three times as long as small eyes; sides slightly divergent posteriad; interantennal furrows short; half as long as first antennomere; setiferous punctation irregular; laterad denser than on vertex; space between interantennal furrows and on vertex impunctate; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere as long as antennomeres 2-7 combined; antennomeres 2-11 increasing in width; antennomeres 2 and 3 conical; slightly longer than wide; antennomeres 4-11 much wider; at least twice as wide as long. Pronotum: 0.84 mm long, 0.61 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anterior third, strongly convergent to neck; intermediately convergent posteriad in medial third and nearly parallel in posterior third; posterior margin at posterior angles approximately 0.75 times as wide as at widest part; posterior angles smoothly rounded; wide midline impunctate; adjacent to midline with irregular line of approximately 11 punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Elytra: 0.83 mm long, 0.77 mm wide; humeral angles sub-rectangular; sides slightly divergent posteriad; setiferous punctation moderately dense and deep; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Abdomen densely covered by setiferous punctation; shiny; males abdominal sternite VII without distinct peculiarities; posterior margin approximately straight with extremely weak medial emargination. Aedeagus oval with anterior angles sub-rectangular; endophallus elongate; paramere triangular; very wide at base; abruptly narrowed anteriad toward slenderer apical part; apical part curved; covered by several setae; at base one area with short setae and one with longer setae.

Figures

Fig. 19–24: L.-fuscipennis-group:Lithocharodesfuscipennis(19),L. bierigi(20),L. nigripennis(21),L. clavicornis(22),L. karinae (23), L. katharinae (24); 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.