Euconnus attritus, Caterino, 2022

Caterino, Michael S., 2022, First report of the Euconnus Thomson subgenus Cladoconnus Reitter in the New World, represented by thirteen new Appalachian species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), ZooKeys 1137, pp. 133-175 : 133

Euconnus attritus sp. nov.

Figs 11 , 12C , 13

Type material.

Holotype ♂, deposited in FMNH: "USA:NC: Mitchell Co., 36.0931°N, 82.1453°W, Roan High Bluff, 6225' viii.15.2018, M.Caterino, sifted Abies litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000003146" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC3360 Morphosp.RHB.A.012"; Paratypes (62, CUAC, FMNH, CNCI, UNHC) - 3 ♀, same data as type; 18 ♀, 16 ♂: "USA:NC: Mitchell Co., 36.0933°N, 82.1447°W, Roan High Bluff, 6251' viii.15.2018, M.Caterino, sifted Abies litter"; 1 ♀, 1 ♂: "USA:NC: Mitchell Co., 36.0999°N, 82.1345°W, Roan High Bluff, 6146', viii.15.2018, M.Caterino, Rhododendron litter"; 2 ♀, 12 ♂: "USA: NC: Mitchell Co., 36.1041°N, 82.1223°W, PisgahNF, vi.8.2020, Roan High Knob, 6276', M. Caterino, conifer litter"; 5 ♀, 4 ♂: "USA: NC: Mitchell Co., 36.1045°N, 82.1224°W, PisgahNF, vi.8.2020, Roan High Knob, 6286', M. Caterino, conifer litter".

Other material.

(52) - TN: Unicoi Co., Cherokee National Forest , Big Bald, 5237-5346ft, 5-Aug-2020 (1 ♀, 5 ♂) ; NC: Avery Co., Grandfather Mt. , 5240-5370ft., 21-Apr-2022 (4 ♀, 5 ♂) ; Caldwell Co. Grandfather Mt. State Park , Calloway Peak, 6-Oct-2020 & 17-May- 2021, 5775-5915ft. (12 ♀, 13 ♂) ; Caldwell Co. Grandfather Mt. State Park , Nuwati Tr., 4190ft. (1 ♂) ; Yancey Co., Pisgah National Forest , Woody Ridge Tr., 5086-5387ft., 15-Jun-2020 (5 ♀, 4 ♂) ; Yancey Co., Pisgah National Forest , Celo Knob, 6300ft., 19-Oct-2021 (1 ♂) ; Madison Co., Pisgah National Forest , Camp Creek Bald, 4741ft., 1-Mar-2022 (1 ♂) .

Diagnostic description.

This species is extremely similar in external morphology to many of the preceding, and is also best distinguished by male genitalic characters. However, it does exhibit a few unusual characters. The male antennomeres VIII-IX are slightly enlarged, but lack carinae on their inner/anterior edges (Figs 13A, E ); the female’s antennal club is shorter, and essentially trimerous (Fig. 13D ), though antennomere VIII is slightly enlarged relative to VII; males and females flightless; median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 12C ) relatively long, nearly as long as basal bulb, narrowed to bluntly rounded, but not knobbed apex; shoulders of aedeagus sloped; parameres weakly curved, apices tapered, bearing three (rarely two) long straight setae; compressor plate symmetrical, parallel-sided to near apex, then narrowed to subacute apex, nearly as long as median lobe; endophallus with single long, upper sclerite, strongly sinuate, apically acute, bearing a sharp secondary process near its midpoint; the right side of the compressor plate sclerotized in a linear band, appearing as a second similar linear sclerite; actual second upper sclerite is much shorter, bent strongly at thickened midpoint, tapering to a thin, acute tip; lower endophallic sclerite a similar-length, trifid claw-like process on a sinuate stem originating near basal orifice.

Distribution.

This species is known only from northeast of the Asheville depression, although there it is moderately widespread, occurring in all the major ranges: the Black Mts, Roan Highlands, Grandfather Mountain, Big Bald, and Camp Creek Bald. Its known localities span an elevation range of 3800-6300 ft. There is a CUAC specimen labelled 'Toxaway Mountain’ (in the more southerly Nantahala Mts.) that is almost certainly mislabeled, as that site was visited the same day as the Big Bald locality.

Remarks.

Of the pale species of Cladoconnus , this species is only sympatric with E. adversus (it is also sympatric with the larger and darker E. vetustus and E. vexillus ). Males of E. adversus have very conspicuous antennal carinae, which are completely lacking in E. attritus . Females, however, will be indistinguishable. Males of E. attritus have very distinctive endophallic sclerites, particularly the long, sinuate left upper sclerite, with its secondary median spike.

The name of this species suggests that the subgenus-typical male antennal carinae are 'worn away’.

Figures

Figure 11. Map of collecting records for Euconnus (Cladoconnus) falcatus complex. E. (C.) falcatus (circles), E. (C.) cataloochee (stars), E. (C.) tusquitee (triangules), E. (C.) draco (hexagons), E. (C.) kilmeri (plus sign), and E. (C.) attritus (x).

Figure 12. Aedeagus. A Euconnus draco B Euconnus tusquitee C Euconnus attritus.

Figure 13. Habitus and character photos of Euconnus attritus A male, lateral view B male, dorsal view C female, lateral view D female, dorsal view E SEM of male antenna F SEM of venter of head.