Euconnus adversus, 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 adversus sp. nov.

Figs 11 , 14 , 15A, B

Type material.

Holotype ♂, deposited in FMNH: "USA: NC: Yancey Co., 35.8524°N, 82.2485°W, PisgahNF, CeloKnob, x.19.2021, 6300', M.Caterino, E.Recuero, & A.Haberski, sifted litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000157519" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC9225 Morphosp.CK.B.370". Paratypes (4, CUAC) - 1 ♂: "USA: NC: Yancey Co., 35.8447°N, 82.2369°W, PisgahNF, Woody Ridge Tr., vi.15.2020, 5244', M.Caterino, F.Etzler, sifted litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000137633" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC5528 Morphosp.WR.A.046"; 1 ♂: "USA: NC: Caldwell Co., 36.1184°N, 81.7909°W, Grandfather Mt.SP, 4020', Nuwati Tr., v.17.2021, A.Haberski, P. Wooden, sifted litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000135057" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC6364 Morphosp.NT.A.009"; 1 ♂: "USA: NC: Buncombe Co.Co. 35.7955°N, 82.3392°W, Big Butt Tr.,iii.19.2016, S.Myers, L.Vasquez-Velez, sifted litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC00026846"; 1 ♂: "USA: TN: Unicoi Co., 35.9950°N, 82.48972°W, Cherokee NF, Big Bald, v.21.2021, CW. Harden, A.Haberski, P.Wooden, sifted litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000135395" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC6920 Morphosp.BgBld.A.026".

Other material.

(19): NC: Jackson Co., Balsam Mountain Preserve, Sugarloaf Mountain 4491ft, 7-Feb-2015, Sifting litter, oak litter in old stump depression; Ashe Co., Mt. Jefferson State Park, SE Reservoir, 4-Jul-1960; SC: Greenville Co., Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve, 1140 & 1220 ft., 5-June-2015; Pickens Co., Clemson Experimental Forest, Seed Orchard Rd., 700ft, 12-Jul-2016; Oconee Co., Ellicott Rock Wilderness, East Fork Chattooga River, 2110ft, 4-May-2015; Oconee Co., Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Indian Camp Creek, 2822ft, 4-May-2015; Greenville Co., Mtn. Bridges Wilderness, 2230ft., 10-Mar-2018; GA: Rabun Co., NE Pine Mt., Chattooga R., 1800ft, 5-Jun-1981 (CUAC, CNCI, FMNH).

Diagnostic description.

This species is generally very similar to the preceding, and can best be distinguished by male genitalic characters; it and the following, however, exhibit the most prominent antennal carinae among American Cladoconnus , those on antennomeres VIII and IX both being strong and oblique (Fig. 14C ), that of VIII most produced at base and that of IX most produced at apex; antennomere VII also exhibits some expansion along its inner margin; males may be wing-polymorphic, winged individuals appearing larger and darker in body color; female wings not observed; aedeagus (Figs 15A, B ) with median lobe evenly tapered and narrowly rounded at apex; parameres thin, each bearing three short terminal setae, the setae not reaching apex of median lobe; compressor plate short, asymmetrical, truncate on one side ( ‘left’ as drawn), produced on other; upper endophallic armature comprising two dominant curved sclerites, one tapered to narrowly subacute apex, the shorter one much broader, more weakly curved inward to a bluntly truncate apex that meets the apex of the other; the lower endophallic armature consisting of a shorter, deeply bifurcate (or trifurcate) process, the apices slightly varied in curvature, generally directed distad.

Distribution.

This species is widespread but rare, found at scattered lower elevation sites across northwestern South Carolina, to higher elevations in the Nantahalas, Blacks, Grandfather Mountain, and Mount Jefferson in northernmost North Carolina. It has a broad elevational range as well, from just 700 ft up to the highest peaks in the region at 6500 ft. A single male labelled as from the Florida panhandle is almost certainly mislabeled. Collected by Stewart Peck on 8 June 1981, it was collected just 3 days after he collected another specimen of this species in Rabun County, Georgia. The ‘Florida’ specimen probably belongs to the Georgia series.

Remarks.

The strongly modified antennomeres of male E. adversus will distinguish them immediately from anything sympatric (though not the more western E. astrus , below). There is considerable variation site-to-site in the detailed shapes of the upper and lower endophallic armature. In males from the Balsam Mt. Preserve (NC), the innermost endophallic sclerite is deeply trifucate, whereas in those from the Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve (SC) the right tip of the lower endophallic sclerite is curved inward (compare Fig. 15B and Fig. 15A , respectively). None of these southern localities, however, are represented by sequence data, so before recognizing these variants taxonomically, better representation for molecular data would be advisable.

The name of this species refers to the seemingly ‘opposable’ carinae of male antennomeres VIII and IX.

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 14. Habitus and character photos of Euconnus adversus A male, lateral view B male, dorsal view (NT. A. 009) C SEM of male antenna.

Figure 15. Aedeagus A Euconnus adversus (type locality - Celo Knob, NC) B Euconnus adversus (non-type locality - Chestnut Ridge, SC) C Euconnus astrus D Euconnus cultellus.