Lithocharodes esmeraldae, 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 esmeraldae sp. nov.

Figs 3a-d , 19C

Material examined.

Holotype: ECUADOR male; Esmeraldas, Bilsa ; 0°20'0"S, 79°43'0"W; flight intercept trap; 28 Apr-10 May 1996; P. Hipps leg. KNHM ECU1H96 015.

Paratypes: ECUADOR 1 female; same location as holotype; 5 Jun-7 Jul 1996; KNHM ECU1H96 014 ; 1 female; Pichincha; Maquipucuna Biological Station ; 0°6'25"N, 78°37'18"W; montane evergreen forest litter; 27 Oct 1999; R. Anderson; KNHM ECU199 209C .

Diagnosis.

The structure of the aedeagus fits with the characters of the L. fusciventris -group, regarding the shape of the elongate central lobe and minute teeth of the endophallus. At present, six species belong to the group. Amongst the group, L. esmeraldae resembles L. nigerrima Irmler, 2021 most closely concerning the black colouration and density of punctation. It differs from L. nigerrima by the shorter eyes. In L. esmeraldae , postocular sides are nearly 4 times as long as eyes, whereas in L. nigerrima , postocular sides are only twice as long as eyes. Lithocharodes fusciventris Sharp, 1885 is also darkly coloured, but the colouration is brownish and not blackish and the punctation of the head is denser. The other species of the group are either bicolored or have short elytra.

Description.

Length: 5.8 mm; Colouration: unicoloured black; humeral angles yellowish; legs and antennae light brown.

Head: 0.95 mm long, 0.69 mm wide; eyes short; PS:E ratio 4.1; postocular sides approximately parallel; posterior angles absent; semi-circular; widely rounded to neck; between eyes with indistinct depression; setiferous punctation fine; moderately sparse; on average, interstices between punctures at least twice as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished; antennae with first antennomere elongate; more than half as long as head; second and third antennomere conical; each twice as long as wide; following antennomeres transverse; on average, twice as wide as long, apically increasing in width. Pronotum: 1.20 mm long, 0.69 mm wide; widest at anterior third; posteriorly, sides approximately parallel; without distinct posterior angles; posterior margin smoothly convex; setiferous punctation irregularly dense; denser and deeper than on head; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures or slightly wider; in anterior two thirds with wide impunctate mid-line; surface without microsculpture; polished. Elytra: 1.01 mm long, 0.91 mm wide; humeral angles obtuse; posteriorly slightly divergent; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin slightly retreated to suture; setiferous punctation as dense as, but deeper than on pronotum; on average, interstices between punctures not wider than diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; polished. Abdomen with fine setiferous punctation; surface without microsculpture; polished; sternite VII of male at posterior margin with prominent central part; on each side of prominence with concave emargination; tergite VII of male slightly sinuate; with slightly prominent central part. Meso- and meta-tibia with 4 ctenidia each. Aedeagus oval; apically sinuate; endophallus elongate with few torsions at base and at apex; covered by minute teeth; paramere only one third as long as central lobe; smoothly curved; nearly semi-circular; from wide base continuously narrowed to apex; narrow; inner edge with row of setae; setae longest at base; in anterior half setae much shorter.

Etymology.

The species name derived from the province Esmeralda in Ecuador, where it was collected.

Geography.

Western Ecuador.

Ecology.

Montane forest floor from April to October.

Figures

Figure 19. A. Fore-body of Lithocharodes andersoni; B. L. dubia; C. L. esmeraldae; D. L. falini; E. L. hansoni; F. L. hibbsi. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figures 1 - 4. 1. Lithocharodes andersoni; 2. L. dubia; 3. L. esmeraldae; 4. L. falini. a. Aedeagus; b. Paramere; c. Sternite VII; d. Tergite VII. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (a, c, d); 0.1 mm (b).