Oropodes esselen Chandler & Caterino

Chandler, Donald S. & Caterino, Michael S., 2011, A taxonomic revision of the New World genus Oropodes Casey (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), ZooKeys 147, pp. 425-477 : 450-452

13. Oropodes esselen Chandler & Caterino sp. n. Fig. 14Map 3

Specimens examined.

6: HOLOTYPE male: California, Monterey Co., UC Big Creek Reserve, Canogas Falls, 36.0616°N, 121.5545°W, III-27/IV-2-2004, M. Caterino, FIT (SBMN; CBP0018645). PARATYPES: eutopotypical (1M, 3F, DSC, SBMN). San Luis Obispo Co.: UC Rancho Marino Res., 35.5249N, 121.0719W, II-26-2009, M.S. Caterino, Salix litter (1M, SBMN).

Description.

Length 1.68-2.12. Body orange-brown. Eyes with 65-70 facets. Antennomeres V and VII slightly larger than those adjacent, IX smaller than X. Abdomen with first ventrite bearing carinae that extend from posteromedial angles of metacoxal cavities to ventrite apex.

Males: Metasternum convex. Legs (Fig. 14B): profemora with small ventral tooth near base; protibiae swelling slightly to middle; mesotibia with widely-separated blunt preapical and apical tubercles on mesal margin; metatibiae with curved apical spur on mesal margin. Abdomen (Fig. 15C) with second ventrite gently concave in area anterior to two small teeth at apex, teeth 0.18 apart at centers; third ventrite 0.57 wide, with broad recurved lamina originating at apex of ventrite, lamina 0.14 wide, apex slightly concave, angled at about 30°, transverse impressed area anterior to lamina with scattered thickened setae, defined laterally by carinae, lacking setae posterior to lamina; fourth ventrite gently concave in medial third; fifth ventrite slightly convex/flattened in medial fourth; sixth ventrite (Fig. 15D) gently convex at middle, transverse margins of setose area slightly narrowing toward middle. Aedeagus (Fig. 16A) 0.27 long; with left paramere prominent and laminate, right paramere shorter and broadly rounded; with two elongate spines in internal sac curved to right apically.

Females: Fifth ventrite (Fig. 15F) with setose area broadly divided by medial bar. Genitalia (Fig. 15E) symmetrical, median lobe with broad medial plate apically pointed.

Collection notes.

A small series was taken using a flight intercept trap from late March to early April. The type locality was near a small ephemeral stream in a chaparral area, with Ceanothus , Heteromeles , Arctostaphylos , and small Quercus . A single male was taken by sifting willow litter in February.

Geographical distribution.

(Map 3): Taken from foothills of the Coast Ranges along the coast in Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Comparisons and diagnostic notes.

A member of the raffrayi-group, and sharing with six other species the abdominal lamina arising at the posterior margin of the third ventrite. This species is distinct in this group by the males having a small basal profemoral tooth, unmodified protibiae, and mesotibiae with the preapical tubercles widely separated, while for females the genitalia is symmetrical, and the fifth ventrite has the setose area widely divided by a bar. This is the only species where the male metasternum is convex, rather than with a median longitudinal sulcus.

Etymology.

The specific epithet, treated as a Latin singular noun in apposition, nominative case, is based on the tribal name of the Esselen Indians, who originally lived in the area where the specimens of this species were taken.