Operclipygus plicicollis (Schmidt, 1893)

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Operclipygus Marseul (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 271, pp. 1-401 : 235-238

Operclipygus plicicollis (Schmidt, 1893) Figs 62 A–B, E63 A–EMap 23

Phelister plicicollis Schmidt, 1893b: 87; Operclipygus plicicollis : Dégallier et al. (2012: 37).

Type locality.

Not specified beyond Mexico.

Type material.

Lectotype, here designated (ZMHB): “Mex.” / "LECTOTYPE Phelister plicicollis Schmidt, 1893 M.S.Caterino & A.K.Tishechkin des. 2010". This species was described from an unspecified number of specimens, and the lectotype designation fixes primary type status on the only known original specimen.

Other material.

BELIZE: Cayo: 1: Las Cuevas Research Station, 550m, v.1997, D. Inward (BMNH), 1: 16.ix.1994, FIT (BMNH). BRAZIL: Pará: 1: Tucuruí, 3°45'S, 49°40'W, 7.xii.1983, termitière + fourmis (CHND). COSTA RICA: Guanacaste: 1: Parque Nac. Guanacaste, 9km S Santa Cecilia, Est. Pitilla, 700m, 3-18.x.1991, P. Rios, (INBIO); Heredia: 2: La Selva Biol. Stn., 10°26'N, 84°01'W, 27.vi.1998, arboreal nest of Nasutitermes sp., C.E. Carlton & A.K. Tishechkin (LSAM), 10.vi.2012, FIT, OTS Beetle Course, DNA Extract MSC-2320 (SBMNH); Limón: 1: Res. Biol. Hitoy Cerere, Valle de la Estrella, Send. Miramar, 400m, 18-27.ix.2000, FIT, W. Arana (INBIO); 1: Area Cons. Tortuguero, Rio Sardinas, R.N.F.S. Barra del Colorado, 10m, 1-14.ii.1994, F.V. Araya, (INBIO); 2: Santa Clara, Lasmercedes, 200-300m, 12.vi.1928, guest of Nasutitermes ephratae Holmgren, F. Nevermann (FMNH); 1: Santa Clara, Hamburg Farm, Parismina Branch, 18.x.1926, Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky), F. Nevermann (USNM); Puntarenas: 1: Res. Biol. Carara, Est. Quebrada Bonita, 50m, i.1994, J.C. Saborio, (INBIO). ECUADOR: Pichincha: 2: Rio Palenque Sta., 47km S Santo Domingo, 700ft, 23.v.1975, Broken termite nest, S. Peck (FMNH); 1: Tinalandia, 2.ii.1983, L. Huggert (LUND); 1: Santo Domingo, verst. W. d.Andes, 600m, iv.1965, arboreal termitarium, N. et J. Leleup (FMNH). FRENCH GUIANA: 1: Belvèdére de Saül, point de vue, 3°1'22"N, 53°12'34"W, 10.xii.2010, Window trap, SEAG (MNHN). PANAMA: Colón: 1: San Lorenzo Forest, STRI crane site, 9°17'N, 79°58'W, 12-13.v.2004, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin, DNA Extract MSC-2225 (AKTC), 1: 14-15.v.2004 (GBFM), 1: 21-24.v.2004 (AKTC), 1: 25-26.v.2004 (AKTC), 1: 26-29.v.2004 (GBFM), 2: 29.ix.2003, sifting arboreal carton nest of Nasutitermes , A.K. Tishechkin (AKTC), 1: 6-8.x.2003, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (GBFM), 1: 30. x– 2.xi.2003, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (AKTC), 1: 11-12.v.2004, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (AKTC). PERU: Madre de Dios: 2: Manu National Park, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Pantiacolla Lodge, 12°39.3'S, 71°13.9'W, 14-19.xi.2007, FIT, D. Brzoska (SEMC).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.44-1.75 mm, width: 1.15-1.47 mm; body rufescent, small, elongate oval, convex, with a disproportionately large head; frons broad, shallowly depressed at middle, antennal bossae moderately prominent, frontal stria with sides more or less parallel between eyes, anterior portion complete, transverse to weakly dorsally arcuate at middle; supraorbital stria present, fragmented, but more or less complete; epistoma convex along apical margin; labrum short, wide, bulging, distal margin rounded; both mandibles with apices prolonged, left mandible with strong, acute basal tooth, right without tooth; pronotal disk without prescutellar impression, but with plicae extending forward about half pronotal length on each side, with fine ground punctation, variably coarsely punctate at sides, with few to many punctures; marginal stria complete around sides and front, though weak behind head; lateral submarginal stria close to edge, curving inward at front but ending freely; anterior submarginal stria recurved to perpendicular at sides, extending about one-fourth pronotal length; median pronotal glands beyond ends of anterior stria, half or more pronotal length from the anterior margin; elytra with two complete epipleural striae, outer subhumeral stria complete, inner subhumeral stria absent, striae 1-4 complete, 5th stria present in apical half to three-fourths, sutural stria slightly shorter; elytral disk with few small punctures near apical margin; prosternal keel emarginate at base, carinal striae fine, complete, joined anteriorly but not posteriorly; prosternal lobe rather short and wide, marginal stria complete; mesoventral margin acutely projecting, marginal stria weak, complete to narrowly interrupted; mesometaventral stria weakly arched forward onto basal half of mesoventral disk, sinuate near mesocoxa, extending posterolaterad toward middle of metacoxa; 1st abdominal ventrite with single lateral stria, impunctate at middle; propygidium with small punctures separated by about twice their diameters in basal half, smaller and very sparse posteriorly; pygidium with only fine sparse ground punctation; pygidial sulcus absent. Male genitalia (Figs 63 A–E): accessory sclerites present; T8 with sides subparallel in basal two-thirds, angulate at side, convergent to apex, basal membrane attachment line distinctly distad basal emargination, which is broadly arcuate, ventrolateral apodemes of T8 nearly meeting at middle; S8 short with lateral flanges better developed toward apex, inner edges strongly divergent from base to apex; T9 with sides weakly rounded to apex, apices evenly acuminate, slightly opposing; T10 comprising separate halves; S9 narrowest just basad apex, with broadly rounded base, apical emargination shallow, with single, uninterrupted apical flange; tegmen strongly narrowed in apical third, with broadly rounded ‘U’ -shaped medioventral process at basal fourth; median lobe short, proximal apodemes undifferentiated.

Remarks. The nominate species in the group is also the most widespread. Its perpendicularly recurved anterior submarginal stria (Fig. 62B), outwardly arcuate labrum (Fig. 62E), and strongly toothed left mandible readily distinguish it from the following two.