Bolitogyrus brevistellus Brunke

Brunke, Adam J. & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2014, A revision of the Neotropical species of Bolitogyrus Chevrolat, a geographically disjunct lineage of Staphylinini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 423, pp. 1-113 : 45-46

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Bolitogyrus brevistellus Brunke sp. n. Figs 21 E–G, 24F, 30D (map)

Type locality.

Panama, Veraguas, Cerro Tute

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (SEMC): PANAMA: Veraguas, 6.1 km N of Sante Fé, Cerro Tute, 1210 m, 08°29'42"N, 81°7'0"W, 13 Jun 1996, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, PAN1AB96 133, ex. fungusy log [white printed label] / SM0043171 [white barcode label] / Holotype, Bolitogyrus brevistellus Brunke, sp. n. [red printed label].

Paratype (1 ♂, SEMC): PANAMA: Veraguas, 6.1 km N of Sante Fé, Cerro Tute, 1110 m, 8°30'30"N, 81°7'0"W, ex. fungusy log, 13.VI.1996, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, PAN1AB96 127, SM0043110, 1 ♂ (SEMC).

Diagnosis.

Within the Bullatus Lineage: pronotum with three punctures in dorsal row (c.f. Fig. 7D); lateral margins of pronotum strongly converging anteriad (c.f. Fig. 7C); male sternite VII only slightly emarginate; median lobe entire and distinctly narrowed in apical third (Fig. 21E); fields of peg setae on paramere restricted to apex (Fig. 21G).

Description.

Measurements ♂ (n=2): HW/HL 1.89-2.03; PW/PL 1.63-1.85; EW/EL 1.19-1.29; ESut/PL 0.88-0.92; PW/HW 1.11-1.19; forebody length 3.8-4.1 mm.

Similar to Bolitogyrus cornutus and differing only in the following: body paler, dark reddish brown, dorsal abdomen with tergites reddish brown, with (paratype) or without (holotype) dark brown area medially; abdominal segment VIII and genital segment of both sexes pale but tergite VIII with some apical darkening; apical antennomere not distinctly paler than previous; metafemur with dark subapical band far from reaching apex; frons slightly more densely sculptured; base of head with posterior protuberances less pronounced, flattened; male pronotal protuberance strongly developed, produced into a ‘horn’, but smaller than in males of Bolitogyrus cornutus , apex rounded not truncate; lateral margins of pronotum strongly convergent; with three punctures in dorsal row of pronotum; median lobe entire but apical portion notched and with median suture; in lateral view, median lobe slightly produced ventrad, narrowed at apical third, slightly expanded subapically, apex acute (Fig. 21F); in parameral view, median lobe strongly narrowed at apical third, converging slightly to narrow apex (Fig. 21E); paramere nearly reaching apex of median lobe; in lateral view, paramere slightly sinuate; paramere entire but with median suture and apex distinctly notched triangularly; in parameral view, paramere strongly narrowed at midlength and then dilated gradually toward notched apex (Fig. 21E); peg setae fields restricted to apex of paramere, present as a pair of short lateral clusters, 3-5 peg setae wide (Fig. 21G); male sternite VII with slight emargination and small, short, not flattened, glabrous area; male sternite VIII with transverse basal line not broken at middle, with slightly emarginate apex, impressed and glabrous in elongate, triangular area near emargination; male sternite IX with base more strongly asymmetrical, apex as narrow but not as deep (Fig. 24F). Female unknown.

Distribution.

Figure 30D. Known only from the type locality in Veraguas province, Panama.

Bionomics.

Bolitogyrus brevistellus has been collected from a fungusy log in June at an elevational range of 1110-1210 m.

Etymology.

The species epithet means 'short constellation’ and refers to the relatively short fields of peg setae (like a constellation of stars) on the paramere, a character that separates it from the similar Bolitogyrus longistellus .

Comment.

As far as currently known, Bolitogyrus brevistellus is not sympatric with any species of the genus but is extremely similar to Bolitogyrus longistellus from Panama province, Panama. The forebody of Bolitogyrus brevistellus is distinctly paler than the holotype of Bolitogyrus longistellus but identifications should be based on dissected males until more specimens are available.