Microlia meticola ( Casey, 1911 )

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2002, A revision of the genus Microlia Casey, 1910 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Hoplandriini), Zootaxa 34, pp. 1-24 : 12-15

2. Microlia meticola ( Casey, 1911) ( Figs. 1­15 , 34­44 )

Nosora meticola Casey, 1911: 146 .

Nosora meticola: Leng, 1920: 122 .

Nosora meticola: Fenyes, 1920: 308 .

Nosora meticola: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 717 . Nosora meticola: Moore & Legner, 1975: 456 . Nosora meticola: Seevers, 1978: 143 .

Type material. Lectotype:, UNITED STATES: Arizona: Nogales (Wickham) ( NMNH). This reference to the lectotype is not to be considered as lectotype designation. The lectotype will be designated by Hanley (in press, c).

Additional material: UNITED STATES: Arizona: Cochise Co.: 23 specimens, Portal, Soutwest Research Station, dead Cucurbita flowers (H. & A. Howden), 22.vi.1956;, ditto but beating oak, 24.vi.1956;, ditto but 28.vi.1956 (all in CNC); 67 specimens, Southwest Research Station, Datura flowers (M.Weiser), 29.vii.1993 ( KSEM); Texas:, 2 miles W of Fort Davis (H. & A. Howden), 14.vii.1956 ( CNC).

Diagnosis: Microlia meticola can be distinguished from other species of Microlia by the shape of the aedeagus, particularly the apical process of median lobe ( Figs. 38­41 ) and spermatheca with numerous irregular loops ( Fig. 42­43 ).

Description: Length 1.9­2.1 mm. Head from brownish yellow to brown; pronotum from brownish yellow to brown, with lighter borders; elytra from yellowish brown with lighter humeral angles to brown; abdominal segments 3­4 yellow to brown, segments 5­7 brown, segment 8 brownish yellow to brown; 4 or 5 basal antennal articles brownish yellow, 6 or 7 apical articles brown; legs and mouthparts yellow; in most specimens pronotum and abdominal segments 3­4 and 8 lighter than head, elytra and abdominal segments 5­7.

Head surface glossy, on disk with weak isodiametric microsculpture, puncturation fine, distance between punctures 1­2 times their diameter. Eyes 2.5­3.5 times longer than temples.

Pronotum strongly transverse, 1.3 times wider than head, width 0.44­0.56 mm, length 0.29­0.39 mm, width to length ratio 1.5, surface glossy, with weak and poorly visible (at x70) transverse microsculpture; puncturation as on head or stronger, distance between punctures 1­2 times their diameter. Elytra wider (0.51­0.66 mm) and longer (0.46­0.54 mm, measured from humeral angle) than pronotum (pronotal length to elytral length ratio 0.68), 1.2 times wider than long, surface glossy, with weak transverse microsculpture, puncturation slightly asperate, distance between punctures 1­2 times their diameter. Mesotarsus with 4 segments.

Abdominal terga glossy, with fine and poorly visible (at x70) microsculpture consisting of meshes, with fine puncturation, distance between punctures 1­3 times their diameter.

Male tergum 7 in front of posterior margin and posterior half of male tergum 8 with numerous longitudinal tubercles, posterior margin of male tergum 8 straight ( Fig. 35 ). Posterior margin of male sternum 8 with big triangular lobe ( Fig. 34 ). Aedeagus as in Figs. 38­41, 44 . Median lobe with long and narrow apical process ( Figs. 41 ).

Female tergum 8 with concave posterior margin ( Fig. 37 ), sternum 8 with convex posterior margin ( Fig. 36 ). Spermatheca forming numerous irregular loops ( Fig. 42­43 ). No female accessory sclerites.

Variability: Body coloration varies from yellowish brown (as in M. silacea ) in light specimens to entirely brown in dark specimens. The strength of pronotal puncturation is variable.

Distribution: Known from Arizona and Texas ( Fig. 80 ).

Natural History: Long series of M. meticola were collected in flowers of Cucurbita and Datura .

Figures

FIGURE 80. Geographical distribution of Microlia Casey. 1 – M. silacea (Erichson); 2 – M. meticola (Casey); 3 – M. azteca (Casey); 4 – M. pentamera Gusarov, sp. nov.; 5 – M. tetramera Gusarov, sp. nov.; 6 – M. panamensis Gusarov, sp. nov.

FIGURES 1 ­ 5. Mouthparts of Microlia meticola (Casey) (Arizona). 1 – labrum; 2 – epipharynx; 3 – left mandible, dorsal view; 4 – left mandible, ventral view; 5 – right mandible, dorsal view. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 34 ­ 37. Details of Microlia meticola (Casey) (Arizona). 34 – male sternum 8; 35 – male tergum 8; 36 – female sternum 8; 37 – female tergum 8. Scale bar 0.4 mm.

FIGURES 38 ­ 44. Details of Microlia meticola (Casey) (Arizona). 38 – median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view; 39 – apex of median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view; 40 – median lobe of aedeagus, ventral view; 41 – apex of median lobe of aedeagus, ventral view; 42 ­ 43 – spermatheca; 44 – apical lobe of right paramere, internal view. Scale bar 0.2 mm (38, 40, 42 ­ 43), 0.1 mm (39, 41, 44).