Myrmedonota scientiana Navarro and Caron, 2018

Navarro, Bruna V. & Caron, Edilson, 2018, First Record of Myrmedonota Cameron (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) in Brazil, The Coleopterists Bulletin 72 (1), pp. 145-150 : 146-148

Myrmedonota scientiana Navarro and Caron , new species

Zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4B9F6D86-F662-4ECA-9B36-360F8D068916 ( Figs. 1–18 )

Material Examined. Holotype. Male, deposited in DZUP, labels: (1) “BRA[ Brazil], PR [Paraná], Palotina, UFPR [Federal University of Paraná]/ Cupinzeiro arbor´ıcola em/ Ficus sp. , 30-XI-2016, E./Caron & S. Bortoluzzi, col.” [white label, printed in black]; (2) “Hospedeiro: Nasutitermes / corniger

( DZUP). Scale bar = 1 mm.

(Motschulsky)/ identified by Eliana Cancello ” [white label, printed in black]; (3) “Material adicional em álcool/absoluto” [white label, printed in black]; (4) “ HOLOTYPE / Myrmedonota scientiana /Navarro & Caron/Desig. Navarro & Caron,/2017” [red label, printed in black]. Paratypes (14) : 3 males (2 dissected) and 3 females (1 dissected) in DZUP; 2 males and 2 females in FMNH; 2 males and 2 females in MZUSP, all with same first three labels as holotype; (4) “ PARATYPE / Myrmedonota scientiana /Navarro & Caron/Desig. Navarro &/ Caron , 2017” [yellow label, printed in black]. Additional material : 22 pinned specimens and 10 in 99% ethyl alcohol (stored in freezer), undetermined sex, in DZUP, with same first three labels as holotype .

Diagnosis. Myrmedonota scientiana differs from Myrmedonota xipe Mathis and Eldredge, 2014 by having yellowish elytra with the posterolateral region brownish to dark brown ( Fig. 1 ); apex of median lobe of aedeagus rounded in ventral view ( Fig. 14 ); and spermatheca with coiled duct and capsule bluntly conical ( Fig. 18 ). Both these species differ from the other New World species by the yellowish to dark brown pronotum; bicolored elytra; yellowish abdominal tergites II–IV and dark brown to black tergites V–VIII (sometimes anterior region of tergite V yellowish).

Description. Male. Maximum body length 6.0 mm, maximum elytral width 1.0 mm. Body elongate and parallel-sided ( Fig. 1 ); brownish to dark brown, with elytra (except posterolateral and anteromedial regions), abdominal segments II–IV (sometimes also anterior region of segment V), and appendages (antennal scape only) yellowish. Body overall dull with minute and dense setigerous punctation, except abdominal tergites II–VII glossy, with setigerous punctation only on lateral and posterior margins of each tergite. Head: Wider than long; vertex with transverse median depression; eyes large and slightly prominent; neck absent. Antenna ( Fig. 2 ) long, reaching base of elytra; fine pubescence increasing gradually on antennomeres 4–11; scape, pedicel, and antennomere 3 each longer than wide; antennomere 4 subquadrate; antennomeres 5–10 wider than long, gradually increasing in width towards apex; antennomere 11 longer than wide, length almost equaling 3 preceding antennomeres combined. Labrum transverse ( Fig. 4 ); anterior margin emarginate, with short asensilla and truncate b-sensilla ( Fig. 3 ). Mandibles symmetrical, without internal teeth. Maxilla with galea and lacinia elongate, almost the same length ( Fig. 10 ); cardo covering bases of stipes and lacinia; distal lobe of galea short and densely ciliate ( Figs. 6A , 10 ); apical half of internal margin of lacinia densely ciliate ( Figs. 6B , 10 ); palpomere 1 shortest; palpomeres 2 and 3 about the same length; palpomere 4 about half length of 3. Mentum trapeziform, wider than long, anterior margin emarginate ( Fig. 9 ). Labium with palpomere 1 longest, 2 shortest, 3 twice as long as 2 ( Fig. 9 ); glossa bifurcate and without apical setulae ( Fig. 5 ). Gular plate broad, with subparallel sides. Thorax: Pronotal disc with median depression on posterior half; Pronotum 1.5 times as wide as long ( Fig. 1 ); subparallel-sided; with complete marginal line; apical half wider than basal half; anterior margin truncate; posterior margin curved. Prosternum slightly elevated medially, with short, triangular intercoxal process. Elytra slightly longer and together wider than pronotum; hind wings developed; mesocoxae separated by width of mesocoxa, mesoventrite process shorter than metaventrite process, not joined and both truncate ( Fig. 7 ); isthmus as long as mesoventrite process. Tarsal formula 4-5- 5. Abdomen: Segments III–VII parallel-sided; tergite VIII with posterior margin serrate on mesal 3/5, a prominent tooth on each side of serrate region ( Figs. 11, 12 ); sternite VIII slightly wider than long, posterior margin rounded; tergite IX with ventral struts; sternite IX 3 times as long as wide and apex largely emarginate; tergite X subquadrate. Aedeagus elongate ( Figs. 13, 15 ); median lobe slightly curved in lateral view ( Fig. 13 ); apical margin truncate to slightly rounded ( Figs. 14, 15 ); parameres with apical lobe short and paramerite velum well-developed ( Fig. 16 ).

Female. Similar to male, except tergite VIII without prominent tooth on each side of serrate region ( Fig. 17 ); sternite VIII twice as wide as long; tergite IX without ventral struts; hemisternite IX ( Fig. 8A ) fused with tergite IX ( Fig. 8B ); spermatheca bluntly conical and with coiled duct ( Fig. 18 ).

Distribution. The species is known only from the type locality, a small urban area (almost 5.0 ha) of Atlantic forest attached to the Federal University of Paraná, in the municipality of Palotina, Paraná, Brazil (24°17 ʹ 34 ʹʹ S, 53°50 ʹ 32 ʹʹ W).

Etymology. The specific name is an adjective combining the noun “ scientia ” (knowledge or science) with the Latin suffix “-ana” (pertaining to), agreeing with the feminine gender of the generic name. This name alludes to the Federal University of Paraná, where the type material was collected. This university is the oldest in Brazil (officially established in 1912), and the term “ scientia ” is part of its motto: “ Scientia et Labor ” (science and work).

Taxonomic Notes. Myrmedonota scientiana shares almost all the diagnostic characteristics of the genus according to Maruyama et al. (2008). It only lacks the setulae on the apices of the glossa ( Figs. 5 , 9 ).

Biological Notes. The specimens of M. scientiana were collected inside a nest of the termite Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky) . The termite was identified by Dr. Eliana M. Cancello and deposited in MZUSP as “MZUSP 26895”. Other termitophilous aleocharines were collected in the same termite nest, including an undescribed species of Termitomorpha Wasmann in the tribe Corotocini . This is the second Myrmedonota species found associated with termites.

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of Myrmedonota scientiana, holotype

Figs. 2–8. Myrmedonota scientiana. 2) Antenna; 3) Anterior margin of labrum with b-sensilla (bold arrow) and a-sensilla (thin arrow), dorsal view; 4) Labrum, dorsal view; 5) Labium, glossa, ventral view; 6) Maxilla, apices of galea (A) and lacinia (B), dorsal view; 7) Mesoventrite process (A), isthmus (B), and metaventrite process (C), ventral view; 8) Hemisternite IX (A) and tergite IX (B), ventral view (dashed line indicates fusion).

Figs. 9–18. Myrmedonota scientiana. 9) Labium, ventral view; 10) Left maxilla, ventral view; 11) Male tergite VIII, dorsal view; 12) Apex of male tergite VIII, dorsal view; 13) Median lobe, lateral view; 14) Apex of median lobe, ventral view; 15) Median lobe, ventral view; 16) Right paramere, lateral view; 17) Female tergite VIII, dorsal view; 18) Spermatheca. Scale bars = 9, 17) 0.2 mm; 10) 0.25 mm; 11, 16) 0.4 mm; 13–15, 18) 0.125 mm.