Euconnus draco, Caterino, 2022

Caterino, Michael S., 2022, First report of the Euconnus Thomson subgenus Cladoconnus Reitter in the New World, represented by thirteen new Appalachian species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), ZooKeys 1137, pp. 133-175 : 133

Euconnus draco sp. nov.

Figs 11 , 12A

Type material.

Holotype ♂, deposited in FMNH: "USA:NC: Graham Co., 35.3216°N, 83.9929°W, NantahalaNF, v.4.2020 5522', Huckleberry Knob, M.Caterino & F.Etzler, sifted spruce litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000135352" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC6877 Morphosp.HKnb.B.329". Paratypes (6, CUAC, FMNH) - 3 ♂: same data as type; 1 ♀: "USA:NC: Graham Co., 35.3210°N, 83.9934°W, NantahalaNF, v.4.2020, 5491', Huckleberry Knob, M.Caterino&F.Etzler, sifted deciduous litter" / "[QR code] CLEMSON-ENT CUAC000003924" / "Caterino DNA Voucher Extraction MSC4308 Morphosp.HKnb.A.048"; 1 ♀, 1 ♂: "USA:NC: Graham Co., 35.3171°N, 83.9833°W, NantahalaNF, v.4.2020, 4702', Cherohala Skyway, M.Caterino & F.Etzler, sifted deciduous litter"

Diagnostic description.

This species exhibits no obvious external differences from the preceding three, and can best be distinguished by male genitalic characters; its male antennomere IX has the apical corner quite dentate; aedeagus (Fig. 12A ) with apex of median lobe narrowly knobbed and bluntly rounded; parameres weakly curving inward to apices, each bearing three long apical setae; compressor plate weakly asymmetrical, broadly rounded, nearly reaching to apex of median lobe; endophallus with two asymmetrical primary sclerites, upper sclerite long and narrowly sickle-shaped, its apex straight and acute; lower sclerite with three inwardly directed hooks, the apical-most long, thin, curved, median hook thicker, more strongly bent inward, basal-most thick, short, close to median.

Distribution.

Euconnus draco is also basically a single site endemic, known only from the vicinity of Huckleberry Knob, at 5500ft in the Unicoi Mts. The second, Cherohala Skyway locality is only 1km away, and just slightly lower at 4700ft.

Remarks.

The long, trifid lower endophallic sclerite of E. draco , with the apical hook long and thin, best distinguishes this species. The shape of the median lobe, compressor plate, and upper endophallic sclerite are otherwise quite similar to E. falcatus .

This name of this species derives from the Latin ‘dragon’, as its type locality is near the popular motoring route 'Tail of the Dragon’.

Figures

Figure 11. Map of collecting records for Euconnus (Cladoconnus) falcatus complex. E. (C.) falcatus (circles), E. (C.) cataloochee (stars), E. (C.) tusquitee (triangules), E. (C.) draco (hexagons), E. (C.) kilmeri (plus sign), and E. (C.) attritus (x).

Figure 12. Aedeagus. A Euconnus draco B Euconnus tusquitee C Euconnus attritus.