Lithocharodes katharinae, Irmler, 2021

Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1), pp. 29-85 : 49-50

Lithocharodes katharinae spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B16D6F77-971F-4D61-9934-BAB22A68A1A9

Figs 24 a-c, 44 J, 48 H

Type material: male, holotype: Venezuela, Aragua, Ranch Grande Biol. Stn. (67°41'W, 10°21'N), 1450 m elev., flight intercept trap, 25.- 28.2.1995, leg. R.W. Brooks, #013 ( KNHM). Paratypes: 1 female with same data as holotype #013 ( KNHM) ; 1 male, 1 female from same location as holotype but along stream, 1115 m elev., 8.3./9.31995, leg. R. Brooks, #063/071 ( KNHM) ; 1 male, 4 females from same location but 1370 m elev., 1.- 8.3.1995, leg. R. Brooks, #046/047 (4 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; 1 female from same region and collector but Pico Periquitos , 1800 m elev., flight intercept trap, 27.2.- 6.3.1995, leg. R. Brooks, #051 ( KNHM) ; 1 female from same location but 1100 m elev., 27.2.1995, leg. S. Marshall ( KNHM) .

Diagnosis: Lithocharodes katharinae is a large black species with dense punctation on the head. Separating characters from L. karinae are noted there. Females of the species can hardly be separated from L. ecuadoriensis . In contrast to L. ecuadoriensis , sternite VII of males in L. katharinae are without semi-circular emargination and the paramere is straight and not curved.

Description: Length: 5.9 mm. Colouration: Dark brown to blackish; legs and antennae lighter brown.

Head: 0.95 mm long, 0.76 mm wide; eyes large; not prominent; postocular sides twice as long as eyes; posterior angles widely rounded; posterior margin slightly convex; interantennal furrows weak; reaching anterior third of eyes; setiferous punctation deep and irregularly dense; on anterior vertex and laterad with coriaceous punctation; on posterior vertex, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere slightly longer than half-length of head; second and third antennomere conical and approximately 1.5 times as long as wide; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere 1.5 times as wide as long; tenth antennomere twice as wide as long; all antennomeres pubescent. Pronotum: 1.14 mm long, 0.70 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anteriad, conically narrowed toward neck; posteriad, distinctly narrowed in middle third and sub-parallel in posterior third; posterior margin slightly convex; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average; interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; wide midline impunctate; irregular line adjacent to midline with 22-23 punctures; surface without punctures; glossy. Elytra: 1.12 mm long, 0.97 mm wide; humeral angles rectangular; sides sub-parallel; posterior angles shortly rounded; posterior margin widely retreated toward suture; setiferous punctation moderately deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; surface with weak irregular microsculpture; shiny. Abdomen with setiferous punctation finer than on fore-body; surface with deeper and denser microsculpture than on elytra; microsculpture denser at base of segments than at apex; sternite VII of male with simply rounded apical margin; tergite VII of male with straight apical margin. Meso- and metatibia with two subapical ctenidia each. Aedeagus oval with sub-rectangular anterior angles; endophallus covered by moderately long lobes in anterior half; posterior half of endophallus transparent; covered by minute teeth; paramere short with broad basic half; apically narrowed to sub-acute apex; inner face covered by thin and moderately long setae.

Etymology: The species is named after my grand daughter.

Figures

Fig. 19–24: L.-fuscipennis-group:Lithocharodesfuscipennis(19),L. bierigi(20),L. nigripennis(21),L. clavicornis(22),L. karinae (23), L. katharinae (24); aedeagus (a), paramere (b), sternite VII of male (c), tergite VII of male (d); scale bare: A–D: 0.2 mm; B: 0.1 mm.