Bolitogyrus strigifrons (Wendeler, 1928)

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 : 60-62

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Bolitogyrus strigifrons (Wendeler, 1928) Figs 6F, 13E, 17 G–K, 23J, 31C (map)

Cyrtothorax strigifrons Wendeler, 1928: 34

Cyrtothorax strigifrons : Scheerpeltz 1974: 183

Type locality.

MEXICO: Veracruz, Jalapa [=Xalapa].

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (ZMHB): Jalapa, Mexico [printed label] / Cyrtothorax strigifrons n. sp., Wendeler det. [written name, rest printed] / Holotypus [red printed label] / strigifrons, Wdlr [large green label with written name] / Bolitogyrus strigifrons , Det. Chatzimanolis 2010 [written label] / Holotype ♂, Cyrtothorax strigifrons Wendeler 1927, det. A. Brunke 2013 [red printed label].

The single specimen located in the ZMHB is interpreted as the holotype as Wendeler (1928) stated that the 'Type was in his collection’.

Other material.

MEXICO:Hidalgo: Zacualtipán, Camino a Sto. Domingo [trail to Santo Domingo], 20°38'00.7"N, 98°34'00.5"W, 1830 m, Bosque mixto? o mesofilo? [=mixed? or cloud forest?] pert. [=disturbed], en troncos podridos [in rotten logs], 16.VIII.2003, J. Asiain y J. Márquez, CC-UAEH ST-0194, 1 ♂ [tip of paramere missing] (UAEH).

Diagnosis.

Within the Bullatus Lineage: elytra with strigulose microsculpture (Fig. 9F); head with strigulose sculpture (Fig. 6F); posterior protuberances not creating expansive impunctate areas (Fig. 6F).

Redescription.

Measurements ♂ (n=2): HW/HL 1.38-1.60; PW/PL 1.48-1.59; EW/EL 1.22-1.30; ESut/PL 0.90-0.91; PW/HW 1.07-1.09; forebody length 3.5 mm.

Coloration: Body dark brown, head, pronotum and elytra with bronze metallic reflection; elytral epipleuron paler, brownish-orange; abdominal segments often with apical margin paler; maxillary and labial palpi pale to dark reddish brown; antennomeres I–V reddish-orange, with some apical darkening, VI–X dark brown, contrasting with previous, apical segment distinctly paler, yellow to orange; legs bicolored: forecoxa yellow, meso- and metacoxa dark yellow-brown, femur yellow with dark brown bands at base and apex, tibia brown to dark brown, with or without medial face lighter, tarsus brown.

Head with median frontal impression present but weakly delimited; with central protuberance, smooth and glossy; base of head with small paired protuberances not creating expansive impunctate areas; dorsal surface of head densely, coarsely punctate, punctures longitudinally compressed to form long, smooth ridges; dorsally, microsculpture absent except as broken lines on frons and as well-developed lines on temples.

Pronotum with scattered micropunctures, with one puncture in dorsal row (i.e. only marginal puncture), lateral portion with deep, strigulose and coarse micropunctures; with protuberance distinct in lateral view; scutellum with several transversely rugose punctures; subbasal ridge horizontal and connected to humerus; elytra weakly transverse, suture barely shorter than pronotum at midline; surface without microsculpture, strongly uneven; surface with coarse, dense and asetose punctation, becoming strigulose over nearly entire disc and epipleuron (holotype) or mostly mediolaterally; macrosetae on disc of elytra short, erect, not distinct from overall surface sculpture in lateral view

Abdominal tergites IV–VIII with moderately dense and long, gold pubescence basally and laterally, III–V impressed at base; disc of tergites III–VI or III–VII impunctate medially, this impunctate area becoming smaller on successive tergites; sternites III–V with basal transverse line bluntly projected posteriad at middle, punctures becoming denser, larger and more deeply impressed toward base of segment; abdominal sternites with coarse microsculpture, interspaces wider than lines.

Median lobe in lateral view curved ventrad; in parameral view, median lobe in apical two-thirds narrowed to blunt apex (Fig. 17G); paramere not divided apically but with median suture, shape as in Fig. 17G; peg setae in a single row along each lateral edge of parameral apex (Fig. 17K); internal sac with small, central, tear-drop shaped sclerite (Fig. 17 H–I). Male sternite VIII with transverse basal line broken at middle, with distinct U-shaped emargination, impressed and glabrous in small triangular area near emargination; male sternite IX sparsely setose, distinctly asymmetrical at base and moderately emarginate at apex (Fig. 23J).

Female unknown.

Distribution.

Figure 31C. Known only from Hidalgo and Veracruz states in Mexico.

Bionomics.

One specimen was found in a rotten log during August at 1830 m.

Comments.

Among potentially sympatric species, Bolitogyrus strigifrons is similar to Bolitogyrus viridescens but is easily distinguished by the strigulose sculpture on the head. The non-type male was received pre-dissected but, unfortunately, the tip of the paramere was missing. Despite this, I am reasonably confident that this specimen belongs to Bolitogyrus strigifrons based on the sculpture of the head and the general shape of the median lobe.