Serranillus jeanneli Barr, 1995

Harden, Curt W. & Caterino, Michael S., 2024, Systematics and biogeography of Appalachian Anillini, and a taxonomic review of the species of South Carolina (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae, Anillini), ZooKeys 1209, pp. 69-197 : 69-197

Serranillus jeanneli Barr, 1995

Figs 2 D , 16 , 17 B , 18 A – D , 21 T , 25 B

Serranillus jeanneli Barr 1995: 247.

Neotype male

( CMNH), here designated. Dissected, with abdomen glued to point and genitalia in glycerin in plastic microvial pinned below labels, labeled: “ NC: Macon Co. # 62 Coweeta Exp. Sta. Ball Creek 3700 ’ 13 Aug 1969 T. Barr ” “ THOMAS C. BARR COLLECTION 2011 Acc. No. 38,014 ” “ Serranillus jeanneli ♂ det. C. W. Harden 2024 ” “ NEOTYPE Serranillus jeanneli Barr, 1995 des. Harden & Caterino 2024 [red cardstock] ”

Material examined

(n = 67). USA • Georgia • 1 ♂; Rabun Co.; Chattahoochee National Forest, Rabun Cliffs ; 34.913, - 83.2978; 11 May 2021; M. Caterino and A. Haberski leg.; MSC- 7026, CUAC 000135496 ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same data as previous; CUAC 000172330 and CUAC 000172322 ; • 2 ♀; Rabun Co.; Rabun Bald ; 34.967, - 83.299; 9 Jul. 2014; T. Lawton leg.; CWHc ; • 1 ♀; Rabun Co.; Rabun Bald ; 34.967, - 83.299; 24 May 2014; T. Lawton leg.; CWHc ; • 19 ♂, 15 ♀; Rabun Co.; Rabun Bald ; 34.9708, - 83.3032; 2 Jul. 2020; C. W. Harden leg.; CWHc ; • 1 ♂; Rabun Co.; Chattahoochee National Forest, south of Beegum Gap ; 34.9759, - 83.3041; 5 Jun. 2023; C. W. Harden leg.; CWHc ; • North Carolina • 4 ♂, 2 ♀; Macon Co.; Coweeta Hydrological Lab, ca. 13 miles west of Highlands ; 35.045, - 83.451; 23 May 1965; H. R. Steeves leg.; CMNH ; • 1 ♀; Macon Co.; Coweeta Experimental Station [sic.], Ball Creek , # 62, 3700 ’; 35.0339, - 83.4505; 13 Aug. 1969; T. C. Barr leg.; CMNH ; • 2 ♀; Macon Co.; Coweeta Experimental Station [sic.], Ball Creek # 42, 3100 ’; 35.0432, - 83.4535; 13 Aug. 1969; T. C. Barr leg.; CMNH ; • 1 ♂; Macon Co.; Turtle Pond Creek, ca. 4 miles west-northwest of Highlands ; 35.06, - 83.26; 8 Aug. 1970; T. C. Barr leg.; CMNH ; • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Macon Co.; 0.6 miles northeast of Goldmine, California Ridge ; 35.10, - 83.28; 14 May 1971; T. C. Barr leg.; CMNH ; • 5 ♂; Macon Co.; Nantahala National Forest, off Wayah Road ca. 10 km west from Route 64; 35.1554, - 83.5584; 3 Aug. 2020; C. W. Harden leg.; CWHc ; • 1 ♀; same data as previous; 4 Jun. 2021 ; • 1 ♀; Macon Co.; Nantahala National Forest, off Wayah Road ca. 10 km west from Route 64; 35.1557, - 83.5583; 20 Oct. 2019; C. W. Harden leg.; CWHc ; • 6 ♀; same data as previous; 3 Aug. 2020; CWHc ; • 2 ♂; Macon Co.; four miles north of Franklin ; 35.239, - 83.374; 18 Mar. 1976; OSUC 442503 and OSUC 442504 ; OSUC ; • South Carolina • 1 ♂; Oconee Co.; Coon Branch Natural Area, near Whitewater River ; 35.023, - 83.004; 23 Aug. 2022; C. W. Harden leg.; CWH- 454, CUAC 000185794 .

GenBank: OR 853398, OR 839364, OR 839681, OR 837924, OR 838086, OR 838255.

Literature records.

Barr (1995) stated that the type locality was “ along Ball Creek, elevation approximately 950 m, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, U. S. Forest Service, Macon Co., North Carolina. ” Field notes for the date of collection (13 August 1969) state that the site was below the first switchback of Ball Creek Road, approximate coordinates 35.0432, - 83.4535. Barr also wrote that the species occurred in the Great Balsam Mountains in North Carolina and Towns Co., Georgia. Sokolov and Carlton (2008) state they studied specimens of S. jeanneli from “ White County, Georgia ” without further data. The Serranillus that we have studied from Towns Co. and White Co., Georgia are not S. jeanneli but two undescribed species.

Diagnosis.

From other species of Serranillus , S. jeanneli is best distinguished by the male median lobe of the aedeagus, which has a distinctive carinate shelf on the ventral surface, causing a preapical notch in the ventral margin in right lateral aspect (Fig. 18 D ). Externally, members of S. jeanneli are moderately sized for Serranillus , with male ABL = 2.13–2.35 mm and tentatively assigned females ABL = 2.07–2.51. The denticles on the last abdominal ventrite in males differ from other South Carolina species by having the inner denticle broader and less pronounced than the outer two (Fig. 18 B ).

Redescription.

Habitus Robust and convex (Fig. 18 A ), moderately sized for genus, ABL = 2.07–2.51. Integument Dorsal microsculpture absent from most of head and pronotum, present at center of vertex. Small, irregular patches of weak microsculpture present on disc of pronotum in some individuals. Head Relatively narrow (male HW / PW = 0.70–0.71), frontoclypeal horn present and well developed. Ocular area behind antennal insertion with a dorsoventral linear tubercle at midpoint of carina. Pronotum Cordate, with sides broadly rounded and evenly converging posteriorly to constricted base, PbW / PW = 0.69–0.73. Approximately 1 / 4 body length (PL / ABL = 0.23–0.26). Elytra Ovoid and convex, with rounded humeri, weak traces of three striae present. Legs Male protarsomeres 1 and 2 expanded and bearing ventral adhesive setae. Male metatrochanters with coarse microsculpture, metafemora unmodified in either sex. Abdominal ventrites Males with last abdominal ventrite bearing three denticles on posterior margin, the outer two narrower and more prominent than the inner one. Male genitalia Ring sclerite long (RL / ABL = 0.32), similar in form to that of S. dunavani . Median lobe strongly asymmetrical (Fig. 17 B ), abruptly enlarged beyond base, outline a blunt-topped broad triangle in lateral aspects. Ventral face with a carinate shelf projecting below ventral margin; in right lateral aspect causing the ventral margin to appear notched (Fig. 18 D ). Apex of median lobe abruptly narrowed to a small curved hooklike apex visible in dorsal or ventral aspects. Internal sac of median lobe with two long sclerites. The right sclerite ribbonlike and corkscrewed along right side of internal sac, appearing as a dark curved shape in right lateral aspect (Fig. 18 D ), narrowing distally, where it protrudes from the ostium as a long evenly curved spine. The left sclerite is stouter, gradually narrowing along its sinuate length until it protrudes from the ostium beside the right sclerite as a bluntly hooked and curved spine. The left side of the ostium is dominated by a large rolled sclerite that curves dorsally from the left face of the median lobe into the internal sac, where it is rolled over itself twice; in right dorsolateral aspect, the scrolled sclerite appears to be a complex sclerotized structure resembling several stacked plates or a group of blunt spines (Fig. 18 D ); the true rolled shape is visible in posterior or anterior aspects. Flagellum not observed, possibly represented by a narrow, lightly sclerotized structure located in a similar position as the prominent flagellum in S. dunavani (cf. Fig. 15 E ). The parameres are as in S. dunavani , thus the right paramere is minute and asetose and the left paramere is large and conchoid, with a large base (Fig. 18 C, D ). The basal lobes of the median lobe are similarly asymmetrical, with the right lobe reduced to a thin strap and the left lobe larger and cup-shaped. Female genitalia Spermatheca small, less curved than in S. dunavani and with base less swollen (Fig. 21 T ). Spermathecal duct long and coiled.

Distribution.

Notwithstanding the comments of Barr (1995) and Sokolov and Carlton (2008), we have seen specimens only from a small area centered around the North Carolina-South Carolina-Georgia corner (Fig. 16 ).

Sympatry.

At Coon Branch in Oconee Co., South Carolina, this species co-occurs with S. dunavani , S. sp. “ South Carolina, Coon Branch ”, Anillinus murrayae , Anillinus cherokee , and A. sp. “ South Carolina, Coon Branch ”.

Natural history.

Specimens have been collected from leaf litter, underneath embedded rocks, and using buried pipe traps.

Notes.

Barr’s concept of S. jeanneli involved at least three species: the one whose male genitalia he illustrated and which we consider S. jeanneli , a larger species whose median lobe has a ventral medial tuft of long curved setae ( Serranillus sp. “ North Carolina, Riley Knob ”), and a closely related species that occurs in northern Georgia and the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains ( Serranillus sp. “ North Carolina, Miller Cove ”). We have studied all of Barr’s anilline genitalia slide mounts, and the ones he identified as S. jeanneli were either those matching our concept or those belonging to S. sp. “ North Carolina, Miller Cove. ” The latter species does not occur at the type locality. Apparently, Barr never dissected S. sp. “ North Carolina, Riley Knob ”, the larger species that occurs at Coweeta, although his description implies that he considered it to be the same species whose genitalia he illustrated.

Barr (1995) designated a holotype and four paratypes for S. jeanneli and stated they were deposited at CMNH. However, no record exists of these specimens being deposited, and they could not be found in the type collection or the general collection (R. Androw, R. Davidson and A. Seago, pers. comm., January 2024). The specimens were also not found in any of the unprocessed material accessioned to CMNH after Barr’s death. One dried-out vial of undetermined specimens was found with label data matching Barr’s type series. In it were six anillines, including two female and one male Serranillus . However, the male was not the species that Barr illustrated as S. jeanneli , but the larger species we call S. sp. “ North Carolina, Riley Knob. ” To stabilize the name and clarify the identity of S. jeanneli , we have chosen as neotype a male of the correct species that was collected by Barr on the same day, along the same forest road approximately 1 km airline distance from the given type locality.

We noted that the previously published sequences from individuals identified as S. jeanneli (DNA 1084 and DNA 2309) were in a clade with S. sp. “ North Carolina, Miller Cove ” in our phylogeny, and the genitalia were confirmed to match that species rather than our concept of S. jeanneli (D. Maddison pers. comm., January 2024).

Figures

Figure 2. Habitus of eastern Nearctic Anillini. A Serranillus dunavani (South Carolina, Oconee Co.) B Anillinus moseleyae (Tennessee, Sevier Co.) C Anillinus dentatus (South Carolina, Abbeville Co.) D Serranillus jeanneli (South Carolina, Oconee Co.) E Anillinus folkertsioides (Alabama, Blount Co.) F Anillinus pecki (North Carolina, Avery Co.) G Anillinus sp. “ Georgia, Barnes Creek sp. 1 ” H Anillinus montrex (South Carolina, York Co.) I Anillinus sp. “ Tennessee, Kings Saltpeter Cave ” J Anillinus virginiae (Virginia, Bath Co.) K Anillinus erwini (Virginia, Grayson Co.) L Serranillus sp. (North Carolina, Graham Co.) M Anillinus sp. “ South Carolina, Waldrop Stone ” (South Carolina, Pickens Co.) N Anillinus sp. “ Alabama, Horseshoe Cave sp. 1 ” O Anillinus loweae (North Carolina, Haywood Co.) P Anillinus sp. “ Kentucky, Hestand sp. 1 ” Q Anillinus indianae (Indiana, Lawrence Co.) R Anillinus cf. barberi (West Virginia, Greenbrier Co.) S Anillinus hirsutus (Alabama, Madison Co.). Scale bar: 1 mm.

Figure 15. Serranillus dunavani (Jeannel) A habitus B last abdominal ventrite, ventral aspect C left paramere, left lateral aspect D right paramere, right lateral aspect E median lobe, right dorsolateral aspect. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 0.1 mm (B – E).

Figure 16. Distribution map of Serranillus species that occur in South Carolina. The locality for Serranillus sp. “ South Carolina, Coon Branch ” is the same as the single South Carolina S. jeanneli occurrence, and is not shown. Data are from Harden (2024).

Figure 17. Multiple aspects of median lobes of South Carolina Serranillus species, progressively rotated dorsally from right lateral aspect (upper left) to left lateroventral aspect (lower right) A Serranillus dunavani B Serranillus jeanneli C Serranillus monadnock, holotype (Kings Mountain, SC) D Serranillus monadnock, paratype (Little Mountain, SC). Photographs not to same scale.

Figure 18. Serranillus jeanneli Barr. A dorsal habitus, abdomen removed for DNA extraction B last abdominal ventrite, ventral aspect C left paramere, left lateral aspect D median lobe (with right paramere attached, black arrow), right dorsolateral aspect. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 0.1 mm (B – D).

Figure 21. Spermathecae of Anillini species A, B Anillinus chandleri C Anillinus castaneus D Anillinus murrayae E Anillinus simplex F Anillinus dentatus G Anillinus sp. “ South Carolina, Coon Branch ” H Anillinus micamicus I Anillinus mica J Anillinus choestoea K Anillinus seneca L Anillinus montrex M Anillinus arenicollis N Anillinus jancae O Anillinus cf. nantahala P Anillinus cherokee Q Anillinus loweae R Anillinus merritti S Serranillus dunavani T Serranillus jeanneli. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figure 25. Anillini habitat in South Carolina A Waldrop Stone Falls, Pickens Co. (Anillinus mica, Anillinus micamicus, Anillinus murrayae, Serranillus dunavani) B Lower Whitewater River gorge, Oconee Co. (Anillinus cherokee, A. murrayae, Anillinus sp. “ South Carolina, Coon Branch ”, S. dunavani, Serranillus jeanneli, Serranillus sp. “ South Carolina, Coon Branch ” C Long Cane Creek, Abbeville Co. (Anillinus chandleri, Anillinus dentatus, Anillinus jancae, S. dunavani). The holotypes of A. mica and A. micamicus were collected under embedded rocks uphill of the wooden staircase in A. The holotype of A. jancae was collected in a pipe trap set on a hill just out of view in C.