Operclipygus inquilinus, Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Operclipygus Marseul (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 271, pp. 1-401 : 139-141

Operclipygus inquilinus sp. n. Figs 37 A–BMap 13

Type locality.

GUYANA: Region 8: 1 km W Kurupukari, Iwokrama Field Station [4°40.3'N, 58°41.1'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "GUYANA: Region 8 Iwokrama Forest, 1 km W Kurupukari, Iwokrama Field Stn., 60 m 4°40'19"N, 58°41'04"W 21 MAY 2001, R. Brooks,Z. Falin, GUY1BF01 005 ex: Acromyrmex hystrix refuse pile" / "SM0568398 KUNHM-ENT" (SEMC). Paratypes (9): 1: same data as type (SEMC); GUYANA: Region 8: 2, Kabocalli Field Stn., Iwokrama Forest, 4°17'4"N, 58°30'35"W, 60m, 3-5.vi.2001, FIT, R. Brooks & Z. Falin (SEMC, MSCC); FRENCH GUIANA: 1: Régina, Réserve des Nouragues, 4°2.27'N, 52°40.35'W, 28.i.2010, FIT, SEAG (CHND); 1: Rés. Natur. des Nouragues, Camp Inselberg, 4°05'N, 52°41'W, 20.vii.2009, Window trap, SEAG (FMNH); 1: Mont tabulaire Itoupé, 3°1.82'N, 53°6.40'W, 400m, 17.iii.2010, FIT, SEAG (CHND); 1: Belvèdére de Saül, point de vue, 3°1'22"N, 53°12'34"W, 30.xi.2010, Window trap, SEAG (AKTC). SURINAME: Para: 1: nr. Overbridge River Resort, 5°31.8'N, 55°3.5'W, 15-18.ii.2010, FIT, C. Gillet, P. Skelley, W. Warner (FSCA); Sipaliwini: 1:CI-RAP Surv. Camp 1: on Kutari River, 2°10.521'N, 56°47.244'W, 228m, 19-24.viii.2010, FIT, T. Larsen & A.E.Z. Short (SEMC).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.28-1.59 mm, width: 0.97-1.15 mm; body rufescent, depressed, elongate, sides subparallel; frons and epistoma strongly depressed at middle, antennal bosses strongly prominent; frontal stria absent; supraorbital stria very fine, inconspicuous, or absent; epistoma weakly convex along anterior margin; labrum flat, slightly sinuate along anterior margin; both mandibles with strong, simple basal teeth; pronotal disk with thin, linear prescutellar impression about 1.5 × scutellar length, ground punctation sparse, fine, with few coarser punctures at sides, particularly posterolaterad ends of anterior submarginal stria; lateral submarginal pronotal stria variably strongly reduced, present only in anterior corners to completely absent; anterior submarginal stria recurved somewhat obliquely posterad, reaching middle of pronotum; elytra with outer subhumeral stria present in apical half, inner subhumeral stria absent, striae 1-4 complete, 5th stria present in apical half, sutural stria present in apical four-fifths; base of prosternal keel projecting, but rather bluntly rounded posteriorly, with carinal striae strongly shortened, meeting in narrow anterior arch just anterad midpoint of keel, faintly connected basally; mesoventral margin emarginate at middle, marginal stria complete; mesometaventral stria strongly arched forward at middle, reaching anterior third of mesoventral disk, continued posterolaterally by lateral metaventral, which extends toward middle of metacoxa; 1st abdominal ventrite with two complete lateral striae, central portion of disk rather narrow, with a few small punctures near apical margin; propygidium with medium-sized round, shallow punctures concentrated in anterior two-thirds, separated by about their diameters; pygidium with fine, very dense ground punctation only, lacking coarser punctures; marginal pygidial sulcus complete, but very fine. Male genitalia more or less indistinguishable from those of Operclipygus minutus (see Figs 38 A–D), showing the distinct desclerotization around the apical emargination of S8, but with S9 less distinctly desclerotized along midline.

Remarks.

Although in genitalic characters this species is very similar to Operclipygus minutus , and it may be related, it is highly distinctive in external characters. The complete lack of frontal stria, very fine or absent supraorbital stria, reduction (or loss) of lateral submarginal pronotal striae (Fig. 37A), very short prosternal striae, and the lack of coarser punctures on the densely granulose pygidium (Fig. 37B) diagnose this species easily.

Etymology.

This species’ name refers to its apparently myrmecophilus habits, which are infrequent in Operclipygus .