Lithocharodes nigerrima, 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 : 51

Lithocharodes nigerrima spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AC1C7A9C-0F22-4211-B88E-F95ACF767B38

Figs 34 a-d, 44 L, 48 J

Type material: male, holotype: French Guiana, Saül , Galbao summit (53°16'42"W, 3°37'18"N), 740 m elev., flight intercept trap, 5.- 7.6.1997, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, #FG1AB97 154 ( KNHM) . Paratypes: French Guiana, 2 males, 1 female with same data as holotype (2 KNHM, 1 UIC); Saül , 7 km N, Les Eaux Claires (53°13'19"W, 3°39'46"N), 220 m elev., flight intercept trap, 2 females, 31.5.- 3.6.1997, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, #FG1AB97 123 ( KNHM) .

Diagnosis: The diagnostic characters to separate L. nigerrima from the other dark species with sparse punctation on the head are already mentioned in the diagnosis part of L. karinae . Males of L. nigerrima are easy to identify by the bilobed endophallus and the specific paramere with two patches of long setae, which is unique in the Neotropical Lithocharodes species.

Description: Length: 4.8 mm. Colouration: Totally black; legs and antennae dark brown.

Head: 0.85 mm long, 0.71 mm wide; eyes slightly prominent; postocular sides nearly parallel; twice as long as eyes; posterior angles widely rounded; interantennal furrows weak; reaching anterior third of eyes; setiferous punctation moderately deep and irregularly sparse; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures or slightly wider; on anterior vertex denser than on posterior vertex; wide midline impunctate; surface without microsculpture; glossy. Antennae with first antennomere slightly longer than half-length of head; second and third antennomere conical and longer than wide; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere nearly twice as long as wide; tenth antennomere more than twice as wide as long; all antennomeres densely pubescent. Pronotum: 0.94 mm long, 0.62 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anteriad, conically narrowed toward neck; posteriad narrowed toward shortly rounded posterior angles in slightly sinuate curve; setiferous punctation as deep as on head; sparse; on average, interstices between punctures twice as wide as diameter of punctures; wide midline impunctate; irregular row of punctures adjacent to midline with 10 punctures; surface without microsculpture; glossy. Elytra: 0.94 mm long, 0.76 mm wide; humeral angles rectangular; sides nearly parallel posteriorly; posterior angles shortly rounded; posterior margin convex; widely retreated toward suture; setiferous punctation weaker as on pronotum but as sparse; partly in irregular rows; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Abdomen with weaker but denser setiferous punctation as on fore-body; segments at base with distinct transversely reticulate microsculpture; matt; in medioposterior half of segments without microsculpture; shiny; posterior margin of sternite VII of male straight; covered by long setae; posterior margin of tergite VII of male with two short triangular processes separated by concave emargination. Mesotibia with three, metatibia with two subapical ctenidia. Aedeagus long-oval; at apex slightly rectangular; endophallus in posterior part sack-like, covered by moderately large teeth; in middle part covered with minute teeth; in apical part divided in two strings; paramere spoon-like; at base and at apex with clusters of long setae.

Etymology: The species name is the superlative of the

Latin word niger and refers to the black colouration.

Figures

Fig. 31–36: L.-??-group: Lithocharodes spinigera (31), L. curtipennis (32), L. fusciventris (33), L. nigerrima (34), L. puncticeps (35), L. bicolor (36); 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.