Troglocharinus mengeli ( Jeannel, 1910 ) Fresneda & Rizzo & Comas & Ribera, 2021

Fresneda, Javier, Rizzo, Valeria, Comas, Jordi & Ribera, Ignacio, 2021, A redefinition of the genus Troglocharinus Reitter, 1908, with description of new species (Coleoptera, Leiodidae, Cholevinae, Leptodirini), Zootaxa 4926 (2), pp. 151-188 : 169-172

Troglocharinus mengeli ( Jeannel, 1910) comb. nov.

Speonomus (s. str.) Mengeli Jeannel, 1910: 154

Speonomites mengeli (Jeannel) : Fresneda, 1998: 67

Type locality. “ Cova de Vinyoles , située dans le termino municipal de Cava (partido de Seo de Urgel, provincia de Lérida)” ( Jeannel 1910) .

Differential diagnosis. Bathyscioid species of Troglocharinus with well-developed mesoventral keel, with an inconspicuous hook in vertex; first male protarsomere slightly narrower than apex of tibia, widening towards apex. Median lobe of aedeagus regularly curved in lateral view, apex very elongated and sinuate. Endophallus with very thin, long and arched NCs; upper node of the FVM elongated, PF2 with a small notch in the lower part of one of the extremes, the other curved and pointed. Spiculum of the female urite viii very short, wide and with bifurcated apex.

Description of the species. Body length 2.8–3.0 mm. Body shape elongated, convex, narrowing posteriad, pronoto-elytral angle obtuse, almost imperceptible. Body surface finely and irregularly punctated on pronotum, with fine and dense transverse striolas on elytra. With fine, yellowish, recumbent conspicuous pubescence.

Antennomere length as in Table 3 . Pronotum transverse, weakly convex, lateral margins regularly arched, as wide as elytra, with maximum width at base (maximum width = 1.4 x length = 0.9 mm.).

Elytra elongated, regularly tapering towards apex, maximum width on anterior third.

Mesoventral keel well developed, with hook-like vertex.

Legs long and slender. Mesotibia arched, first protarsomere ( Fig. 9 ) slightly narrower than apex of tibiae, widening towards apex.

Median lobe of aedeagus with sinuous margins in dorsal view ( Fig. 22 ), with apex apparently truncated; regularly curved in lateral view ( Fig. 17 ); apex elongated, sinuous and pointed.

Lateral stylus of the tegmen sinuate ( Fig. 41 ), somewhat shorter than median lobe and with three long, thick curved setae on apex, two inserted laterally; third noticeably shorter, inserted on the opposed side. Membranous lamina large, elongated, with a long and dense tuff of setae (“penicillum”) inserted in the apical region, including the membranous lamina.

Intersal sac of the aedeagus ( Figs 31–32 ) with very narrow, long and curved NCs; NFVM elongated with a small notch in the lower part of one of the extremes, the other curved and pointed.

Female. More robust than males, elytra wider and convex. Protarsi not dilated, filiform. Spiculum of the urite viii very short, wide and with bifurcated apex ( Fig. 60 ). Spermatheca thin and long, with lobes slightly bend with respect to the median region, basal lobe thicker than median region, apical lobe hemispherical ( Fig. 54 ). Spermaduct very long, 60–70 times longer than spermatheca ( Fig. 49 ).

Comparative notes. Español (1966) suggested that S. mercedesi may be a synonym or a subspecies of S. mengeli , without any formal taxonomic act. Subsequently Escolà (1986), in a checklist of Iberian species, formally synonymysed the species without any justification. In T. mengeli the endophallus have large, subrectangular and transverse NFVM ( Fig. 32 ), while in T. mercedesi they are deeply notched in the apex, subtriangular and parallel to the main axis of the endophallus ( Fig. 34 ). In T. mengeli the spiculum of the viii urite is short and broad, with a bifurcated apex ( Fig. 60 ), while in T, mercedesi is longer and thinner, with a round apex ( Fig. 61 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 71 ). Western extreme of the Serra del Cadí, upper river Segre valley ( Jeannel 1910, 1911, 1914, 1924; Jeannel & Racoviţă 1912; Zariquiey 1922a, 1922b; Español 1950, 1956, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1976; Bel- lés 1973b, 1978a, 1978b; Bellés & Déliot 1981; Escolà, 1980). Troglocharinus mengeli and T. mercedesi were considered synonyms (and thus merged) in the data provided by Bellés (1987), Escolà (1986), Fresneda (1998), Perreau (2000), Löbl & Smetana (2004), Salgado et al. (2008) and Fresneda & Salgado (2017).

Lleida: Jeannel (Fuente 1925).

1. Toloriu, Cova de les Encantades (= Cova de Vinyoles, Cova de Coll de Sé, Cova de Borgunyà), 23-8-1910, Jeannel, Racoviţă & Mengel leg. 60 exx., type series, in col. Biospeologica (MNHNP) ( Jeannel 1910, 1911, 1924; Jeannel & Racoviţă 1912). In the “boîte 70” of the general collection of the MNHNP we found the fol- lowing material: 2 exx.: 1. (ms) Cova de Viñyoles, 2. (i) R. Jeannel / (ms) 8-10 Lleida, 3. (i, r) TYPE, 4. (i): Muséum Paris / Coll. R. Jeannel 1931, 5. (ms) mengeli Jea ; 2 exx.: 1. (ms) Cova de Viñyoles, 2. (i) R. Jeannel / (ms) Lleida 8-10, 3. (i, red letters) TYPE, 4. (i) Muséum Paris / Coll. R. Jeannel 1931; 4 exx.: 1. (ms) C. de Vinyoles / Sierr. de Cadi, 2. (i) R. Jeannel / (ms) 8-10 Lleida, 3. (i, red letters) TYPE, 4. (i): Muséum Paris / Coll. R. Jeannel 1931; 1 ex.: 1. (ms) C. de Vinyoles / Sierr. de Cadi, 2. (i) R. Jeannel / (ms) 8-10 Lleida, 3. (i, red letters) TYPE, 4. (i): Muséum Paris / Coll. R. Jeannel 1931, with a ms ϐ symbol; 2 exx.: 1. (ms) Cueva de Vinyoles, 2. (i) R. Jeannel / (ms) Catalogne-8-10, 3. (i) Muséum Paris / Coll. R. Jeannel 1931; Zariquiey leg. ( Español, 1956); 31-8-1961, Suñer leg. (MZB) ( Español 1965); 3-5-1964, Escolà, Senent & Subils leg. (MZB) ( Español 1965, 1966); Bellés (1978a); Escolà (1980); Bellés & Déliot (1981); Escolà (1986); Salgado et al. (2008); 11-4-1965, Español & Subils leg. (MZB); IV-1966, Ribera leg., 6 exx., nº reg. MZB: 83-4564 (MZB); 11-4-1971, Bellés leg., 6 exx. (CFL) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017); 25/ 27-7-1973, Fadrique leg., 6 exx. (CFL) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017); 17-10-2009, Faille, Escoll, Bourdeau & Fresneda leg., 30 exx. (CFL) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017); 17-5-2011, Bourdeau & Fresneda leg., 33 exx. (CFL) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017); 14-4-2012, Bourdeau & Fresneda leg., 54 exx. (CFL) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017).

2. Toloriu, Avenc de la Cabana d’en Garraba ( Bellés 1978a); VI-1966, Ribera leg. ( MZB) ; 2-6-1968, Ribera & Escolà leg. ( MZB) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017) ; 15-8-2014, Fadrique leg., 16 exx. ( CFL) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017).

Localities to be confirmed, probably corresponding to T. mengeli :

3. Béixec, Forat de les Gralles, Ribera leg. (MZB) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017).

4. Vilanova de Benat, Forat Rodó ( Bellés 1978a); 30-10-1966, Ribera leg. (MZB) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017).

5. Querforadat, Avenc de Querforadat ( Bellés 1978a). Probably the material in MZB with data “Querforadat, Avenc dels Blocs, Ribera leg.” corresponds to the same locality ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017).

Additional localities. Speonomites mengeli has been recorded from other localities from which we could not study material. Some of these localities are at considerable distance of the type locality of S. mengeli or any other of the species of the complex, isolated by rivers or by non-carstifiable geological strata. The identity of these populatrions remains uncertain until additional fresh material could be studied.

Spain, Lleida , Coll de Nargó , Cova de les Encantades del Pont d’Espia (= Avenc or Cova del Pont Espies, Forat de les Fades), UTM ( ETRS89 ): 31 T 362 4671, 518 m: 21-3-1971, Escolà leg., 23 exx. ( MZB) ( Fresneda & Salgado 2017 as S. mengeli ) .

Spain, Barcelona , Gòsol , Cova del Pont Cabradís (= Quebradís) ( Bellés 1978b), UTM ( ETRS89 ): 31 T 392 4670, 1030 m. Probably the material deposited in the MZB with data “Avenc del Pont Quebradís, 22-12-1968, Escolà leg., only remains” is from the same locality .

Figures

FIGURE 71. Distribution map of the species.

FIGURES 7–11. Male protarsus of Troglocharinus sendrai sp. nov. (7), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (8), T. mengeli (9)—Coves Encantades de Toloriu—, T. mercedesi (10)—Bòfia de Sant Jaume—and T. vinyasi (11)—Avenc de la Roca del Corb—.

FIGURES 20–24. Aedeagus in dorsal view of Troglocharinus sendrai sp. nov. (20), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (21), T. mengeli (22)—Cabana d’en Garraba—, T. mercedesi (23)—Bòfia de Sant Jaume—and T. vinyasi (24)—Avenc de la Roca del Corb.

FIGURES 15–19. Aedeagus in lateral view of Troglocharinus sendrai sp. nov. (15), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (16), T. mengeli (17)—Coves Encantades de Toloriu—, T. mercedesi (18)—Bofia de Sant Jaume—and T. vinyasi (19)—Avenc de la Roca del Corb.

FIGURES 35–47. Apex of the lateral stylus of the aedeagus of Troglocharinus ferreri (35)—Avenc Gran del Sant Roc, Begues—, T. fonti (36)—Cova d’Ormini, Montanissell—, T. hustachei (37)—Cova del Gel, Llimiana—, T. impellitierii (38)—Cova Palomera, Taús—, T. senenti (39)—Querant Gran de Paús, Vilanova de Meià—, T. subilsi (40)—Grallera de Cambrils—, T. mengeli (41)—Coves Encantades de Toloriu—, T. sendrai sp. nov. (42), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (43), T. orcinus (44)—Cova Gran de la Febró, Montblanc—, Speonomites velox (45)—Querant del riu Merlé, Vilanova de Meià—, S. antemi (46)—Cova dels Porredons, Baén—and S. latrunculus (47)—Cova del Lladre, Santa Linya—. Membranous lamina in yellow.

FIGURES 27–34. Endophallus and schematic ampliation of the middle region of Troglocharinus sendrai sp. nov. (27–28), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (29–30), T. mengeli (31–32)—Cabana d’en Garraba—and T. mercedesi—Bòfia de Sant Jaume—(33–34).

FIGURES 58–63. viii female urite of Troglocharinus sendrai sp. nov. (58), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (59), T. mengeli (60)—Coves Encantades de Toloriu—, T. mercedesi (61)—Bòfia de Sant Jaume—, T. vinyasi (62)—Avenc de l’Home Mort—and Speonomites velox (63)—Querant del riu Merlé, Vilanova de Meià—. Spermathecal complex of T. mercedesi: CE, spermaduct; E, spermatheca; LA, apical lobe; LBS, basal lobe; RM middle region; VIII, eight urite.

FIGURES 52–57. Spermatheca of Troglocharinus sendrai sp. nov. (52), T. fadriquei sp. nov. (53), T. mengeli (54)—Coves Encantades de Toloriu—, T. mercedesi (55)—Bòfia de Sant Jaume—, T. mercedesi (56)—Avenc del Xato—and T. vinyasi (57)—Avenc de l’Home Mort.

FIGURES 48–51. Spermathecal complex of Troglocharinus fadriquei sp. nov. (48), T. mengeli (49)—Coves Encantades de Toloriu—, T. mercedesi (50)—Avenc del Xato—and T. ferreri (51)—Avenc del Sant Roc de Begues.