Seeversiella sonomotoides Gusarov

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, A revision of the genus Seeversiella Ashe, 1986 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 142, pp. 1-102 : 25-27

3. Seeversiella sonomotoides Gusarov , sp. n. ( Figs. 54­67 )

Type material. Holotype ,, UNITED STATES: Arizona: Cochise Co.: Huachuca Mts., Carr Cny., 2150 m, leaf oak litter (P.M.Hammond), 23.vii.1976 ( BMNH).

Paratypes: UNITED STATES: Arizona: Cochise Co.: 44 specimens, same data as the holotype ( BMNH); 2, ditto but (J.M.Campbell) ( CNCI, SPSU).

Diagnosis. Seeversiella sonomotoides can be distinguished from other species of Seeversiella by having brown body; large eyes (temples 1.7­2.1 times as long as eyes); glossy pronotum without microsculpture or with weak isodiametric microsculpture; tergum 8 with four pairs of macrosetae; the distinct shape of aedeagus ( Figs. 58­61, 63­67 ), especially the dentiform distal sclerites of internal sac ( Figs. 63, 65 ); and the shape of spermatheca ( Fig. 62 ).

Seeversiella sonomotoides differs from closely related S. nigriceps in having wider distal sclerites of internal sac of aedeagus ( Figs. 63, 65 ; 124).

Seeversiella sonomotoides differs from S. liliputana in having larger median lobe of aedeagus with longer apex ( Figs. 58­61 ; 72­75).

Seeversiella sonomotoides differs from the similar species of Seeversiella with long elytra and weak pronotal microsculpture in having strongly dentiform distal sclerites of internal sac ( Figs. 63, 65 ) and L­shaped spermatheca with small umbilicus ( Fig. 62 ).

Description. Length 2.3­2.8 mm. Body brown, in some elytra and pronotum lighter, legs yellowish brown.

Head surface glossy, without microsculpture or with weak isodiametric microsculpture, with fine, weak and poorly visible punctation, distance between punctures equals 2­3 times their diameter. Temples 1.7­2.1 times as long as eyes. Antennal article 2 longer than article 3, articles 4­10 transverse or strongly transverse (ratio 1.5­2.0).

Pronotum slightly transverse, 1.2 times as wide as head, width 0.40­0.44 mm, length 0.36­0.43 mm, width to length ratio 1.1, surface glossy, without microsculpture; punctation as on head. Elytra wider than pronotum and as long (measured from humeral angle) as pronotum (pronotal length to elytral length ratio 1.0), 1.3 times wider than long, glossy, with weak isodiametric microsculpture, with fine and slightly asperate punctation, distance between punctures equal to 1­2 times their diameter. Wings fully developed, 3­4 times as long as elytra.

Abdominal terga glossy, with fine microsculpture consisting of transverse meshes, with fine punctation, distance between punctures equals 2­3 times their diameter on terga 3­5 and 3­6 times on tergum 7. Apical margin of tergum 7 with white palisade fringe. Tergum 8 with four pairs of macrosetae (54, 56).

In males posterior angles of tergum 3 not projecting, tergum 7 without medial carina. Posterior margin of male tergum 8 slightly concave medially, but without emargination ( Fig. 54 ).

Aedeagus as in Figs. 58­61, 63­67 . Distal sclerites of internal sac dentiform ( Figs. 63, 65 ). Proximal seta of the apex of paramere is much longer than the other three setae ( Fig. 64 ).

Spermatheca as in Fig. 62 .

Distribution. Known from the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona ( Fig. 386 ).

Natural History. Seeversiella sonomotoides was collected in oak leaf litter at altitude of 2150 m.

DS – distal sclerite of internal sac.

Figures

FIGURE 386. Geographical distribution of Seeversiella in America north of Mexico.

FIGURES 54 ­ 57. Abdominal segment 8 of Seeversiella sonomotoides Gusarov, sp. n. (paratypes from Carr Canyon, Arizona). 54 – male tergum 8; 55 – male sternum 8; 56 – female tergum 8; 57 – female sternum 8. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 58 ­ 67. Genitalia of Seeversiella sonomotoides Gusarov, sp. n. (paratypes from Carr Canyon, Arizona). 58 – median lobe, parameral view; 59 – apex of median lobe, parameral view; 60 – median lobe, lateral view; 61 – apex of median lobe, lateral view; 62 – spermatheca; 63 – details of internal sac retracted into median lobe, lateral view; 64 – apex of left paramere; 65 – right hook of internal sac; 66 – copulatory piece, lateral view; 67 – everted internal sac, parameral view. Scale bar 0.2 mm (58, 60, 63, 67), 0.1 mm (59, 61 ­ 62, 64 ­ 66).