Sonoma gilae, Ferro & Carlton, 2010

Ferro, Michael L. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2010, Fifteen new species of Sonoma Casey from the eastern United States and a description of the male of Sonoma tolulae (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (137), pp. 1-44 : 13-14

6. Sonoma gilae new species

Fig. 6 , 23 ; Maps 2, 6

Description. Holotype, male. Measurements: head 0.30 long, 0.38 wide; pronotum 0.39 long, 0.45 wide; elytra 0.53 long, 0.28 wide; antennomeres 1-11 total 0.92; total length 2.08.

Head. Eyes small, maximum length in dorsal view 7/10 length of first antennal segment, with approximately 30 facets. Antennomere 2 approximately 4/5 width of 1; 3 smallest.

Thorax. Elytra with row of three large sutural foveae in basal half; central row of 3 foveae in basal 1/ 2. Brachypterous.

Abdomen. Tergite one without transverse patch of microtrichia. No abdominal foveae. Basal pubescence present on all visible ventrites.

Aedeagus. Asymmetrical. Left paramere: base expanded in lower 1/3; evenly tapering to sharp acute apex; 6 subapical setae. Endophallus: lateral digitate process base 7/10 width of endophallus base, blunt, ventrad from right paramere; subapical process and apex wide, curved right apically, subapical process and apex connected by thin membrane which extends distally. Right paramere: longer than rest of aedeagus; basal third bulbous, bearing 5 thick setae on lateral face; lateral constriction at level of digitate process of endophallus; apical 2/3 scythe shaped, mesally arcuate, narrow and sharply acute. Parameres with scattered tubercles.

Type Material. Holotype, male: * TENNESSEE: Cocke Co. GSMNP, Albright Grove @ 35 o 44.11’N 83 o 16.78’W 970m. Forest litter. 1 Aug 2004. J.Ciegler, A.Tishechkin / LSAM 0094824 (1M). Deposited in FMNH.

Paratypes (n=23). UNITED STATES: GEORGIA: Union Co.: *Brasstown Bald, GA. Union Co. 27.IX.64 El. 2812’ / Forest floor debris nr. rotten wood / H. R.Steeves,Jr. J.D.Patrick,Jr Collectors / H. R.Steeves,Jr. Collection ( FMNH) (1M). *Brasstown Bald, GA. Union Co. 24.X.65 El. 2415’ / Forest floor debris nr. rotten wood / H. R.Steeves,Jr. J.D.Patrick,Jr Collectors / H. R.Steeves,Jr. Collection ( FMNH) (2M). TENNESSEE: Blount Co.: *Cade’s Cove. Blount Co. Smoky Mts N.P. Tenn 13:IX:53, 5A·KO / Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Orland Park Pselaphidae Colln. (FMNH) (1M). *USA: TN: Blount Co. GSMNP, Cades Cove Parsons Branch Rd. 5 mi from jct Force Creek Rd / 35 o 33.75’N 83 o 51.62’W Hemlock log litter 28 Jul 2004 SA Gil, J Hilten / LSAM 0146840 ( GSNP) (1M). * USA: TN: Blount Co. GSMNP, lower Gregory Ridge Tr 1 mi from trail–head / Berlese leaf litter 28 Jul 2004 A Tishechkin Beetle Blitz / LSAM 0146909 (1M). * TENNESSEE: Blount Co. GSMNP, lower Gregory Ridge Tr. @ 35 o 33.5’N 83 o 50.5’W. 630m. For. Litter 28 Jul 2004. A.K.Tishechkin / LSAM 0095574 (1M); same data LSAM 0095578 (1M). * TENNESSEE: Blount Co. GSMNP, lower Cooper Rd. Tr.@ 35 o 37.02’N 83 o 55.61’W 375m. Forest litter. 31 July 2004. J.Ciegler & S.Gil / LSAM 0094923 ( GSNP) (1M); same data, LSAM 0094925 (1M). *TENNES- SEE: Blount Co. GSMNP, Parsons Branch Rd. 0.5mi from jct. with Forge Creek Rd. 605m. 35 o 33.75’N 83 o 51.62’W. Forest litter 31 Jul. 2004. J.Hilten & S.Gil / LSAM 0094934 (1M) SLIDE. * TENNESSEE: Blount Co., GSMNP, upper Long Hungry Ridge Tr. at 35 o 30.89’N 83 o 51.00’W. 1390m. For. litter 12 April 2006. A.K.Tishechkin / LSAM 0109118 ( GSNP) (1M). Cocke Co.: * USA: TN: Cocke Co. GSMNP Albright Grove N35 o 44.173’ W83 o 16.647’ 24 VI – 15 VII 2006 SP35C –CWD Rear 1 –M Ferro / LSAM 0167670 (1M). * USA: TN: Cocke Co. GSMNP Albright Grove N35 o 44.173’ W83 o 16.647’ 15 VII–17 VIII 2006 SP35A – CWD Rear 1 –M Ferro / LSAM 0167677 (1M). * USA: TN: Cocke Co. GSMNP Albright Grove N35 o 44.173’ W83 o 16.647’ 5 October 2006 SP3 CWD5 2 of 3 –M Ferro / LSAM 0152199 (1M). * USA: TN: Cocke Co. GSMNP Albright Grove N35 o 44.173’ W83 o 16.647’ 31 March 2007 SP3 CWD5 1 of 3 –M Ferro / LSAM 0152202 (1M). * USA: TN: Cocke Co. GSMNP Albright Grove N35 o 44.173’ W83 o 16.647’ 31 March 2007 SP3 CWD5 3 of 3 –M Ferro / LSAM 0152203 (1M); same data, LSAM 0152204 (1M). * USA: TN: Cocke Co. GSMNP Albright Grove N35 o 44.173’ W83 o 16.647’ 4X’ 06 – IV 2007 SP35A –CWD Rear 1 –M Ferro / LSAM 167678 (1M). Sevier Co.: *Tenn.:Sevier Co. Smoky Mtn. Natl. Pk., VI –17–1978 TPCopeland ( DENH) (1M). * USA: TN: Sevier Co. GSMNP Greenbrier N35 o 43.147’ W83 o 23.349’ 18 V –24 VI 2006 SN15C – CWD Rear 1 –M Ferro / LSAM 0167680 (1M). * USA: TN: Sevier Co. GSMNP Laurel Falls N35 o 40.808’ W83 o 36.067’ 2 April 2007 SP1 CWD5 1 of 3 –M Ferro / LSAM 0152195 (1M). * USA: TN: Sevier Co. GSMNP Porters Creek trail N35 o 41.42’ W83 o 23.56’ 6 October 2008 Sifting CWD 5 M. Ferro / LSAM 0170163 (1M).

Geographical Distribution. Specimens have been collected from Cocke and Blount counties in eastern Tennessee within GSMNP and Brasstown Bald in north central Georgia between 375-1390 m elevation.

Comments. Specimens have been collected in March, April, and June-October from “forest litter,” “leaf litter,” “hemlock log litter,” coarse woody debris decay class III-IV and V, and “forest floor debris near rotten wood”. Berlese funnels and dead wood emergence traps were used as a collection technique.

Sonoma gilae has aedeagal characters unlike any other Sonoma . The curved subapical and apical processes of the endophallus connected by a thin membrane and the smoothly curved scythe shaped right paramere will serve to separate this species from all others in the genus.

Individuals may have either fully formed flight wings, reduced flight wings, or be entirely brachypterous. Individuals with fully formed flight wings have a transverse patch of microtrichia narrowly interrupted at the midpoint on tergite one.

Etymology. This species is named for Stephanie Anne Gil, one of the co-collectors of the paratypes of this species and participant in the Coleoptera component of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory at GSMNP.

Figures

Figure 6-10. Habitus images. 6) Sonoma gilae, holotype. 7) Sonoma gimmeli, holotype. 8) Sonoma tolulae (M). 9) Sonoma chouljenkoi, holotype. 10) Sonoma sokolovi, paratype (M). Scale lines equal 1.0 mm.

Figure 20-23. Aedeagus images. 20) Sonoma baylessae, aedeagus (dorsal view). 21) Sonoma brasstownensis, aedeagus (dorsal view). 22) Sonoma nicholsae, aedeagus (dorsal view). 23) Sonoma gilae, aedeagus (dorsal view). Scale lines equal 0.1 mm. Right side of figure is anatomical left.