Eleodes hirtipennis Triplehorn, 1964

Triplehorn, Charles A. & Thomas, Donald B., 2015, A Revision of Eleodes Subgenus Litheleodes Blaisdell (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 14) 69, pp. 11-21 : 19

Eleodes hirtipennis Triplehorn, 1964

( Figs. 1 , 13, 14 , Map 3 )

Eleodes hirtipennis Triplehorn 1964: 60 .

Diagnosis. Elongate-ovate, black. With dense, conspicuous, black elytral setae protruding from asperate rugosities. Pronotal setae delicate and inconspicuous; pronotal punctures fine and widely spaced. Males with a subapical tooth on profemur. Prosternum declivent with process basal, apposing the mesosternum. Ental protibial spur larger than ectal, especially in females in which they are longer than the basitarsomere. Male profemur with subapical tooth. Probasitarsomere with pencil of dark setae at apex of plantar groove. Dorsal plate of female second valvifer oblong, posterior margin strongly slanting; gonostyle large, roundly triangular.

Measurements. Males: length 10.2–14.0 mm. Females: length 10.8–14.9 mm.

Types. Holotype female, allotype male, and 77 paratypes: Colorado, Alamosa County, Great Sand Dunes National Monument , July 20-21, 1954, H. E. & M. A. Evans . Holotype, allotype, and paratypes in OSUC , paratypes in USNM, MCZC, CASC , and UCIC.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality where it is very abundant ( Map 3 ). We have seen large series collected from low areas around the dunes, a harsh environment with sparse vegetation.

Remarks. On 16 July 1974, the senior author, along with W. E. and B. W. Triplehorn, collected several hundred specimens with no apparent reduction of the population. Most were taken in pairs (in copula). We have seen two specimens in the Jim Wappes collection and a long series (31) from 5 mi. E Mosca, Alamosa County, in the FSCA.

Figures

Figs. 1–4. Litheleodes species. 1) E. hirtipennis, dorsal plates; 2) E. letcheri, prosternum, lateral view; 3) E. letcheri, elytron, lateral view; 4) E. subtuberculatus, elytral surface, dorsal view.

Figs. 11–16. Litheleodes species, dorsal habitus. 11) E. extricatus ♂; 12) E. extricatus ♀; 13) E. hirtipennis ♂;

Maps 1–5. Distributional records for Eleodes species. 1) E. arcuatus; 2) E. asperus and E. granulatus; 3) E. corvinus, E. hirtipennis, and E. subtuberculatus; 4) E. extricatus; 5) E. letcheri and E. papillosus.