Megalopinus pulcher, PUTHZ, 1989

Puthz, V., 2012, Über die neuweltlichen Megalopinus-Arten (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) (24. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Megalopsidiinen), Linzer biologische Beiträge 44 (1), pp. 613-834 : 674-675

Key to the pulcher subgroup of the caelatus group

1 Metafemora blackish in about apical third (note: this character may be difficult to identify in immature specimens).....................................................................................2

- Metafemora reddish yellow or reddish brown...................................................................10

2 Frons finely punctate anteriorly, coarsely on rest of surface...............................................3

- Frons coarsely punctate, few small punctures may be present on antennal tubercles.........5

3 Abdominal segments 8 and 10 reddish. (5. 4)-6.0mm (FB 3.0mm) Ecuador.... coya nov.sp.

- Abdominal segments 8 and 10 blackish..............................................................................4

4 E (fig. 197). 4.6-5.9mm (FB 2.6-3.0mm). Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia..................................................................... nobilis nov.sp.

- E (fig. 191). 4.8mm (FB 2.6mm). Ecuador...................................................... aclla nov.sp.

5 Basal and apical third of metafemora dark, medial third yellowish/reddish.......................6

- Only apical third of metafemora dark or with a dark band..................................................8

6 Smaller; 2.9-3.7mm (FB 1.8-2.2mm). Median blackish area of tergite 7 extending to the posterior margin of the sternite, tergite 10 coarsely and very densely punctuate. E (fig. 190) Panama, Costa Rica.......................................................................... pavo nov.sp.

- Larger, 3.8-4.3mm (FB 2.2-2.5mm). Median blackish area of tergite 7 not extending to the posterior margin of the sternite, tergite 10 moderately finely and moderately densely punctuat..................................................................................................................7

7 Frons with three prominent calli, pronotum with four prominent calli (fig. 31). Elytron (fig. 134), no punctures on large anteriolateral yellowish area. 3.8-4.5mm (FB 2.3- 2.5mm). Cuba....................................................................................... rambouseki (BIERIG)

- Frons without prominent calli, pronotum with much less prominent calli. Elytra (fig. 91) with numerous punctures on anterolateral yellowish area. E (fig. 25, PUTHZ, 1989). 3.8-4.3mm (FB 2.2mm). Mexico............................................................... pulchellus PUTHZ

8 Elytra with several punctures in sutural third......................................................................9

- Elytra without punctures in sutural third. E (fig. 182, 183). 3.5-4.0mm (FB 2.1- 2.3mm). Costa Rica, Panama................................................................... seminudus nov.sp.

9 Larger, 4.0-4.7mm (FB 2.2-2.5mm). E (fig. 179). About apical half of tibiae brownish, tergite 10 coarsely and deeply punctate. Peru.............................................. amauta nov.sp.

- Smaller, 3.3- 3,8mm (FB 2.1-2.2mm). E (fig. 12, PUTHZ 1994a). Apical half of tibiae reddish yellow, tergite 10 shallowly and less coarsely punctate. Mexico............................. .............................................................................................................. pulchrivestis PUTHZ

10 Frons finely punctate anteriorly, coarsely on rest of surface.............................................11

- Frons coarsely punctate, few small punctures may be found exceptionally on antennal tubercles............................................................................................................................13

11 Smaller: 3.5-4.4mm (FB 1.9-2.4mm). Tergite 10 with few fine punctures on very densely punctulate surface................................................................................................12

- Larger: 4.8-5.5mm (FB 2.5-2.9mm). Tergite 10 coarsely and densely punctate on less densely punctulate surface. E (figs 172, 185, 186). Brazil, Ecuador............... batesi nov.sp.

12 The yellow lateral spot of tergite 7 larger and extending to the posterior margin of the tergite (about as in fig. 161). 3.5-4.0mm (FB 1.9-2.1mm). E (figs 188, 195). French Guiana, Suriname...................................................................................... invocatus nov.sp. - The yellow lateral spot of tergite 7 smaller, not extending to the posterior margin of the tergite (fig. 164). 4.0-4.4mm (FB 2.1-2.4mm). Brazil................................. wallacei nov.sp.

13 The brownish pattern of tergite 7 broadly separate from the posterior margin of the sternite (figs 165-167, 169)...............................................................................................14

- The brownish pattern of tergite 7 extending to the posterior margin of the sternite (figs 155-164)............................................................................................................................18

14 Abdomen predominantly brownish, lateral third of tergite 3-5 yellowish to light brown........16

- Abdomen predominantly blackish.....................................................................................15

15 Smaller: 2.9-3.3mm (FB 1.8mm). Declivous sides of elytra with 2-4 punctures, elytra black in nearly posterior two thirds. Tergite 7 (fig. 167), E: median lobe broadly rounded anteriorly. Panama......................................................................... basalis (SHARP)

- Larger: 4.2-4.7mm (FB 2.5mm). Declivous sides of elytra with 5-12 punctures. Elytra reddish yellow in posterior sutural third. Tergite 7 (fig. 165). E (fig. 180). Paraguay.......... ............................................................................................................. fraudulentus nov.sp.

16 Smaller: 3.3-3.5mm (FB 1.9-2.0mm). Tergite 7 (fig. 169), posterior half of elytra completely dark E similar to fig. 197. Peru................................................ pakarina nov.sp.

- Larger 3.5mm, elytra reddish yellow in posterior third, tergite 7 (about fig. 166)..........17

17 Tergite 6 strikingly darker than previous tergites, tergite 7 (fig. 166). E (fig. 10, PUTHZ 1994a), median lobe without distal fields of small teeth, parameres distinctly longer than median lobe. Peru, Ecuador............................................................... elegantior PUTHZ

- Tergite 6 not strikingly darker than previous tergites, tergite (about as in fig 166). E (fig. 178). Bolivia, Peru................................................................. brunneiventris nov.sp.

18 The lateral yellow spot of tergite 7 distinctly smaller than one third of the width of the tergite (figs 155, 162, 163)................................................................................................19

- The lateral yellow spot of tergite 7 about as large or larger than one third of the tergite.........20

19 Smaller: 3.5-4.0mm (FB 2.0-2.1mm). Tergite 7 (figs 162, 163). E about as in fig 197). Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama................................. pulcherrimus (BERNHAUER)

- Larger: 4.3-5.3mm (FB 2.5-3.2mm). Tergite 7 (fig. 155). Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama.............................................................. kolbei (L. BENICK)

20 The posterolateral yellow area of tergite 7 less long than half the length of the sternite (figs 156)...........................................................................................................................21

- The yellowish posterolateral area of tergite 7 longer than half the length of the sternite (figs 158-161)....................................................................................................................22

21 No punctures at suture of elytra. 4.7-6.2mm (FB 2.4-3.6mm). E (fig. 176), median lobe with distal field of small teeth. Peru............................................................. cacique nov.sp.

- Several punctures at the suture of elytra. 3.7-4.6mm (FB 2.0-2.6mm). E (about as in fig. 178), median lobe without distal fields of small teeth. Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil..................................................................................... inopportunus nov.sp.

22 Tergites predominantly reddish/brownish, Tergite 7 (fig. 158). 3.5-4.3mm (FB 2.1- 2.4mm). E (fig. x). Bolivia, Peru....................................................... brunneiventris nov.sp.

- Tergites predominantly dark brown/blackish....................................................................23

23 Tergite 8 brownish, without a sharply delimited yellowish area anteriorly. A series of punctures near suture.........................................................................................................24

- Tergite 8 with a sharply delimited yellowish area in anterior quarter. No punctures near suture.................................................................................................................................25

24 Larger: 5.0mm (FB 3.0-3.1mm). E similar to fig. 178. Panama.................. venustus nov.sp.

- Smaller: 3.5-4.0mm (FB 2.0-2.2mm). E similar to fig. 178. Panama, Surinam, French Guayana ...................................................................................................... formosus PUTHZ

25 Tergite 7 (fig. 159). E (fig. 173), median lobe with strongly sclerotized structures in basal half. 4.0-4.6mm (FB 2.4-2.5mm). Panama, Costa Rica..................... elegans (SHARP) - Tergite 7 (fig. 161; the dark median area can be also one fifth as broad as the tergite). E (fig. 177), median lobe without strongly sclerotized structures in basal half. 4.0mm (FB 2.2-2.3mm). Peru, Ecuador.................................................................... pulcher PUTHZ