Philonthus argus Herman, 2001

Chani-Posse, Mariana, 2010, Revision of the southern South American species of Philonthus Stephens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) 2595, Zootaxa 2595, pp. 1-70 : 13-14

Philonthus argus Herman, 2001

( Figs. 21–27, 153)

Philonthus tucumanensis Bernhauer, 1934: 118 (preoccupied, not Bernhauer 1927); Blackwelder, 1944: 135 (list); Herman, 2001a: 46, 2001b: 2751 (catalog)

Philonthus argus Herman, 2001a: 46 (new name for tucumanensis Bernhauer 1934 ), 2001b: 2751 (catalog); Chani- Posse, 2004: 230 (list).

Diagnosis. Philonthus argus may be identified by the antennal segments 4–10 elongate, the eyes as long as to slightly shorter than temples seen from above, the dorsal rows of pronotum each with four punctures, and the male tergum 10 emarginate medio-apically. It differs from P. stenocephalus by the antennal segment 2 shorter than segment 3, the submentum about 1.5 times as long as mentum, and the male sternum 8 deeply emarginate apically.

Redescription. Length of the body 6.6–7.0 mm. Coloration. Head black; thorax castaneous-brunneous to castaneous-piceous and elytra piceous; abdominal segments castaneous-piceous; first three antennal segments castaneous-brunneous, other segments castaneous-piceous, palpi and legs castaneous-brunneous.

Head about as long as wide (HW/HL= 1.1–1.0) and at basal third as wide as distal third in both sexes, distinctly narrower than pronotum (HW/PW= 0.71–0.67); dorsal surface coarsely and moderately punctate, with three to four postocular punctures and three to four epicranial punctures; distance separating medial interocular punctures on frons about twice as large as distance separating medial punctures from lateral punctures; infraorbital ridge present, reaching postgenal ridge. Eyes about as long as temples to slightly shorter (EL/TL=1.00–0.94) seen from above. Antennae with segment 1 slightly shorter than segments 2 and 3 combined, segment 2 shorter than segment 3, segments 4–10 elongate. Maxillary palpus with segment 2 not swollen, more than twice as long as its maximum width; last segment fusiform, about 1.5 times longer than segment 3. Submentum about 1.5 times as long as mentum. Labial palpus with last segment 1.4–1.8 times as long as preceding segment. Neck more than 0.5 times as wide as head at widest point (NW/HW= 0.7).

Pronotum slightly longer than wide (PW/PL= 0.95–0.93), distinctly narrowed anteriad; dorsal surface of pronotum with two rows of punctures, each with four punctures. Hypomeron not visible in lateral view. Basisternum with medial longitudinal carina moderately developed, bulbous. Metasternum with circummesocoxal ridge broadly rounded medially. Elytra at sides moderately to distinctly longer than pronotum at midline (EtL/PL=1.4–1.2), distinctly longer than elytra along suture (EtL/Etl= 1.8–1.6); transverse distance between punctures about as large as to distinctly smaller than diameters of punctures. Both front and middle tarsi as long as front and middle tibiae; first segment of hind tarsus as long as segments 2 and 3 combined, and longer than last segment (S1/S5= 1.4). Abdominal terga distinctly punctuate at basal area, distance separating punctures smaller than diameters of punctures; terga 2 and 3 with elevated area between basal lines punctuate, posterior basal line straight medially. Male sternum 7 with apical margin arcuate apically. Tergum 8 in both sexes with posterior margin truncate.

Male genitalia. Sternum 8 deeply emarginate medio-apically. Tergum 10 emarginate medio-apically ( Fig. 22), with two long subapical macrosetae and 2–6 apical setae. Sternum 9 deeply emarginate apically with basal portion asymmetrical, two long subapical macrosetae, and two apical setae at each side ( Fig. 21). Aedeagus with median lobe distinctly narrowed from apical third, apex of median lobe distinctly elongate (in dorsal view) and simple in its apical fourth (in lateral view); paramere elongate and entire, stick-like, reaching two thirds of median lobe length, with two lateral rows of sensory peg setae joined at apex ( Fig. 23–25). Internal sac with distinctly sclerotized structures ( Fig. 23, 25).

Female genitalia. Tergum 10 arcuate medio-apically, with 8–10 apical setae ( Fig. 27). Second gonocoxite with 2–5 strong setae along its outer margin, and stylus with two long apical setae ( Fig. 26).

Geographical distribution. Philonthus argus is known from one locality in the biogeographical province of Yungas in northern Argentina (Tucumán and Jujuy) ( Fig. 153).

Bionomics. Unknown

Type material. Lectotype (here designated), ♂, with labels: “Parque Aconquija/ 16.XII.1928 ”, “H. E. Box leg.”, “2838”, “ Philonthus catamarcanus v. tucumanensis Brnh. m. Typ. Un.” (white label, in Bernhauer handwriting), “ tucumanensis Bernh. Coypus don. Bruch” (yellow label) “Chicago NHMus. /M. Bernhauer Collection” “ Lectotype Philonthus tucumanensis Bernhauer, 1934 / Des. Chani-Posse de Maus 2008 ” ( FMNH). One additional specimen, ♀, with labels: “ Tucumán / 5 Oct 1929 ”, “H. E. Box leg. “, “2827”, “ v. tucumanensis Bernh ” (in Bernhauer handwriting), “ tucumanensis Bernh. Typus don. Bruch” (yellow label) “Chicago NHMus. /M. Bernhauer Collection” ( FMNH).

Notes. Although both specimens are labeled as types and both agree with the characters given by Bernhauer (1934), only one agrees with the type locality. Thus, the other specimen is not a syntype. I designate the lectotype rather than assume that the exmined type specimen is the holotype since in the original description Bernhauer (1934) gave no information about the number of specimens examined. Therefore, it is possible that this name was based on more than one specimen ( ICZN 1999, Recommendation 73F).

Additional material: 11 specimens (6 ♂, 5 ♀)

ARGENTINA: Tucumán, Villa Nougués , Dec. 11, 1971, L. Herman, 1350m, 759, 6 ♂, 3 ♀ ( AMNH) ; 30km, SE Tafi del Valle, nr. El Indio , XI/20/1995, L. Herman, 950–1050 m, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) . Jujuy: Termas de Reyes , December 27, 1971, Lee Herman, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) .