Philonthus hepaticus Erichson, 1840

Chani-Posse, Mariana, 2010, Revision of the southern South American species of Philonthus Stephens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) 2595, Zootaxa 2595, pp. 1-70 : 32-34

Philonthus hepaticus Erichson, 1840

( Figs. 76–80, 145)

Philonthus hepaticus Erichson, 1840: 451 . For complete references see Herman 2001b.

Diagnosis. Philonthus hepaticus may be identified, and distinguished from P. bonariensis , by the character states given below.

Redescription. Length of the body 4.5–6.0 mm. In most character states similar to P. bonariensis , but different as follows: head piceous to black; thorax castaneous-brunneous to brunneous; elytra castaneousbrunneous to brunneous, darker at humerus; abdominal segments castaneous-piceous with apical margins castaneous brunneous; antennae with basal segments castaneous-brunneous to brunneous and outer segments castaneous-piceous, palpi and legs brunneous. Head similar to that of P. bonariensis , but distance separating medial interocular punctures on frons about 2.5 times as large as distance separating medial punctures from lateral punctures; eyes slightly shorter than temples (EL/TL= 0.9) seen from above. Antennae with segment 5 elongate. Maxillary palpus with last segment about 1.5 times longer than segment 3. First segment of hind tarsus as long as segments 2 and 3 combined.

Male genitalia. Aedeagus without single tooth on face adjacent to paramere; apex of median lobe thornlike in its apical fourth (in lateral view); paramere elongate,almost reaching apex of median lobe, without sensory peg setae ( Figs. 77–78).

Female genitalia. Second gonocoxite with 2–5 strong setae along its outer margin and one long apical setae ( Fig. 80).

Geographical distribution. Philonthus hepaticus is widely distributed in the New World, from North America to South America through Central America and the West Indies, and it also occurs in Australia and New Zealand ( Herman 2001b). In southern South America this species was cited from Argentina and Chile ( Herman 2001 b, Newton and Thayer 2005). The citation from Chile belongs to Coiffait and Sáiz (1968) and Sáiz (1971), who misidentified this species as observed by Smetana (1995) and later confirmed by Chani- Posse (2004). Coiffait and Sáiz´s record from Chile actually belongs to P. bonariensis . According to the present study, only records of P. hepaticus in southern South America are those from Argentina ( Fig. 145).

Bionomics. Philonthus hepaticus belongs to a group of species that are frequently found in cattle droppings and have been considered as potential control agents of dungbreeding flies ( Hunter et al. 1991; Hu & Frank 1997). Smetana (1995) also cites this species from other various kinds of rotting organic matter, floor debris, seaweeds from litter along streams, under bark and in decaying cactus. Frank (1982) also cites this species as parasitized by Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycetes).

Type material. Lectotype, ♂, with labels: “6063”, “ hepaticus Er., Knoch, A. Snt. Zimm ” (green label), “ LECTOTYPE Philonthus hepaticus Erichson des. A. Smetana 1991” (red label), “Zool. Mus. Berlin ” ( MNHUB) . Paralectotypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀, with labels: “ An. Sept. Knoch. Zimm I-Nr 6063” (green label), “ PARALECTOTYPUS Philonthus hepaticus Erichson, 1840 labelled by MNHUB 2006” ( MNHUB) .

Additional material: 170 specimens (45 ♂, 70 ♀, 55 unsexed)

ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: Rio Matanza , 1.ii–1.iv.1952, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( FMNH) . Misiones: P. N. Iguazu, Cent. Inest. Ecol. Subtrop. , 24.XII. 1990 – 6.I.1991, S & J. Peck, 180m, FMHD #90- 301, subtropical forest edge, 90–131, FIT, 6 ♂, 5 ♀, 18 specimens ( FMNH) ; Empalme 101, 8.XII.1990 – 6.I.1991, S & J. Peck, 206m, 4 ♀ ( FMNH) ; Puerto Canaos , 8.XII.1990 – 6.I.1991, S & J. Peck, 180m, FMHD #90-262, river forest, 90-95, FIT, 38 ♂, 43 ♀, 37 specimens ( FMNH) . BOLIVIA: Rio Pilcomayo , 50km Villa Montes, VIII.4.1964, Malkin; under duna, 4 ♀ ( FMNH) . Cochabamba: 2600m, leg. B. Zischka; in red in scheerpeltz handwriting " Philonthus cochabambanus " O. Scheerpeltz (ms name), 1 ♀ ( FMNH) . COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Finca Las Cruces, San Vito , III.19.1973, 4000ft., 8º 46`N, 82º 58`W, leg. Wagner & Kethley, FM ( HD) # 73-309, 1000cc conc. compost pile, coarse grass + sticks, banana grove, 4 ♀ ( FMNH) ; Monteverde, San Vito , 18.VII.1989, 1400m, leg. H. Pine & H. Richardson, 1 ♀ ( FMNH) . PANAMA: Canal Zone, Barro Colorado, Feb 11/16–20, 1976, A. Newton, on human feces/ external refuse deposit of Atta Colombica , 4 ♀ ( FMNH) . VENEZUELA: Los Chorros , V.1922, Coll. Dr. F. Psota, 7 ♀ ( FMNH) .