Philonthus pauxillus Solsky, 1868

Chani-Posse, Mariana, 2010, Revision of the southern South American species of Philonthus Stephens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) 2595, Zootaxa 2595, pp. 1-70 : 43-44

Philonthus pauxillus Solsky, 1868

( Fig. 101, 151)

Philonthus pauxillus Solsky, 1868: 133 ; Blackwelder, 1944: 133 (as syn. of hepaticus ). Herman 2001b: 2908 (complete references). Chani-Posse, 2004: 219 (distribution, bionomics), 231 (list).

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

Redescription. Length of the body 4.0– 4.5 mm. In most character states similar to P. bonariensis and P. hepaticus , but different as follows: head castaneous-piceous; thorax castaneous-brunneous; elytra castaneouspiceous to castaneous-brunneous; abdominal segments castaneous-piceous to castaneous-brunneous with apical margins lighter, castaneous-brunneous to testaceous-brunneous; antennae with basal segments brunneous and outer segments castaneous, palpi and legs brunneous. Head similar to that of P. bonariensis and P. hepaticus , but distance separating medial interocular punctures on frons about twice as large as distance separating medial punctures from lateral punctures; eyes as long as temples (EL/TL= 1.0) seen from above. Antennae with segment 8 quadrate. Labial palpus with last segment about 1.5 times longer than preceding segment. Pronotum slightly longer than wide (PW/PL= 0.9).

Male genitalia. Sternum 8 and 9 similar to those of P. hepaticus . Aedeagus without single tooth on face adjacent to paramere; apex of median lobe simple (in lateral view); paramere reduced and subtriangular, not completely fused to median lobe, apex slightly emarginate and with two sensory peg setae ( Fig. 101).

Female genitalia. Tergum 10 similar to that of P. hepaticus , with 3–4 apical setae. Second gonocoxite similar to that of P. bonariensis , with 2–5 strong setae along its outer margin and two long apical setae.

Geographical distribution. Philonthus pauxillus is known from eastern and southern North America through Mexico and the Canal Zone ( Smetana 1995), and has also been reported from a few localities in the north and east of Argentina (Chani-Posse 2004). New records for the Neotropical region are Venezuela, Brazil and Paraguay.

Bionomics. Smetana (1995) and Chani-Posse (2004) cite this species from cow droppings. No further data available.

Type material. Solsky (1868: 133) described the species from specimens from Mexico. I was not able to see the original material but there is little doubt that this species, as interpreted later by Sharp (1885: 400, as P. vilis Erichson ) and Smetana (1995) is the species that Solsky described.

Additional material: 52 specimens (14 ♂, 19 ♀, 19 unsexed)

ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: Nº1690; Argentinien leg. Thaxter, in Bernhauer handwriting " hepaticus Er. ", det. Bernhauer, Chicago NHMus Bernhauer Collection, 1 specimen ( FMNH) . Entre Ríos: Concordia , 19.XI.1998, col. M. Chani Posse, 4 ♂, 5 ♀ ( IMLA) . Tucumán: El Cadillal , 22.VI.1998 y 5.I.1999, col. M. Chani Posse, 4 ♂, 7 ♀, 7 specimens ( IMLA) . Buenos Aires: Argentina, Prov . Buenos Aires, Castelar , 6-VI- 1989, in cow dung, coll. G. Cabrera, code: dung-148, 1 ♂ ; idem 7-II-1989, code-157, 1 ♀ ( MLPA) . BRAZIL: Ypiranga, 11.5.07, Chicago NHMus Bernhauer Collection, 1 ♂ ( FMNH) . PARAGUAY: Asuncion, January- March, B. Podtiaguin, 2 specimens ( AMNH) . Amambay: Bella Vista, Jan-March, B. Podtiaguin, 9 specimens ( AMNH) . VENEZUELA: Zulia: Perija, Aponcito, Hacienda , VII.1982, FMHD 82-490, V. Linares Leg, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., FMHD 82-509, V. Linares Leg, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 3 ♂, 4 ♀ ( FMNH); Libertad , 15 mi W Machiques, VII.1982, FMHD 82-509, V. Linares Leg, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 1 ♂, 2 ♀ ( FMNH) .