Baconia fulgida (Schimdt, 1889)

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Baconia Lewis (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 343, pp. 1-297 : 241-244

Baconia fulgida (Schimdt, 1889) Figs 71 E–G72G–MMap 21

Phelister fulgidus Schmidt, 1889c: 324; Baconia fulgida : Mazur 1984: 280.

Type locality.

PARAGUAY [exact locality unknown].

Type material.

No type material of this species can be located. The published type locality is simply Paraguay, collected by a 'Herr Drake’. We have no reason to believe that the type should be anywhere other than with the rest of Schmidt’s collection at ZMHB. However, several other types from Drake’s collections are also unaccounted for, and some unknown arrangement may have seen them deposited elsewhere. Due to this uncertainty we refrain from designating a neotype at present. The species is sufficiently distinctive, and a perfect match to Schmidt’s description, to preclude any confusion about its identity.

Other material.

BRAZIL: 3: Mato Grosso:Mpio. Cotriguaçu, Fazenda São Nicolau, Matinha, 9°50.3'S, 58°15.05'W, xii.2010, FIT, F. Vaz-de-Mello, 4: x.2009, FIT, F. Vaz-de-Mello (CEMT, MSCC, AKTC); 1: Mpio. Cotriguaçu, Fazenda São Nicolau, Prainha, 9°51.6'S, 58°12.9'W, x.2009, FIT, F. Vaz-de-Mello, 4: ix.2009, FIT, R. Nunes (FMNH); 1: Pará: Carajas (Serra Norte), 6°4'S, 50°12'W, x.1984, FIT (CHND); 1: São Paulo: Lençóis, Faz. Rio Pardo-Duratex, 22°47'33"S, 49°1'5"W, cerradão fragment, α-pinene baited FIT, 10.xi.2006, C. Flechtmann (UNESP). FRENCH GUIANA: 1: Rés. des Nouragues, Régina, 4°2.27'N, 52°40.35'W, 22.ix.2009, FIT, SEAG (CHND); 1:3.xi.2009, FIT, SEAG, 1:30.ix.2009, FIT, SEAG (CHND); 1:Montagne des Chevaux, 4°43'N, 52°24'W, 27.vii.2009, FIT, SEAG (CHND). PARAGUAY: 1: Itapúa: Res. San Rafael, 17 km W Karonay, 26°45'53"S, 55°50'37"W, 90-110 m, 19.xi.2000, fogging fungusy logs, Z. Falin (SEMC).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 2.4-3.1mm, width: 2.2-2.8mm; body elongate oval, broadly rounded, moderately depressed, glabrous; body coloration varied, dorsum metallic blue, greenish-blue or violet, head and/or pronotum may be slightly more greenish than elytra, venter rufobrunneus to rufopiceous; frons somewhat elongate, obliquely elevated from antennal bases onto epistoma, weakly depressed behind, epistoma strongly convex anterad, interocular margins strongly convergent dorsad, sides of frontal stria angulate, following oblique frontal ridges, complete or interrupted at middle and/or sides, ground punctation conspicuous, with few secondary punctures at middle and near vertex, supraorbital stria absent, but often apparently represented by dense series of punctures; antennal scape short, thick, club quite elongate; labrum about 3 ×wider than long, apical margin straight to weakly emarginate; both mandibles with rather weak basal tooth; pronotal sides more or less evenly arcuate to apex, weakly depressed in anterior corners, marginal stria complete along lateral margins, anterior portion generally transverse, detached from anterior portion behind eyes, lateral submarginal stria absent, ground punctation of pronotal disk fine, sparsely interspersed with small secondary punctures almost throughout, relatively impunctate posteromedially; elytra with 2-3 epipleural striae, the outermost variably complete, outer subhumeral stria absent, inner subhumeral stria more or less complete, may be slightly abbreviated apically, dorsal striae 1-3 complete, 4th stria variably abbreviated from apex, may be complete, 5th stria usually present only as short basal arch connected to complete sutural stria, elytral disk with few coarse punctures in apical fifth; prosternum narrow, convex between complete carinal striae, keel weakly emarginate at base; prosternal lobe about one-half keel length, apical margin rounded, marginal stria obsolete at sides; mesoventrite weakly produced at middle, marginal stria complete, mesometaventral stria weakly arched forward, crenulate, continuous at sides with lateral metaventral stria from near mesocoxa posterolaterad toward inner third of metacoxa, sinuate apically, outer lateral metaventral stria parallel to basal half of inner stria, metaventral disk impunctate at middle; abdominal ventrite 1 with single lateral stria, middle portion of disk impunctate; protibia weakly 4 dentate, marginal denticles minute, outer margin serrulate; mesotibia with few very weak submarginal spines; outer metatibial margin smooth; propygidium wide and short, with complete transverse basal stria, discal punctures rather small, ocellate, uniformly dispersed; propygidial gland openings evident behind basal stria, about one-third from anterior and lateral margins; pygidium strongly sexually dimorphic, female with fine ground punctation more or less uniformly interspersed with small secondary punctures, male pygidium dominated by elevated, pyramidal, setose median process (Fig. 71F), with deep depression on each side. Male genitalia (Figs 72 G–M): T8 about as long as broad, sides subparallel, narrowing to very strong, linear ventrolateral apodemes, basal emargination bisinuate, acute medially, apical emargination shallow; S8 longer than T8, distinctly hinged to T8 at base, divided, inner margins weakly divergent toward apex, outer margins subparallel to weakly divergent, apical guides narrow, gradually widening to narrowly rounded apices, bearing few apical setae; T9 with basal apodemes moderately short, about one-third total length, T9 apices wide, obliquely emarginate, glabrous, ventrolateral apodemes moderately strongly projecting beneath; T10 entire; S9 broad, sides of stem subparallel, head abruptly widened, sides curved to apicolateral points, sclerotized along lateral, apical, and basal edges, undivided apically; tegmen broad with sides subparallel in basal three fourths, weakly narrowed to apex, dorsobasal edge straight, tegmen in lateral aspect flattening, slightly curved ventrad at apex; median lobe prominent, about two-thirds tegmen length and half tegmen width, with complex encompassing armature; basal piece about one-half tegmen length, dorsal and ventral apical emarginations shallow.

Remarks.

This species is unmistakeable, particularly in the male, with its unique pygidial process (Fig. 71F). The obliquely elevated frontal ridges, broadly oval body form, and basally connected 5th and sutural striae (Fig. 71E) will easily identify either sex.

The so-called armature of the aedeagus is unique and difficult to resolve as to function. Near the subapical foramen of the tegmen, where the median lobe extrudes, parts of the interlocking digitiform processes of the armature do project. It appears that it would move in concert with the median lobe, and that lateral series of these processes are everted and project laterally as a novel grasping mechanism during mating.

Baconia incertae sedis

The species below are unplaced as to group. In most cases this is due to combinations of characters incompatible with any other recognized groups. However, in a few it is simply indicative of limited material and particularly unavailability of males with which to confirm genitalic characters.