Bolitogyrus gracilis Brunke

Brunke, Adam J. & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2014, A revision of the Neotropical species of Bolitogyrus Chevrolat, a geographically disjunct lineage of Staphylinini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 423, pp. 1-113 : 50-51

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Bolitogyrus gracilis Brunke sp. n. Figs 22 A–D, 24I, 30D (map)

Type locality.

Panama, Chiriquí, La Fortuna.

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (SEMC): PANAMA: Chiriquí, La Fortuna, "Hydro Trail", 08°42'N, 82°14'W, 1150 m, 9.VI.1995, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, #164, ex. fungusy log [white printed label] / SM0002814 [white barcode label] / Holotype, Bolitogyrus gracilis Brunke, sp. n. [red printed label].

Paratypes (11 ♂ 1 ♀, SEMC, ZMUC): PANAMA: Chiriquí, La Fortuna, "Rio Hornito Trail", 8°42'N, 82°14'W, 1000 m, ex. fogging fungusy log, 11.VI.1995, J. Ashe & R. Brooks, #175, SM0009068, 1♂ (SEMC), same except: "Quebrada Al. Trail", 1250 m, #180, SM0015976, SM0004548, 2 ♂ (SEMC); Chiriquí, La Fortuna, "Cont. Divide Trail", 08°46'N, 82°12'W, 1100 m, ex. fungusy log, 23.V.1995, J. & A. Ashe, #046, SM0000357, SM0000364, 2 ♂ (SEMC), same except: 1150 m, ex. fungusy log, 9.VI.1995, J. Ashe & R. Brooks, #150, SM0001353, SM0001357, SM0002394, SM0002396, SM0002397, SM0003164, SM0002398, 6♂ 1♀ (SEMC, ZMUC).

Diagnosis.

Within the Bullatus Lineage: pronotum with three punctures in dorsal row (c.f. Fig. 7D); lateral margins of pronotum strongly converging anteriad (c.f. Fig. 7C); male sternite VII not distinctly emarginate; median lobe entire and evenly converging to apex (Fig. 22A).

Description.

Measurements ♂ (n=5): HW/HL 1.86-2.03; PW/PL 1.64-1.77; EW/EL 1.12-1.25; ESut/PL 0.77-0.93; PW/HW 1.10-1.14; forebody length 3.4-3.9 mm.

Measurements ♀ (n=2): HW/HL 1.78-1.79; PW/PL 1.59-1.62; EW/EL 1.28-1.32; ESut/PL 0.94-0.96; PW/HW 1.00-1.01; forebody length 3.78-4.03 mm.

Similar to Bolitogyrus cornutus and differing only in the following: body much paler, pale to medium brown-orange to brown-yellow, without metallic reflections; paler portions of pronotum yellowish brown, pronotal protuberance only slightly paler in some specimens; elytra paler than in Bolitogyrus cornutus , reddish-brown to pale brown-yellow, epipleuron paler, yellow but less strongly contrasting with disc; dorsal abdomen with tergites III–V slightly paler than VI–VII, apex of tergite VII with linear, semi-circular or more triangular pale marking; tergite VIII pale, yellowish-brown but some specimens with lateral darkening; antennomeres I–V pale, yellowish brown; profemur with dark subapical band, meso- and metafemur with dark subapical band far from apex; frons generally more finely and densely sculptured; base of head with posterior protuberances less pronounced, flattened, their surface with coarse, asetose, often rugose punctures; microsculpture absent dorsally except as broken lines in depressions and near punctures, and well-developed fine lines on temples; pronotal disc with moderately dense, coarse, asetose punctures and micropunctures, microsculpture absent except as broken lines in depressions and near punctures; lateral areas with denser punctation; pronotal protuberance well developed and produced into a horn in males, smaller than that of Bolitogyrus cornutus , apex rounded not truncate, in females not produced into a horn but distinct; lateral margins of pronotum strongly convergent anteriad in both sexes; with three punctures in dorsal row; median lobe entire but apical portion with median suture and minutely notched in some specimens; in lateral view, median lobe slightly produced ventrad, narrowed at apical third and more gradually to acute apex (Fig. 22C); in lateral view, paramere nearly reaching apex of median lobe, slightly sinuate and following contour of median lobe; in parameral view, median lobe gradually narrowing from apical third to apex, lateral portions more strongly sclerotized and indicating potential traces of lateral lobes (Fig. 22A); paramere entire but with median suture; in parameral view, paramere narrow at middle, with lateral expansion at apical third (Fig. 22 A–B); peg setae fields present as a pair of thin (3-5 peg setae) lateral rows extending from maximum lateral extension of paramere to apex, broader at apex (Fig. 22D); male sternite VII with distinct triangular glabrous area; male sternite VIII with transverse basal line not broken at middle, with apex slightly more emarginate than in Bolitogyrus cornutus , impressed and glabrous in deeper triangular area near emargination; male sternite IX with base more strongly asymmetrical, apex as narrow but not as deep (Fig. 24I); female tergite X strongly constricted in basal half but slightly narrower in shape than in Bolitogyrus cornutus , base fused with accessory sclerite, with U-shaped emargination at apex (c.f. Fig. 27E); female laterotergal sclerites more greatly expanded at base and overlapping with tergite X (Fig. 27E).

Distribution.

Figure 30D. Known only from the type locality in Chiriquí province, Panama but probably occurs in adjacent Costa Rica.

Bionomics.

Bolitogyrus gracilis has been collected from fungusy logs at an elevational range of 1000-1250 m in May and June.

Etymology.

The species epithet means ‘slender’ and refers to the slender habitus created by the relatively long and thin abdomen, especially of male specimens.

Comments.

Bolitogyrus gracilis is not sympatric with any species that could be confused with it due to the pale coloration and coarse sculpture but is most similar in habitus to Bolitogyrus bufo , Bolitogyrus thomasi , Bolitogyrus brevistellus and Bolitogyrus cheungi . Without distributional information, males of Bolitogyrus gracilis should be dissected to confirm their identity.