Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer, 1906

Costa-Silva, Vinícius, Asenjo, Angélico, Newton, Alfred F. & Thyssen, Patricia J., 2018, Redescription and new records of Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer, 1906 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zootaxa 4388 (1), pp. 143-150 : 144-147

Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer, 1906 ( Fig. 1–14 )

Type specimens: LECTOTYPE 1♂ (here designated): “Brasilia / ex coll.Fruhstorfer[printed in green label]”, “c. Epplsh. / Steind. d.[printed in white label]”, “ brasilianus / Bernh. Typus [handwritten in old white label]”, “Chicago NHMus / M.Bernhauer / Collection[printed in white label]”, “Lectotype / Ontholestes / brasilianus / Bernhauer / designated by / A.Newton 1979[1 st and the two last lines printed, others handwritten in red label]”, “Bernhauer Brazil Types / PHOTOGRAPHED / E. Caron 2017[printed in blue label]”, “[QR code in left lateral] / FMNHINS / 3048932 / FIELD MUSEUM / Pinned[printed in white label]” (FMNH). PARALECTOTYPE 1♂: “Stett.” or “Shtt.”[handwritten], “ brasilianus Brh. Typ. unic. / det. Bernhauer[handwritten except last line printed]”, “Typus”, “Lectotype / Ontholestes / brasilianus / Bernhauer / designated by / A.Newton 1989[1 st and the two last lines printed, others handwritten on yellow label]” (NMW). Note: In the original description, Bernhauer (1906) indicated that he studied two specimens, one in his collection and one in the naturhistorisches Hofmuseum in Wien (Vienna), from Brazil without further indication of locality. One of us (AFN) previously studied both specimens, and labeled these as lectotype and paralectotype in 1979 and 1989, respectively, but these designations have not been previously published. We also studied photographs of the FMNH lectotype.

Diagnosis. Ontholestes brasilianus is easily distinguished from O. murinus by the characters cited in the key above, and by the pattern of microsetal coloration on the body, mainly on the head, pronotum and abdomen. The length and setation of the parameres is very different between these species (very short and glabrous in O. brasilianus as shown in Figs. 6–7 , and long with several apical setae in O. murinus (Yang & Zhou, 2012, fig. 5D–E)). The apex of the median lobe of the aedeagus is abruptly bent dorsally in O. brasilianus ( Fig. 6 ), and is nearly straight in O. murinus ( Yang & Zhou, 2012, fig. 5D–E).

Redescription. Adult male and female. Body length 12.0– 16.4 mm (not including mandibles). Body covered by microsetae with white, yellowish and black color. Head: Habitus as in Fig 1 . Wider than long (HW: 3.7; HL: 2.1), with genal area prominent and rounded; anterior edge concave and posterior edge straight. Vertex area flat. Eyes prominent, almost 2/3 the length of disk of head (YL: 1.53); Clypeus rectangular with white color. Translucent labrum wider than long, strongly bilobate with long setae medially. Disk of head with long setae ( Fig. 12 ). Antennae ( Fig. 5 ) with scape gradually thickened. Scape length (without peduncle) 1.05 mm, width (maximum) 0.28 mm, pedicel shorter than scape (0.49: 0.21), antennomere 3 longer than wide (0.69: 0.21), antennomere 4 (0.36: 0.21) longer than wide, antennomere 5 longer than wide (0.34: 0.22), antennomere 6 subquadrate (0.25: 0.25), antennomere 7 subquadrate (0.25: 0.25), antennomere 8 wider than long (0.22: 0.25), antennomere 9 wider than long (0.21: 0.27), antennomere 10 wider than long (0.21: 0.25), antennomere 11 longer than wide (0.40: 0.30); segments 5–11 densely covered with microsetae; segments 6–11 asymmetric. Mandibles large (ML: 3.44), each with three small medial teeth ( Fig. 3 , but note that one ventral tooth on each mandible is concealed there). Thorax: Pronotum as wide as long (PL: 2.73; PW: 2.73), trapezoidal in shape with lateral margin narrower posteriorly; anterior edge straight and posterior edge convex; humeral angle slightly prominent; lateral margin concave in posterior half. Disk of pronotum with some small tubercles on surface; prosternum triangularly projected with marked transverse line. Pronotum with long setae along lateral edge ( Fig. 14 ). Legs: long with dense setae; all coxae black, femora with black and yellow markings, tibiae and tarsi yellow or orange, except protarsomeres 1–4 which are darker; mesofemora with ventral and dorsal face sinuate; metafemora long and parallel; meso and metatibiae each with apical spine; tarsi pentamerous; each last tarsomere long, with one pair of falciform tarsal claws and small bisetose empodium; first four protarsomeres markedly dilated and each densely covered by tenant setae ventrally. Elytra: quadrate in shape with length and width similar (EL: 4.20; EW: 4.14); anterior edge concave; lateral margins slightly convex; posterior edge medially with “V” shaped emargination at middle; humeral region rounded; scutellum rounded at base and narrow towards the apex. Abdomen: Terga and sterna III–VII with white, black and blond microsetae; black microsetae predominate along the middle region of segments III–V. Terga III–VII with transverse basal carina and two paratergites per segment, in segment VII the inner paratergite is small and triangular in shape. Male: Sternum VII with small median apical emargination ( Fig. 12 ). Sternum VIII with deep emargination in median apical edge in shape of “V” ( Fig. 11 ). Tergites IX ( Figs. 9–10 ) long, straight, covered with prominent macrosetae. Tergum X subtriangular, obtusely angulate at apex ( Fig. 10 ). Sternum IX asymmetrical and slightly emarginate at the apex ( Fig. 9 ). Aedeagus as in Figs. 6–8 ; paramere small, symmetrical, triangular in shape with rounded apex lacking setae. Median lobe symmetrical, curved and bulbous at base; in lateral view apex abruptly bent dorsally. Female: Habitus as in Fig 2 . The female has the same general characters as the male, but has a smaller head and shorter mandibles (ML: 1.83) ( Fig. 4 ). Also, the posterior margins of sterna VII and VIII of the female are rounded, without emargination.

Habitat and biology. This species has been recorded from Amazon Forest, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga and Pantanal biomes in Brazil, and can be collected in all seasons using feces (from cow, cattle or human) or chicken gizzards as bait. In general, the specimens have been associated with larvae of Sarcophagidae (Diptera) , most likely because they are feeding on them.

New Records. GUYANA: Rupununi, Kuyuwini River , 2°16'N, 58°16'W, 22.xi. W.G. Hassler (4 AMNH) . SURINAME: Paramaribo, Paramaribo , 5m, 5°50'N, 55°10'W, J. Michaelis S.V. (1 ZMHB) . PERU: Madre de Dios, Tampopata, Puerto Maldonado (15km NE), Reserva Cuzco Amazónico, 200m, 12°36,3'S, 69°3'W, 13.vi.1989, J.S. Ashe & R.A. Leschen (1♀ SEMC) . BOLIVIA: Laz Paz, Yungas de la Paz, 16°10'S, 67°30'W, (1♀ ZMHB) . Cochabamba, Chaparé , 400m, 16°30'S, 65°30'W, 7.iv.1946, R.Zischka (1♂ NMW) . Santa Cruz, Río Yapacani , 17°27'S, 63°40'W, J. Steinbach (1 CMNH) ; Gutiérrez, Prov. Gutiérrez, 16°50'S, 63°55'W, J. Steinbach S.V. (1 ZMHB); Ichilo, Parque Nacional Amboró, 700m, 17°39'S, 63°43'W, 26.xii.1988, human feces, P. Bettella, (1♂ UASC); Ichilo, Parque Nacional Amboró, Río Saguayo , 700m, 17°39'S, 63°43'W, 28.xii.1988, human feces, P. Bettella, (1♂, 1♀ UASC) . BRAZIL: Goiás, Leopoldo Bulhoes , 16°37'S, 48°46'W, xi.1937, Nick (1♀ MZSP) ; Jataí , 700m, 17°53'S, 51°43'W (2 IRSNB) ; Jataí , 700m, 17°53'S, 51°43'W, 1895, C. Pujol (6 MNHN) ; Jataí , 700m, 17°53'S, 51°43'W, 1898, C. Pujol (1 MNHN) ; Jataí , 700m, 17°53'S, 51°43'W, 20.iv.1904 (1♂ FMNH) . Pará, Itaituba, Rio Tapajóz , 4°13'S, 56°1'W, vi.1964, Dirings leg. (1♀ MZSP) ; Canindé, Rio Gurupi , 2°34'S, 46°31'W, 7–11.iv.1963, B. Malkin (1 FMNH) ; Santarém , 36m, 2°26'S, 54°42'W, H.H. Smith (4 CMNH) ; Santarém , 36m, 2°26'S, 54°42'W, iii.1896, H.H. Smith (1 BMNH) ; Santarém , 36m, 2°26'S, 54°42'W, vi.1896 (1 BMNH) ; Tucuruí , 3°42'S, 49°27'W, i.1979, M. Alvarenga (1 CNC) . Paraná, Salto Yguassu [= Iguaçu], Puerto Agurra , 29–30.xi.1914, Strelnikov & Tanasiychuk (1♀ ZIN) . Mato Grosso, Barra do Tapirapé , 10°41'S, 50°38'W, 6.xii.1962, B. Malkin (1♀ FMNH) ; Chapada dos Guimarães , 793m, 15°26'S, 55°45'W, viii, H.H. Smith (1 CMNH) ; Chapada dos Guimarães , 793m, 15°26'S, 55°45'W, x, H.H. Smith (1 CMNH) ; São Domingos , 13°30'S, 51°23'W, 25.viii.1914, Strelnikov & Tanasiychuk (1♂ ZIN) ; Sinop , 12°31'S, 55°37'W, x.1975, M. Alvarenga (14 CNC) ; Sinop , 12°31'S, 55°37'W, x.1976, M. Alvarenga (2 CNC) ; Villa Vera , 12°46'S, 55°30’W, x.1973, M. Alvarenga (2 AMNH) ; Mato Grosso do Sul, Corumbá , 116m, 19°1'S, 57°39'W (1 NMW) ; Corumbá , 116m, 19°1'S, 57°39'W, Bang- Haas (1♀ FMNH) ; Itaum, Dourados, 22°0'S, 55°20'W, iii.1974, M. Alvarenga (2 AMNH); Maracaju , 385m, 21°38'S, 55°9'W, iv.1937, G. Fairchild (1♂ and 1♀ MCZ) . Bahia, Iguassú , 12°55'S, 41°3'W, 12.vii, Sv. Amaz. - Exp. Roman (1 NHRS) ; Ilhéus, Faz. Alameda, 45m, 14°49'S, 39°2'W, vii. 1944, L. Gomes (2 USNM); Salobro , 13°49'S, 40°9'W, 6.vii.1885, E. Gounelle (2 IRSNB) . Minas Gerais, [Without specific locality], 1897, Fruhstorfer (2 MNHN) . Espírito Santo, Conceição da Barra (12 km E), Pedro Canario Fazenda Klabin , 7m, 18°35'S, 39°45'W, xii.1972, J.F. Abravaya (1 LACM) . São Paulo, Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo , 302m, 22°30’41.50”S, 52°21’28.47”W, 16.iv.2017, moela [chicken gizzard used as bait], V. Costa-Silva leg. (1♀, 1♂ same label CEMT) ; Porto Cabral , Rio Paraná, 22°17'S, 52°38'W, 2–31.iii.1944, Trav. Fo., Carrera & E. Dente (1♀ MZSP) . [Without specific state or locality], Shtt. (1♂ NMW); Frühstofer (1♂ FMNH); K. Brancsik (1♂ FMNH). PARAGUAY: Caaguazú, Caaguazú , 375m, 25°26'S, 56°2'W, xii.1948, F.H. Schade (1♂ NMW) . Caazapa, Rivacue, prop. Veva de Cueva family, San Rafael Res. , 80m, 26°18,1'S, 55°37'W, 7.xii.2000, Z.H. Falin (1♂ SEMC) . Guairá, Paso Yavay , 200m, 25°45'S, 56°26'W, x.1938, F. Schade (1 NMW) ; Villa Rica, 200m, 25°45'S, 56°26'W [ West ], xii.1927, F. Schade (1 NMW) ; Villa Rica , 200m, 25°45'S, 56°26'W, viii.1928, F. Schade (1 NMW) . Itapúa, Hohenau , 27°5'S, 55°45'W, Fassl (1 FMNH) . [ Without specific state or locality], 7.iv, C. Fiebrig S.V. (2 ZMHB) . ARGENTINA: Misiones, [without specific locality], C. Bruch (1♀ FMNH) ; [without specific locality], C. Bruch (1♂ MACN); Iguazu , 30.i.1985, J.E. Barriga (1♂ JEBC) . Salta, Vespucio. xi,1985, M. Viana (1♂ JEBC) . [Without specific state or locality], A. Breyer (1♀ MACN).

Distribution. The records from Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, and Paraguay ( Fig. 15 ) are new records for these countries. The geographical distribution of O. brasilianus is apparently restricted to South America.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer. 1, Habitus of male; 2, habitus of female; 3, head of male; 4, head of female; 5, antennae.

FIGURES 6–12. Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer.Aedeagus: 6, lateral view; 7, ventral view; 8, dorsal view. Genital segment: 9, sterniteIX; 10, tergite X; 11, sternum VIII; 12, apex of male abdomen.

FIGURES13–14. Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer.Schematic drawing showing macrosetae:13, head;14, pronotum.

FIGURES15. Geographical distribution of Ontholestes brasilianus Bernhauer.