Lithocharodes elongata, Irmler, 2021

Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1), pp. 29-85 : 43-44

Lithocharodes elongata spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E056AF32-00F8-4072-97F7-7FA40129C9BA

Figs 39 a-d, 44 C, 47 J

Type material: male, holotype: Venezuela, Lara Sanaré, 17.4 km SE Yacambú N.P. (69°34'34"W, 10°42'26"N), 1510 m elev., flight intercept trap, 18.5.- 1.6.1998, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Hanley, #VEN1ABH98 170 ( KNHM). Paratypes: Venezuela, 4 males, 5 females with same data as holotype, same data as holotype but (69°36'48"W, 9°41'45"N), 1650 m elev., #VEN1ABH98; 2 males, 2 females, 16.- 18.5.1998, #VEN1ABH98 082 (10 KNHM, 3 UIC) ; same location but 14.2 km SE, (69°34'42"W, 9°42'22"N), 1500 m elev. 1 male, 1 female, cloud forest litter, 16.5.1998, leg. R. Anderson, #VEN1A98 012B ( KNHM) ; Aragua, Rancho Grande Biol. Stn., Pico Periquitos (67°41'46"W, 10°21'32"N), 1250 m elev., flight intercept trap, 5 females, 12.- 14.5.1998, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Hanley, #VEN1ABH98 030 (4 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; same location but (67°41'0"W, 10°21'0"N), flight intercept trap, 1115 m elev., 3 females, 3.- 19.7.1998 leg. J. Philips, #VEN1P94 001 ( KNHM) ; same location but (67°41'0"W, 10°22'0"N), flight intercept trap, 1100 m elev., female, 6.- 17.7.1998 leg. J. Philips, #VEN1P94 023 ( KNHM) ; same location but (67°40'38"W, 10°21'38"N), flight intercept trap, 1450 m elev., female, 14.5.- 1.6.1998, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Hanley, #VEN1ABH98 185 ( KNHM) ; same location but (67°41'W, 10°21'N), flight intercept trap, 1450 m elev., female, 1.- 8.3.1995, R.W. Brooks, #047 ( KNHM) ; Merida, Laguna Negra, Páramo de Mucubaji, Sierra Nevada Nati. Park (70°48'31"W, 8°47'14"N), 3350 m elev., under rocks, female, 23.5.1998, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Hanley, #VEN1ABH98 103 ( KNHM) .

Diagnosis: The species resembles L. ashei from Costa Rica / Panama in size, colouration and aedeagal structure, in particular, in the paramere. It may be the sister species of it in Venezuela. Lithocharodes elongata is slightly smaller than L. ashei , the head is more divergent and the punctation denser. Moreover, males can be separated by the shape of tergite VII, which is narrowed and without incision in L. elongata but broader and with incision in L. ashei .

Description: Length: 6.0 mm. Colouration: Black to dark brown; legs and antennae slightly lighter brown.

Head: 1.01 mm long, 0.79 mm wide; eyes small; postocular space nearly 3 times as long as eyes; postocular sides distinctly divergent to widely rounded posterior angles; posterior margin nearly semi-circular; interantennal furrows reaching mid-length of eyes; setiferous punctation deep and evenly dense; on average, interstices half as wide as diameter of punctures; narrow midline impunctate including space between interantennal furrows; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere as long as half-length of head; second and third antennomere conical and longer than wide; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere 1.5 times as wide as long; tenth antennomere twice as wide as long; antennomeres four to eleven densely pubescent. Pronotum: 1.12 mm long, 0.74 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anteriad, conically convergent to neck; posteriad slightly convergent to sub-rectangular posterior angles; posterior margin slightly convex; in central part straight; setiferous punctation as dense and deep as on head; impunctate midline slightly wider than on head; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Elytra: 1.14 mm long, 0.95 mm wide; humeral angles sub-rectangular; sides nearly parallel; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin slightly convex with incision toward suture; setiferous punctation evenly distributed; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; surface with extremely weak isodiametric microsculpture; less shiny than on pronotum. Abdomen with setiferous punctation much finer than on fore-body; with weak isodiametric microsculpture; posterior margin of sternite VII of male straight; weakly elevated; tergite VII of male posteriorly distinctly convergent; posterior margin weakly rounded. Mesotibia with three, metatibia with two subapical ctenidia. Aedeagus oval with short triangular prominence at anterior orifice; endophallus forming oval sack covered by minute teeth; paramere thick with large bulb-like prominence in anterior third; inner face slightly sinuate; covered with numerous setae; setae in central and basal part longer than along inner side.

Etymology: The species name is derived from the Latin word elongatus (meaning long) and refers to the large size of the species.

Figures

Fig. 37–42: L.-??-group: Lithocharodes compacta (37), L. elegans (38), L. elongata (39), L. fuscula (40), L. rufula (41); aedeagus (a),