Myrmedonota shimmerale Mathis & Eldredge

Mathis, Kaitlyn A. & Eldredge, K. Taro, 2014, Descriptions of two new species of Myrmedonota Cameron (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Mexico with comments on the genus taxonomy and behavior, Zootaxa 3768 (1), pp. 95-100 : 97-98

Myrmedonota shimmerale Mathis & Eldredge , sp. n.

Type series. Holotype, male: MEXICO: Chiapas: Finca Irlanda Biological Station (15° 11′ N, 92° 20′ W) 25.ix.2012, on sticky trap, coll. K. Mathis. Paratypes: 10, same data as holotype.

Etymology. The name refers to the dull green iridescence of the integument that makes the beetle appear to shimmer in light.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other species of New World Myrmedonota by its dull iridescent green integument, small size, presence of a shallow basomedial impression on the pronotum, form of the aedeagus and spermatheca.

Description. Body ( Fig. 1 ) compact-slender and subparallel. Length with a mean of 2.09 mm (n = 5), color yellowish to black, integument overall shining with a dull green iridescence. Head, pronotum and abdominal tergites III–VII black; elytra black to light brown; abdominal tergites I–II yellowish light brown to black; mouthparts, legs yellowish to black; antennae black, segments I–III may be yellowish light brown to yellowish brown.

Legs short; hind tibia 0.785 times as long as the elytral width. Macrosetae less prominent; antennal macrosetae 1.8 times the width of antenomeres.

Male. Median lobe ( Figs. 2–3 ) somewhat limuloid in parameral view; apical lobe gently curved paramerally in lateral view, pointed at apex in lateral and parameral views; copulatory piece wide, apically subulate and base with lateral paired rounded arms, annulus large and laterally wide; comb of teeth present, directed paramerally in lateral view and apical of copulatory piece. Tergite VIII apicomedially concave and margin variably serrate. Female. Spermatheca ( Fig. 4 ) curved twice. Mildly S-shaped. Internal cone with circumventral sculptural grooves.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Myrmedonota shimmerale Mathis & Eldredge, n. sp.: (1) dorsal habitus, (2) median lobe, lateral view, (3) median lobe, parameral view, (4) spermatheca, gland opening oriented right.