Sonoma virgo, Ferro, 2016

Ferro, Michael L., 2016, Fourteen new species of Sonoma Casey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) with a key to species from western North America, Insecta Mundi 2016 (472), pp. 1-57 : 18

14. Sonoma virgo new species

Fig. 14 , 39 ; Map 41.

Description. Holotype, male. Measurements: head 0.25 long, 0.29 wide; pronotum 0.30 long, 0.34 wide; elytra 0.49 long, 0.25 wide; antennomeres 1–11 total 0.65; total length 2.12. Body brown; maxillary palpi, antennae, and legs paler. Body with moderate length setae (approximately 1/2 or less width of eye). Elongate setae at temples (greater than 1/2 length of eye).

Head. Eyes prominent, maximum length in dorsal view subequal to length of first antennal segment, with approximately 30 facets. Antennomere 2 approximately 0.75x width of 1; 3 smallest.

Thorax. Elytra with 3 indistinct sutural foveae; 2 foveae lateral to sutural fovea; central row of 4 foveae in basal 1/3. Brachypterous. Metatibia unmodified.

Abdomen. Tergite IV without transverse patch of microtrichia. Basal lateral foveae on ventrites IV–V, weak on VII. Basal pubescence present on all visible ventrites.

Aedeagus. Compact. Left paramere: wide at base, abruptly narrowing in apical 1/3; apical process with dorsal lobe extending medially but not meeting medial dorsal edge, resulting in a distinct furrow; 5 setae along inner margin of apical process extended medially; one seta on outer margin of apical process extending posteriorly. Endophallus: deflexed to the right; small blunt lateral projection (1/10 length of endophallus) in basal 1/3; nearly transparent lateral process at midpoint extending to the right with multiple short projections on tip; two apical processes subequal in length, one on left wide, one on right narrow. Right paramere: oval; 1/2 length of left paramere; with large ventral process extending beyond endophallus with 2–3 apical processes; apical tuft of 5–7 setae directed posteriorly.

Type Material. Holotype, male: * USA: OR: Lane Co., Siuslaw N.F., Cummins Ck. Tr., 90-210m, 44°16.12’N, 124°05.89’W, 8.xi.2011, old-growth Picea sitchensis forest; FMHD#2011-002 , berl., leaf & log litter, M. Thayer & A. Newton; ANMT site 1235 FIELD MUSEUM NAT. HIST. / [second label with same information folded beneath] (1♂). Deposited in FMNH.

Paratype (n=2). UNITED STATES: CALIFORNIA: Humboldt Co.: * Fieldbrook 28.5.03 [1903] Cal / HSBarber Collector ( USNM) (1♂) . OREGON: Lane Co.: USA: OR: Lane Co., Siuslaw N.F., Cummins Ck. Tr., 90-210m, 44°16.12’N, 124°05.89’W, 8.xi.2011, old-growth Picea sitchensis forest ; FMHD#2011-002 , berl., leaf & log litter, M. Thayer & A. Newton ; ANMT site 1235 FIELD MUSEUM NAT. HIST. ( FMNH) (1♂) SLIDE .

Geographical Distribution. Sonoma virgo is known from two locations—Lane Co., Oregon and Humboldt Co., California —separated by approximately 400 km.

Comments. Two specimens were collected during November from Berlesed leaf and log litter taken from an old-growth Picea sitchensis forest in Oregon, and one specimen was collected during May in California. The California location, Fieldbrook, was the site of lumber companies around the time the specimen was collected in 1903, and is located near remaining redwood forests that include Picea sitchensis . Therefore, S. virgo may be associated with old-growth forests.

Aedeagal characters of S. virgo are similar to those of S. cardiac . The left parameres of each are indistinguishable, but unique among known species of Sonoma . The two can be separated based on the following characters, S. cardiac in brackets []: basal third of endophallus with small process approximately 1/10 length of endophallus [large blunt lateral projection approximately 1/4 length of endophallus]; apex of endophallus with two projections, one narrow and one wide [apex of endophallus blunt, no projections]; right paramere with ventral process with two apical projections, tuft of lateral apical setae present [right paramere without apical projections or setae].

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to old-growth or “virgin” forests from which specimens have been collected.

Figures

Figures 12–14. Sonoma spp. holotype habiti. 12) S. stewarti. 13) S. twaini. 14) S. virgo.

Figures 37–39. Aedeagi of Sonoma spp. 37) S. maryae new species. 38) S. cardiac new species. 39) S. virgo new species. Right side of figures is anatomical left.