Dissochaetus portoricensis Hatch 1933

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2014, A review of the small carrion beetles and the round fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), with descriptions of two new genera and 61 new species., Insecta Mundi 2014 (397), pp. 1-76 : 11

Dissochaetus portoricensis Hatch 1933

Figures 19, 20

Dissochaetus portoricensis Hatch 1933: 199 ; Jeannel 1936: 154; Peck 1970: 237. Holotype female in USNM, seen. Type locality: El Yunque, Puerto Rico.

Diagnosis. Total length 2.1–2.8 mm. Dark brown; mouthparts, apex of antennomere XI, and tarsi paler. Pubescence reddish yellow. Head finely, densely punctate. Antennae when laid back reaching base of pronotum; antennomeres VI–X transverse. Eyes large. Pronotum granulate, transverse, widest at basal two-fifths; sides rounded, posterior angles obtuse. Elytral sides evenly rounded, apices separately evenly rounded. Fully winged. Large metatibial spur about as long as first metatarsal segment. Male first protarsomere about as wide as protibial apex. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 20 ) elongate, evenly narrowing to rounded apex. Parameres ( Fig. 20 ) narrow, nearly straight, reaching beyond apex of median lobe; each paramere bearing two apical setae. Inverted internal sac ( Fig. 20 ) with pair of distinctive diagonal sclerites. Male genital segment ( Fig. 19 ) longer than wide; apices of sternite lobes narrow, short and rounded.

Distribution. Known only from Puerto Rico. Previously known localities, from Hatch (1933), Peck (1970, 1978) are: Puerto Rico. Luquillo Experimental Forest, including El Yunque. Toro Negro Forest, Cerro Dona Juana. 15 mi S. San Juan, Aguas Buenas, Aguas Buenas caves.

New records. None.

Remarks. The species is known from baited pit traps in forests from 600 to around 1000 m elevation. We have seen more specimens from lower elevations.

Figures

Figures 12–24. Male genitalic structures of Dissochaetus. 12) Aedeagus, dorsal view with everted internal sac, of D. cubensis (from Peck 1999). 13) Median lobe of aedeagus, dorsal view with inverted internal sac, of D. cubensis (from Peck 1999). 14) Genital segment, ventral view, of D. cubensis (from Peck 1999). 15) Aedeagus, dorsal view, of D. grenadensis. 16) Genital segment, ventral view, of D. grenadensis. 17) Genital segment, ventral view, of D. jamaicensis (from Peck 1972). 18) Aedeagus, dorsal view, of D. jamaicensis (from Peck 1972). 19) Genital segment, ventral view, of D. portoricensis. 20) Aedeagus, dorsal view, of D. portoricensis. 21) Aedeagus, dorsal view, of D. smithi. 22) Genital segment, ventral view, of D. smithi. 23) Aedeagus, dorsal view, of D. sanctalucia. 24) Genital segment, ventral view, of D. sanctalucia. Scale line = 0.30 mm, Fig. 17-20; 0.35 mm, Fig. 15, 16, 21, 22; 0.40 mm, Fig. 12-14, 23, 24.