Sonoma sokolovi, Ferro & Carlton, 2010

Ferro, Michael L. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2010, Fifteen new species of Sonoma Casey from the eastern United States and a description of the male of Sonoma tolulae (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (137), pp. 1-44 : 20-21

10. Sonoma sokolovi new species

Fig. 10 , 27 ; Map 10

Description. Holotype, male. Measurements: head 0.32 long, 0.39 wide; pronotum 0.39 long, 0.45 wide; elytra 0.69 long, 0.43 wide; antennomeres 1-11 total 1.00; total length 2.16.

Head. Eyes prominent, maximum length in dorsal view 9/10 length of first antennal segment, with approximately 35 facets. Antennomere 2 approximately 7/10 width of 1; 3 smallest.

Thorax. Elytra with basal row of approximately 8 sutural crenulations extending to distad 1/3; one distinct fovea laterad to base of crenulations; center with 7 foveae extending to distad 4/10. Winged.

Abdomen. Transverse row of microtrichia on first visible tergite narrowly interrupted at midline. No abdominal foveae. Basal pubescence present on all visible ventrites.

Aedeagus. Compact; apex of endophallus extending beyond parameres. Left paramere: curved, same width until apical 1/5, simple and blade-like in apical one third, ventral setose process with 6 thick elongate setae, apex acute. Endophallus: slightly thicker at base than left paramere, lateral digitate process 2/3 width of and ventrad from right paramere, apical 1/3 curved abruptly ventrally, then slightly anteriorly to bluntly rounded apex of main process, long slender secondary process originating subapically and with 5 spirally arranged curves, extends posteriorly. Right paramere: base bulbous, width 2/5 length; dorsolateral setose process short, rounded, with 6 setae along apex; apical 2/3 narrow, sides parallel, except lateral angulate process at midpoint and evenly rounded subapical internal lobe, apex acute. Tubercles sparse, fine, scattered along basal half of dorsal faces of both parameres.

Type Material. Holotype, male (slide mounted): *USA: GEORGIA, Dade Co., Cloudland Canyon State Pk. 34 o 48.88’N 85 o 29.10’W 510m. 17 Sept 2006. Forest litter sifting. I.M.Sokolov / LSAM 0108981 (1M) SLIDE. Deposited in FMNH.

Paratypes (n=27). UNITED STATES: ALABAMA: Cherokee Co.: *Rock Bridge Canyon Franklin Co. nr. Hodges, ALA. 21. V.61 Forest floor debris / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (1M). * USA: Alabama: Cherokee Co. Desoto SP 34 o 29.880’N 85 o 37.152’W 20 August 2009 Forest Litter Col. I.M.Sokolov / LSAM 0170148 (1M). Franklin Co.: *The Dismals, Ala. Franklin Co. (B) 19.VII.59 Leaf mold / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (5M). *The Dismals, Ala. Franklin Co. (B) 19.VII.59 Wet leaf mold / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (1M); same data, Sonoma tolulae (Lec.) [male symbol] 59 Det. H. R. Steeves Jr. / Sonoma (Sonoma) horrenda Park ( FMNH) (1M). Lawrence Co.: *Bee Branch Scenic Area Bankhead Nat’l Forest Lawrence Co., Ala. 30.IV.61 Oak tree hole / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (1M). W inston Co. *AL: Winston Co. Sipsey R. Rec Area Bankhead Nat For 22 June 1985 RD Cave colr / taken in rotten log and leaf litter ( DENH) (1M). GEORGIA: Dade Co.: *Cloudland Canyon S.Pk. Dade Co., GA. 3-IX-61 Debris nr. log / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (1M). *Cloudland Canyon St. Park, Trenton, Dade Co. GEORGIA 3 September 1961 W. Suter & J. Wagner legs. / stream debris / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (2M). *Cloudland Canyon St. Park, Trenton, Dade Co. GEORGIA 3 September 1961 W. Suter & J. Wagner legs. / Floor Litter at Log on Slope W.Suter leg. / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (1M). *Cloudland Canyon S.Pk. Dade Co., GA. 7-VII-62 B Forest floor debris / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (3M). *Cloudland Canyon S.Pk. Dade Co., GA. 7-VII-62 C Forest floor debris / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collector / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (3M). *Cloudland Canyon S.Pk. Dade Co., GA. 14-IV-63 / Forest floor debris nr. dead wood / H. R.Steeves,Jr. J.D.Patrick,Jr. Collectors / H. R. Steeves Jr. Collection / [male symbol] ( FMNH) (4M). *GA.,Dade Co. Cloudland Canyon St.Park,16. V.72 S&JPeck,Ber.236 Rhododendron litter / [male symbol] / CNCI Ottawa, Canada ( FMNH) (2M).

Geographical Distribution. Sonoma sokolovi is known from several localities across northern Alabama including numerous specimens from “The Dismals,” Franklin County, and from Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, in the extreme northwestern corner of Georgia. The only available elevational record is 510 m.

Comments. Sonoma sokolovi has been collected every month from April through September from “forest floor debris near dead wood,” “rhododendron litter,” “stream debris,” “wet leaf mold,” “rotten log and leaf litter,” and an “oak tree hole”. This is the only mention of a specimen of an eastern Sonoma species collected from a tree hole.

Aedeagal characters of Sonoma sokolovi are similar to those of S. chouljenkoi . The depth of spiral of the apical secondary process of the endophallus varies in S. sokolovi but is never as great as in S. chouljenkoi . The narrow base, narrow digitate process, shape of the apical 1/3 of the endophallus and the lateral angulate process at midpoint and evenly rounded subapical internal lobe of the right paramere of S. sokolovi will serve to separate it from S. chouljenkoi .

Etymology. This species is named for Igor Michailovitch Sokolov, collector of the holotype specimen, carabid systematist, and participant in the Coleoptera component of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory at GSMNP.

Figures

Figure 6-10. Habitus images. 6) Sonoma gilae, holotype. 7) Sonoma gimmeli, holotype. 8) Sonoma tolulae (M). 9) Sonoma chouljenkoi, holotype. 10) Sonoma sokolovi, paratype (M). Scale lines equal 1.0 mm.

Figure 24-27. Aedeagus images. 24) Sonoma gimmeli, aedeagus (dorsal view). 25) Sonoma tolulae, aedeagus (dorsal view). 26) Sonoma chouljenkoi, aedeagus (dorsal view). 27) Sonoma sokolovi, aedeagus (dorsal view). Scale lines equal 0.1 mm. Right side of figure is anatomical left.