Aleochara (Xenochara) simulatrix Sharp, 1883

Buss, Bruna Caroline & Caron, Edilson, 2023, Revision of Brazilian species of Aleochara Gravenhorst of the subgenus Xenochara Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 5330 (4), pp. 509-534 : 517-518

Aleochara (Xenochara) simulatrix Sharp, 1883

( Figures 3 , 9, 10 , 17 , 46–53 , 93 )

Aleochara simulatrix Sharp, 1883: 151 (original description). Klimaszewski 1989: 8 (as subgenus Xenochara ). Newton 2022 (as valid species).

Type locality: “ Guatemala, El Tumbador 2500 feet” ( Sharp 1883) .

Type material. Holotype (examined by photos Figs. 9 and 10 ), ♀, dissected (no visible abdominal segments VIII– X), deposited in BMNH, with labels: (1) “ ♀ [female sign]\ Aleochara simula- \ trix \Type D. S.\El Tumbador. 2500 ft.\ Guatemala Champion” [old card with holotype glued, manuscript]; (2) “Holo-\type” [white label margined in red, printed in black]; (3) “El Tumbador,\Guatemala.\Champion” [old white label, printed in black]; (4) “ B. C. A. Col. I. 2.\ Aleochara \ simulatrix ,\Sharp.” [old white label, printed in black]; (5) “Sharp Coll.\1905.-313.” [white label, printed in black]; (6) “ Aleochara \( Xenochara )\ simulatrix Sharp \ Det. J. Klimaszewski, 1987” [white label, the three first lines manuscript, the last line printed in black, except number 87]; (7) “[QR Code] NHMUK014380634 ” [white label, printed in black]. Note : Sharp examined just one specimen, female ( Sharp 1883: 151).

Additional material. Deposited in BMNH 5 specimens (examined by photos): 2 ♁♁ from Panama, San Felix, Champion (collection?); 1 male from Grenada, Saint George , Mount Gay , 1920 (date?), Smith (collection?); 2 ♁♁ from “W. (west) Indies”, 1920 (date?). Deposited in CESP 109 specimens (34 females and 40 males), DZUP 47 specimens (33 ♀♀ and 14 ♁♁), MPEG 25 specimens (7 ♀♀ and 18 ♁♁) and MNRJ 35 specimens (21 ♀♀ and 14 ♁♁), from Brazil, Pará, Uruará , on dates between: II–X.2015, pitfall traps baited with feces, Reinaldo et al., col. Deposited in MZUSP 40 specimens (18 ♀♀ and 22 ♁♁) from Brazil, Acre, Rio Branco , 10º01’49.8”S, 67º41’00.5’’W, dates between 09.V.2016 to 29.VII.2017, pitfall trap baited with banana, or beef heart, or feces, Sutil and Oliveira, col .

Diagnose. Females of Aleochara (X.) simulatrix are easily distinguished from other Brazilian species by having abdominal tergum VI extended medially, and posterior margin strongly arcuate ( Fig. 48 ). However, males of Aleochara (X.) simulatrix are similar to A. (X.) taeniata males and differ from them by median lobe of the aedeagus with a remarkable sclerite surrounding the ejaculatory duct ( Figs. 50–52 ).

Redescription. Male: maximum body length 4.5 mm, maximum elytra width 1.5 mm. Body brown to dark brown with appendages and elytra (except posterolateral and anteromedial regions) lighter ( Fig. 3 ). Body on dorsal surface glossy; pubescent, appearing yellowish-brown in artificial light; setigerous pores impressed. Head: circular. Pubescence directed anterad. Eyes large and slightly prominent, twice the length of temples. Ventral surface of head with a long carina on each side of midline, attaining the gular suture. Neck absent. Antenna reaching base of elytra; antennomere 1 short, slightly longer than 2 and subequal in length to antennomere 3 ( Fig. 17 ); antennomeres 4 slightly longer than wide; 5 subquadrate; 6–10 wider than long, gradually increasing in width towards apex; antennomere 11 almost two times longer than wide, length equaling two preceding antennomeres combined; antennomeres 1–4 glossy with some long black setae dispersed; antennomeres 5–11 covered by very short white setae, with some long black setae on apex of each antennomere, particularly antennomere 11 with long black setae on a transverse circular line at the apex of basal one-third of the antennomere. Labrum transverse; anterior margin with a-sensilla long and b-sensilla short and rounded apically. Mandibles symmetrical, without internal teeth. Maxillary palpomere 2 and 3 about the same length; palpomere 4 about half length of 3. Gular plate broad. Thorax: pronotum transverse; posterior margin broadly curved; densely pubescent, with pubescence directed posterad and laterad elsewhere. Elytra shorter than pronotum; the same width with pronotum; elytra wider than long; densely pubescent, pubescence directed posterad; each posterolateral margin rounded. Hind wings developed. Mesoventrite completely carinate, mesoventrite process somewhat sharp and longer than metaventrite process, both joined. Abdomen: distinctly narrowed posteriorly; pubescence sparse directed posterad. Tergum VIII with posterior margin emarginate at the middle, not serrated ( Fig. 46 ). Sternum VIII with posterior margin broadly rounded ( Fig. 49 ). Aedeagus elongate ( Figs. 50–52 ); median lobe of the aedeagus with ventral margin slightly curved in apical one-third in lateral view, directed ventrad. Median lobe with internal remarkable slecrite surrounding the ejaculatory duct. Female: similar to male, except abdominal tergum VI extended in the middle and posterior margin strongly arcuate ( Fig. 48 ). Spermatheca L-shaped, without coiled duct, capsule with apical invagination ( Fig. 53 ).

Geographical records. New records: Grenada (Mount Gay), Brazil: Pará (Uruará). Literature records: Guatemala, Panama and Brazil: Acre (Rio Branco) ( Caron et al. 2008, Leivas et al., in press) ( Fig. 93 ).

Taxonomic notes. Female abdominal tergum VI prolonged in the middle and with posterior margin strongly arcuate. Sharp (1883: 151) mentioned this character on fifth segment, Klimaszewski (1984: 46) cited tergum VI, and Klimaszewski (1989: 10) cited erroneously tergum VII.

Biological notes. Specimens of A. (X.) simulatrix were collected using pitfall traps baited with banana, meat and human feces ( Cajaiba et al. 2017, Leivas et al., in press).

Figures

FIGURE 93. Map of Brazilian records for some species of Aleochara (Xenochara): A. (X.) lapidicola; A. (X.) puberula and A. (X.) simulatrix.

FIGURES 1–8. Dorsal view of Brazilian species of Aleochara (Xenochara). 1) A. (X.) puberula; 2) A. (X.) verberans; 3) A. (X.) simulatrix; 4) A. (X.) taeniata; 5) A. (X.) capitinigra sp. nov.; 6) A. (X.) repetita; 7) A. (X.) lapidicola; 8) A. (X.) leivasorum sp. nov. Scales: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 9–14. Types of Aleochara (Xenochara). 9, 10) A. simulatrix, 9) habitus, dorsal view, 10) labels; 11, 12) A. opacula, 11) habitus, dorsal view (scale 1 mm), 12) labels; 13, 14) A. festiva, 13) habitus, dorsal view, 14) labels.

FIGURES 15–22. Antennae of Brazilian species of Aleochara (Xenochara). 15) A. (X.) puberula; 16) A. (X.) verberans; 17) A. (X.) simulatrix; 18) A. (X.) taeniata; 19) A. (X.) capitinigra sp. nov.; 20) A. (X.) repetita; 21) A. (X.) lapidicola; 22) A. (X.) leivasorum sp. nov. Scales: 0.6 mm.

FIGURES 46–53. Terminalia of Aleochara (Xenochara) simulatrix. 46) Tergum VIII, male; 47) Tergum VIII, female; 48) Tergum VI, female; 49) Sternum VIII, male; 50) Median lobe of aedeagus, dorsal view; 51) Median lobe of aedeagus, ventral view; 52) Median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view; 53) Spermatheca. Scales: 0.5 mm.