Loncovilius variabilis, Reyes-Hernández & Hansen & Shaw & Solodovnikov, 2024

Reyes-Hernández, José L., Hansen, Aslak Kappel, Shaw, Josh Jenkins & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2024, Phylogeny-based taxonomic revision and niche modelling of the rove beetle genus Loncovilius Germain, 1903 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 202 (1), pp. 1-42 : 28-30

Loncovilius variabilis sp.nov.

( Figs 1C, 5D, 9B, 10I–K, 12D, 13D, 14D)

Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6008BBBE-2EF2-4459-8ACD-5AA4E242AA4A .

Type material. Holotype: male, pinned, with genitalia in a separate microvial, with labels as follows: CHILE: [Los Lagos, Hualaihué] Palena Pr. : Austral Highway , km 62.9 (6.7 km S Contao turnoff), 230m, 41°51.155 ʹ S, 72°42.175 ʹ W [-41.85, -72.70], 23-25.i.1997, young secondary Valdivian rainforest;/beating flowers Tepulia stipularis (myrtaceae) [ Myrtaceae ] A. Newton and M. Thayer FIELD MUSEUM NAT. HIST./HOLOTYPE Loncovilius variabilis des. Reyes-Hernández, Hansen, Jenkins Shaw et Solodovnikov 2022. Deposited at FMNH. Paratypes: CHILE: [Araucanía, Vilcún] Cautín Temuco , Cherquenco [~ -38.69, -72.00] I-II.1978 L. E. Peña leg. FIELD MUS. NAT. HIST. [3♂ 1♀ FMNH]; CHILE: Reg. XI [Aysén] Queulat N.P. [~ -44.38, -72.25] P.M. Hammond/Below base 1-10.xii.03 shrub flowers/ NHM /[5♂ 4♀ NHM; 1♂ 1♀ NHMD ex. NHM; 1♀ CZUG ex. NHM]; [ same data as above except:] Glacier Path 21.xi-12.xii.03 / Malaise trap [1♀ NHM]; [ same data as above except:] Base area Beating [or] Base Camp Area 21.xi-12.xii.03 [8♂ 7♀ NHM]; CHILE: [Los Lagos, Hualaihué] Palena Pr. : Austral Highway, km 62.9 (6.7km S Contao turnoff ), 230m, 41°51.15’S, 72°42.17’W [-41.85, -72.70], 23-25.i.1997, young secondary Valdivian rainforest;/beating flowers Tepulia stipularis (myrtaceae) [ Myrtaceae ] A. Newton and M. Thayer FIELD MUSEUM NAT. HIST [5♂ FMNH]; Chile [Los Lagos] Llanquihue Lago Chapo [-41.40, -72.52] febrero 1985 leg. J. Zuñiga [1♂ 3♀ FMNH]; HORNOHUINCO SW. Lago Chapo Lianquihue [Los Lagos, Llanquihue, -41.40, -72.52] 21,24- Dic.1972 Coll: L.E.Pena [1♂ 1♀ FMNH]; [ CHILE: Los Lagos] Rio Gol-Gol Osorno Prov. [~ -40.66, -72.18]/ II-8- 57 Peña / CHILE [green label]/ CNCI L2004-28 / ♂ / FMNH-INS 0000 024 263-265 [3♂ CNC]; CHILE: Chiloé Pr., Isla Chiloé , Compu Alto [-42.87, -73.70], 18.i.1998, T. Cekalovic leg. FIELD MUS. NAT. HIST./ FMNH-INS 0000 024 165-167 [1♂ FMNH; 1♂ 1♀ MNNC ex. FMNH]; CHILE: Prov. Chiloé: Isla Chiloé, Compu Alto [-42.87, -73.70] 18-I-1998 T. Cekalovic CHIL1C98 001 /[Barcode] SM0722732 KUNHM-ENT [1♂ SEMC]; [ CHILE: Los Lagos, Puerto Montt] Prov. Llanquihue Correntoso [~ -41.45, -72.66] 22-Enero-1969 Coll: L.E.Pena [2♂ FMNH]; CHILE: [Los Lagos, Chonchi] Chiloé Pr.: Miraflores , road to (0.6km W Hwy 5), 130m, 42°46.73 ʹ S 73°47.71 ʹ W [-42.7788, -73.7953] 17.i.1997, secondary Valdivian rainforest:/beating flowering Cald-cluvia paniculata [ Caldcluvia paniculata ] ( Cunoniaceae ) A.Newton and M.Thayer 994 FIELD MUS. NAT. HIST. [1♂ 1♀ FMNH]; [ CHILE: Los Lagos, Hualaihué] 11 Chile X, peninsula Huequi under logs termas, Porcelana 42°27 ʹ 30.8 ʹʹ S 72°27 ʹ 15.0 ʹʹ W [-42.4585, -72.4541] 40 m R. Vila leg. 13.xii.2014 / Loncovilius sp det. V. Assing 2015/V. Assing Coll. J Jenkins Shaw det. 2016 [yellow label] [1♂ NHMW]; CHILE: [Los Lagos, Puyehue National Park] Osorno Prov. Parque Nac. Puyehue , 4.1km E Anticura [-40.66, -72.12], 430m, trap site 662 19-26.xii.1982 Valdivian rainfor. A.Newton and M.Thayer /Screen- sweeping/ Loncovilius sp. 7 det. A.Newton 1984/ ♀ / FMNH-INS 0000 024 163 [1♀ FMNH]; CHILE: [Los Lagos, Puyehue National Park] Osorno Prov ., Puyehue Nat. Pk. Aguas Calientes [-40.73, -72.30], 500m, 20.XII.1984 - 8.II.1985 /FMHD#85-930 Derumbes for. Trail , S.andJ. Peck, P#85-45, FIT FIELD MUSEUM NAT HIST/ ♀ / FMNH-INS 0000 024 169 [1♂ FMNH]; CHILE: [Los Ríos] Valdivia Prov., 26 km SE Panguipulli [-39.75, -72.15] 300m, 16.XII.1984 - 11.II.1985 /FMHD#85-921, Nothofagus remnant S. andJ. Peck , P#85-34, carrion trap FIELD MUSEUM NAT HIST/ ♀ /FMNH-INS 0000 024 168 [1♀ FMNH]; CHILE: [Los Ríos] Prov. Valdivia: Parque Oncol (Cruce Sendero Tepual) Rio Cruces [-39.72, -73.27] 8-I-2001 T Cekalovic CHIL1CO1 005/[Barcode] SM0723095 KUNHM-ENT [1♂ SEMC]; [ CHILE: Los Ríos] 85/Süd-Chile 31.1.90 Puerto Puyehue [~ -40.65, -72.33] leg.G.H. Schwabe [2♂ 1♀ SDEI]; [ CHILE: Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica] Welling Is. Pto. Eden [-49.11, -74.40] 13.XII.1958 / CHILE Fr Kuschel/ Quedius nigroflavus Tottenham TYPE [manuscript name]/ NHM [1♂ NHM]; [ CHILE: Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica] Welling Is. Pto. Eden [-49.11, -74.40] 13.XII.1958 / CHILE Fr Kuschel/ Quedius nigroflavus Tottenham PARATYPE [manuscript name]/ NHM [3♂ 2♀ NHM]; [ CHILE: Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica]/ Paratype /Welling Is. Pto. Eden [-49.11, -74.40] 30.XI.1958 /C. E. Tottenham collection. B.M. 1974-587/ CHILE Fr Kuschel/ nigroflavus Tot [manuscript name]/ NHM /PARATYPE Loncovilius variabilis des. Reyes-Hernández, Hansen, Jenkins Shaw et Solodovnikov 2023/ NHMUK 015025170 [1♀ NHM]; [ CHILE: Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica] Welling Is. Pto. Eden [-49.11, -74.40] 13.XII.1958 / CHILE Fr Kuschel/Qued. Sp. 5/ Loncovilius sp. Nov. P.M. Hammond det. 1980/ NHM [Blue label]/ NHMD 917069 [1♀ NHM]; CHILE: Santiago [Santiago Metropolitan]: El Alfalfal [~ -33.51, -70.20] I.1977 L.E.Peña, leg. FIELD MUS. NAT. HIST./FMNH-INS 0000 024 157–162 [1♂ 2♀ FMNH; 1♂ 1♀ NHMD ex. FMNH; 1♂ CZUG ex. FMNH; * this is potentially a labelling error. The L. variabilis model shown in Figure 3 does not include this occurrence. The sets of variables and the calibration results that do include this occurrence can be consulted in the Supporting Information, Table S1 , and in the Supporting Information, File S6]; [ CHILE: unknown locality and date] Chili./ Chili [Green round label]/Sharp Coll 1905-313./ Quedius nigroflavus Tottenham PARATYPE [manuscript name]/ NHM [1♀ NHM]; [ CHILE: unknown locality and date] Chili Sharp Coll./ Quedius nigroflavus Brnh (Typ.) [manuscript name]/BRIT. MUSEUM DON. ARROW/B. Typ. ohne Flg.d streifen/Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Collection/Bernhauer MS name? Current genus: Loncovilius teste A.Newton 2000 [1♂ FMNH]; [ CHILE: unknown locality and date] 53793/Reed/ Chili /Fry Coll. 1905.100/Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Collection/ ♂ / FMNH-INS 0000 024 171 [1♂ FMNH]. All paratypes with label: PARATYPE Loncovilius variabilis des. Reyes-Hernández, Hansen, Jenkins Shaw et Solodovnikov 2022.

Diagnosis: Same as variabilis group diagnosis.

Description: Measurements ♂ [min–max (average); N = 10]: FBL = 2.79–3.19 (2.98); TL = 5.12–6.25 (5.61); HW = 0.72–0.8 (0.77); HL = 0.74–0.83 (0.79); HW/ HL = 0.95–1 (0.97); PW = 0.95–1.05 (1); PL = 0.88–0.98 (0.93); PW/PL = 1.02–1.09 (1.07); EW = 1.31–1.54 (1.38); EL = 1.17–1.43 (1.25); PW/HW = 1.23–1.33 (1.30).

Measurements ♀ [min–max (average); N = 10]: FBL = 3.05–3.53 (3.33); TL = 5.5–7.44 (6.4); HW = 0.79– 0.86 (0.83); HL = 0.82–0.9 (0.85); HW/HL = 0.94–1 (0.97); PW = 1.05–1.17 (1.10); PL = 1–1.08 (1.04); PW/PL = 1.03– 1.09 (1.06); EW = 1.36–1.74 (1.56); EL = 1.22–1.55 (1.43); PW/HW = 1.29–1.39 (1.34).

Head, pronotum, and elytra black to brown-black, head darker; antennae, mouthparts, and legs yellowish-brown; abdominal tergites and sternites variable in coloration, from dark reddish-brown to brown-black with pale posterior margin.

Head from about as wide as long to, usually, slightly longer than wide; dorsally and ventrally glossy with few micropunctures and very fine microsculpture of transverse waves, without coarse non-setiferous punctures; posterior angles indistinct with sparse setiferous punctures of medium and small size. Eyes small (EYL/ HL = x = 0.47), from 1.03 to 1.29 times as long as temples (in lateral view); distance between eyes about 1.25 times as long as length of eye in males and 1.34 times in females. Antennomere 3 slightly longer than antennomere 2; antennomeres 4 to 7 subequal in length; antennomeres 8 to 10 subequal in length; a11 1.53-1.72 times as long as a 10 in males and 1.47-1.70 in females. Basal puncture usually double; parocular punctures usually single; posterior frontal puncture located anterior to temporal puncture; no small setiferous punctures between frontoclypeal and anterior frontal punctures; ventral basal ridge more or less straight in checkmark shape, almost united with gular sutures; postgenal ridge reduced to small trace near gular sutures; postmandibular ridge reaching close to eye margin; PMP greatly reduced; nuchal ridge present laterally and dorsally, fused with infraorbital ridge; gula with isodiametric microsculpture medially, gular sutures moderately and equally separated in both sexes. Mandibles without dorsolateral groove; labrum with sub-rectangular sclerotized region and entire to slightly notched apical margin; mentum with seta alpha only; penultimate labial palpomere only weakly dilated apicad, subequal in width with more or less subconical to fusiform apical palpomere.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, convex, evenly curved, with two PPDS, without APP, with one SLSP; flexible postcoxal hypomeral extension (process) not interrupted by inferior line. Elytra evenly punctate, interspaces from about as long as, to 5 or even 10 times as long as, diameter of punctures. Mesosternum with four macrosetae arranged in a row medially.

Protibiae not sexually dimorphic, without laterodorsal row of thick spines in both sexes. Mesotarsomeres 1–4 not sexually dimorphic, in both sexes with pale adhesive setae and mesotarsomeres 1–3 in both sexes with terminal plate. Metatarsomeres 2–4 with pale adhesive setae, without terminal plate; metatarsomere 1 shorter than 5, metatarsomere 4 ventrally with apical margin bilobed.

Abdominal tergites III and IV with several rows of sparse and fine punctures of moderate density, without sizeable impunctate area; tergite VIII only slightly emarginate medio-apically in females. Sternite III with basal transverse carina strongly arcuate; lateral tergal sclerites IX not dorsoventrally or laterally flattened. Male sternite VIII with broad and shallow U-shaped emargination medially ( Fig. 14D); female sternite VIII without emargination; male sternite IX without emargination medially (apex subtruncate), its basal portion moderately longer than distal portion; male tergite X with anterior margin subtruncate ( Fig. 12D); female tergite X apically truncate ( Fig. 13D); ovipositor, its second gonocoxite with one macroseta medially.

Aedeagus as in Figure 10I–K; its total length ~ 0.95. Median lobe rod-like, apex not emarginate; internal sac with median vertical sclerite and pair of short I-shaped copulatory sclerites. Paramere slightly produced over apex of median lobe; wider than median lobe; converging into a subrounded apex, slightly projected in the middle; with dark peg setae; in lateral view paramere almost straight, slightly concave apically.

Etymology: The species epithet is the Latin adjective ‘ variabilis ’ (variable) and refers to a notable intraspecific morphological variation of this taxon. This variation can occur between individuals from the same locality, e.g. it can be completely blackishbrown forms and others with a reddish-brown abdomen. The head punctation also varies, and loss or duplication of paraocular and basal punctures is common.

Distribution and habitat: Loncovilius variabilis is known only from Chile, from the following regions: Araucanía, Aysén, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Magallanes, and Chilean Antarctica, and from Santiago Metropolitan. The species occurs from lowlands to 1300 m of elevation in the mountains; confined to various types of forests in the Magellanic subpolar and Valdivian temperate forest ecoregions. It has been collected using Malaise traps, and directly from flowers, e.g. from Tepualia stipularis ( Myrtaceae ) and Caldcluvia paniculata ( Cunoniaceae ).