Lithocharodes sordida SHARP, 1885

Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1), pp. 29-85 : 58

Lithocharodes sordida SHARP, 1885

Figs 12 a-d, 44 P, 49 D

Lithocharodes sordida SHARP, 1885: 493

Type material examined: female, holotype: Panama ,

Bugaba, 800–1000 f., leg. Champion ( BMNH).

Additional material: Nicaragua, Matagalpa, RN Cerro Masún (85.23299 W, 12.95990 N), tropical wet forest, 750 m elev., flight intercept trap, 2 males, 1.- 4.5.2011, leg.?, #LLAMA11 Ft-D-01-1-02 (1 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; RAAN, PN Cerro Saslaya (84.97857 W, 13.77054 N), tropical wet forest, 290 m elev., Malaise trap, female, 6.- 10.5.2011, leg.?, #LLAMA11 Ma-D-02-3-01 ( KNHM) ; Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Patilla Biological Station (85°25'33"W, 10°59'22"N), 610 m elev., flight intercept trap, 2 males, 1 female, 13.- 15.7.2000, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, #CR1ABF00 135 ( KNHM) ; Maritza Biological Station , streamside litter, 550 m elev., female, 22.3.1993, leg. J. & A. Ashe. #041 ( KNHM) ; Heredia, Sto. Domingo del Heredia, INBio Cafetal , 1100 m elev., flight intercept trap, female, 25.- 28.6.1997, leg. S. & J. Peck, #CR1P97 027 ( KNHM) ; Puntarenas, Monte Verde , fungi on logs, 1400 m elev., male, 9.5.1989, leg. J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Leschen ( KNHM) ; Panama, Chiriqui, 20 km N Gualaca, Finca la Suiza (82°12'W, 8°39'N), 1350 m elev., flight intercept trap, male, 22.- 24.5.1995, leg. J. & A. Ashe, #054 ( KNHM) ; Panama, Cerro Campana, cloud forest leaf litter, 3200 f elev., Berlese , male, Feb. 1976, leg. A. Newton ( FMNH) ; Canal Zone, Madden Forest Pres., litter around fermented pal, fruits, male, 1.7.1976, leg. A. Newton ( FMNH) .

Diagnosis: Lithocharodes sordida is easily recognized by the endophallus of the aedeagus, which has two large curved spines and the specific shape of sternite VII of male. The identification without dissection of the aedeagus is difficult. Among the similarly large species with moderately dense setiferous punctation of the head, it is conspicuous by its dark colouration and the short and broad head.

Description: Length: 4.5 mm. Colouration: Black to dark brown; legs and antennae slightly lighter brown.

Head: 0.94 mm long, 0.78 mm wide; eyes small; postocular sides more than 3 times as long as eyes; slightly divergent posteriad; posterior angles widely rounded; small central part of posterior margin straight; interantennal furrows distinct; reaching mid-length of eyes; setiferous punctation moderately dense and deep; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; wide midline impunctate; space between interantennal furrows impunctate; surface with extremely week and sparse longitudinal microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere as long as half-length of head; second and third antennomere conical and longer than wide; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere slightly wider than long; tenth antennomere nearly twice as wide as long; all antennomeres densely pubescent. Pronotum: 1.02 mm long, 0.66 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anteriad, conically narrowed toward neck; sides slightly narrowed in middle third; nearly parallel in posterior third; setiferous punctation deep and moderately dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures or slightly wider; wide midline impunctate; surface with extremely weak and sparse longitudinal microsculpture; shiny. Elytra: 0.93 mm long, 0.81 mm wide; humeral angles sub-rectangular; sides slightly divergent posteriad; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin slightly convex; retreated to suture; setiferous punctation weaker and sparser than on pronotum; on average, interstices between punctures twice as wide as diameter of punctures; surface with weak isodiametric microsculpture; less shiny than on pronotum. Abdomen with setiferous punctation weaker and sparser than on elytra; isodiametric microsculpture deeper than on elytra; surface less shiny; posterior margin of sternite VII of male deeply emarginate; posterior margin of tergite VII of male straight. Meso- and metatibia with two subapical ctenidia each. Aedeagus nearly oval; anteriorly wider with rounded angles than at slightly acute apex; endophallus anteriorly with large flexed teeth; posteriorly with oval sack densely covered by minute teeth; paramere forming large plate with sinuate inner face; outer face with long setae.

Figures

Fig. 8–12: L.-hanagarthi-group and L.-sordida-group:Lithocharodes boliviana (8), L. hanagarthi (9), L. obscura (10), L. bicornis (11), L. sordida (12); aedeagus (a), paramere (b), sternite VII of male (c), tergite VII of male (d); scale bare: A – D: 0.2 mm; B: 0.1 mm.