Lithochardodes nigripennis ( LECONTE, 1863 )

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 : 51-52

Lithochardodes nigripennis ( LECONTE, 1863)

Figs 21 a-d, 43 H, 46 F

Leptolinus nigripennis LECONTE, 1863: 42

Leptacinus nigripennis ; LECONTE, 1880: 168

Lithocharodes nigripennis ; CASEY, 1906: 411

Lithocharodes pallidus CASEY, 1906: 410

Lithocharodes nigripennis ( LECONTE, 1863) ; SMETANA 1982: 126

Material examined: Mexico: leg. Klinglh., without further information, L. pallidus det. Bernhauer, male, #12715 ( SDEI) ; Coahuila, Hwy. 74, 1.6 km S Jct. Hwy 30, under debris along stream, 29.9.1990, leg. J.S. Ashe (7 KNHM, 1 UIC) ; Nuevo Leon, 37 km SW Linares, 4.8 km S, on Busque Escuela Rd. , under stones/leaves, 1300 m elev., female, 21.3.1991, leg. R. Brooks, R. Leschen #19 ( KNHM) ; 1 male, 1 female, Veracruz, Ciudad Aleman , tropical evergreen forest, blacklight, <100 ft elev., 197.1971, leg. A. Newton ( FMNH) ; 5 females, 1 male, 2.2 mi E Jaltipan, Hwy 180, lowland tropical, 150 m elev., UV light, 6.5.1977, leg. J.S. Ashe ( FMNH) ; female, Veracruz, Fortin de las Flores, Cerveceria Moctezuma , UV light, 3.8.1964, leg. D. Rbago ( FMNH) ; 2 females, Tamps. , Cd. Mante, UV light, 5.- 8.7.1969, leg. S. Peck ( FMNH) ; female, San Luis Potosi, Tamazunchale, ( Quinta , Chilla Courts ), ca. 600 ft elev., tropical sub-evergreen forest near river, blacklight, 19.7.1970, leg. A. Newton ( FMNH) ; Jalisco , 15 mi W Guadalajara, under stones, 4.7.1953, leg. C. Seevers ( FMNH) ; 1 male, 2 female, Nayarit, San Blas , 5.7.1972, leg. K. Stephan ( FMNH) ; Jalisco, Autlán de Navarro outskirts (104°21.6'W, 19°46.6'N), 950 m elev., suburban yard, under rock, 15.9.1999, leg. A. Newton ( FMNH) .

Diagnosis: Lithocharodes nigripennis resembles mediumsized species of 4.0 mm to 5.5 mm length with dense punctation of the head. Light, yellow specimens that were already mentioned by SMETANA (1982) and originally described by CASEY (1906) as L. pallidus are similar to L. puncticeps but the eyes are still smaller than in that species. The postocular sides are 3.6 times as long as eyes in L. nigripennis whereas they are only 3 times as long as eyes in L. puncticeps . Males are easy to distinguish by the structure of the endophallus, which is transparent with minute teeth in L. puncticeps but covered by lobes in L. nigripennis . Moreover, the paramere is slenderer in L. puncticeps but broader in L. nigripenni s Dark specimens extremely resemble L. elongata in size, punctation and colouration. Lithocharodes elongata is slightly darker, nearly black, whereas L. nigripennis is lighter, dark brown, even in the dark specimens. Main difference is in the structure of the aedeagus, in particular, in the shape of the paramere.

Remarks: The species was sufficiently described by SMETANA (1982). Thus, a detailed description is not needed. Lithocharodes nigripennis is widely distributed in the southern United States and northern Mexico. As the species seems to be extremely variable in colouration, misidentification is possible. Positive identification requires dissection of the aedeagus to separate it from the similar species L. puncticeps and L. elongata . Due to the variable colouration, the species was listed twice in the following key.

Figures

Fig. 19–24: L.-fuscipennis-group:Lithocharodesfuscipennis(19),L. bierigi(20),L. nigripennis(21),L. clavicornis(22),L. karinae (23), L. katharinae (24); 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.