Cephennium urbanum Hopp & Caterino, 2009

Hopp, Katie & Caterino, Michael, 2009, Seven new species of Cephennium Müller & Kunze (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae, Cephenniini) from California with a key to native North American species, ZooKeys 24 (24), pp. 31-54 : 47-48

Cephennium urbanum Hopp & Caterino , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5640D121-C792-4274-B02B-01EA234F177E

Figs 1G, 2G, 3G, 5E, 6

Type Material. Holotype. Male. “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0824°N, 118.5660°W; Topanga SP, Santa Ynez; Cyn, III.30.2009; K.J. Hopp; Quercus / Platanus litter”/ “CA BEETLE PROJ; CBP0088983 ” ( SBMN).

Paratypes (20): 9 specimens with same data as holotype (8 SBMN, CBP0088984 [male genitalia dissected], CBP0088982 , CBP0088981 , CBP0088989 , CBP0088986 , CBP0088990 , CBP0088988 [male genitalia gold coated for SEM], CBP0088987 [disarticulated]; 1 LACM, CBP0088985 ) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0768°N, 118.8163°W; Santa Monica Mts :; Zuma Cyn, IV.14.2009; M.S. Caterino & K.J. Hopp; Heteromeles litter” (2 SBMN, CBP0089582 , CBP0089583 [gold coated for SEM]) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0760°N, 118.8170°W; Santa Monica Mts :; Zuma Cyn, IV.14.2009; M.S. Caterino & K.J. Hopp; Heteromeles / Ceanothus litter” (1 SBMN, CBP0089561 ) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.1258°N, 118.6567°W; SAMO, Calabasas Cold; Creek Trail, IV.22.2009; K.J. Hopp & M. Polihronakis; Quercus / Neotoma litter” (2 SBMN, CBP0090114 , CBP0090115 ) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0561°N, 118.8800°W; Charmlee Park, IV.14.2009; M.S. Caterino & K.J. Hopp; Quercus litter” (1 SBMN, CBP0089831 ) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0723°N, 118.6846°W; Santa Monica Mts NRA; Piuma Rd, III.30.2009; K.J. Hopp, Quercus / Ceanothus / Heteromeles litter” (1 SBMN, CBP0089190 ; 1 CSCA, CBP0089191 ) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0948°N, 118.7242°W; Santa Monica Mts :; Malibu Ck SP; Quercus / Rhus litter, II.8.2009; M.S. Caterino & K.J. Hopp” (1 FMNH, CBP0086147 ) ; “CA: Los Angeles Co.; 34.0969°N, 118.7276°W; Santa Monica Mts :; Malibu Ck SP; Quercus litter, II.8.2009; M.S. Caterino & K.J. Hopp” (1 CASC, CBP0086092 ) ; “ Pasadena ; Cal. ”/ “H. C. FALL; COL- LECTION” (1 MCZC) .

Etymology. The species name urbanum signifies the proximity of the Santa Monica Mountains to the urban development of greater Los Angeles. Th ese mountains represent an extremely important island of native biodiversity surrounded by development.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from its California congeners by the character combination of the absence of eyes, humeral angles of elytral project laterally to a sharp point ( Fig. 3G ), presence of a basal elytral sutural ridge (Fig. 1G), and the apex of the mesosternal keel crescent-shaped ( Fig. 2G ). Th is species most closely resembles C. anophthalmicum but they can be separated by the basal sutural ridge, absent from C. anopthalmicum , and the apex of the mesosternal keel, which is divergent and crescent-shaped in C. urbanum ( Fig. 2G ) and very weakly divergent and angulate in C. anophthalmicum ( Fig. 2A ). It can be easily distinguished from C. celsifrons , C. mariposae and C. aridum by the presence of eyes in these species ( Fig. 4A , C-D). Finally, it can be distinguished from C. grandarboreum , C. canestroi and C. gilberti by the humeral angle of the elytron, which is raised and rounded in these three species ( Fig. 3 D-F).

Description. Male. Length: 0.760 –0.874 mm; pronotal width: 0.304 –0.342 mm; elytral width: 0.352 –0.399 mm. Body elongate, slender, weakly convex; amber-yellow, translucent; evenly and moderately pubescent; pubescence golden, slender, moderately long, weakly decumbent (Fig. 1G). Dorsal surface of head smooth, weakly pubescent, narrowing anteriorly from antennal insertions. Eyes absent. Antennae setose, antennomeres I and II longer than broad, antennomeres III-VI quadrate and smaller than antennomeres II and VII, antennomere VIII smaller than antennomeres VII and IX, antennomeres IX- XI gradually clavate forming a loose club. Pronotum moderately pubescent, broadest between middle and anterior third, very convex in disc and moderately flattened near each posterior angle; anterior margin not visible from above; anterior and posterior margin lacking marginal bead; lateral marginal bead complete, gradually widening towards base; lateral edge broadly rounded to posterior third, then weakly sinuate to base (Fig. 1G). Hypomeron smooth, sparsely setose towards anterior quarter and along outside (lateral) edge. Prosternum with large, protruding, obliquely oriented, ovate nodules anterolaterad procoxal cavities ( Fig. 2G ). Elytra smooth, as pubescent as pronotum, covering all abdominal segments; elytral sutural margin raised from base of scutellum to <1/3 the length of elytra; basomedial fovea present on each elytron; fovea small, moderately pubescent (Figs. 1G, 3G). Humeral angle of elytron projecting laterally to a sharp point ( Fig. 3G ). Scutellum weakly triangular, lacking setae ( Fig. 3G ). Mesosternal keel setose, anterior quarter with scale-like microsculpture, between coxae with large, round setose punctures, lacking scalelike microsculpture, and with posterior quarter impunctate, apex weakly bifid (divergent), divergent projections short, posterior margin crescent-shaped ( Fig. 2G ). Metathoracic wings vestigial. Femora strongly clavate in distal half, tibiae expanded and becoming more densely setose towards distal half. Five visible abdominal sternites, ventrites VI and VII partially fused. Aedeagus with median lobe bulbous, heavily sclerotized, median dorsal process triangular lacking parallel-sided base, not reaching past apical collar; apical collar membranous, long, with thin dorsally and ventrally articulated projections; dorsal parameres slender, extending just beyond end of median lobe but not past apical collar, each with two subapical seta; apical digiform process bent weakly ventrad near apex ( Fig. 5E ).

Female. Identical to male.

Biology. This species has been sifted and extracted by Berlese funnels from Quercus (oak) and Heteromeles (Toyon) litter as well as mixed litters of Quercus and Rhus (sumac), Quercus and Salix (willow) , Quercus and Platanus (sycamore), Quercus , Ceanothus (California lilac), and Heteromeles , and from a Neotoma (woodrat) nest pile under Quercus .

Distribution. This species has mainly been collected in the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles County, CA, with a single record from ‘Pasadena’ in the western foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains (Fig. 6).

Figures

Figure 2. A–H Mesosternal keel SEMs A Cephennium anophthalmicum Brendel B Cephennium celsifrons Hopp & Caterino C Cephennium mariposae Hopp & Caterino D Cephennium grandarboreum Hopp & Caterino E Cephennium canestroi Hopp & Caterino F Cephennium gilberti Hopp & Caterino G Cephennium urbanum Hopp & Caterino H Cephennium aridum Hopp & Caterino.

Figure 3. A–H Base of left elytron A Cephennium anophthalmicum Brendel B Cephennium celsifrons Hopp & Caterino C Cephennium mariposae Hopp & Caterino D Cephennium grandarboreum Hopp & Caterino E Cephennium canestroi Hopp & Caterino F Cephennium gilberti Hopp & Caterino G Cephennium urbanum Hopp & Caterino H Cephennium aridum Hopp & Caterino.

Figure 4. A–D Characters on the head, including number of ommatidia and male frons A–B Cephennium celsifrons Hopp & Caterino C Cephennium mariposae Hopp & Caterino D Cephennium aridum Hopp & Caterino.

Figure 5. A–F Dorsal and lateral view of the aedeagus A Cephennium anophthalmicum Brendel B Cephennium celsifrons Hopp & Caterino C Cephennium grandarboreum Hopp & Caterino D Cephennium canestroi Hopp & Caterino E Cephennium urbanum Hopp & Caterino F Cephennium aridum Hopp & Caterino.