Lithocharodes triangula, Irmler, 2021

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 : 60-61

Lithocharodes triangula spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8BCFB5FF-F6A3-4F93-A1CE-033F3898DE6B

Figs 13 a-d, 44 A, 47 H

Type material: male, holotype: Honduras, Santa Barbara, La Fe, Finca la Roca , 5.3 km S Peña Blanca (88°02'W, 14°57'N), 740 m elev., flight intercept trap, 19.- 21.6.1994, leg. R. Brooks, J. Ashe, #174 ( KNHM) .

Diagnosis: With 6.6 mm length, L. triangula is one of the largest species of the genus. It is only slightly shorter than L. aculeata . In addition to the large size, L. triangula is conspicuous by the straight posterior margin of the head in combination with the black colouration. Males are easily recognized by the specific structure of tergite VII and the triangular process of sternite VII with the semicircular emargination on each side of the process.

Description: Length: 6.6 mm. Colouration: Black; legs and antennae dark brown.

Head: 1.21 mm long, 0.98 mm wide; eyes small; not prominent; postocular sides slightly divergent posteriad; 3.6 times as long as eyes; interantennal furrows deep; slightly curved; reaching posterior third of eyes; setiferous punctation dense and deep; on anterior vertex coriaceous; on posterior vertex, interstices one fourth as wide as diameter of punctures; narrow midline impunctate; microsculpture weak and dense; surface matt. Antennae with first antennomere slightly shorter than half-length of head; second and third antennomere conical and longer than wide; second antennomere approximately 1.5 times as long as wide; third antennomere nearly twice as long as wide; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth to tenth antennomeres twice as wide as long; antennomeres four to eleven pubescent. Pronotum: 1.26 mm long, 0.87 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anteriad, conically narrowed toward neck; posteriad, evenly narrowed toward posterior margin; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin nearly straight; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures one fourth as wide as diameter of punctures; only in small parts in posterior half slightly wider; wide midline impunctate; surface without microsculpture; glossy. Elytra: 1.21 mm long, 1.07 mm wide; humeral angles sub-rectangular; sides divergent posteriad; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin slightly convex; widely retreated to suture; setiferous punctation dense and deep; on average interstices between punctures half as wide as diameter of punctures; surface with weak isodiametric microsculpture; matt. Abdomen with setiferous punctation dense but weaker than on fore-body; base of segments with dense and deep nearly isodiametric microsculpture; apical half of segments with distinctly weaker microsculpture; shinier; posterior margin of sternite VII of male with long triangular central tooth; adjacent to tooth with deep semi-circular emargination; posterior margin of tergite VII of male with triangular central incision. Meso- and metatiba with three subapical ctenidia each. Aedeagus oval; sub-rectangular in anterior half; endophallus with several large teeth; paramere slender; s-like curved; inner face with several setae; base with extremely long setae; apex with few minute striae.

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the Latin words tri (meaning three) and angulus (meaning angled) and refers to the triangular prominence of sternite VII of male.

Figures

Fig. 13–18: L.-simillima-group:Lithocharodes triangula (13), L. simillima(14), L. surinamensis (15), L. brooksi(16), L. germana (17), L. denticulata (18); 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.