Photinopygus koptopeos Chatzimanolis, 2023

Chatzimanolis, Stylianos, 2023, A revision of the genus Photinopygus Chatzimanolis (Staphylinidae: Xanthopygina), Zootaxa 5292 (1), pp. 1-100 : 64-66

Photinopygus koptopeos Chatzimanolis , new species

( Figs. 39 , 153–160 )

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Type material. Holotype, here designated, male, with labels: “Faz. Cachoeirinha, Jatai [-17.88°, -51.83°], Goiás, Brasil [ Brazil], x.1962, Exp. Dep. Zool.” / “ Xanthopygus chrysurus Ndm. det. A. Davies ” / “Holotype Photinopygus koptopeos Chatzimanolis , des. Chatzimanolis 2022 ”. In the collection of CNC . Paratype, here designated, male with labels: “ Brazil: Alagoas, Sao Miguel dos Campos [-9.78°, -36.09°], iv.1984, F. M. Oliveira ” / “Paratype Photinopygus koptopeos Chatzimanolis , des. Chatzimanolis 2022 ”. In the collection of CMNH .

Diagnosis. Photinopygus koptopeos belongs in the narrow pronotum species group. Among species of that group that have pronotum with sparse punctation (i.e., with 3–5 loosely organized rows of punctures on each half beside median impunctate line), and antennomeres 4–5 longer than wide, P. koptopeos can be recognized by the following combination of characters: tip of paramere in dorsal view rounded ( Fig. 159 ) median lobe in lateral view with lateral teeth and converging to a tip without hook-like structure ( Fig. 158 ).

Description. Forebody ( Fig. 153 ) length 4.9–5.6 mm. Color of head, pronotum and mesoscutellum dark brown to black; antennae dark brown to black; legs dark brown to black; elytra metallic blue with green or purple overtones; abdomen dark brown to black except segments 7–8 (orange). Antenna ( Fig. 157 ) with antennomere 3 without tomentose pubescence; antennomere 4 with tomentose pubescence; antennomeres 4–5 longer than wide; antennomeres 6–7 subquadrate; antennomeres 8–10 transverse. Head transverse; HW/HL ratio = 1.42–1.43. Posterior margin of head slightly extended posteriad on each side of neck. Head with medium-sized punctures, distance between punctures as wide as 1–2 punctures but punctures denser posteriorly. Left mandible with bicuspid tooth. Pronotum ( Fig. 156 ) subquadrate; PW/PL ratio = 1.06–1.12. Lateral margins of pronotum in dorsal view posteriad of midpoint strongly converging; pronotum with 3–4 sparse rows of punctures on each half beside median impunctate line; distance between punctures as wide as 1–2 punctures but areas of pronotum without punctures. EL/PL ratio = 1.47–1.75. Elytra with dense punctation; distance between punctures as wide as 0.5–1 punctures. Metepisternum covered with punctures (impunctate area less than 1/3). Abdomen with tergites 3–4 setose; tergites 3–5 with curved carina (arch-like). In males, sternite 7 without porose structure, sternite 7 with shallow and broad emargination posteriorly; sternite 8 with small V-shaped emargination posteriorly ( Fig. 154 ). Aedeagus as in Figs. 158–160 ; in dorsal view paramere becoming narrower before expanding to broad rounded apex; paramere shorter and as wide than median lobe; in lateral (slightly oblique) view paramere expanding apically; paramere with peg setae in lateral rows as in Fig. 160 . Median lobe in dorsal view gradually converging to rounded tip; in lateral view (slightly oblique) median lobe becoming narrower; median lobe with two large lateral teeth.

Distribution. Known from Chacoan and Paraná biogeographic dominion. Distributed in the states of Alagoas and Goiás in Brazil. Map is shown in Fig. 39 .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek words κόπτω (to cut) and πέος (penis) and refers to the shape of the median lobe that appears to be broken off.

Habitat. Unknown but specimens have been collected from imprecise localities ranging from 2–800 m.

Remarks. The aedeagus of this species is remarkable, and unmistakable among Photinopygus ; it is reminiscent of the aedeagi found in P. assingi , P. chapareanus , and P. faustus but without the hook-like tip of the median lobe. When I dissected the first specimen, I thought that the tip of the median lobe was broken and only after I saw the second specimen with the same aedeagus I was convinced that this was the entire aedeagus.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Distribution map of Photinopygus assingi Chatzimanolis (stars), P. chapareanus (Scheerpeltz) (triangles), P. faustus (Erichson) (circles), and P. koptopeos Chatzimanolis (squares).

FIGURES 153–157. Photinopygus koptopeos Chatzimanolis. 153. Habitus. 154. Sternite 7. 155. Sternite 8. 156. Pronotum. 157. Antenna. Not to scale.

FIGURES 158–160. Aedeagus of Photinopygus koptopeos Chatzimanolis. 158. Lateral (slightly oblique) view. 159. Dorsal view. 160. Detail of paramere, ventral view.