Xenopelta cornuta Mann, 1923

Moreno, Carlos & Zilberman, Bruno, 2024, Revalidation of the termitophilous genus Ceratoxenus Mann and description of two new species from the Neotropical region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Corotocini), Zootaxa 5474 (1), pp. 35-49 : 46-48

Xenopelta cornuta Mann, 1923

( Figs. 7–9 )

Xenopelta cornuta Mann, 1923: 358 (original description); Seevers 1957: 107 (redescription of a Ceratoxenus specimen as X. cornuta ).

Diagnosis: Same as for genus with the inclusion of color data. Overall color dark-brown, outer margins of elytra darker, and sternites slightly lighter. White areas of membrane between sclerites.

Head finely punctuate on surface; eyes occupying less than half of head length; vertexal bristles absent. Antennomeres longer than wide, antennomere 1 with about same length of 2–5 combined; antennomeres 2–7 decreasing in length; 8–10 subequal in length, subquadrate; last antennomere conical. Antennae covered with thick and sparse bristles on antennomeres 1–6; antennomeres 7–11 densely covered with short bristles. Mandibles toothless, broader at base, slightly constricted medially. Postmentum finely punctuate. Gula narrow and convergent in first half and slightly divergent along their entire length.

Thorax. Pronotum with lateral margins parallel, each with three long bristles symmetrically distributed in longitudinal row; posterior margin broadly arcuate medially, with straight angles. Elytra elongate, wider on posterior region; light-brown, outer margin reddish-brown; punctuate on surface; lateral margins of elytra slightly rounded; anterior margin weakly prominent; distal margins slightly declivous and convergent; angles slightly rounded; elytral surface with two long bristles in longitudinal row; apices rounded. Pro-, meso-, and metatarsi increasing in length; tarsomeres bearing sparse bristles.

Abdomen with tergites III–VI transverse, with anterior margin straight and heavily sclerotized; posterior margin bearing transversal rows of long bristles. Tergite VIII wider than long; lateral margins rounded; posterior margin weakly arcuate; bearing four long bristles on surface symmetrically distributed. Sternite VIII subquadrate, wider than long; with bristles symmetrically distributed on surface. Tergite IX subtriangular, with long bristles in a longitudinal row parallel to lateral margin. Tergite X with posterior margin rounded, slightly narrower than anterior margin. Male unknown.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE. Female. " Kartabo , Bartica District, British Guiana, 13. X. 1920 "; "appendages mounted on balcam slides"; WMMann [W. M. Mann], colln., 1940"; "Type No. C 4158, U.S. N.M"; "USNMENT 01374928" (pinned and parts on slides) . PARATYPE. “ Kartabo , Bartica District, British Guiana, 11.X.1920 ”; “ Xenopelta cornuta , paratype Mann”; “FMNHINS [Field Museum of Natural History] 4431875”, pinned .

Remarks. Species of Xenopelta can be separated from the other genera of Neotropical Termitogastrina by the frons abruptly elevated between antennal insertions and the posterior region of pronotum strongly elevated. An undescribed species of Ceratoxenus was erroneously identified as Xenopelta cornuta by Emerson (1935) leading the author to synonymize Ceratoxenus with Xenopelta . For the comparison with the genus Ceratoxenus , see description and remarks in the Ceratoxenus section.

Biology. The host species is Nasutitermes guayanae .

Distribution. Guyana —Kartabo.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Xenopelta cornuta Mann, 1923. Holotype. Habitus lateral (A), ventral (B), dorsal (C), and labels (D).

FIGURE 8. Xenopelta cornuta Mann, 1923. Paratype. Habitus lateral (A), ventral (B), dorsal (C), and labels (D).

FIGURE 9. Xenopelta cornuta Mann, 1923. Holotype. Mounted slide. Slide overview (A), antenna (B), maxillary palpi (C), front leg (D), middle leg (E), hind leg (F), and labels (G).