Seeversiella flavida Gusarov

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, A revision of the genus Seeversiella Ashe, 1986 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 142, pp. 1-102 : 90-93

27. Seeversiella flavida Gusarov , sp. n. ( Figs. 19 , 359­371 )

Type material. Holotype ,, COSTA RICA: San Jose/Cartago: Cerro Buenavista, km 89, Int. Amer. Hwy., 9°33'00"N 83°45'30"W, 3200 m, leaf litter (R.Anderson), 18.vi.1997 ( KSEM).

Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Cartago: 8 specimens, same data as the holotype; 6 specimens, Cerro Buenavista, 9°33'02"N [the latitude on the label (9°43'02"N) is incorrect] 83°45'14"W, 3300 m, subparano litter (R.Anderson), 15.ii.1998; 23 specimens, Cerro de la Muerte, Pan American Highway, km 89, 3300 m, elfin bamboo forest litter (R.Anderson), 10.ii.1996 (all ­ KSEM).

Diagnosis. Seeversiella flavida can be distinguished from other species of Seeversiella by having uniformly brownish yellow body; small eyes (temples 4.0­5.0 times as long as eyes); elytra much shorter than pronotum; reduced wings (shorter than elytra); by lacking medial emargination at the posterior margin of the male tergum 8 ( Fig. 359 ); tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae; by the distinct shape of aedeagus ( Figs. 363­370 ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 371 ).

Seeversiella flavida differs from S. impressicollis , S. sulcicollis and S. microphthalma in having smaller body size; pronotal punctation not asperate; tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae; and by different shape of aedeagus ( Figs. 363­370 ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 371 ).

Seeversiella flavida differs from S. geostiboides in having pubescence in the lateral portions of pronotum directed towards the midline and obliquely posteriorly; tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae; wider apex of median lobe (in parameral view) ( Figs. 363­ 364 ; 348­349); and different shape of the distal portion of spermatheca ( Figs. 371 ; 355).

Seeversiella flavida differs from S. paramoana in having tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae; and obtuse apex of median lobe (in parameral view) ( Figs. 363­364 ). Seeversiella flavida differs from S. adusta in having longer proximal portion of spermatheca ( Figs. 371 ; 358).

Seeversiella flavida differs from S. minima in having tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae; proximal seta of the apex of paramere is approximately as long as the other three setae ( Fig. 370 ); apex of median lobe in parameral view narrower ( Figs. 363­364 ; 179­ 180); spermatheca with thin proximal portion and with umbilicus ( Figs. 371 ; 184). Description. Length 2.2­2.5 mm. Body uniformly brownish­yellow to light brown. Head surface glossy, with fine and weak isodiametric microsculpture, with fine and poorly visible punctation. Temples 4.0­5.0 times as long as eyes. Antennal article 2 longer than 3, article 4 slightly transverse, 5­10 strongly transverse (ratio 1.6­2.0).

Pronotum slightly transverse, 1.2 times as wide as head, width 0.39­0.43 mm, length 0.36­0.39 mm, width to length ratio 1.1, surface glossy, with fine isodiametric microsculpture, with fine punctation, distance between punctures equals 2­3 times their diameter. Elytra wider and much shorter (measured from humeral angle) than pronotum (pronotal length to elytral length ratio 1.4), 1.7 times wider than long, glossy, with poorly visible microsculpture, with fine and asperate punctation, distance between punctures equals 1­ 1.5 times their diameter, punctures stronger than on pronotum. Wings reduced to short vestiges, shorter than elytra.

Abdominal terga glossy, with microsculpture consisting of strongly transverse meshes or transverse waves and with fine punctation, on terga 3­5 distance between punctures equals 1­3 times their diameter; on tergum 7 distance between punctures equals 3­7 times their diameter. Apical margin of tergum 7 without white palisade fringe. Tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae ( Figs. 359, 361 ).

In males lateral portions of posterior margin of tergum 3 extending as short and obtuse projections ( Fig. 19 ), up to 1/3 as long as tergum (measured medially); tergum 7 in front of posterior margin with medial carina up to half as long as tergum; posterior margin of tergum 8 without clear medial emargination ( Fig. 359 ).

Aedeagus as in Figs. 363­370 .

Spermatheca as in Fig. 371 .

Distribution. Known from Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica ( Fig. 389 ).

Natural History. Seeversiella flavida was collected in leaf litter at altitude of 3200­ 3300 m.

Figures

FIGURE 389. Geographical distribution of eleven species of Seeversiella (with very short elytra) in the high mountains of Costa Rica. Isohypses 1000 m, 2000 m and 3000 m are shown. Areas above 2000 m are grey and those above 3000 m are solid black.

FIGURES 17 ­ 19. Body outline of Seeversiella globicollis (Bernhauer) (17, Volcán Tacana, Mexico), S. micralymma Gusarov, sp. n. (18, paratype from Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica) and S. flavida Gusarov, sp. n. (19, paratype from Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica). Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 359 ­ 362. Abdominal segment 8 of Seeversiella flavida Gusarov, sp. n. (359 ­ 360, holotype; 361 ­ 362, paratype from Cerro Buenavista, Costa Rica). 359 – male tergum 8; 360 – male sternum 8; 361 – female tergum 8; 362 – female sternum 8. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 363 ­ 371. Genitalia of Seeversiella flavida Gusarov, sp. n. (363 ­ 367, 370, holotype; 368 ­ 369, 371, paratypes from Cerro Buenavista, Costa Rica). 363 – median lobe, parameral view; 364 – apex of median lobe, parameral view; 365 – median lobe, lateral view; 366 – apex of median lobe, lateral view; 367 – details of internal sac retracted into median lobe, lateral view; 368 – copulatory piece, lateral view; 369 – everted internal sac, parameral view; 370 – apex of left paramere; 371 ­ spermatheca. Scale bar 0.2 mm (363, 365, 367), 0.1 mm (364, 366, 368 ­ 371).