Geocharidius disjunctus, Sokolov, Igor M. & Kavanaugh, David H., 2014

Sokolov, Igor M. & Kavanaugh, David H., 2014, The integripennis species group of Geocharidius Jeannel, 1963 (Carabidae, Bembidiini, Anillina) from Nuclear Central America: a taxonomic review with notes about biogeography and speciation, ZooKeys 443, pp. 61-118 : 82-84

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

Geocharidius disjunctus sp. n. Figs 18D, 19 Q–T, 20E, 21E, 22, 23

Type material.

HOLOTYPE, a male, in CMNC, point-mounted, dissected, labeled: \ HONDURAS: FRANC. MOR: P.N. La Tigra, 23.2km N Tegucigalpa, 15.VIII.1994-201A, 2100m, R.Anderson, cloud forest litter berlese \ CMNC \ HOLOTYPE Geocharidius disjunctus Sokolov and Kavanaugh 2014 [red label] \. PARATYPES: A total of 2 specimens (both were dissected), deposited in CAS and CMNC; 1 male labeled: \ HONDURAS: Yoro Dept., P.N. Pico Pijol, 1400m, 15°09.4'N 87°37.6'W, 11.V.2002, R. Anderson, upper montane forest litter, 2002-016C\ CMNC \; 1 female labeled: \ HONDURAS: Yoro Dept., P.N. Pico Pijol, 1300m, 15°09.4'N 87°37.6'W, 11.V.2002, R. Anderson, upper montane forest litter, 2002-017A \ CMNC \.

Type locality.

Honduras, Francisco Morazán, La Tigra National Park.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, disjunctus, in the masculine form, meaning “separated”, and refers to the species distinctness from the sympatric Geocharidius comayaguanus , described above.

Recognition.

Adults of this new species are practically indistinguishable from those of the sympatric Geocharidius comayaguanus in body shape. Males and females of Geocharidius disjunctus are distinguished from those of the other members of the integripennis species group by the structure of the median lobe and the shape of spermatheca, respectively.

Description.

Size. Small to medium for genus (SBL range 1.17-1.36 mm, mean 1.28 ± 0.101 mm, n=3).

Habitus. Body form (Fig. 18D) moderately convex, elongate ovoid, general proportions (WE/SBL 0.38 ± 0.005) and proportions of head (WH/WPm 0.74 ± 0.020) and pronotum (WPm/WE 0.78 ± 0.018) average for group.

Color. Body brunneorufous, appendages testaceous.

Microsculpture. Mesh pattern of irregularly isodiametric sculpticells present over all dorsal surfaces of head and elytra. Pronotum and proepisternum smooth (without evident microsculpture).

Prothorax. Pronotum moderately transverse (WPm/LP 1.28 ± 0.010), with lateral margins moderately constricted posteriorly (WPm/WPp 1.33 ± 0.004). Posterior angles slightly obtuse (100-110°). Width between posterior angles equal to width between anterior angles (WPa/WPp 1.00 ± 0.022).

Elytra. Moderately convex, slightly depressed along suture, moderately wide (WE/LE 0.65 ± 0.015), without traces of striae. Humeri broadly rounded, in outline forming right angle with longitudinal axis of body. Lateral margins convex, evenly divergent at basal third, evenly rounded to apex in apical third.

Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 19Q) with shaft long and subparallel, apex small and rounded. Ventral margin straight. Dorsal sclerites of internal sac in form of a long fig, tapered apically into a long flagellum, and abruptly widened basally, with a ventral appendix and pointed semicircular enlargement near basal orifice (Fig. 19 Q–T). Right paramere with long and narrow apical constriction (Fig. 19S). Left paramere with long and narrow apical constriction (Fig. 19R). Ring sclerite with handle triangular, slightly asymmetrical and pointed apically (Fig. 20E).

Female internal genitalia. Spermatheca sclerotized, fusiform, almost straight, tapered basally, with cornu and nodulus of approximately equal length (Fig. 21E). Length of spermathecal gland greater than length of spermatheca. Spermathecal duct coiled.

Geographical distribution.

This species is known only from two remote localities in the Honduran Interior Highlands, situated in Yoro and Francisco Morazán Departments.(Fig. 22, yellow triangles).

Way of life.

Specimens were collected by sifting cloud and upper montane forest litter at middle to high elevations (1300-2100 m).

Relationships.

The shape of dorsal sclerites of the internal sac (Fig. 19Q) of males suggests that this species is closely related to the Guatemalan Geocharidius antigua (Fig. 19A), described above