Agrodes conicicollis Sharp, 1876

Asiain, Julieta, Márquez, Juan & Morrone, Juan J., 2007, Phylogenetic systematics of the genera Plochionocerus Dejean and Agrodes Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Xantholinini), Zootaxa 1584, pp. 1-53 : 47

Agrodes conicicollis Sharp, 1876

Agrodes conicicollis Sharp, 1876: 192 ; Herman, 2001: 3744 ( Plochionocerus ). Agrodes longiceps Sharp, 1876: 193 ; Bernhauer & Schubert, 1914: 315 (subgenus of Sterculia ); Herman, 2001: 3745 ( Plochionocerus ), syn. nov.

Type material (2 specimens). Holotype of Agrodes conicicollis , female: “ Type / Ega / S. América: Brazil. / Sharp Coll 905–313 / Agrodes conicicollis type D. S. / Holotype ” ( BMNH). Holotype of Agrodes longiceps , female: “ Type / Amazon Tunantins / S. América: Brasil / Sharp Coll 1905–313 / Agrodes longiceps type D. S. / Holotype ” ( BMNH).

Additional material (8 specimens). BRAZIL: Mato Grosso, Lat.12°31’ & Long.55°37’, Sinop, X.1974, M. Alvarenga ( AMNH, ɗ); Para, Jacareacanga, XII.1968, M. Alvarenga ( AMNH, Ψ). ECUADOR: Buckley ( FMNH, ɗ); Macas, Buckley ( FMNH, 2ΨΨ); Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuní Res. Stn., 0°40.5’S 76°24’W, 7.VII.1999, AKT#057, Eciton hamatum colony, EC#16, total bivouac sampling, A. Tishechkin ( SEMC, ɗ). PERU: Jauja Prov. Satipo, III.1945, P. Paprzycki ( AMNH, Ψ); Huambo ( IRSNB, Ψ).

Diagnosis. Total length 17.5–21.9 mm; body metallic violet-blue, greenish blue or green; head dorsally slightly convex and ventrally convex; antennomeres 4–10 transverse, apical antennomere in males slightly longer than wide (1.22–1.28 times) and shorter than antennomeres 9+10 combined (0.83–0.93 times their length; Fig. 22 ); mandibles with basal, external channel; head almost as wide as pronotum (0.88–1.00 times); pronotum elongate (1.06–1.20 times as long as wide), posterior area with two slightly visible, depressed areas, upper line of pronotal hypomeron almost completely developed in its entire length, except in anterior third where it is absent ( Fig. 65 ); elytra as long as pronotum (0.95–1.05 times); aedeagus pear-shaped, big (4.0– 4.2 mm) and symmetrical, with parameres short (0.22 times as long as the total length of median lobe), and internal sac with conspicuous microsculpture ( Fig. 75 ).

Variation. The species shows variation in the total body length (17.5–21.9 mm), the color of the body that can be metallic violet-blue, greenish blue or green and some specimens have the head widest at the eyes level and narrows toward the neck.

Comparative notes. Based on the revision of the holotypes, A. longiceps Sharp, 1876 is a junior synonym of A. conicicollis Sharp, 1876 . Sharp (1876) examined two specimens and assigned them to different species ( A. conicicollis and A. longiceps ), mainly because of differences in color and size; however, the analysis of larger series has shown those characters to be intraspecifically variable. This elongate species may be confused with A. elegans , but differences in the head of males, antennomeres, upper line of the pronotal hypomeron and aedeagus allow them to be distinguished easily.

Geographical distribution. Ecuador (first national record), Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia ( Herman, 2001).

Figures

FIGURES 20 – 31. Antennae: 20, Philonthus testaceipennis; 21, Renda flagellicornis; 22, Agrodes conicicollis; 23, A. elegans; 24, Plochionocerus gracilis; 25, P. humeralis; 26, P. i g n e u s; 27, P. m a rq u e z i; 28, P. puncticeps; 29, P. re t i c u - laris; 30, P. s p l e n d e n s; 31, P. transversalis.

FIGURES 63 – 66. Lateral view of pronotal hypomeron: 63, Plochionocerus simplicicollis; 64, Renda spp.; 65, Agrodes conicicollis; 66, A. elegans.

FIGURES 69 – 78. Ventral (left) and lateral (right) view of aedeagus: 69, Philonthus testaceipennis; 70, Homalolinus flavipennis; 71, Thyreocephalus puncticeps; 72, Renda fimetaria; 73, R. flagellicornis; 74, R. leprieuri; 75, Agrodes conicicollis; 76, A. elegans; 77, Plochionocerus ashei; 78, P. discedens. Scale bar 1 mm.