Bolitogyrus bufo Brunke

Brunke, Adam J. & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2014, A revision of the Neotropical species of Bolitogyrus Chevrolat, a geographically disjunct lineage of Staphylinini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 423, pp. 1-113 : 46-48

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Bolitogyrus bufo Brunke sp. n. Figs 2C, 8 A–B, 14E, 21 H–K, 24G, 27E, 30D (map)

Type locality.

COSTA RICA, Cartago, Tapantí National Park.

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (SEMC): COSTA RICA, Cartago, P.N. Tapanti, 1150 m, 9°45'41"N, 83°47'5"W [should be W], 18.VII.2000, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, CR1AF00 166, ex. fogging fungus covered log [white printed label] / SM0203502 [white barcode label] / Holotype, Bolitogyrus bufo Brunke, sp. n. [red printed label].

Paratypes (37 ♂ 15 ♀, PTC, SEMC, ZMUC): same data as holotype, SM0203485, SM0203486, SM0203487, SM0203489, SM0203490, SM0203491, SM0203493, SM0203494, SM0203495, SM0203497, SM0203498, SM0203499, SM0203500, SM0203503, SM0203504, SM0207124 (11 ♂ 5 ♀ SEMC, ZMUC); COSTA RICA: Cartago, La Cangreja, Finca L. Brenes, Pan-Am. Hgwy km 29, 1590 m, ex. rotten logs, 30.III.1999, P.N. Thomas, CR # 1057, 5 ♂ 5 ♀ (PTC), same except: 1580 m, ex. fogging rotten logs, 23.X.1999, CR-1064, 1 ♂ 2 ♀ (PTC), same except: 1590 m, 20.III.2000, CR-1087, ex. fog rotten logs, 1 ♂ 2 ♀ (PTC); P.N. Tapantí, 9°43'12"N, 83°46'36"W, 1480 m, ex. fogging fungus covered log, 17.VII.2000, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, CR1ABF00 163, SM0152900, SM0152901, 2 ♂ (SEMC, ZMUC); P.N. Tapantí, 9°45'41"N, 83°47'5"W, 1100 m, ex. fogging fungus covered log, 19.VII.2000, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, CR1ABF00 176, SM0203306, 1 ♂ (SEMC); P.N. Tapantí, 1150 m, Malaise, III.1994, G. Mora, L N 194000_559800, #2864, SM0037997, 1 ♂ (SEMC); Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Tapantí, Sendero La Pava, 9°44.232'N, 83°46.820'W, 1400 m, ex. fungus covered log, 30.X.2001, R. Brooks, CR1B01 01, SM0474485, SM0474487, 2 ♂ (SEMC); Santa Cruz, Guayabo, Rio Lajitas, 1370 m, ex. fog log at falls, 23.XI.2000, P.N. Thomas, CR-1134, 3 ♂ 1 ♀ (PTC), same except: 1360 m, ex. fog logs, CR-1135, 1 ♂ (PTC); Santa Cruz, Guayabo, 1520 m, ex. fog log in remnant, 24.XI.2000, P.N. Thomas, CR-1137, 5 ♂ (PTC); San Jose Province, San Juan, 14 km NE, Finca Zurqui, 10°2'57"N, 84°0'22"W, 1490 m, ex. fogging fungus covered log, 6.VII.2000, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, CR1ABF00 065, SM0203232, 1 ♂ (SEMC); Zurquí de Moravia, 1600 m, ex. malaise trap, 1 to 30.VI.1995, P. Hanson, CR1H93-95 11, SM0075350, 1 ♂ (SEMC), same except: 1 to 30.V.1995, CR1H93-95 12, SM0074231, 1 ♂ (SEMC), same except: 10°3'0"N, 84°1'0"W, 1 to 30.X.1995, CR1H95-96 02, SM106872, 1 ♂ (SEMC), same except: V.1994, SM0037989, 1 ♂ (SEMC).

Diagnosis.

Within the Bullatus Lineage: pronotum with three punctures in dorsal row (c.f. Fig. 7D); lateral margins of pronotum strongly converging anteriad (c.f. Fig. 7C); male sternite VII strongly emarginate but much wider than deep (Fig. 14E); median lobe entire and evenly converging to apex (Fig. 21H).

Description.

Measurements ♂ (n=5): HW/HL 1.75-2.10; PW/PL 1.56-1.84; EW/EL 1.25-1.35; ESut/PL 0.73-0.95; PW/HW 1.12-1.19; forebody length 3.6-4.3 mm.

Measurements ♀ (n=5): HW/HL 1.74-1.86; PW/PL 1.53-1.67; EW/EL 1.23-1.28; ESut/PL 0.85-0.94; PW/HW 1.04-1.14; forebody length 4.1-4.3 mm.

Similar to Bolitogyrus cornutus and differing only in the following: body much paler, pale to medium brown-orange to brown-yellow, without metallic reflections; paler portions of pronotum yellowish brown, pronotal protuberance only slightly paler in some specimens; elytra paler than in Bolitogyrus cornutus , reddish-brown to pale brown-yellow, epipleuron paler, yellow but less strongly contrasting with disc; dorsal abdomen with tergites III–V slightly paler than VI–VII, apex of tergite VII with linear, semi-circular or more triangular pale marking; tergite VIII pale, yellowish-brown but some specimens with lateral darkening; antennomeres I–V pale, yellowish brown, apical antennomere distinctly paler than and contrasting with previous segments, yellow to light yellow; profemur with faint to distinct, dark subapical band, meso- and metafemur with dark subapical band far from apex; frons finely and densely sculptured, less glossy than in Bolitogyrus cornutus ; base of head with posterior protuberances less pronounced, flattened, their surface with coarse, asetose and often rugose punctures; microsculpture absent dorsally except as broken lines in depressions and near punctures and well-developed fine lines on temples; pronotal disc with moderately dense, coarse, asetose punctures and micropunctures, microsculpture absent except as broken lines in depressions and near punctures; lateral areas with denser punctation; pronotal protuberance well developed in lateral view and produced into a horn in males, smaller than that of Bolitogyrus cornutus , apex rounded not truncate, in females protuberance not produced into a horn but distinct; lateral margins of pronotum strongly convergent anteriad in both sexes; with three punctures in dorsal row; median lobe entire but apical portion with median suture and minutely notched in some specimens; in lateral view, median lobe slightly produced ventrad, narrowed at apical third, slightly expanded subapically, apex acute (Fig. 21 I–J); in lateral view, median lobe with pair of flanges near apical third (Fig. 21 I–J); paramere nearly reaching apex of median lobe; in lateral view, paramere slightly sinuate and following contour of median lobe; in parameral view, median lobe gradually narrowing from apical third to apex, lateral portions more strongly sclerotized and indicating potential traces of lateral lobes (Fig. 21H); paramere entire but with median suture, apical portion in parameral view with triangular notch and varying from entire to very narrowly divided at middle by suture (Fig. 21H); in parameral view, paramere narrow at middle, with lateral expansion at apical third, entire lateral portion of paramere strongly deflexed, such that base and middle portion on different plane (Fig. 21H); peg setae fields present as a pair of lateral rows extending from lateral extension of paramere to apex, broader at base and apex (Fig. K); male sternite VII with distinct but shallow emargination, much broader than deep, with broad and elongate, flattened, glabrous area (Fig. 14E); male sternite VIII with transverse basal line not broken at middle, with apex slightly more emarginate than in Bolitogyrus cornutus , impressed and glabrous in elongate, triangular area near emargination; male sternite IX with base more strongly asymmetrical, apex as narrow but not as deep (Fig. 24G); female tergite X strongly constricted in basal half but slightly narrower in shape than in Bolitogyrus cornutus , base fused with accessory sclerite, with widely concave apex (Fig. 27E); female laterotergal sclerites more greatly expanded at base and overlapping with tergite X (Fig. 27E).

Distribution.

Figure 30D. This species is known only from Costa Rica, from Cartago and San Jose provinces in the Central Cordillera, and along the northern slopes of the Talamanca Cordillera facing the Central Cordillera.

Bionomics.

Bolitogyrus bufo has been collected at elevations ranging from 1150-1600 m, using flight traps and by fogging fungus covered logs. Collections are known from March, May-July and October-November.

Etymology.

The species epithet is the Latin word for toad. It refers to the similarity between the roughly sculptured, light brown cuticle, typical of Bolitogyrus bufo and the rough, warty skin of a true toad ( Bufonidae ). It is to be used as a noun in apposition.

Comments.

Within its distribution, Bolitogyrus bufo is not easily confused with any other species due to the pale coloration and coarse sculpture. It is extremely similar to Bolitogyrus thomasi from the Caribbean side of the continental divide in Heredia, Costa Rica but can be distinguished by the differently shaped emargination of male sternite VII and the differently shaped paramere.