Geocharidius gimlii Erwin

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 : 76-77

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

Geocharidius gimlii Erwin Figs 12A, 13 A–C, 14A, 15B, 16A, 22

Geocharidius gimlii Erwin, 1982: 488.

Holotype.

A male, deposited in NMNH, point-mounted, dissected, labeled (Fig. 14A): \ ♂ -wing \ ADP 26556 \ GUATEMALA: Hue. 7.7km S SanJuan Ixcoy, 2780 MS 15 35'N, 091 27'W 11 August 1974 \ G. E. Ball, H. Frania, D.R. Whitehead Colls. leaf litter \. Type locality. Guatemala, Huehuetenango Department, 7.7 km S of San Juan Ixcoy.

Recognition.

Males of this species are distinguished from those of other members of the integripennis species group by the following combination of characters: pronotum small, transverse, elytra comparatively wide and structure of median lobe of male as in Fig. 13A.

Description.

Size. Medium for genus (SBL 1.42 mm).

Habitus. Body form (Fig. 12A) moderately convex, broadly ovoid; general proportions (WE/SBL 0.41) rather wide; proportions of head (WH/WPm 0.72) average for group; pronotum narrow (WPm/WE 0.74) relative to elytra.

Color. Body rufotestaceous, appendages testaceous.

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

Prothorax. Pronotum transverse (WPm/LP 1.32), with lateral margins markedly constricted posteriorly (WPm/WPp 1.38). Posterior angles obtuse (112°). Widths between anterior and posterior angles equal (WPa/WPp 1.01).

Elytra. Moderately convex, slightly depressed along suture, markedly wide (WE/LE 0.70), without traces of striae. Humeri broadly rounded, in outline forming slightly obtuse angle with longitudinal axis of body. Lateral margins convex, evenly divergent at basal half, evenly rounded to apex in apical half.

Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 13A, 15B) with shaft long, widened apically, and apex small and acutely rounded. Ventral margin straight. Dorsal sclerites of internal sac in form of very long fig, protruding from basal orifice, and tapered apically in rather long flagellum, abruptly widened basally as a semicircular dilation, bent ventrally and surrounded by complex of semisclerotized sheaths of peculiar shape. Right paramere with long, narrow apical constriction (Fig. 13C). Left paramere with long, narrow and curved apical constriction (Fig. 13B). Ring sclerite of triangular shape, with sinuations on both sides of long basal handle (Fig. 16A).

Female internal genitalia. Females unknown.

Geographical distribution.

This species is known only from the type locality in the mountains of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, located in the Huehuetenango Department of Guatemala (Fig. 22, white triangle).

Way of life.

The unique type specimen was sifted from leaf litter in Lower Montane Wet Forest ( Erwin 1982) at an elevation of 2780 m.

Relationships.

The shape of the median lobe in the holotype of Geocharidius gimlii (Fig. 15B) is almost identical to that of the male holotype of Geocharidius integripennis (Fig. 15A); hence, at least for now, the latter can be considered as its closest relative. The general shape of the dorsal sclerites of the internal sac (namely the apically tapered fig, widened and ventrally bent at the basal end) is also similar to that in G andersoni (Fig. 9H) males described above.