Seeversiella brunnea Gusarov

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, A revision of the genus Seeversiella Ashe, 1986 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 142, pp. 1-102 : 62-64

17. Seeversiella brunnea Gusarov , sp. n. ( Figs. 235­246 )

Type material. Holotype ,, COSTA RICA: Cartago: P. N. Tapantí, 9°45'00"N 83°49'00"W, 1500 m, berlese forest litter (R.Anderson), 4.vi.1997 ( KSEM).

Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Cartago: ,, ditto but, 9°44'30"N 83°48'30"W, 1740 m ( KSEM).

Diagnosis. Seeversiella brunnea can be distinguished from other species of Seeversiella by having brown body; temples 0.8­1.2 times as long as eyes; matte pronotum with strong microsculpture; elytra longer than pronotum; wings fully developed or partially reduced, 2­4 times as long as elytra; tergum 8 with three pairs of macrosetae; the distinct shape of aedeagus ( Figs. 239­245 ) and spermatheca ( Fig. 246 ).

Seeversiella brunnea differs from S. scabricollis and S. furcativentris in having concave apex of median lobe (in lateral view) ( Figs. 241­242 ; 197­198; 214­215).

Seeversiella brunnea differs from S. brevipennis in having matte pronotum; pronotal punctation not asperate; elytra longer than pronotum; and concave apex of median lobe (in lateral view) ( Figs. 241­242 ; 228­229).

CB – connecting band.

Description. Length 2.5­2.8 mm. Pronotal width 0.44­0.50 mm. Body brown.

In all character states S. brunnea is very similar to S. scabricollis and S. furcativentris , but differs in the shape of the median lobe as described in the diagnosis.

Aedeagus as in Figs. 239­245 .

Spermatheca as in Fig. 246 .

Discussion. Despite the similarity of S. brunnea to S. furcativentris and S. scabricollis in external characters and the shape of genitalia, the difference between S. brunnea and the two species in the shape of the apex of median lobe ( Figs. 239­242 ; 194­198; 212­215) is of the same scale as the difference between S. scabricollis and S. furcativentris . Since no intermediate forms have been found, S. brunnea is considered to represent a separate species, possibly a local endemic of the area near Tapantí ( Fig. 388 ).

Distribution. Known from the area near Tapantí, Costa Rica ( Fig. 388 ).

Natural History. Seeversiella brunnea was collected in forest litter at altitude of 1500­1740 m.

Figures

FIGURE 388. Geographical distribution of Scabricollis group in Costa Rica and Panama. 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 235 ­ 238. Abdominal segment 8 of Seeversiella brunnea Gusarov, sp. n. (235 ­ 236, holotype; 237 ­ 238, paratype, P. N. Tapantí, Costa Rica). 235 – male tergum 8; 236 – male sternum 8; 237 – female tergum 8; 238 – female sternum 8. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 239 ­ 246. Genitalia of Seeversiella brunnea Gusarov, sp. n. (239 ­ 244, holotype; 245 ­ 246, paratypes, P. N. Tapantí, Costa Rica). 239 – median lobe, parameral view; 240 – apex of median lobe, parameral view; 241 – median lobe, lateral view; 242 – apex of median lobe, lateral view; 243 – details of internal sac retracted into median lobe, lateral view; 244 – apex of left paramere; 245 – everted internal sac, parameral view; 246 – spermatheca. Scale bar 0.2 mm (239, 241, 243, 245), 0.1 mm (240, 242, 244, 246).