Seeversiella texana Gusarov

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, A revision of the genus Seeversiella Ashe, 1986 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Zootaxa 142, pp. 1-102 : 22-25

2. Seeversiella texana Gusarov , sp. n. ( Figs. 37­53 )

Type material. Holotype ,, UNITED STATES: Texas: Culberson Co.: Guadalupe Mts. N. P., The Bowl, jct. Tejas Tr. and Juniper Tr., 2407 m, berlese maple, oak, pine, ironwood litter (R.Anderson), 31.vii.1989 ( KSEM).

Paratypes: UNITED STATES: Texas: Culberson Co.: 14 specimens, same data as the holotype; 4 specimens, ditto but mixed hardwood litter; 8 specimens, ditto but oak, conifer litter, 13.ix.1988 (all – KSEM).

Diagnosis. Seeversiella texana can be distinguished from other species of Seeversiella by having brown or brownish yellow body; small eyes (temples 2.1­2.7 times as long as eyes); glossy pronotum with weak microsculpture; wings reduced, 2 times as long as elytra; tergum 8 with four pairs of macrosetae; the distinct shape of aedeagus ( Figs. 41­ 52 ), especially the hook­shaped distal sclerites of internal sac ( Figs. 48, 51 ); and the shape of spermatheca ( Fig. 53 ).

Seeversiella texana differs from closely related S. globicollis in having lighter body colour; more distinct microsculpture of head and pronotum; elytra shorter than pronotum; reduced wings, 2 times as long as elytra; apex of median lobe bent paramerally (in lateral view) ( Figs. 43­44 ; 26­27), shorter copulatory piece of internal sac ( Figs. 46, 49­50 ; 29, 34) and spermatheca with umbilicus ( Fig. 53 ).

Seeversiella texana differs from the other similar species of Seeversiella with long elytra and weak pronotal microsculpture in having strongly sclerotized hook­shaped distal sclerites of internal sac and J­shaped spermatheca with large umbilicus.

Description. Length 2.5­2.8 mm. Body from brownish yellow to brown, head and abdominal segments 6­7 often darker, legs and mouthparts brownish yellow.

DS – distal sclerite of internal sac.

Head surface glossy, with weak isodiametric microsculpture, with fine, weak and poorly visible (at 70x) punctation, distance between punctures equals 2­3 times their diameter. Temples 2.1­2.7 times as long as eyes. Antennal article 2 longer than article 3, article 4 slightly transverse, 5­10 transverse or strongly transverse (ratio 1.5­2.0).

Pronotum slightly transverse, 1.2 times as wide as head, width 0.44­0.49 mm, length 0.41­0.46 mm, width to length ratio 1.1, surface glossy, with weak isodiametric microsculpture; punctation as on head. Elytra wider and shorter (measured from humeral angle) than pronotum (pronotal length to elytral length ratio 1.1), 1.4 times wider than long, glossy, with weak isodiametric microsculpture, with fine and slightly asperate punctation, distance between punctures equal to 1­2 times their diameter. Wings reduced, 2 times as long as elytra.

Abdominal terga glossy, with fine microsculpture consisting of transverse meshes, with fine punctation, distance between punctures equals 2­3 times their diameter on terga 3­5 and 3­6 times on tergum 7. Apical margin of tergum 7 with white palisade fringe. Tergum 8 with four pairs of macrosetae (37, 39).

In males posterior angles of tergum 3 projecting as spines up to half as long as tergum 3 (measured medially), tergum 7 with medial carina along midline, the carina up to half as long as tergum length. Posterior margin of male tergum 8 without emargination ( Fig. 37 ).

Aedeagus as in Figs. 41­52 . Distal sclerites of internal sac hook­shaped ( Figs. 48, 51 ). Proximal seta of the apex of paramere is much longer than the other three setae ( Fig. 52 ).

Spermatheca as in Fig. 53 .

Distribution. Known from the Guadalupe Mountains, Texas ( Fig. 386 ).

Natural History. Seeversiella texana was collected at altitude of 2400 m in leaf litter.

Figures

FIGURE 386. Geographical distribution of Seeversiella in America north of Mexico.

FIGURES 37 ­ 40. Abdominal segment 8 of Seeversiella texana Gusarov, sp. n. (paratypes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas). 37 – male tergum 8; 38 – male sternum 8; 39 – female tergum 8; 40 – female sternum 8. Scale bar 0.4 mm.

FIGURES 41 ­ 44. Aedeagus of Seeversiella texana Gusarov, sp. n. (paratypes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas). 41 – median lobe, parameral view; 42 – apex of median lobe, parameral view; 43 – median lobe, lateral view; 44 – apex of median lobe, lateral view. Scale bar 0.2 mm (41, 43), 0.1 mm (42, 44).

FIGURES 45 ­ 53. Genitalia of Seeversiella texana Gusarov, sp. n. (paratypes from Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas). 45 – details of internal sac retracted into median lobe, abparameral view; 46 – copulatory piece, parameral view; 47 – medial lamellae, parameral view; 48 ­ 49 – details of internal sac retracted into median lobe, lateral view; 50 – copulatory piece, lateral view; 51 – right hook of internal sac; 52 – apex of left paramere; 53 – spermatheca. Scale bar 0.2 mm (45, 48 ­ 49, 53), 0.1 mm (46 ­ 47, 50 ­ 52).