Research Article |
Corresponding author: Quiyari J. Santiago-Jiménez ( quiyari@hotmail.com ) Academic editor: Jan Klimaszewski
© 2014 Quiyari J. Santiago-Jiménez.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Santiago-Jiménez QJ (2014) Two new species of Myrmedonota Cameron (Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from Mexico. ZooKeys 464: 49-62. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.464.8549
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Two new species of Myrmedonota are described from Mexico. Illustrations and a distribution map are provided, as are keys to identify Myrmedonota known from the Nearctic and Neotropics. Specimens were collected by means of mercury vapor light traps or flight interception traps.
Lomechusini , false Lomechusini, Nearctic, Neotropical
Recently,
The genus Myrmedonota was described originally by Cameron in
Between 2004 and 2006, on two field trips to Jalisco and Veracruz in Mexico specimens were collected using mercury vapor light traps or flight interception traps. The samples were preserved in 96% ethanol, and some of the specimens were identified as belonging to Myrmedonota.
The specimens were observed using a Stemi DV4 stereomicroscope. Photographs from slides were taken using an image processing system (VELAB microscope model VE–633, with Digital LCD model DMS-153). Whereas, habitus photographs were taken using an Stemi 2000-C, with digital camera Canon PowerShot G10. Images were merged using the image stacking software Combine ZP. Illustrations were made based on those photographs of the structures. Permanent microscope slides were prepared using the techniques described by
The genus was redescribed by
Diagnosis.
1 | Length of body 3.0 mm or less | 2 |
– | Length of body more than 3.0 mm (maximum 4.2 mm) | 6 |
2 | Pronotum yellowish; spermatheca with proximal end curved over itself (Fig. 20 in |
M. heliantha Eldredge |
– | Pronotum reddish brown, dark brown or black; spermatheca with proximal end not curved over itself | 3 |
3 | Abdominal segments unicolored, black; spermatheca V–shaped (Fig. 21 in |
M. lewisi Maruyama & Klimaszewski |
– | Abdominal segments bicolored, usually II–IV or only anterior half of IV paler than V–VIII; spermatheca S–shaped, or if V–shaped, then abdominal tergites bicolored, with II–III and base of IV dark brown, and posterior half of IV to VIII black | 4 |
4 | Abdominal tergites II–IV dark brown, and V–VIII black; spermatheca V–shaped (Fig. 4 in |
M. shimmerale Mathis & Eldredge |
– | Abdominal tergites II–IV yellowish to reddish brown, with at most a dark brown spot on each one, and tergites V–VIII darker; spermatheca S–shaped | 5 |
5 | Abdominal tergites II–IV yellowish with a dark spot on medial area of tergites III–IV (Fig. |
M. jaliscensis sp. n. |
– | Abdominal tergites II–IV reddish brown and V–VIII blackish brown (sometimes medial areas of tergite IV and V blackish brown); apex of median lobe, long, looking more sharply curved ventrally (Fig. 8 in |
M. aidani Maruyama & Klimaszewski |
6 | Pronotum yellowish to dark brown; elytra bicolored with humeral region yellow and rest of elytra dark brown; abdominal tergites II–IV yellowish and V–VIII dark brown to black (except basal region of tergite V is yellowish); apex of median lobe, slightly curved ventrally (Fig. 6 in |
M. xipe Mathis & Eldredge |
– | Pronotum dark brown to black; elytra not bicolored, humeral region not yellow, elytra entirely brown; abdominal tergites III–V with apical region yellowish brown, appearing paler than the rest (Fig. |
M. cordobensis sp. n. |
Mexico, Veracruz: Córdoba, Matlaquiahuitl, 1570m, 18°59'41"N, 96°53'35.1"W, cloud forest, light trap, 6.VII.2006, J. Asiain, J. Márquez, L. Delgado and Q. Santiago leg.
Holotype male, pinned. Original label: “MÉXICO: Veracruz, Córdoba, Matlaquiahuitl. 6.VII.2006. Bosque Mesófilo de Montaña perturbado, 1,570m, 18°59'41"N, 96°53'35.1"W, ex. trampa de luz. J. Asiain, J. Márquez, L. Delgado y Q. Santiago”/“MUZ-UV-COL-00000065”/”HOLOTYPE Myrmedonota cordobensis Santiago-Jiménez, 2014” [red label].
Paratypes, same data as holotype (42 males, 14 females MUZ-UV, IEXA).
Body length: 3.5–4.1 mm. Most of body black to dark brown; elytra and legs brown; apical region of abdominal segments III–V, usually brown. Pubescence dense to sparse on head, pronotum and elytra, denser on elytra; dorsal surface of abdomen almost glabrous, dense pubescence on ventral surface of abdomen.
Head: Transverse, with or without impression on disc; without protuberance or carinae. Antennal articles 1–3 brown, 4–11 black, tip of 11 brown. Antennal articles 1–2 very elongate, 3–9 elongate, 10 slightly elongate, and 11 very elongate.
Mouthparts: Labrum: with 8 setae on each side of the midline; most of the setae on anterior half; with more than 30 sensory pores on each side of midline; sensillae on apical margin of epipharynx, arranged in a pattern of anterior or α–sensilla, medial or β–sensilla, posterior or γ–sensilla, and lateral or ε–sensilla, one on each side of the midline (see
Thorax: Pronotum transverse, wider on anterior third; surface finely punctured, moderately dense; without reticulate microsculpture; setae moderately dense on surface; with 4 macrosetae along lateral margins, 3 macrosetae on each side of the midline, 2 macrosetae between lateral and medial macrosetae, distributed on anterior half. Scutellum with surface smooth, moderately covered with short setae. Elytra slightly wider on apical area; surface finely punctured, moderately dense; without reticulate microsculpture; setae moderately dense, covering the surface; with 6 macrosetae: 3 on lateral margin, and 3 diagonally placed starting from the base of midline outward. Hind wings well developed, flabellum with 16–17 spines. Mesocoxal acetabula completely margined posteriorly. Mesocoxal cavities moderately separated (approx. 0.20 mm) by meso- and metaventral processes; mesoventral process short (approx. 0.18 mm) with apex truncated; metaventral process medium-sized (approx. 0.56 mm), marginate and with apex acuminate; isthmus distinctly present (approx. 0.09 mm). Legs short, tarsal formula 4–5–5, every leg with an empodium, one seta on empodium and a pair of tarsal claws, each claw with a subbasal tooth.
Abdomen: Subparallel-sided, narrower than elytra, wider around segments IV–V; surface smooth, tergites III–VII almost glabrous, but with a row of 3 macrosetae along posterior margins on each side of midline of every segment and one macroseta closer to the meso-lateral region; tergite VIII (Figs
Secondary sexual structures: Sternite VII of male with external gland on basal region and pseudopores on posterior margin of gland. Tergite VIII of male (Fig.
Aedeagus: Median lobe pear-shaped (Figs
Spermatheca: Basal bulb simple, rounded at base; tube S–shaped; internal tube of neck with denticles; with accessory gland (Fig.
It is very similar in size to M. xipe, but M. cordobensis sp. n. is easy to distinguish because it is darker, the elytra are not bicolored, the apical region of tergites III–V is brown–yellowish, and the spermatheca is different in shape.
The name makes reference to the municipality where the specimens were collected, Córdoba in the state of Veracruz.
Unknown. The adult specimens were collected with mercury vapor light traps. The larval habitat is not known.
Myrmedonota cordobensis sp. n. is only known from the type locality in the central region of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. This locality is 1,570 m above sea level, in a disturbed cloud forest. Matlaquiahuitl is the highest mountain in the municipality of Córdoba, Veracruz (Fig.
Mexico, Jalisco: Chapala, 4 Km. Ajijic–Chapala, 20°17'48.8"N, 103°12'55.5"W, dry deciduous forest (Acacia sp.), flight interception trap, 17.IX.2004, S. Gámez, A. López and Q. Santiago leg.
Holotype male, pinned. Original label: “MÉXICO: Jalisco, Chapala, 4 Km. Ajijic–Chapala. 15–17.IX.2004. Huizache, 1,620 m, 20°17'48.8"N, 103°12'55.5"W, ex. trampa de intercepción de vuelo. S. Gámez, A. López y Q. Santiago”/“ MUZ-UV-COL-00000603”/”HOLOTYPE Myrmedonota jaliscensis Santiago-Jiménez, 2014” [red label].
Paratypes, same data as holotype (15 males, 5 females MUZ-UV, IEXA).
Body length: 2.6–3.0 mm. Most of body black to dark brown; anterior edge of elytra, abdominal segments III–IV, and legs (except apical half of meso- and metafemur darker) yellowish brown. Densely pubescent on head, pronotum and elytra; dorsal surface of abdomen almost glabrous, densely pubescent on ventral surface of abdomen.
Head: Transverse, with or without impression on disc; without protuberance or carinae. Antennal articles 1–3 brown, 4–11 black, but tip of 11 is brown. Antennomeres 1–3 very elongate, 4–10 elongate, and 11 very elongate.
Mouthparts: Labrum: with 8 setae on each side of the midline; most of the setae on anterior half; with more than 30 (around 32–37) sensory pores on each side of the midline; sensillae on apical margin of epipharynx, arranged in a pattern of anterior or α–sensilla, medial or β–sensilla, posterior or γ–sensilla, and lateral or ε–sensilla, one on each side of the midline (see
Thorax: Pronotum transverse, wider on anterior third; surface finely punctured, moderately dense; without reticulate microsculpture; setae moderately dense on surface; with 4 macrosetae along lateral margins, 3 macrosetae on each side of the midline, 2 macrosetae between lateral and medial macrosetae distributed on anterior half. Scutellum with reticulate microsculpture, moderately covered with short setae. Elytra slightly wider on apical area; surface finely punctured, moderately dense; without reticulate microsculpture; covered moderately with setae; with 8 macrosetae: 3 on lateral margin, 3 on mesal area, and 2 in diagonal closer to inner border. Hind wings well developed, flabellum with 15 spines (one female had only 10 spines). Mesocoxal acetabula completely margined posteriorly. Mesocoxal cavities moderately separated (approx. 0.16 mm) by meso- and metaventral processes; mesoventral process short (approx. 0.17 mm) with apex truncated; metaventral process medium-sized (approx. 0.56 mm), marginate and with apex acuminate; isthmus distinctly present (approx. 0.07 mm). Legs short, tarsal formula 4–5–5, every leg with an empodium, one seta on empodium and a pair of tarsal claws, each claw with a subbasal tooth.
Abdomen: Subparallel-sided, narrower than elytra, wider around segments IV–V; surface smooth, tergites III–VII almost glabrous, but with a row of 3 macrosetae along posterior margins on each side of the midline of every segment and one macroseta closer to the meso-lateral region; tergite VIII (Figs
Secondary sexual structures: sternite VII of male without external gland in basal region. Tergite VIII of male (Fig.
Aedeagus: Median lobe pear-shaped (Figs
Spermatheca: Basal bulb simple, rounded at base; tube S–shaped; internal tube of neck with denticles; without accessory gland (Fig.
Myrmedonota cordobensis Santiago-Jiménez, sp. n. male (3, 5, 7–9) and female (4, 6, 10). 3 tergite VIII 4 tergite VIII 5 sternite VIII (note that macrosetae were lost, only pores were illustrated) 6 sternite VIII (note that macrosetae were lost, only pores were illustrated) 7 median lobe, lateral view 8 median lobe, dorsal view 9 paramere, outer lateral view 10 spermatheca. Scale bar = 0.2 mm, except scale bar of spermatheca = 0.1 mm.
Myrmedonota jaliscensis Santiago-Jiménez, sp. n. male (11, 13, 15–17) and female (12, 14, 18). 11 tergite VIII 12 tergite VIII 13 sternite VIII 14 sternite VIII 15 median lobe, lateral view 16 median lobe, dorsal view 17 paramere, outer lateral view 18 spermatheca. Scale bar = 0.2 mm, except scale bar of spermatheca = 0.1 mm.
Myrmedonota jaliscensis is 3 mm or less in size and is easy to distinguish from other species: from M. heliantha because the proximal end of the spermatheca is not curved over itself; from M. lewisi because the abdomen is bicolored; from M. shimmerale because the spermatheca is S–shaped; and finally, from M. aidani because tergites II–IV are yellowish with a dark spot on medial area of tergites III–IV, and the differently shaped spermatheca.
The name makes reference to the state of Jalisco, Mexico, where the specimens were collected.
Unknown. The adult specimens were collected with interception flight traps. The larval habitat is not known.
Myrmedonota jaliscensis sp. n. is only known from the type locality around Lake Chapala in Jalisco state, Mexico (Fig.
More species of Myrmedonota are being described from the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, and here I have described two new species, and it is possible that more species will be discovered in the future. Although
Misunderstandings in
Finally, it is quite interesting that more species of Myrmedonota are being described from the Neotropics because new biogeographical questions are also emerging. Future efforts should aim to test whether Myrmedonota is a monophyletic clade that includes Oriental, Nearctic and Neotropical species, and to investigate the relationships between species.
The author is very grateful to colleagues for their support at the Facultad de Biología, Universidad Veracruzana and Instituto de Ecología, A.C., particularly M. Morales, R. Ortega and R. Novelo for the use of the microscopes and to C. Álvarez-Castillo for preparing the illustrations. J. Asiain, J. Márquez, L. Delgado, S. Gámez, and A. López assisted on collection trips. I thank B. Delfosse and two anonymous reviewers for their comments, which helped improve the manuscript.