The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini) Author Irmler, Ulrich text Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 2021 2021-06-30 71 1 29 85 journal article 10.21248/contrib.entomol.71.1.029-085 0005-805X 5742999 Lithocharodes curtipennis spec. nov. urn: lsid:zoobank.org:act: 49C417E3-A17C-4A28-9D32-950C09CDBD1D Figs 32 a-c, 45 A, 50 A Type material : male, holotype : Mexico , Chiapas , Mpio. , Angel Albino Corzo Reserva El Triúnfo, Pico El Triúnfo ( 92°48.70'W , 15°40.16'N ), 2400 m elev., cloud forest litter, 16.- 21.11.2001 , leg. R. Anderson , #MEX1A01 204 ( KNHM ) . Paratypes : 16 females , 8 males with same data as holotype (20 KNHM , 4 UIC ) ; Chiapas , Mpio. , San Christóbal de las Casas , Reserva Huitepec ( 92°40.70'W , 16°45.84'N ), 9 females , 1 male , 2200 m elev., oak forest, 13.11.2001 , leg. R. Anderson , # MEX 1A01 201 (9 KNHM , 1 UIC ) ; same region but cloud forest litter, female, 2800 m elev. 22.11.2001 , leg. R. Anderon ( KNHM ) ; same region but Cerro Huitepec ( Pico ), ca. 5 km W San Christobal , cloud forest litter, 2750 m elv., 2 females , 18.9.1991 , leg. R. Anderso , #91-107 ( KNHM ) ; Chiapas , 8.9 km E Rayon , 1500 m elev., cloud forest litter, female, 19.9.1991 , leg. R. Anderson , #91-109 ( KNHM ) ; Nueva Leon , 23 km N Linares , Hwy. 85 at Rio Conchus , washing moss on rocks beside rive, 420 m elev., female, 5.7.1992 , leg. J.S. Ashe ( KNHM ) ; Veracruz , 3.2 km SW Las Vigas , Hwy. 140 pine treefall litter, 2830 m elev., female, 11.7.1992 , leg. J.S. Ashe ( KNHM ) ; Guatemala : Zacapa , San Lorenzo, Cerro de los Monos ( 89°40.685'W , 15°06.806'N ), 2284 m elev., sifted mixed oak-cloud forest litter, 1 female , 6.7.2007 , leg. R. Anderson , #LLAMA07 RSA003 ( KNHM ) . Diagnosis : Lithocharodes curtipennis can be easily identified by the short elytra in combination with the short eyes. These characters are frequently found in the genus Somoleptus . Thus, L. curtipennis closely resembles species of Somoleptus . However, the two specific cones at the orifice of the aedeagus are absent and the interantennal furrows are present. Therefore, L. curtipennis was placed in the genus Lithocharodes . Description : Length: 4.2 mm . Colouration: Brown; legs and antennae lighter brown. Head: 0.72 mm long, 0.56 mm wide; eyes small; postocular space 5 times as long as eyes; sides slightly divergent posteriad; posterior angles widely rounded; shape approximately oval; interantennal furrows deep, reaching mid-length of eyes; slightly divergent posteriad; setiferous punctation deep and moderately dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; on posterior vertex interstices between punctures wider than on anterior vertex; space between interantennal furrows impunctate; vertex with irregular midline impunctate; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere as long as halflength of head; second and third antennomere each longer than wide; conical; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere 1.5 times as wide as long; tenth antennomere twice as wide as long; four to eleventh antennomeres densely pubescent. Pronotum: 0.83 mm long; 0.52 mm wide; widest in anterior third; conically narrowed toward neck; slightly narrowed posteriad; at posterior margin 0.82 times as wide as at widest width; posterior margin smoothly rounded; posterior angles obtuse but distinct; setiferous punctation evenly covering surface except impunctate midline; adjacent to wide midline with irregular line of approximate 17 punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Elytra: 0.56 mm long, 0.61 mm wide; sides distinctly divergent posteriad; humeral angles absent; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin deeply triangularly emarginate; setiferous punctation weaker and sparser than on pronotum; on average interstices between punctures twice as wide as diameter of punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Abdomen with dense setiferous punctation; weak isodiametric microsculpture; surface less shiny than fore-body; posterior margin of male abdominal sternite VII triangularly projecting; male abdominal tergite VII without peculiarities. Meso- and metatibia with one subapical ctenidium. Aedeagus oval; convergent anteriad; endophallus with single string recurved anteriad; anterior part covered by medium-sized teeth; posterior sack covered by shorter teeth; paramere slender; slightly sinuate; with long setae at inner side. Etymology : The species epithet is a combination of the Latin words curta (meaning short) and pennis (meaning elytra) and refers to the short elytra of the species.