Anillinus aleyae Sokolov and Watrous 2008, new species

(Fig.1–6)

Description. Holotype, male. Small for genus (ABL range 1.56–1.83 mm, mean 1.68 ± 0.083 mm, n 5 12). Males noticeably larger than females: male size—ABL range 1.73–1.83 mm, n 5 2; female size—ABL range 1.56–1.74 mm, mean 1.66 ± 0.071 mm, n 5 10. Habitus (Fig. 1) subdepressed, elongate and subparallel (WE/ ABL 0.34 ± 0.012), with noticeably enlarged head (WH/WPm 0.83 ± 0.023), and narrow pronotum and elytra (WPm/WE 0.84 ± 0.030). Body color light, from rufotestaceous to testaceous, appendages testaceous. Dorsal microsculpture distinct, covering pronotum and head except the forehead parts along the clypeal suture and clypeus. Pronotum moderately convex and comparatively elongated (WPm/LP 1.29 ± 0.032), with margins markedly constricted posteriad (WPm/ WPp 1.42 ± 0.032) and barely sinuate before posterior angles. Anterior angles evident, slightly prominent. Posterior angles slightly obtuse (105–110 °). Width between anterior angles distinctly greater than between posterior angles (WPa/ WPp 1.16 ± 0.029). Elytra slightly convex, widely depressed along suture, relatively short (LE/ABL 0.54 ± 0.013), with traces of 4–5 interneurs. Humeri rounded, oblique, in outline forming an obtuse angle with longitudinal axis of body. Margins parallel across most of elytra length, in the last one-fourth evenly rounded to apex. Elytra without subapical sinuation. Vestiture of elytra short (less than one-third of discal setae). Prothoracic leg of males with strongly dilated tarsomere 1 and 2. Profemur moderately swollen. Metafemora unmodified. Ventrite VII of males unmodified. Median lobe (Fig. 2) evenly arcuate and twisted, its apex enlarged and elongated, curved dorsally in shape, with slightly narrowed and rounded tip. Ventral margin of median lobe weakly enlarged and lacking poriferous canals. Canals present on walls of median lobe itself near the base of its apex. Dorsal copulatory sclerites large, formed by two plates, combined together only at base. The larger plate elongate, with nearly rectangular curvature at apical one-third, its shortly pointed apex extending slightly lateral to internal sac. The smaller plate 0.5X length of larger, slightly curved and bladelike. Ventral sclerite plate-like with wavy anterior contour, occupying position ventral to dorsal sclerites. Spines of internal sac absent. Left paramere (Fig. 3) slightly enlarged, paramere apex with poriferous canals, but without visible setae (at X400). Right paramere (Fig. 4) elongated, sharply curved near the middle, with subparallel apical half, bearing five long setae, nearly equal in length to the apical half; setae occupy entire apex of paramere. Spermatheca (Fig. 5) moderately sclerotized, with three well-developed parts. Distal part, the cornu, is sclerotized and bean-like in form, more than two times longer than its width. Proximal part of cornu unsclerotized and straight, without traces of coils. Nodulus and ramus well-developed, sclerotized; nodulus elongated, ramus rounded. Spermathecal duct comparatively long, with defined wide coils. Stylomers and ventrite IX as in Fig.6. Stylomer of approximately equal width and length, with thick ensiferous seta. Ventrite bearing 14–17 setae.

Holotype. Male labeled / USA —MO: Taney Co., Ozark Underground Lab., 36.5585 ° N, 92.8134 ° W, 800 m, soil near rock outcrop, # 1006, 21 Oct 2007 540 L. E.Watrous / / HOLOTYPE, Anillinus aleyae Sokolov and Watrous, des. 2007/. Deposited U.S. National Museum (USNM).

Paratypes. (12). Four females with same data as holotype; 6 females with the same locality and date as holotype, but with different collecting codes; one male and one female labeled / USA —MO: Barry Co., 1.9 mi N Eagle Rock, 36.5759 ° N, 93.7558 ° W, 13. VI.2007, #889, glade soil, L.E.Watrous /. Deposited Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM).

Differential diagnosis. Anillus aleyae, with its elongate, subparallel habitus and distinct microsculpture, is similar to A. lescheni Sokolov & Carlton and A. stephani Sokolov & Carlton from Oklahoma. With the former species, A.aleyae shares the general contour of the median lobe (Sokolov et al. 2004, p.194, fig. 30), particularly its distinctive curved apex, but differs in the details of armature of internal sac and especially by its body size (1.56–1.83 mm of A. aleyae versus 2.20–2.50 mm of A. lescheni). Anillinus stephani, by contrast, is of similar size, but possesses a quite different median lobe (l.c, p.195, Fig. 36). Besides differences in the armature of the inner sac, the median lobe of A. stephani bears a row of long setae in the position of the poriferous canals of A. aleyae. The similar habitus of these species may reflect their endogean habitats. Specimens of A. stephani and A. lescheni, as far as known, were taken only from beneath large rocks during rainy weather (Sokolov et al. 2004) and, presumably, normally are associated with such habitats as soil-rock interfaces or soil pore spaces.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors Cathy Aley, who assisted in selecting the site and digging up the first specimens found at the type locality. Cathy and Tom Aley are ardent supporters of biology research and education, and are very generous hosts at their Ozark Underground Laboratory and Tumbling Creek Cave Foundation property.

Distribution. Known from Taney and Barry Counties, Missouri.

Habitat. Beetles from Taney Co. were collected in soil below rock outcrops and small bluffs along Bear Cave Hollow in a relatively mesic wooded valley. Bear Cave Hollow is a sinking stream, tributary to Big Creek and thence to the White River (impounded in this area as Bull Shoals Lake). Many soil samples from other habitats were taken in the Ozark Underground Laboratory area; anillines were found only in the soil immediately below the small bluffs and rock outcrops along Bear Cave Hollow. The Barry Co. specimens were collected at a limestone outcrop area, in soil from a small glade. The rock outcrop is associated with a valley leading to Roaring River and thence to the White River (impounded in this area as Table Rock Lake). This sample was taken from very moist soil following a rainy period. Although the surface habitat is very different from Bear Cave Hollow, they are similar in proximity to exposed limestone associated with the White River basin.