The integripennis species group of Geocharidius Jeannel, 1963 (Carabidae, Bembidiini, Anillina) from Nuclear Central America: a taxonomic review with notes about biogeography and speciation

• Main Authors: Igor Sokolov, David Kavanaugh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2014-09-01
• Series: ZooKeys
• Online Access: http://zookeys.pensoft.net/lib/ajax_srv/article_elements_srv.php?action=download_pdf&item_id=4121
• ISSN: 1313-2989; 1313-2970

Our review recognizes 15 species of the integripennis species group of Geocharidius from Nuclear Central America, include three species previously described (G. gimlii Erwin, G. integripennis (Bates) and G. zullinii Vigna Taglianti) and 12 described here as new. They are: G. andersoni sp. n. (type locality: Chiapas, Chiapas Highlands, Cerro Huitepec) and G. vignatagliantii sp. n. (type locality: Chiapas, Motozintla, Sierra Madre de Chiapas, Benito Juárez) from Mexico; G. antigua sp. n. (type locality: Sacatepéquez, 5 km SE of Antigua), G. balini sp. n. (type locality: Suchitepéquez, 4 km S of Volcan Atitlán), G. erwini sp. n. (type locality: Quiché Department, 7 km NE of Los Encuentros), G. jalapensis sp. n. (type locality: Jalapa Department, 4 km E of Mataquescuintla), G. longinoi, sp. n. (type locality: El Progreso Department, Cerro Pinalón), and G. minimus sp. n. (type locality: Sacatepéquez Department, 5 km SE of Antigua) from Guatemala; and G. celaquensis sp. n. (type locality: Lempira Department, Celaque National Park), G. comayaguanus sp. n. (type locality: Comayagua Department, 18 km ENE of Comayagua), G. disjunctus sp. n. (type locality: Francisco Morazán, La Tigra National Park), and G. lencanus sp. n. (type locality: Lempira Department, Celaque National Park) from Honduras. For all members of the group, adult structural characters, including male and female genitalia, are described, and a taxonomic key for all members of the integripennis species group is presented based on these characters. Behavioral and biogeographical aspects of speciation in the group are discussed, based on the morphological analysis. In all cases of sympatry, pairs of closely related species show greater differences in sizes than pairs of more remotely related species. Integripennis group species occupy six different montane areas at elevations above 1300m, with no species shared among them. Major faunal barriers in the region limiting present species distributions include the Motagua Fault Zone and a gap between the Guatemalan Cordillera volcanic chain and the Honduran Interior Highlands no higher than 900m in elevation. Highest species diversity is in the Guatematan Cordillera (six species), second highest in the Honduran Interior Highlands area (four species).