Anillinus loweae
Creators: name: Sokolov, Igor M.
name: Carlton, Christopher E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Anillinus
Anillinus loweae

description: Key for identification of the litter species within the A. loweae species group
This key will allow determination of the loweae -group species and their allies in the southern Appalachian Mountains. External features are of limited diagnostic value, and the key is based mostly on genitalia structures of both sexes, so correct identification of the specimen usually requires dissection.
1. Head with paramedian patches of effaced microsculpture on each side of the vertex ................................................3
- Vertex totally covered with polygonal microsculpture (often all head covered with microsculpture)........................ 2
2. Pronotum greatly constricted posteriad: ratio WPa/WPp≥1.00, and elytra subdepressed and parallel with 3 and more interneurs .................................................................................................................................. (other Anillinus species)
- Pronotum less constricted posteriad: ratio WPa/WPp ≤1.00, and elytra convex and ovoid with 1–2 interneurs only... ............................................................................................................................................................ (langdoni -group)
3. Frons and usually pronotum with distinct microsculpture, microsculpture on frons effaced on beetles from Alabama and Mississippi.............................................................................................................................................................. 4
- Frons, vertex (except small triangular area in the middle) and pronotum without microsculpture; beetles from eastern Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina .................................................. (other Anillinus species)
4. Beetles from Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia north of French Broad River ...... 5
- Beetles from Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina south of French Broad River and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi ....................................................................................................................... 6
5. Pronotum with very fine polygonal meshes on the disc visible only at certain angle. Dorsal sclerites in the form of filament-like structures (Fig. 16 a). Left paramere with long apical seta (Fig. 16 b). Right paramere short with long setae (Fig. 16 c). Spermatheca S-shaped with proximal curvature greatly reduced in length (Fig. 24). Stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 32). Beetles (Fig. 6) from higher elevations (> 1200-1300m) .................... erwini Sokolov & Carlton
- Pronotum with distinct polygonal meshes across entire surface. Dorsal sclerites in the form of blade-like structures (Fig. 17 a). Left paramere with short apical seta (Fig. 17 b). Right paramere elongate with short setae (Fig. 17 c). Spermatheca S-shaped with both curvatures of equal width (Fig. 25). Stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 33). Beetles (Fig. 7) from low and middle altitudes (<1200-1300m) ......................................................................................... fortis (Horn)
6. Males with right paramere short and wide (Figs. 11 c, 13c). Beetles from the southwestern Appalachian Mountains approximately from the eastern border of Blount County, Tennessee to north-western Georgia, northern counties of Alabama, with outlying records from Mississippi ........................................................................................................ 7
- Males with right paramere elongate (Figs. 10 c, 12c, 18c, 19c). Beetles mainly from eastern portions of southern Appalachian Mountains, including much of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.................................................. 8
7. Median lobe without a patch of setae on ventral surface. Dorsal sclerites very long, in the form of filament-like structures (Fig. 11 a). Left paramere of normal size and form (Fig. 11 b). Spermatheca S-shaped with both curvatures
of equal width (Fig. 21). Stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 29). Beetles (Fig. 2) from Starr Mountain, McMinn County, Tennessee ................................................................................................................................................. juliae sp.nov. - Median lobe with a patch of setae on ventral surface. Dorsal sclerites of moderate size in form of blade-like structures (Fig. 13 a). Left paramere noticeably enlarged (Fig. 13 b). Spermatheca S-shaped, with proximal curvature reduced, noticeably narrower in comparison to the distal curvature (Fig. 23). Stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 31). Beetles (Fig. 4) from north-eastern corner of Georgia, the northern counties of Alabama and Mississippi and from the western half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Fig. 5) .............................................................. steevesi Barr
8. Dorsal sclerites very long, in form of filament-like structures with greatly elongated basal processes (Fig. 10 a). Setae of right paramere long, much longer than the length of paramere itself (Fig. 10 c). Spermatheca S-shaped with both curvatures of equal width, and distal curvature with angulated sinuation below (Fig. 20). Stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 28). Beetles (Fig. 1) from the limestone area at the eastern part of Rich Mountain ridge in Great Smoky Mountains National Park ...................................................................................................................... gimmeli sp.nov.
- Dorsal sclerites shorter, in form of blade-like structures (Figs. 12 a, 18a, 19a). Setae of right paramere shorter than the length of paramere itself (Figs. 12 c, 18c, 19c). Spermatheca S-shaped, EITHER with proximal curvature noticeably narrower than distal curvature (Fig. 22, 27) OR with distal curvature widely rounded and without angulate sinuation below (Fig. 26)................................................................................................................................................... 9
9. Median lobe with a patch of spines near apical orifice (Fig. 18 a). Apex of median lobe with angulate sinuation at dorsal side. Spermatheca S-shaped with both curvatures of equal size and distal curvature widely rounded below (Fig. 26). Parameres (Fig. 18 b, c) and stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 34). Beetles (Fig. 8) from the eastern half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and from ridges extending from Cataloochee Divide (Haywood County, North Carolina) to the south-eastern corner of Macon County, North Carolina ................. loweae Sokolov & Carlton
- Median lobe without a patch of spines near apical orifice. Apex of median lobe at most with very obtuse sinuation in dorsal part or simply rounded. Spermatheca S-shaped with proximal curvature narrower than the distal. Beetles from the western half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ridges extending from Fontana Village (Swain County, North Carolina) to the north-western counties of South Carolina................................................................. 10
10. Dorsal sclerites of median lobe larger, with short processes radiating from base (Fig. 12 a). Apex of median lobe symmetrically rounded. Spermatheca comparatively wide, only 1.5 times longer than its maximal width (Fig. 22). Stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 30). Beetles from low altitudes (400-700m) from the Twentymile Creek valley (the western corner of Swain County, North Carolina to Gregory Bald) and Macon County, North Carolina ..................... ............................................................................................................................................................... merritti sp.nov.
- Dorsal sclerites of median lobe smaller, base prolonged and acute (Fig. 19 a). Apex of median lobe less rounded, noticeably asymmetrical, its upper margin slightly elevated. Spermatheca elongate, more than 2 times longer than its maximal width (Fig. 27). Parameres (Fig. 19 b, c) and stylomers as illustrated (Fig. 35). Beetles (Fig. 9) from middle and high altitudes (600-1300m) from Laurel Falls (eastern Sevier County, Tennessee) and Gregory Bald areas of GSMNP south-east to the north-western corner of South Carolina. ................................. cherokee Sokolov & Carlton
description: Published as part of Sokolov, Igor M. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2010, New species of Anillinus Casey (Carabidae: Trechinae: Bembidiini) from the Southern Appalachians and phylogeography of the A. loweae species group, pp. 1-23 in Zootaxa 2502 on pages 14-15, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.195855