62 
Thomas C. Barr, Jr. 
Pseudanophthalmus sericus, new species 
Fig. 17, 22 
Etymology. — Latin sericus, “silken.” 
Diagnosis. — Resembles P. delicatus in general form of body and 
aedeagus and in weakly subconvex elytral intervals; differs in having 
greatest pronotum width at apical 4th (instead of apical 6th), singly emar- 
ginate labrum, and separately rounded elytral apexes. 
Description. — Length 3.7-4. 1, mean 3.9 ± SD 0. 1 mm (N = 10). Form 
slender, subparallel, depressed, pubescent; rufotestaceous; elytral micro- 
sculpture obsoletely transverse, shining. Head 0.15 longer than wide; 
labrum singly emarginate; maxillary palp with last 2 segments subequal 
in length; antenna rather short, about 0.6 body length. Pronotum cordi- 
form, 0.8 as long as wide, widest in apical fourth, apex subtruncate and 
anterior angles subdued, sides barely perceptibly sinuate in basal fifth, 
hind angles obtuse, secondary basal angles evanescent; disc with 2 long 
setae each side. Elytra rather subparallel, depressed, prehumeral borders 
oblique, humeri a little rounded; no scutellar stria; longitudinal striae 
feebly impressed (about as in P. delicatus, i.e. deeper than P. hirsutus), 
intervals weakly subconvex, inner 2 striae a little deeper and vaguely 
punctulate, striae 3 and 4 shallower, outer striae obsolete; apexes sepa- 
rately rounded; apical groove elongate, bisinuate, joining 3rd stria via 
crosier slightly in advance of 7th umbilicate puncture; disc moderately 
pubescent, 2 or 3 rows per interval. Aedeagus 0.42-0.44 mm long, similar 
to that of P. delicatus, but apex somewhat less produced and conspicu- 
ously deflexed; parameres with 3 setae. 
Type series. — Holotype male (American Museum of Natural His- 
tory), 4 male and 5 female paratypes. Lane Cave, in the valley of Moc- 
casin Creek, Scott Co., Virginia (Gate City IVi Quadrangle, 36°39'48" x 
82°36'46"), 7 October 1967, J. R. Holsinger and George Titcomb. 
Measurements (mm). — Holotype, total length 4.10, head 0.84 long X 
0.73 wide, pronotum 0.69 long X 0.82 wide, elytra 2.20 long X 1.29 wide, 
antenna 2.53, aedeagus 0.44. 
Discussion. — Lane Cave is developed in the same strike band of 
limestone (Maryville limestone, Ordovician) as Blair-Collins and Coley 
No. 2 caves, which lie a few kilometers northeast in Moccasin Creek 
valley. However, the latter two caves are occupied by P. thomasi ijonesi 
group), and only P. sericus has been collected in Lane Cave. Future 
collecting may demonstrate these two species to be sympatric. There 
seems little doubt, because of morphological similarity, that P. sericus, P. 
hirsutus, and P. delicatus are allopatric vicar species descended from a 
common ancestor. 
