Meatopida testacea (Broun, 1880) Kiałka & Ruta, 2018

Kiałka, Agata & Ruta, Rafał, 2018, Meatopida gen. nov., a new genus to accommodate two species originally described in Atopida White, 1846 (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea: Scirtidae), Zootaxa 4382 (2), pp. 242-260 : 250-256

Meatopida testacea (Broun, 1880) , new combination

( Figs 1C–D , 2A–B , 3 , 4A, 4C , 6 , 7A , 11–13 )

Atopida testacea Broun 1880: 314

Type material. Lectotype (present designation), male ( NHM): “ New Zealand \ Broun Coll. \ Brit. Mus. \ 1922– 482.”, “565”, “var.”, “SYN- \ TYPE ”, “ LECTOTYPE \ Atopida testacea \ Broun, 1880 \ des. Kiałka & Ruta ‘17” [red label, printed]; paralectotype (present designation), male ( NHM): “ Atopida \ testacea .”, “ New Zealand \ Broun Coll. \ Brit. Mus. \ 1922–482.”, “Parua”, “565”, “SYN- \ TYPE ”, “ PARALECTOTYPE \ Atopida testacea \ Broun, 1880 \ des. Kiałka & Ruta ‘17” [red label, printed].

Other material examined. 2 males (NHM): Waitakerei, Broun Coll., 1922–482, [with note: “Lab. palpi \ furcate.”]; female (NHM): BP, Mt. Te Aroha, forest litter, 930–950m., 12– 13.11.1983, B. M. 1984–80, P. M. Hammond; 2 males (CMNC): North Is., Huia, 17–27.XI.1981, H & A Howden; 1 male (NHM): ND (CL 85), Waipoua SF, Waipoua Riv, beating Melicytus ramiflora , 31.x.1985, C & J Lyal, BM 1986–274; 4 males (NHM): ND (CL 58), Waipoua SF, Tanemahuta Stream, beating Blechnum capense at night, 29.10.1985, C & J Lyal BM 1986–274; 1 ex. (NHM): ND (CL 55), Omapere, general beating, 30.10.1985, C & J Lyal, BM 1986–274; 1 ex. (NHM): ND (CL 77), Waipoua SF, Waipoua Riv, Ricker Track, beating Metrosideros albiflora , 31.10.1985, C & J Lyal, BM 1986–274; 3 males (DBET): ND 31, Trounson Kauri Park, -35.7221°, 173.6470°, 240 m, beating, 8.12.2016, leg. A. Kiałka, R. Leschen & R. Ruta; 10 exx. (DBET): ND 24, Waipoua Forest, Yakas Track, 7.12. 2016, 300 m, beating, leg. A. Kiałka, R. Leschen & R. Ruta; 1 male (DBET): ND 23, Waipoua Forest, Tane Mahuta, -35.6005°, 173.5271°, 320 m, 7.12.2016, leg. A. Kiałka, R. Leschen & R. Ruta; 3 females, 2 males (DBET): ND 25, Waipoua Forest, Yakas Track, 300 m, litter sample, 7.12.2016, leg. A. Kiałka, R. Leschen & R. Ruta; 1 ex. (NZAC): Opononi Manuka, 1, 2.12.1944, B. Given.; 3 exx. (NZAC): Bay of Islands, Waikere, leaf litter, 12.10.1967, R. A. Cumber; 1 ex. (NZAC): ND, Waipoua Forest, 25.11.1994, Ex. John Nunn Coll.; 4 exx. (NZAC): Waipoua Forest, 1270’, 24.12.1968, R. Petty; 1 ex. (NZAC): AK, Piha, beaten ex Podocarpus ferrugineus , 6.11.1979, C. F. Butcher; 1 ex. (NZAC): ND, Waipoua SF, Toronui Track, sifted wood and litter, 30.10.1980, G. Kuschel, 80/95; 1 ex. (NZAC): ND, Waipoua SF, Lookout, 29.10.1980, G. Kuschel; 2 exx. (NZAC): ND, Waipoua Forest, in leaf litter, 24.11.1994, Ex. John Nunn Coll.; 1 ex. (NZAC): Waipoua S. F., Tane Mahuta, beating shrubs at night, 12.10.1967, J. C. Watt; 1 ex. (NZAC): Waimatenui, N. AK., 10. 12.1957,.eg. Brooks, A. E. Brooks Coll.; 2 exx. (NZAC): ND, Waipoua S. F., Te Matua Ngahere, beating, 14.10.1967, J. S. Dugdale; 4 exx. (NZAC): Mangamuka Sdle, 1250, litter, 5.11.1967, J. I. T. & J. McB.; 19 exx. (NZAC): ND, Warawara St Forest, Hauturu Stm, -35.4008°, 173.3138°, FIT 3, 8– 13.12.2008, R. Leschen, T. Buckley, D. Seldon, RL1442; 3 exx. (AMNZ): ND, Trounson Kauri Park, kauri forest remnant, swept, 240 m, 0 1.11.2000, J. W. Early, R. F. Gilbert, L8943; 1 ex. (AMNZ): North Island, Mangonui Co., Forest N. side, Mangamuka hills, 300m., 19.11.1966, K. A. J. Wise; 1 ex. (AMNZ): North Island, Waitakere, Waitemata Co.

Diagnosis. Body TL 2.4–2.7 mm, covered with adherent or suberect setae, elytra subtly darkened along suture. Apical portion of female elytra without excitators. Trigonium distinctly longer than parameroids. Prehensor with a Y-shaped lighter coloured area.

Redescription. Male. Body elongated ( Fig. 1C ), small, moderately convex. Body yellowish brown, elytra with subtly darkened, brownish suture, legs slightly lighter. Punctation on head and pronotum granulate, strong and dense, distance between punctures 0.5 diameter at most, punctation on elytra simple, distance between punctures 0.7–1.0 diameter. Body covered with rather short yellowish, strongly adherent setae. Penis ( Fig. 11A ): trigonium bifurcate, very narrow, longer than parameroids; pala oval, base semicircular, emarginate, slightly longer than parameroids; parameroids curved inwards, narrow, apices acute (L 0.65 mm, W 0.23 mm). Tegmen ( Fig. 11B ) oval with narrow, pointed parameres with serrated outer edges and slightly hooked projections in middle and cuticular ring at base (L 0.49 mm, W 0.39 mm). Tergite VIII ( Fig. 11C ) rectangular with rather distinct apodemes, numerous short setae in apical part (L 0.41 mm, W 0.37 mm); tergite IX ( Fig. 11D ) rectangular with membranous apical part, almost devoid of setae, with long apodemes (L 0.41 mm, W 0.33 mm). Sternite VIII ( Fig. 11E ) transversely rectangular, U-shaped with very few setae and punctures concentrated on apical margin, distinctly wider than long (L 0.21 mm, W 0.41 mm); sternite IX ( Fig. 11F ) triangular, 2× wider than long, weakly sclerotized, apical part covered with medium length setae, apodemes not visible (L 0.19 mm, W 0.39 mm).

Female ( Fig. 1D ). Eyes small, tempora much longer than diameter of eye. Elytra without depressions in apical portion, covered with suberect setae. Hind wings with shortened apical field (Fig. 5). Tergite VIII long (L 0.97 mm), with paired apodemes, few setae and punctures in apical part; sternite VIII shorter (L 0.63 mm), with paired apodemes which are connected at base, setae and few punctures in apical part, basal part delicately emarginated; ovipositor ( Fig. 12A ) long (L 1.40 mm); prehensor ( Fig. 12C ) dorsoventrally flattened, elongate oval (L 0.67 mm, W 0.42 mm), massive, strongly sclerotized, covered densely with numerous setae, dorsal portion with Y-shaped, lighter coloured median area, sides with strong spine-like setae, ventral portion more membranous, with V-shaped sclerotization, posterior area membranous, with a few small sclerites.

Variation. In some specimens elytral suture is not darkened. Broun (1880) noted a remarkable variability of the morphology of the labrum within the series of four specimens from Parua: two had a prominent labrum, and in two the labrum was little exposed. No significant differences in the proportions of labrum were noted in specimens studied by the authors of the present paper.

Measurements and ratios. Males (n = 6) TL 2.40–2.67 mm (2.56 mm), PL 0.43–0.50 mm (0.48 mm), PW 0.73–0.83 mm (0.79 mm), EL 2.07–2.17 mm (2.10 mm), EW 1.13–1.27 mm (1.19 mm), TL/EW 2.06–2.29 (2.18), PW/PL 1.60–1.71 (1.65), EL/EW 1.71–1.88 (1.78), EL/PL 4.20–4.62 (4.35). Female (n = 1) TL 2.60 mm, PL 0.50 mm, PW 0.82 mm, EL 2.10 mm, EW 1.13 mm, TL/EW 2.29, PW/PL 1.63, EL/EW 1.85, EL/PL 4.20.

Biology. Data on the biology of M. testacea is restricted to collecting circumstances. Most specimens were collected in forests, and were especially common in mixed angiosperm-conifer forest with kauri ( Agathis australis ) ( Fig. 14 ). Females were often collected by sifting leaf litter.

Distribution. New Zealand, North Island: Northland (Parua, Waipoua), Auckland (Huia, Waitakere), Waikato (Mt. Te Aroha) ( Fig. 15 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Meatopida gen. nov., habitus. A) M. dorsale (Broun), male, B) M. dorsale (Broun), female, C) M. testacea (Broun), male, D) M.testacea (Broun), female. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Meatopida gen. nov., head. A) M. dorsale (Broun), dorsal view, B) M. dorsale (Broun), anterior view, C) M. testacea (Broun), anterovental view.

FIGURE 3. Male of Meatopida testacea (A–C, E–I) and M.dorsale (D), mouthparts. A) mandible, B) maxilla, C) labium, D) maxillary palpus, E) laciniar hooks, F) apical maxillary palpomere in lateral view, G) detail of apical maxillary palpomere in lateral view, H) apical maxillary palpomere in dorsal view, I) detail of apical maxillary palpomere indorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Meatopida gen. nov., morphological details. A) M. testacea (Broun), pronotum, B) M. dorsale (Broun), female, apex of elytra with excitators,C) M.testacea (Broun), male, metendosternite.

FIGURE 6. Meatopida testacea (Broun), ventrum. Abbreviations: mf—mesoventral fossa, sgr—subgenal ridge.

FIGURE 7. Meatopida gen.nov., male genitalia. A) M. testacea (Broun), B) M. dorsale (Broun).

FIGURE 11. Meatopida testacea (Broun), male genitalia. A) penis, B) tegmen, C) tergite VIII, D) tergite IX, E) sternite VIII, F) sterniteIX. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE12. Meatopida testacea (Broun), female genitalia.A) genital tract,B) coxites and styli, C) prehensor.Scale bar (A) = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 13. Meatopida testacea (Broun), copulating pair collected in Waipoua Forest, genitalia fixed during copulation. A) male & female genitalia, dorsal view, B) male & female genitalia, lateral view, C) male genitalia of the same specimen, separated from female genitalia, D) female genitalia of the same specimen, prehensor everted. Abbreviations:cx—gonocoxite, pe—penis, preh—prehensor, s—sternite, st—gonostylus, t—tergite, tg—tegmen.

FIGURE 14. Waipoua Forest, Yakas Track—a locality where Meatopida testacea is very common.

FIGURE 15. Meatopida gen. nov., geographical distribution.