Agathidium oaxacaense Miller and Wheeler, 2005

MILLER, KELLY B. & WHEELER, QUENTIN D., 2005, Slime-Mold Beetles Of The Genus Agathidium Panzer In North And Central America, Part Ii. Coleoptera: Leiodidae, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2005 (291), pp. 1-167 : 117-118

Agathidium oaxacaense Miller and Wheeler , new species Figures 144 , 261–263 , 365

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype, Ƌ in CMNC labeled ‘‘ MEX: Oax.; 37 mi Valle Nacional 8500̍ 24. V.71 oak litter Ber 206 S. Peck /HO­ LOTYPE Agathidium oaxacaense Miller and Wheeler, 2003 [red label with black line bor­ der]’’.

TYPE LOCALITY: Mexico, Oaxaca, 37 mi S Valle Nacional.

DIAGNOSIS: This species is externally similar to several species in the A. aztec subgroup. The eyes are moderately dorsoventrally compressed with facets of moderate size. The male metafemoral tooth is moderately large, anteapical, and there is a series of smaller serrations along the posterior margin of the metafemur (fig. 144). The male genitalia are very distinctive with the median lobe very robust and strongly curved (fig. 262). There is a very prominent dorsomedial carina with a prominent lateral fovea that receives the lateral lobe (fig. 262).

DESCRIPTION: Body moderately small (TBL = 2.54 –3.16 mm), broad, robust (PNW/TBL = 0.46–0.53), strongly contractile.

Head and pronotum testaceous; elytra testaceous, slightly iridescent in some specimens; venter, antennae, palpi, and legs dark brown.

Head broad (MDL/OHW = 0.53–0.60), dorsal surface flattened, dorsoventrally compressed; with very fine punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures shiny, smooth; frontoclypeal suture obsolete medially; eyes slightly compressed, but not strongly reduced; gula slightly concave; antennae moderately long (ratios: length I:II:III = 1.9:1.0:1.7, width VII:VIII: IX = 1.0:1.0:1.8). Pronotum very large, broad (PNL/PNW = 0.64–0.75), strongly convex, anterolateral lobes strongly produced, lateral margin broadly curved, not angulate; with very fine, sparse punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures smooth. Elytra broad, lateral margins strongly rounded, apically rounded (SEL/ELW = 0.87–1.23); punctation similar to pronotum; sutural stria absent. Flight wings strongly reduced. Mesosternum broad, not declivitous, flattened; medial carina well developed. Metasternum moderately narrow (MTL/MTW = 0.13–0.17), sloping dorsad anteriorly and concave medially; oblique femoral carinae prominent, meeting medially in large, semicircular flange.

Male tarsi 5­5­4; pro­ and mesobasotarsomeres only slightly laterally expanded, with small field of ventral spatulate setae; mandibles not modified; metafemur moderately broad, with prominent subapical tooth on posterior margin and numerous smaller serrations along posterior margin (fig. 145); metasternal fovea linear, transverse with line of dense, fine setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect short, very robust, abruptly curved basally, broadly expanded submedially due to dorsal production of dorsomedial carina, with large fovea laterad of carina for reception of lateral lobe, apical portion of median lobe slender, apically pointed, slightly hooked ventrally (fig. 262); in ventral aspect robust, lateral margins subparallel for most of length, abruptly narrowed subapically, apex a slender, narrowly rounded process (fig. 261); operculum in lateral aspect slender basally, abruptly expanded apically, in ventral aspect short, broad, broadly rounded, apex slightly emarginate (fig. 261); lateral lobes slender basally, strongly expanded submedially, expanded portion fitting into cavity on each side of median lobe, apical portion strongly sinuate, apex broadly expanded, apically rounded, with 2 stout apical setae (fig. 263).

Female tarsi 5­4­4.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the state in Mexico in which this species is found.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is known only from the state of Oaxaca (fig. 365).

PARATYPE: MEXICO: Oaxaca: 37 mi S Valle Nacional, 24 May 1971, 8500̍, oak litter, S Peck (5, PECK).

DISCUSSION: The type series was collected from oak litter at 8500 ft.

Figures

Figs. 118–144. Agathidium concinnum­ and A. oniscoides­group species, left male metafemur, ventral aspect: 118, A. concinnum. 119, A. kimberlae. 120, A. vaderi. 121, A. bituberculum. 122, A. oedema. 123, A. gomezae. 124, A. hidalgoense. 125, A. skoliosternum. 126, A. erythromelas. 127, A. rhamphastes. 128, A. megoniscoides. 129, A. grumum. 130, A. triangularum. 131, A. lobosternum. 132, A. potosii. 133, A. popocatepetlae. 134, A. hyle. 135, A. stenomma. 136, A. tribulosum. 137, A. tribulograndum. 138, A. invisitatum. 139, A. multidentatum. 140, A. sejunctum. 141, A. grandidentatum. 142, A. andersoni. 143, A. disgregum. 144, A. oaxacaense. Bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs. 261–287. Agathidium oniscoides­group species, aedeagus: 261–263, A. oaxacaense: 261, ventral; 262, median lobe, lateral; 263, left lateral lobe, lateral. 264–266, A. oculeum: 264, ventral; 265, median lobe, lateral; 266, left lateral lobe, lateral. 267–269, A. recurvatum: 267, ventral; 268, median lobe, lateral; 269, left lateral lobe, lateral. 270–272, A. impensum: 270, ventral; 271, median lobe, lateral; 272, left lateral lobe, lateral. 273–276, A. cheneyi: 273, ventral; 274, median lobe, apex, ventral; 275, median lobe, lateral; 276, left lateral lobe, lateral. 277–279, A. tenangoense: 277, ventral; 278, median lobe, lateral; 279, left lateral lobe, lateral. 280–283, A. rumsfeldi: 280, ventral; 281, median lobe, apex, ventral; 282, median lobe, lateral; 283, left lateral lobe, lateral. 284–287, A. hirsutum: 284, ventral; 285, median lobe, apex, ventral; 286, median lobe, lateral; 287, left lateral lobe, lateral.

Figs. 365, 366. Geographic distribution of Agathidium oniscoides­group species: 365, A. andersoni = -; A. disgregum = ^; A. invisitatum = •; A. oaxacaense = *. 366, A. impensum = *; A. oculeum = •; A. recurvatum = -; A. cheneyi = ^.