Agathidium pocahontasae 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 : 138-139

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1206/0003-0090(2005)291<0001:SBOTGA>2.0.CO;2
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038387B3-37C4-B98E-FF3E-57F1FE7C0CC3
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Agathidium pocahontasae Miller and Wheeler
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Agathidium pocahontasae Miller and Wheeler View in CoL , new species Figures 160 View Figs , 317–319 View Figs , 370 View Figs

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype, Ƌ in CNCI labeled ‘‘VA. Mountain Lake Biol. Sta., 2 mi. N Mountain Lake, 4000̍ IX,11–12,1967 J.M. & B.A.Campbell/Berlese sample of pine duff/ HOLOTYPE Agathidium pocahontasae Miller and Wheeler, 2003 [red label with black line border]’’.

TYPE LOCALITY: United States, Virginia, Mountain Lake Biological Station, 2 mi N Mountain Lake, 4000̍.

DIAGNOSIS: This species can be distinguished from most species by its very small size, extremely narrow metasternum medially, reduced eyes, distinctive medial lobe on the anterior margin of the gula, relatively large metafemoral tooth (fig. 160), and distinctive median lobe which has the operculum very short and Vshaped (fig. 317).

DESCRIPTION: Body very small (TBL = 1.76–2.11 mm), oblong (PNW/TBL = 0.47– 0.55), strongly contractile.

Head and pronotum red; elytra red, not iridescent; venter yellowred; antennae, palpi, and legs yellow to redyellow.

Head broad (MDL/OHW = 0.54–0.70), dorsal surface flattened, dorsoventrally compressed; with extremely fine punctures, surface between punctures shiny, smooth; frontoclypeal suture obsolete medially; eyes reduced, dorsoventrally compressed and elongate, large faceted; gula with small but prominent lobe medially on the anterior margin; antennae relatively short; antennomere ratios: length I:II:III = 1.8:1.0:0.9, width VII:VIII:IX = 1.0:1.0:1.6. Pronotum very large, broad (PNL/PNW = 0.58–0.72), strongly convex, anterolateral lobes strongly produced, lateral margin broadly curved, not angulate; with minute, sparse punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures smooth. Elytra broad, lateral mar gins strongly rounded, slightly elongate, but not apically acuminate (SEL/ELW = 0.84– 1.04); punctation similar to pronotum; sutural stria indistinctly present only apically. Flight wings strongly reduced. Mesosternum broad, rounded; medial carina obscured anteriorly. Metasternum very narrow (MTL/ MTW = 0.10–0.14), flattened, medially strongly dorsally sloped anteriorly; oblique femoral carinae present and sharp, but not prominent, medially low.

Male tarsi 554; pro and mesobasotarsomeres slightly laterally expanded, with small field of ventral spatulate setae; mandibles not modified; metafemur relatively slender, with strongly produced, flattened, thornlike subapical tooth on posterior margin (fig. 160); metasternal fovea prominent, transversely ovoid, with pencil of long, fine, dense setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect slender, slightly curved basally, straight thereafter, ventral margins sinuate subapically, apically evenly tapered to acutely pointed, slightly ventrally curved apex (fig. 318); in ventral aspect moderately slender, slightly widened medially, evenly tapered to rounded apex (fig. 317); operculum small, inconspicuous, broadly Vshaped, each ramus slender, apically narrowly rounded (fig. 317); lateral lobes robust, in lateral aspect broad, apically tapered to narrowly rounded apex, in ventral aspect apically somewhat expanded, each with 2 long, stout subapical setae (fig. 319).

Female not examined.

ETYMOLOGY: This species is named pocahontasae after a county in Virginia from which numerous type specimens were collected and after the young woman Pocahontas, who may have saved the struggling Jamestown Colony by marrying John Rolfe, thereby establishing a peace between Jamestown colonists and the tribes of Powhatan.

DISTRIBUTION: This species has been collected from Virginia and West Virginia (fig. 370).

PARATYPES: UNITED STATES: West Virginia: Greenbrier Co.: 21 km NE Richmond , 13 May 1986, A Smetana (1, CNCI) ; Mercer Co.: Camp Creel St. Forest Marsh Fork Falls, 18 Oct 1970, hardwood litter, S Bird (5, QDWC) ; Camp Creek St. Forest , 23 Jul 1971, 3000̍, forest litter, S Peck (3, PECK) ; Camp Creek St. Forest , 23 Jul 1971, leaf litter, S Peck (4, CNCI) ; Pendleton Co.: 5 mi S Witmer , 18 Jul 1971, 3000̍, forest litter, Berlese, S Peck (1, CNCI) ; Pocahontas Co.: 2 km W Crawberry Glades , 14 May 1986, A Smetana (5, CNCI) ; Snodogar’s Cave nr Droople ?, 10 Jun 1989, forest litter, JF Cornell (2, CUIC) ; Raleigh Co.: Grandview St Park , 8 Jun 1971, forest litter, oak maple buckeye, W Shear (1, QDWC) .

DISCUSSION: The species has been collect ed from various litter types, including oak, buckeye, maple, and pine. Elevation records are from 3000 to 4000 ft.