Agnosthaetus brounides Newton

Clarke, Dave J., 2011, A Revision of the New Zealand Endemic Rove Beetle Genus Agnosthaetus Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 10) 2011, pp. 1-118 : 19-21

(1) Agnosthaetus brounides Newton , new name

( Figs. 1 , 14–20 , 25–38 , 89 , 94 , 98 , Map 1 )

Agnosthaetus brouni Bernhauer, 1939: 215 . (Type locality: Neu-Seeland); Blackwelder 1952: 42; Kuschel 1990: 45; Herman 2001: 1875; Clarke and Grebennikov 2009: 381. (preoccupied by Dimerus brouni Broun, 1910:16 ); junior secondary homonym in Agnosthaetus .

Type Material. Holotype (by monotypy). ♂, with eight labels: “Now[sic] Zeeland | Helms| Reitter/ [orange, Bernhauer’ s handwriting] Brouni Brnh | Typus ‘illeg’| Agnosthaetus / ♂ / e1307/ [D. Kistner’ s handwriting] Agnosthaetus | brouni Brnh. | det. D. Kistner ‘59/ Chicago NHMus| M.Bernhauer | Collection/ FMNH-INS 0000 048 415/ HOLOTYPE, Agnosthaetus brounides Clarke , ♂, teste D. Clarke 2011”, in FMNH.

Additional Material Examined. 23 specimens (12♂, 11♀). NEW ZEALAND: South Island: BR: Greymouth, 42°27′S, 171°12′E, 23.i.1935, E.S. Gourlay, 2♀, FMNH-INS 48412–413 (in NZAC); Inangahua (W.) S.F., Fletchers Crk., 18.ix.1972 [as 19.xi.72], 72/172, moss & litter, J.S. Dugdale, 1♂, FMNH-INS 48459 (in NZAC); Lewis Pass, Maruia, 42°23′S, 172°24′E, 1.vi.1964, 64/61, moss, T.G. Wood, 1♂, FMNH-INS 48040 (in NZAC); Maruia Springs, Lewis Pass, 762 m (as 2500 ft), 42°23′S, 172°20′E, 18.xi.1961, 61/2, litter, G. Kuschel, 1♀, FMNH-INS 48028 (in NZAC); Mawhera S.F., Ngahere, 42°29.4′S, 171°31.2′E [coord.=Mawhera Forest], 10.xi.1971, 71/144, litter, J. McBurney, 1♀, FMNH-INS 48434 (in NZAC); Nelson Lakes N.P., Mt. Robert summit, 1412 m, ANMT 721, 41°50′S, 172°49′E, alpine tussock & grassland, 20.xii.1984, alpine plant mats, A. Newton & M. Thayer, 1♀, FMNH-INS 48025 (in FMNH); Nelson Lakes N.P., Mt. Robert, Speargrass Track, 875 m, ANMT 1161, 41°49.469′S, 172°48.311′E, Nothofagus spp. forest, 17.xii.2005, FMHD#2005-110, berl., leaf & log litter, A. Solodovnikov, D. Clarke, et al., 6♂, 4♀ (in FMNH); 30.xi.2005, pyr.-fogging mossy log, D.J. Clarke, 2♀ (in FMNH); Nelson Lakes N.P., N slope Mt. Robert, Pinchgut Track, 1290 m, ANMT 716, 41°50′S, 172°49′E, Nothofagus solandri elfin forest, 18.xii.1984, FMHD#85-446, litter, forest, Berl., A. Newton & M. Thayer, 1♂, FMNH- INS 48026 (in FMNH); Nelson Lakes N.P., N slope Mt. Robert, Speargrass Track, 880 m, ANMT 704, 41°49′S, 172°48′E, Nothofagus spp. forest, 21.xii.1984, old Nothofagus logs & stumps, pyr.- fog., A. Newton & M. Thayer, 1♂, FMNH-INS 48027 (in FMNH); NN: Mt. Murchison, 914 m, 41°43.848′S, 172°29.946′E, 26.iii.1975, 75/123, tussock litter, K.W. Walker, 1♂, FMNH-INS 42807 (in NZAC); Oparara Gorge, 41°13′S, 172°9′E, 9.ii.1999, RL 281, R. Leschen & R. Hoare, 1♂, KUNHM-ENT SM0651535 (in KSEM).

Diagnosis. Agnosthaetus brounides can be easily distinguished from all other Agnosthaetus species with a basal mental tooth ( Figs. 65–66 , arrows) by the combination of the distinctive chromosome-shaped medial pronotal sulci with the apices deflected obliquely, but continuous with the anterior punctures ( Fig. 69 , ms), and (from the other species of the brounides species-group, except A. cariniceps ) the well-developed metathoracic pleural ridge ( Fig. 24 , mp).

Redescription. Color: More or less uniformly reddish brown ( Fig. 1 ). Head: Frontal ridge present (cf. Fig. 12 , fr). Dorsum sparsely punctate; with punctures distributed anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly on disc, middle part impunctate. Punctures deep, but indistinctly defined; diameter subequal to or slightly greater than diameter of eye facet; interpuncture distance mostly less than half puncture diameter. Dorsal microsculpture present on entire or most of surface; faintly reticulate. Dorsal tentorial sulcus (cf. Figs. 10–11 , dt) distinctly slitlike, straight, distinctly impressed between sublongitudinal ridge and medial part of vertex. Sublongitudinal ridge (cf. Fig. 10 , sr) indistinct; confused by dorsolateral secondary carinae or punctures; crest at antennal tubercle with distinct microsculpture. Area above and behind antennoocular carina ( Figs. 10–11 , arrow) with several secondary carinae formed by subconfluent to confluent punctures. Antenno-ocular carina (cf. Fig. 10 , ao) indistinct; confused by secondary carinae; joining eye at or in front of middle. Eye distinctly bulged anteriorly. Temple ( Fig. 11 , tm) very short, much less than 50% EYL. Subocular surface more or less evenly microsculptured (cf. Fig. 65 ). Labrum not distinctly sexually dimorphic ( Fig. 89 ). Apical labral margin in males moderately broadly and shallowly emarginate medially, evenly dentate, with 19 teeth (n =1), and all teeth normal, projecting more or less anteriorly. Apical labral margin in females very slightly concave medially; with 17–19 teeth (n =3), all teeth subequal in length. Medial oblique labral setae (cf. Fig. 20 ) absent. Adoral labral surface in males smooth, without subapical transverse ridge. Mandible sexually dimorphic; males with single dorsally directed tooth, with weakly developed preapical spur (cf. Fig. 190 , arrow); females with single mesially projecting tooth, without spur. Mentum with distinct basomedian tooth (cf. Figs. 65–66 , arrows). Prothorax: Pronotum without microsculpture. Medial pronotal sulci (cf. Fig. 23 ) distinctly chromosomeshaped, abruptly deflected obliquely in apical third; anteriorly continuous with anterior punctures (cf. Fig. 69 ). Distance between medial sulci in front of middle about half that at base. Pronotal basolateral carina absent (cf. Figs. 23 , 69 , 77 ). Pronotal macrosetal punctures absent (cf. Fig. 77 ). Medial pronotal seta adjacent to lateral sulcus (cf. Fig. 69 ). Pronotal hypomeron ( Fig. 24 , hy) shiny, without microsculpture. Prosternum with distinctly reticulate microsculpture. Pterothorax: Elytron ( Fig. 23 , e) without microsculpture; with two macrosetae, not set in punctures; laterally with single ridge (cf. Fig. 85 ). Elytral epipleuron ( Fig. 24 , ef) narrow, more or less evenly wide for most of length. Mesothoracic epimeral region ( Fig. 24 , mer) with at most faint microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural region ( Fig. 24 , m) with distinct reticulate microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural ridge (cf. Fig. 24 , mp) fully developed; metathoracic pleural groove ( Fig. 24 , gr) incomplete posteriorly, forming elongate oval punctiform impression. Abdomen: Abdominal vestiture long, dorsally more or less evenly projecting posteriorly. Abdominal sternite IV of male with surface slightly impressed apicomedially; V with surface glabrous and impressed apicomedially, flanked by coarse acuminate setae; VI with coarser setae medially. Aedeagus ( Fig. 94 ): “ Type A” (see description on p. 8). Apical part of median lobe with rounded lateral lobes, gradually produced concavely to narrowly sharpened point. Both apicolateral and apicomedial setae short ( Fig. 98 ). Paramere exceeding apex of median lobe; lamellate, in lateral view broadened from base to apex; with apical part curving ventrally; in dorsal view with outer side gently convex; with 2 small setae at apex and 2 large ones on ventral edge.

Etymology. The name brounides was proposed by A. Newton (FMNH) and is to be included in a forthcoming paper presenting nomenclatural and taxonomic changes in Staphyliniformia (A. F. Newton, personal communication). It is the combination of the stem proper noun Broun (i.e., Thomas Broun) and the Greek suffix -ides, meaning “son of ” or “descendant of ”. This name therefore preserves the name to be replaced as the major part of the new name and retains the original patronymy of Bernhauer’ s name in the replaced name. It is a noun in apposition.

Distribution. ( Map 1 ). South Island: BR; NN.

Biology and Ecology. Habitat: Nothofagus forest and alpine tussock and grassland. Specimens have been collected from moss, forest leaf, and tussock litter, and by pyrethrum-fogging of old and fungusy logs. Phenology: year-round; most collections in November to January. Elevation: 762–1,412 m.

Remarks. Agnosthaetus brounides is one of four externally similar species ( A. chiasma , A. bisulciceps , and A. rodmani ), though all four are easily separable by the given diagnostic characters. The aedeagus of this species most closely resembles that of A. chiasma , from which it differs most noticeably in having the two larger parameral setae positioned along the mesal parameral edge ( Fig. 94 ). The original description explicitly states that only a single specimen was studied. It is card-mounted, dissected, and has the aedeagus mounted in presumably Canada balsam on a transparent plate, and was possibly dissected by D. Kistner while at the Field Museum. For further discussion of the replacement name brounides proposed here, see the Remarks section under A. brouni (p. 36).

Figures

Map 1. Geographic distribution of all georeferenced specimens in the Agnosthaetus brounides species-group. Triangles = A. brounides; circles = A. bisulciceps; Xs = A. rodmani; squares = A. chiasma; stars = A. cariniceps.

Figs. 1–8. Habitus photographs of Agnosthaetus spp. 1) A. brounides; 2) A. chiasma; 3) A. zonatus; 4) A. kaikoura;

Figs. 14–20. Agnosthaetus brounides. 14) Head capsule, dorsal view; 15) Head capsule, ventral view; 16) Mandibles, dorsal view; 17) Right antenna, dorsal view; 18) Right maxilla, ventral view; 19) Labium, ventral view; 20) Labrum, dorsal view. Notes: A. brounides lacks the mo setae; circular dotted region between the mo setae indicates position of the adoral glandular pit, which from above is frequently visible as a darker region. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 25–29. Agnosthaetus brounides. 25) Prothorax, ventral view; 26) Pterothorax, ventral view; 27) Front leg, anterior view; 28) Middle leg, ventral view; 29) Hind leg, ventral view. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 30–31. Agnosthaetus brounides, eighth sternite. 30) Male; 31) Female. Scale bar = 100 mm.

Figs. 32–38. Agnosthaetus brounides. 32) Abdomen, ventral view; 33) Tergites IX and X of genital segment, male; 34) Same, female; 35) Spermatheca; 36) Ejaculatory duct; 37) Ninth sternite, male; 38) Gonocoxites, female. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 89–93. Male (left) and female (right) labra of species in the Agnosthaetus brounides species-group, dorsal (anterior margin) view. 89) A. brounides; 90) A. chiasma; 91) A. bisulciceps; 92) A. rodmani; 93) A. cariniceps. Scale bar = 100 mm.

Figs. 94–97. Aedeagi of species in the Agnosthaetus brounides species-group, dorsal (left) and right lateral (right) views. 94) A. brounides; 95) A. chiasma; 96) A. bisulciceps; 97) A. rodmani. Scale bar = 100 mm.

Figs. 98–101. Apex of median lobe of species in the Agnosthaetus brounides species-group, ventral view.

Figs. 63–68. Heads of Agnosthaetus spp., ventral view. 63) A. brouni; 64) A. stilbus, oblique view; 65) A. chiasma;

Figs. 69–74. Pronota of Agnosthaetus spp. 69) A. chiasma; 70) A. rodmani; 71) A. heteromastax; 72) A. stenomastax;

Figs. 23–24. Agnosthaetus cariniceps, thorax. 23) Dorsal view; 24) Left lateral view. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 10–13. Head capsules of Agnosthaetus spp. 10) A. stilbus; 11) A. rodmani; 12) A. brouni; 13) A. chiasma. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 189–194. Mandibles of Agnosthaetus spp., dorsal view (189–193, left; 194, right). 189) A. newtoni; 190) A. falx; 191) A. stenomastax; 192) A. heteromastax (Rakeahua Valley); 193) A. heteromastax (Big South Cape Island); 194) A. heteromastax (Twilight Bay). Scale bar = 100 mm.

Figs. 75–78. Pronota of Agnosthaetus spp. 75) A. vicinus; 76) A. stilbus; 77) A. nitidus; 78) A. brouni. Scale bar =

Figs. 83–88. Pterothoraces of Agnosthaetus spp., right lateral view. 83) A. lanceolatus; 84) A. stilbus; 85) A. chiasma;