Agnosthaetus truncatus Clarke, 2011

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 : 64-65

(29) Agnosthaetus truncatus Clarke , new species

( Figs. 171–173 , Map 6 )

Type material. Holotype. ♂, with card plus four other labels: “[on underside of specimen card] J832[?]| CHRISTCHURCH| 11[N].2.9.10.50/ M. Cameron | Bequest| B.M.1955-147/ FMNH-INS 0000 048 018 / Agnosthaetus | sp. n. 4| P.M. Hammond | det. 1984/ HOLOTYPE Agnosthaetus truncatus Clarke , ♂, design. D. Clarke 2011”, in BMNH. Specimen mounted on card . Paratypes. 4 specimens (1♂ 3♀). NEW ZEALAND: South Island: MC: Banks Peninsula , Ahuriri Bush Scen. Res., 480 m, 43°39.971′S, 172°37.428′E, 1.iv.1982, 82/48, litter & rotten wood, G. Kuschel , 1♂, 2♀, FMNH-INS 48014–016 (in NZAC); Banks Peninsula, Coopers Knob , 43°39.768′S, 172°37.452′E, 9.iv.1970, litter at base of Dacrydium cupressinum, D.S. Horning , 1♀, FMNH-INS 48017 (in NZAC) .

Diagnosis. Agnosthaetus truncatus may be easily distinguished from A. sculptus only by aedeagal characters, including the broadly expanded apicolateral lobes of the median lobe, with strongly reduced apicomedial setae ( Fig. 173 ; barely visible in dorsal view: Fig. 172 ), together with the apices of the parameres largely concealed in dorsal view.

Description. Color: Variably brownish, with forebody and abdominal segments darker brown to nearly black. Head: Frontal ridge absent. Dorsum sparsely punctate; with punctures distributed anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly on disc, middle part impunctate. Punctures shallow, rather indistinct; diameter subequal to diameter of eye facet; interpuncture distance approximately 0.5–1.0X puncture diameter. Dorsal microsculpture present on entire or most of surface; distinctly reticulate. Dorsal tentorial sulcus (cf. Figs. 10–11 , dt) broadly ovate; width twice puncture diameter. Sublongitudinal ridge (cf. Fig. 10 , sr) indistinct, more or less absent; crest at antennal tubercle with distinct microsculpture. Area above and behind antennoocular carina ( Figs. 10–11 , arrow) more or less smooth, without subsidiary carinae. Antenno-ocular carina joining eye at or behind middle (cf. Fig. 10 , ao). Temple ( Fig. 11 , tm) short, much less than 50% EYL. Subocular surface more or less evenly microsculptured (cf. Fig. 65 ). Labrum distinctly sexually dimorphic ( Fig. 171 ). Apical labral margin in males shallowly emarginate medially, evenly dentate, with 16–17 teeth (n =2), with 2 broadly rounded, dorsally projecting, transversely oriented medial teeth, with or without up to 3 teeth between them. Apical labral margin in females broadly convex, not emarginate medially; with 18–19 teeth (n =3), all teeth subequal in length. Adoral labral surface in males with subapical transverse ridge ( Fig. 171 , arrow). 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. Prothorax: Pronotum with distinctly reticulate microsculpture. Medial pronotal sulci anteriorly separate from and terminating posterior to anterior punctures. Distance between medial sulci very slightly greater posteriorly. Pronotal basolateral carina present, distinct (cf. Fig. 73 , bp). Pronotal macrosetal punctures distinct (cf. Fig. 73 ). Medial pronotal seta subequidistant from medial and lateral sulci (cf. Fig. 73 , mu). Pronotal hypomeron ( Fig. 24 , hy) with distinct reticulate microsculpture. Prosternum with faintly reticulate microsculpture. Pterothorax: Elytron ( Fig. 23 , e) with distinct microsculpture; with 2 macrosetae and inconsistently several others, set in distinct punctures; laterally with 1 or 2 ridges (cf. Fig. 88 , ek, with or without mr). Mesothoracic epimeral region ( Fig. 24 , mer) with distinct microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural region ( Fig. 24 , m) with distinct reticulate microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural ridge present (cf. Fig. 88 , mp), fully developed; metathoracic pleural groove ( Fig. 24 , gr) incomplete posteriorly, forming elongate oval punctiform impression. Abdomen: Abdominal vestiture short, somewhat appressed, dorsally more or less evenly projecting posteriorly but with middle setae directed posteromedially. Aedeagus ( Fig. 172 ): “ Type B” (see description on p. 8). Apical part of median lobe with strongly explanate lateral lobes, produced into short narrow point. Apicolateral setae small; apicomedial setae up to 5X longer than apicolateral setae (arranged in small group at apex; Fig. 173 ). Paramere not exceeding apex of median lobe; in lateral view produced apically into lobe; with apical part perpendicular to median lobe (and mostly obscured by median lobe in dorsal view); in dorsal view with outer side gently convex; with 2 setae on ventral edge and 2 on mesal side.

Etymology. The specific name truncatus (-a, -um) is an adjective from Latin, meaning shortened by cutting off, and refers to the apex of the median lobe.

Distribution. ( Map 6 ). South Island: MC.

Figures

Map 6. Geographic distribution of all georeferenced specimens in the Agnosthaetus imitator (South Island species), Agnosthaetus vicinus, Agnosthaetus thayerae, and Agnosthaetus truncatus species-groups. Diamonds = A. vicinus; stars = A. sculptus; squares = A. truncatus; triangles = A. thayerae; white circles = A. newtoni; black circle = A. kaikoura.

Figs. 171–176. Male (upper) and female (lower) labra, dorsal (anterior margin) view, and aedeagi, dorsal (left) and right lateral (right) views, of species in the Agnosthaetus truncatus species-group. 171–173) A. truncatus; 174–176) A. sculptus. 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. 63–68. Heads of Agnosthaetus spp., ventral view. 63) A. brouni; 64) A. stilbus, oblique view; 65) A. chiasma;

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