Agyrtodes lescheni Seago, 2009

Seago, Ainsley E., 2009, Revision Of Agyrtodes Portevin (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 7) 63, pp. 1-73 : 51-53

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1649/0010-065x-63.sp7.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B58B2216-0CFA-41C6-8141-7024E65ECF85
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4912305
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039887BA-FFD5-C079-92E0-83B8EFCE9655
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Agyrtodes lescheni Seago
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Agyrtodes lescheni Seago View in CoL , new species

(Figs. 16, 53, 73, 93, 103)

Holotype: male, point-mounted with genitalia mounted separately on acetate, labeled ‘‘ N. Zeal.; S. Isl. 14 km SE Reefton , 250 m, 29. V. 82, S & J Peck, beech forest litter/ Agyrtodes det. Newton 1998.’’ ( FMNH).

Paratypes: listed in Appendix 1 (80 specimens).

Distribution. New Zealand: South Island, Nelson, Marlborough, Buller regions ( Fig. 103 View Fig ).

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the transverse pale gold markings formed by the dorsal pubescence, and by the short mesofemoral and long metafemoral spurs. Agyrtodes nebulosus , another New Zealand species, has a similarly colored dorsum but lacks mesofemoral spurs; the parameres of A. nebulosus are also broadly expanded, abruptly truncate and twisted at the apices, whereas the parameres of A. lescheni are simple and slender. In males, the long, curved, ventrally spinose first mesotarsomere of A. nebulosus distinguishes it from A. lescheni which has simple, unmodified male mesotarsi.

Description. TBL 5 2.4 mm, EW 5 1.4 mm, PNW 5 1.2 mm, HW 5 0.5 mm. (TBL variation: 2.4–2.6 mm).

Body (Fig. 16) large, elongately ovate, dorsum dark reddish-brown with wavy, confused vestiture of long light brown and golden hairs, with transverse pale markings on elytra emphasized by pale gold vestiture.

Head quadrate, shallowly punctate, eyes of medium size, narrowly emarginate posteriorly. Epistomal suture present, with stem. Clypeus broad, ovate, excavate anteriorly; labrum transverse, broadly rectangular, with anterior margin weakly excavate. Mandibles large, outer edges strongly curved, with dense field of pores on ventral surface. Maxilla with slender galea bearing weakly sclerotized apical brush of short hairs, lacinia broader than galea, well-sclerotized, with large apical spore-brush of stout, curving, minute spines arranged in parallel rows; maxillary palpi with terminal segment slender, elongate, lanceolate, produced distally and truncate at apex. Penultimate segment broader than terminal segment, nearly twice as long as wide, sparsely armed with long, stiff setae; first segment triangular, constricted basally, apically as wide as base of penultimate segment. Labium with four large submarginal digitiform sensillae and two much shorter, stout, apically truncate digitiform sensillae at anterior margin of ligula. Labial palpi with apical segment short, slender, cylindrical, very weakly curved inward and bearing large patch of minute digitiform sensillae in basal half. Penultimate segment extremely short, transverse, wider than base of apical segment.

Antennae ( Fig. 53 View Figs ) slender, basal segments light yellowish-brown, gradually darkening to reddish-brown at apex. Segment 1 cylindrical, elongate, gently curved; segment 2 wider than 1, fusiform with truncate base and apex. Segments 3–6 all slender, cylindrical, length.3 3 width; segments 4 and 5 of equal size, segment 3 slightly longer than segment 6. Segment 7 barely longer than 6, approximately twice as wide as 6, broader distally. Segment 8 cylindrical, elongate, nearly 2 3 as long as wide, of equivalent width to bases of 7 and 9. Segment 9 large, rounded basally, as broad and 7 and slightly shorter; segment 10 as broad as 9, shorter than 9 but still longer than wide. Segment 11 large, ovate, longer than each preceding segment, weakly produced at apex, bluntly papilliform.

Pronotum medium to dark reddish-brown, integument shining and finely punctate, vestiture of long, light golden setae. Lateral margins of pronotum gently curved; hind angles bluntly pointed, weakly produced posteriad. Hind margin of pronotum narrowly transparent.

Elytra with transverse strigae shallowly impressed, marked by puncture rows at setal insertions, without traces of longitudinal strial impressions. Each elytron with several short, transverse pale markings delimited by light golden setae: one at base, one immediately posterior to scutellum, adjacent to suture, one laterally, midlength, and one immediately anterior to elytral apex; vestiture dark brown on darker regions of elytra. Scutellum small, dark reddish-brown.

Hypomeron and epipleura pale orange-brown, hypomeron strongly convex posterior to coxal insertions. Mesosternum and mestasternum dark reddishbrown, median carina elevated, obtusely pointed anterior to mesocoxal separation. Mesepimera extremely short, subquadrate, squarely truncate at coxal articulations. Metasternum with slightly produced setose median bulge, laterally convex and shallowly punctate. Metepisternum narrow, elongate, square anteriorly and tapering to a point posteriorly.

Abdominal sterna III–VI normal, male sternum VII broadly, shallowly emarginate. Male sternum VIII deeply emarginate but not completely divided.

Legs of normal proportions, males with short, blunt spur arising from hind margin of mesofemur and longer, more acutely pointed spur arising from hind margin of metafemur. Male protarsi with first three segments expanded, cordate and bearing thick pads of tenent setae; first protarsomere subquadrate and slightly narrower than tibial apex. Male mesotarsi not expanded, first three segments bearing sparse pads of tenent setae. Claws and female tarsi simple.

Male genital segment ( Fig. 73 View Figs ) ovate, convex, nearly globular; pleurites and tergite bluntly pointed at apices, anterior apophysis short, not expanded anteriorly, weakly sclerotized, pleurites weakly fused along median line. Sternum X present as an elongate, tongue-shaped sclerite fused interiorly to junction of pleurites. Aedeagus ( Fig. 93 View Figs ) with median lobe simple, broad basally, narrowly triangular in distal half, bluntly pointed at apex; basal piece flared proximally, broader and slightly shorter than penis. Parameres straight, slender, weakly constricted at bases, faintly expanded and flattened at apices, barely extending past apex of penis; each paramere apex armed on interior face with sparse array of minute setae. Endophallus armed with several rows of minute, sharply pointed well-sclerotized teeth and four long, curving, fang-shaped sclerites.

Female genitalia with styli long, slender, coxites bearing three long setae on lateral faces,,2.5 3 as long and as wide as styli; styli short, very slender, cylindrical, each with minute, subapical seta and terminal seta.2 3 length of stylus.

Natural History. Collected by hand on resupinate polypores under peeling bark, by pyrethrin-fogging fungusy logs, on decaying nikau palm fronds on ground, on Ganoderma pore surface, in carrion traps, in sifted litter, and in window traps.

Etymology. This species is named for coleopterist and musician Richard Leschen, who provided many agyrtodine specimens, ecological data, and helpful comments to the benefit of the author’s research.