Agyrtodes monteithi Seago, 2009

Seago, Ainsley E., 2009, Revision Of Agyrtodes Portevin (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 7) 63, pp. 1-73 : 30-32

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1649/0010-065x-63.sp7.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B58B2216-0CFA-41C6-8141-7024E65ECF85
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039887BA-FFFA-C052-9205-86AEEEB094CB
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Agyrtodes monteithi Seago
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Agyrtodes monteithi Seago View in CoL , new species

(Figs. 6, 43, 63, 83, 99)

Holotype: Male , labeled ‘‘NE QLD 2.5 km W of Cape Tribulation (Site 5), 3 Oct 1982, Monteith, Yeates & Thompson / QM Berlesate No. 443, 16. 05S 145. 27E, Rainforest, 180 m, stick brushing’’ ( QMBA).

Paratypes: listed in Appendix 1 (33 specimens).

Distribution. Far northeast Queensland; all specimens were collected in the Atherton and Windsor Tablelands ( Fig. 99 View Fig ).

Diagnosis. Most individuals of this species can be recognized by their distinctive color pattern of three transverse, chevroned stripes across the elytra, as well as bright yellow terminal antennal segments. The color pattern is variable among individuals, indicated in the darkest specimens only by the coloration of the dorsal vestiture. The two species most similar in appearance are A. variegatus , which is found mainly in New South Wales and has a dark-colored pronotum and four (not three) transverse, chevroned dark stripes across the elytra, and A. newtoni n. sp, which lacks the yellow terminal antennal segment.

Description. TBL 5 2.1 mm, EW 5 1.2 mm, PNW 5 1.1 mm, HW 5 0.6 mm. (TBL variation: 2.0– 2.2 mm)

Body (Fig. 6) of medium size, ovate, tapering posteriorly, moderately convex, widest across basal third of elytra. Color pattern consists of three broad transverse stripes across the elytra, the basalmost two stripes chevroned and the apical stripe entirely covering the elytral apices. Pronotum and dark elytral stripes medium to dark brown and clothed with dark brown pubescence, lighter regions of elytra reddish-brown and clothed with light brown to gold setae. Scutellar area dark brown to medium reddish-brown, often flanked with two small, indistinct dark patches bearing darker brown setae. Pronotal coloration lighter reddish brown in faded specimens; often darker brown medially, paler laterally.

Head reddish-brown in color, shining, with abundant shallow punctures, with vestiture of fine, erect light golden setae. Eyes large, bulging. Epistomal suture absent. Clypeus short, transverse; labrum short, transverse, rectangular, broadly cleft apically. Mandible normal. Maxilla with galea slender with slender, weakly sclerotized apical brush, lacinia broad with large, well-sclerotized spore-brush, maxillary palp slender, apical palpomere elongate,,2 3 as long and subequal in width to penultimate segment, attenuate in distal third, truncate at apex; last two palpomeres with sparse, even coat of minute setae. Labium with four large digitiform sensillae medially on distal margin of ligula; labial palpi 3-segmented, apical segment gently curved, armed only with sparse, extremely small setae (without cluster of digitiform sensillae at base).

Antennae ( Fig. 43 View Figs ) slender at base, club broad and robust; distinctive antennal coloration with segments 1–2 and 11 yellow to pale gold, segments 3–6 light brown, and segments 7–10 dark brown. Segments 1–2 expanded, longer and wider than subsequent four segments. Segments 3–6 cylindrical, subequal in size, segment 6 very slightly shorter and wider than segment 3. Segment 7 approximately twice as long as wide, longer than 9, shorter than apical segment, scarcely wider than 8. Segment 8 rectangular, very slightly longer than wide. Segment 9 longer than wide, expanded apically; segment 10 longer than wide but not as long as 9. Segment 11 markedly enlarged, wider and much lighter in color than all preceding segments,,2 3 length of 10.

Pronotum broad, transverse, weakly convex; integument shining, and shallowly punctate. Pronotal microsculpture of extremely fine, shallow, irregularly transverse whorled striolations. Hind angles of pronotum produced posteriolaterally, bluntly attenuate; lateral margins of pronotum straight, not curved. Elytra broadest at base, bluntly tapered at apex, most strongly convex medially. No trace of longitudinal strial impressions on disc, transverse strigae conspicuous and deeply punctate. Elytral vestiture of stiff setae colored light gold or dark brown in accordance with light or dark color of underlying cuticle. Scutellum reddish-brown to dark brown, sparsely pubescent.

Hypomeron pale reddish-brown, concave posteriorly. Procoxal cavities narrowly ovate. Mesosternum with low median carina highest at mesocoxal separation, effaced anteriorly. Mesepimera broad, smoothly fused to mesepisterna anteriorly, tapering to blunt point at mesocoxal articulation. Metasternum bulging, broad; metepisterna elongate, rectangular. Microsculpture of metasternum and ventral faces of metacoxae semi-matte, irregularly striolate, very similar to that of mesosternum.

Abdominal sterna III–VI normal, male sternum VII concave, scarcely emarginate; sternum VIII transverse, rectangular, with short, narrow medial notch on posterior margin.

Male protarsi with first three segments expanded, elongately cordate, bearing dense pads of tenent setae; first segment very slightly narrower than tibial apex, fourth tarsomere cleft apically but not expanded. Male mesotarsi with first segment elongate and weakly expanded, first three segments bearing tenent setae. Claws and female tarsi simple.

Male genital segment ( Fig. 63 View Figs ) slightly elongate, broad basally, with sternum X apparently fused interiorly to median margins of pleurites; anterior apophysis very short, wide, bluntly truncate anteriorly. Pleurites and tergite of genital capsule apically armed with short, robust setae. Aedeagus ( Fig. 83 View Figs ) with median lobe very short, triangular in apical third, very bluntly pointed at apex; basal piece rounded, shorter than median lobe. Parameres long, extending well past apex of median lobe, medially slender, apically expanded and spoon-shaped; interior faces of paramere apices with few short and many long, robust, curling hairs, most abundant along edges. Endophallus armed with many large, elongate teeth mostly packed into a compact mass in repose, also with many smaller, narrower, weakly sclerotized spines. Large, elongate, distally tapering tube-shaped sclerite at base of endophallus encloses distal region of ejaculatory duct. Female terminalia normal, coxites slender, cylindrical,.4 3 as long as styli; terminal setae aproximately 2.5 3 as long as styli.

Natural History. Specimens were collected in rainforest habitats using flight intercept traps, malaise traps, pyrethrum knockdown and stick brushing, from September through January.

Etymology. Named for G. B. Monteith, scourge of the austral coleopteran fauna, who collected the overwhelming majority of Queensland material used in this study.