Agyrtodes decoratus Zwick, 1979

Seago, Ainsley E., 2009, Revision Of Agyrtodes Portevin (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 7) 63, pp. 1-73 : 26-28

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-FFFE-C056-92CB-83F5EC269655
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Agyrtodes decoratus Zwick
status

Treatment

Agyrtodes decoratus Zwick View in CoL

(Figs. 4, 41, 61, 81, 99)

Agyrtodes decoratus Zwick 1979: 7 View in CoL . Holotype: male, labeled ‘‘ Millgrove , Victoria,

Jan. 1927, F. E. Wilson’ ’ ( NMV). Paratypes: 1 female, labeled ‘‘Belgrave ,

Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, under rotting back of still standing

Eucalyptus regnans , 21. vii. 1972, P. Zwick.;’’ 2 females, labeled ‘‘Belgrave,

Dandenong Distributions, Victoria, under rotting back of still standing

Eucalyptus regnans , 5. ix. 1972, P. Zwick. ’’ ( NMV)

Distribution. Australia: southern and central Victoria ( Fig. 99 View Fig ). Material examined listed in Appendix 1.

Diagnosis. This species is easily recognizable by its narrow, boxy body shape and large spots of red and dark-brown on the pronotum and elytra. The only other Australian species with an equally distinctive color pattern is A. variegatus , which has a uniformly dark pronotum and elytral coloration comprising four transverse dark chevroned stripes. An undescribed Victorian species of Cholevomorpha has conspicuous maculation similar to A. decoratus , but can be distinguished by its more intricate color pattern of dark and light brown (not red) and pseudotriungulate protarsi in males.

Redescription. TBL 5 2.1 mm, EW 5 1.2 mm, PNW 5 1.3 mm, HW 5 0.5 mm. (TBL variation: 2.1–2.2 mm)

Body of medium size, strongly convex, widest at posterior pronotal margin and elytral bases, tapering posteriorly. Dorsum with conspicuous, well-defined color pattern: pronotum and elytra deep red to red-brown, pronotum with two longitudinally connate median spots and two lateral large, dark brown spots, elytra with large dark spots at bases adjacent to suture, middle third of elytra entirely dark brown at suture, with broad transverse dark area tapering and curving anteriad towards lateral margins, with the approximate shape of a single large median chevron. Color pattern variable only in degree to which dark spots on pronotum and elytra are connected: distinctly connate, or separated by red color. Dorsal vestiture golden, fine, abundant on head and pronotum, of normal density on elytra.

Head uniformly reddish-brown, lightly punctate, covered dorsally with long, golden setae. Eyes large, round, bulging laterally. Epistomal suture absent. Clypeus fused to frons, projecting and narrow anteriorly; labrum rectangular, very shallowly emarginate. Mandibles stout, with outer edge squarely bent rather than smoothly curving. Maxilla with galea slender and crowned with loose apical cluster of hairs, lacinia only very slightly wider than galea and bearing wellsclerotized spore-brush with small teeth arranged in parallel rows; maxillary palpi with penultimate segment wider and 0.5 3 as long as terminal segment. Labium with two large median and two small lateral digitiform sensillae at distal margin of ligula; labial palpi 3-segmented, apical segments elongate, bearing small lateral clusters of minute digitiform sensillae. Antennae ( Fig. 41 View Figs ) with club segments robust, stem segments slender; first two antennal segments light brown, remaining segments dark reddish-brown. Segments 1 and 2 wider than club segments, segment 1 subequal in length to segment 7. Segments 3–6 all of similar shape, size, and color, cylindrical,.2 3 as long as wide, segment 6 scarcely shorter than 3. Segment 7 elongate, not greatly expanded distally, segment 8 globular and very slightly longer than wide, segments 9 and 10 of similar length and shape, broad, slightly longer than wide, shorter than segment 7, segment 11 ovoid, of normal size.

Pronotum narrow, strongly convex, narrowly explanate at lateral margins, widest just above posterior margin. Coloration red to reddish-brown with one large medial and two lateral spots, the latter narrowly connate or barely separated from the former. Pronotal punctation shallow, faint; integument shining; vestiture long, fairly dense, light or dark in correspondence with underlying color pattern. Hind angles transparent, not produced laterally, faintly lobed posteriorly.

Elytra convex, parallel-sided in basal half, flattened across disc, with conspicuous, deeply punctate transverse strigae bearing stiff, semierect setae, no trace of longitudinal striae except adjacent to suture. Dark median spots at elytral bases narrowly connate posteriomedially or posteriolaterally to dark post-discal region; distalmost dark region crisply delineated anteriorly, gradually fading to light brown posteriorly. Elytral apices narrow, tapering distally to blunt point, paler reddish-brown than rest of dorsum.

Prosternum short medially, laterally expanded posteriad; hypomeron smooth, convex. Procoxal cavities small, shallow, globular. Mesosternum with median carina elevated, highest at mesocoxal separation, curved in lateral view. Mesepimera with proximal margins square. Mesocoxal cavities shallow, ovoid. Metasternite slightly bulging, punctate, laterally separated by thin transverse suture just anterior to metacoxae. Metepisterna elongate, broad anteriorly, gently tapering distally. Metacoxal cavities transverse, narrow, sharply triangular laterally. Mesepimera and lateral regions of meso- and metasterna smoky brown, darker in color than medial regions of thoracic venter.

Abdominal sterna reddish-brown, well-sclerotized. Sternum VII with weak, curved distal emargination, sternum VIII broadly notched, entirely divided by median cleft.

Legs reddish-brown, slender, with normal armature and proportions. Male protarsi with first two segments only barely expanded, approximately 2/3 as wide as tibial apex, bearing very few tenent setae; first two male mesotarsomeres very slightly expanded, with tenent setae. Female tarsi simple, elongate.

Male genital segment ( Fig. 61 View Figs ) broad, short, with pleural regions bluntly pointed apically and separated by deep cleft medially; short, distally rounded anterior apophysis produced ventrad. Aedeagus ( Fig. 81 View Figs ) with median lobe stout, short, very broad at base, tapering apically to slightly produced point. Parameres slender, short, barely extending past apex of median lobe, each with a sparse cluster of short, stiff setae on interior distal face and a single long spine at apex. Endophallus abundantly armed with dense patch of long, heavily sclerotized sclerotized hook-shaped teeth, as well as smaller patch of minute, weakly sclerotized spines.

Female terminalia with coxites.3 3 as wide and more than 3 3 longer than short, slender, slightly curved styli. Terminal setae robust, approximately 1.5 3 as long as styli.

Natural History. Collected by pyrethrum fogging and sifting litter associated with fungusy logs, along creeks, in rainforest, and in mixed Banksia and Eucalyptus scrub.