Pinodytes spinus Peck & Cook, 2011

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2011, Systematics, distributions and bionomics of the Catopocerini (eyeless soil fungivore beetles) of North America (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Catopocerinae) 3077, Zootaxa 3077 (1), pp. 1-118 : 36

Pinodytes spinus Peck & Cook , new species

( Figs. 25 , 224 , 233–240 )

Type material. Holotype: male ( CSCA). UNITED STATES. California: Butte Co., 5 mi NE Butte Meadows, V- 8-1976, Fred G. Andrews, berlesed from oak duff . Paratypes (9). UNITED STATES. California: same data as holotype, 3 ( CSCA) ; Butte Co., 5miNE Butte Meadows , 8.V.1976, F. G. Andrews, berlesed from Ponderosa pine duff, 5 ( CSCA) ; Butte Co., 5miNE Butte Meadows , 8.V.1976, F.G Andrews, berlesed from Douglas fir duff, 1 ( CSCA) .

Material examined. We have examined 10 specimens.

Distribution. Specimens ( Fig. 224 ) are known only from Butte County, on the western side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in northern California.

Diagnostic description. Total length 1.20–1.49 mm; greatest width 0.62–0.76 mm. Reddish brown; oval in shape ( Fig. 25 ). Head. Finely, sparsely punctate; a larger puncture on each side of apex of stem of epistomal suture; shining; with reticulate microsculpture on vertex and laterally. Eyes absent. Antenna ( Fig. 233 ) with antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length; antennomere 5 wider than 4, slightly narrower than 6; antennomere 7 longer but not wider than 8; antennomeres 9 and 10 each with a single sensory vesicle indicated apically by a protruding flange.

Pronotum. Finely punctate, punctures separated by 3–5 diameters; shining, with transverse, substriate microsculpture. Widest at base, narrowing in apical two-thirds; apical margin weakly emarginate, basal margin nearly straight; apical angles rounded, basal angles about rectangular. Elytra. Moderately coarsely punctate; longitudinal rows weakly discernable; punctures joined by fine transverse strioles. Slightly wider than pronotum; widest in basal onethird, roundly narrowing to apex. Legs. Protibia ( Fig. 234 ) moderately slender, width increases evenly from base to apex; spinose on apical one-third of outer margin and apically; inner margin with dense fine spines on apical onehalf. Mesotibia ( Fig. 235 ) moderately slender, nearly straight; strongly spinose on outer margin and apically; spinose on apical two-fifths of inner margin. Metatibia ( Fig. 236 ) slender, nearly straight; outer margin with strong spines near middle and before apex; apex spinose; several fine spines on apical one-half of inner margin. Metafemur ( Fig. 236 ) slender. Male protarsomeres ( Fig. 234 ) weakly expanded, bearing elongate setae laterally and broad, thin, colorless phanerae ventrally. Mesotarsomeres without phanerae. Venter. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 240 ) carinate; longitudinal carina with rounded, toothlike expansion near middle; not excavated behind transverse carina. Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs. 237, 238 ) broad; apex flattened, asymmetrical in dorsal view. Inverted internal sac ( Fig. 238 ) with clusters of elongate spines and a single large, strong spine. Parameres ( Figs. 237, 238 ) elongate, longer than median lobe, with flattened, deflexed apices; each bearing two setae before apex. Spermatheca. Elongate ( Fig. 239 ), tubular, ribbed.

Etymology. The name spinus, Latin , spine, refers to the distinctive large spine of the internal sac of the aedeagus of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 224. Distributions of species in the Pinodytes pusio species group in the southwestern United States. P. sequoia, open triangles in the southern Sierra Nevada of central California. P.shasta, closed triangles in Trinity Alps mountains in north western California. P.spinus, solid square, in western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in northern California. P. tehama, open circles at the northern end of the Central Valley and on both sides of the Sacramento River, California. P. tuolumne, closed circles on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite National Park.

FIGURES 19–27. Pinodytes habitus photos. 19. P.minutus, total length 1.08 mm. 20. P. monterey, total length 1.52 mm. 21. P. parvus, total length 1.22 mm. 22. P. sanjacinto, total length 1.60 mm. 23. P. sequoia, total length 2.92 mm. 24. P.shasta, total

FIGURES 233–240. Pinodytes spinus. 233. Male right antenna, dorsal. 234. Male right protibia and protarsus. 235. Male right mesotibia. 236. Male right metafemur and metatibia. 237. Aedeagus, lateral. 238. Aedeagus, dorsal. 239. Spermatheca. 240. Mesoventrite, lateral. Scale bar = 0.15 mm (Fig. 239), 0.3 mm (Figs. 233–238, 240).