Pocadius carltoni Cline, 2008

Cline, Andrew R., 2008, Revision of the sap beetle genus Pocadius Erichson, 1843 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae, Zootaxa 1799 (1), pp. 1-120 : 43-44

Pocadius carltoni Cline new species

(Figs. 8, 49, 91, 134, 177, 217, 251)

Specimens examined. HOLOTYPE ♂ ( SNEC): NICARAGUA: Rio San Juan Dept.; 60km SE San Carlos, Refugio; Bartola 100m, 10°58.40’N 84°20.30’W; 25-V-2002, R. Brooks, Z. Falin; S. Chatzimanolis, ex. pyrethrum; fogging fungusy logs, NIC1BFC02 065 / SM0531370 ; KUNHM-ENT [barcode label]. 5 PARATYPES (3 SNEC, 2 ARCC) : same data labels as holotype except barcode numbers are SM0531374 , SM0531376 , SM0531375 , and SM0531368 . 4 PARATYPES ( SNEC) NICARAGUA: Rio San Juan Dept.; 60km SE San Carlos, Refugio; Bartola 100m, 10°58.40’N 84°20.30’W; 29-V-2002, R . Brooks, Z. Falin; S. Chatzimanolis, ex. puffball fungus; NIC1BFC02 126 / SM0557674 [other barcode numbers include SM0557682 , SM0557675 , SM0557684 , and SM0557688 ; KUNHM-ENT.

Diagnosis. Similar to P. jelineki , but differs from this and others by: large densely spaced punctures on metasternal disc, globular shaped terminal antennomere, erect and semi-erect rows of alternating setae on elytra, strongly oblique posterior face of prosternal process in lateral view, and basal piece of ejaculatory rods with sharply produced lateral flanges.

Description. Length 2.85mm, Width 2.1mm, Depth 1.3mm. Body moderately convex, shining, unicolorous brown, legs and venter lighter. Pronotum and elytra margins with moderate fimbriae, setae subequal to antennal scape. Dorsal and ventral pubescence fine, golden, moderately short and sparsely distributed.

Head surface deeply, irregularly punctate, interspersed large and small punctures on vertex, becoming denser towards orbits and fronotclypeal region. Large punctures 4–5X diameter of eye facet, smaller punctures 3X diameter; interspaces smooth to finely alutaceous, granular near orbits. Pronotal surface with large punctures equal to large punctures on head, interspersed with relatively few small punctures similar to those on vertex, interspaces smooth to finely alutaceous, 1–1.5 diameter apart. Scutellar surface with deeply to moderately impressed small punctures similar to smaller ones on pronotum, interspaces smooth to alutaceous. Elytral surface with serial rows of small punctures equal to small ones on pronotum, large serial punctures 2– 2.5X diameter of small ones. Small punctures giving rise to erect setae, larger punctures giving rise to semierect setae slightly longer than erect setae; interspaces broad between punctures of a row and between rows. Within a row, small punctures separated by 1.5 diameter, and large punctures by 1 diameter. Rows separated by 1–1.5 small diameter; interspaces shining, variable from smooth to finely alutaceous. Pygidium deeply densely punctate, punctures equal to larger ones on pronotum; interspaces narrow, 0.25–0.5 diameter apart, granular.

Venter with similar pubescence as dorsum. Mentum with large shallow punctures, equal to large ones on vertex, interspaces alutaceous to finely granular. Prosternum and epimeron moderately impressed with irregular punctures, slightly larger than those on mentum, interspaces alutaceous with granular and microreticulate areas, prosternal punctures separated by 0.5–1 diameter, those on epimeron by 0.25–0.5 diameter. Mesoventrite with shallow punctures, subequal to those on prosternum, interspaces alutaceous to granular, separated by 0.5–1 diameter. Metaventrite irregularly punctate with deeply impressed large punctures on disc similar to large ones on pronotum, interspaces smooth to alutaceous on disc becoming alutaceous to granular laterally, separated by 1 diameter on disc. Abdominal sternite 1 with faint, obsolete punctures, 0.75 diameter of those on metaventrite, interspaces alutaceous to granular, separated by 0.5–1 diameter. Hypopygidium with moderately deep punctures, similar to those on sternites 2–4, interspaces alutaceous to granular, separated by 0.5–1 diameter.

Head slightly wider than long (W:L = 1.3:1). Antennal club compact, obovate, asymmetrical with terminal antennomere longer than 9–10 combined. Antennomeres 6–8 disc-like, 4–5 cuboid to slightly trapezoidal. Antennal scape asymmetrical, hemispherical, 1.2X length of pedicel. Pedicel subcylindrical. Antennal segment 3 subequal to pedicel. Antennal club large, 0.9 length of segments 1–8 combined. Mentum with single medial anterior angle, entire structure triangular, somewhat convex in lateral view.

Pronotum widest in posterior third (L:W = 1:1.8), anterior margin broadly trapezoidal, lateral margins less arcuate posteriorly. Scutellum large, obtusely triangular, apex rounded. Prosternal process in lateral view with anterior and posterior ends prominent and slight convexity medially, posterior face prominent and sharply oblique. Mesoventrite extending to midway between mesocoxae, evenly concave for reception of metaventrite. Metaventrite wider than long (W:L = 2.6:1). Metepisternum with slight medial constriction, oblique line dividing anterior 0.20. First abdominal sternite with broad process between metacoxae. First sternite 2X longer than sternite 2. Sternites 2–3 subequal, 4 slightly larger than 2 or 3. Hypopygidium subequal to sternite 1.

Protibia with apical tooth prominent, slightly longer than tarsomeres 1 and part of 2 combined. Outer apical notch with 95° angle, notch depth shallow, subequal to length of tarsomere 1. Inner apical spine short, equal to tarsomere 1. Mesotibia more heavily armed than protibia with dense stiff setae and slender spines along lateral edge. Outer apical process elongate and robust, larger than protibial process. Inner apical spine equal to tarsomeres 1–2 combined. Metatibia with armature similar to mesotibia, outer apical spine longer.

Male genitalia well-sclerotized. Anal sclerite with apex moderately fimbriate (Fig. 8). Spiculum gastrale with rounded lateral flanges, short stiff setae originating from apex (Fig. 49). Tegmen evenly rounded (Fig. 91), much longer than wide (w:l = 1:2.83), lateral row of setae visible from median fossa to prior to apex, large shallow concavity in apical 0.33 with inner row of setae attaining apex. Median lobe large and robust, 0.85 length of tegmen, apex rounded, apical opening well-developed, base tapering to acute point (Fig. 134). Ejaculatory rods not fused to basal piece (Fig. 177). Basal piece with sharply produced lateral flanges and curved central region.

Female genitalia moderately sclerotized. Paraprocts moderately large with sclerotization along median line to apico-lateral angles. Gonocoxite with two basal lateral prominences. Gonocoxal apices with recurved “tooth” absent. Three setae originate from small depressions on gonocoxal apices. Intragonocoxal invagination deep, 0.66 length of gonocoxite (Fig. 217).

Variation. None observed.

Seasonality/Habitat. Collected in late May in southern Nicaragua near Costa Rican border in lowland tropical forest.

Distribution. Known from type locality.

Notes. Specimens collected from puffballs and “fungusy logs”. The latter suggests collection from bracket/shelf fungi.

Etymology. Specific epithet honors Christopher Carlton, director of the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum, for his guidance and support during this study.