Haroldiataenius saramari (Cartwright) Stebnicka & Skelley, 2009

Stebnicka, Z. Teresa & Skelley, Paul E., 2009, A revision of the genus Haroldiataenius Chalumeau (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini), Insecta Mundi 2009 (62), pp. 1-16 : 13-14

Haroldiataenius saramari (Cartwright) , comb. nov.

( Fig. 5 , 13, 21, 27)

Ataenius saramari Cartwright 1939: 360 – Cartwright 1974: 41-42; Woodruff 1973: 130 (habitus p. 106); Woodruff 1982: 91; Dellacasa 1988: 280 (catalogue); Skelley 1993: 133, fig. 3; Woodruff and Deyrup 1994: 434; Lamb and Justice 2005: 42, 61.

Diagnosis. Clypeal margin rounded each side of middle; surface finely punctate. Pronotal coarse punctures evenly distributed, separated by 1-2 diameters, little larger laterally; basal marginal line distinct, width equal to diameter of coarse puncture. Lateral margin of pronotal and elytron with fringe of short setae. Haroldiataenius saramari appears restricted to peninsular Florida, USA, where it may be a detritivore in open sands of upland sand ridges.

Description. Length 3.0-3.2 mm. Body piceous, shining ( Fig. 5 , 13). Clypeal margin finely reflexed with a trace of angulation each side of moderately deep median emargination; genae obtusely rounded with clump of setae; surface weakly concave above emargination with vague shallow depression each side of anterior fourth, punctures generally fine to moderate, not close. Pronotum convex, lateral margin crenatefimbriate, setae short, club shaped; surface quite evenly punctate, punctures mixed fine to moderate in size. Elytron convex, striae impressed with deep punctures, intervals with margins slightly crenulate; intervals weakly convex with fine, scattered punctures more noticeable on lateral and apical intervals; lateral margin of elytron with fringe of setae similar to those of pronotal fringe. Intercoxal carina sharply defined; metasternum shining, finely punctate on disc, punctate-rugose at extreme sides with eroded line anteriorly around mesocoxae; abdominal sternites finely, irregularly fluted along sutures and punctate from side to side, punctures finer at middle; sternite 5 and eroded disc of pygidium with row of stiff moderate setae. Profemur rough posteriorly; meso- and metafemora smooth, posterior line strong, complete; metatibia apically with short setae, without accessory spine; basal tarsomere of metatarsus equal in length to upper tibial spur and slightly longer than next three tarsomeres combined. Epipharynx as in Fig. 21. Male genitalia short, apically rounded ( Fig. 27 ), see Skelley (1993: 133, fig. 3) for SEM image of genitalia with everted internal sac.

Type data. Holotype (examined; male), “St Cloud Florida ”, “ Ataenius saramari Cartw. ”, No 53422, in NMNH.

Specimens examined (219). USA – (1 ex) Florida, Alachua Co., 2.5 mi SW Archer , 28.I. 4.II.1990, P. Skelley, Geomys burrow pitfall ( FSCA); (8 ex) Florida, Highlands Co., Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid , 2-. V.1988, M. Deyrup, sifted from sand scrubby flatwoods; (48 ex) Florida, Levy Co., 3.8-4.0 mi SW Archer [various dates year round, 1987-2000], P. Skelley [various collecting methods see Remarks below] ( PESC, FSCA); (44 ex) Florida, Marion Co., Juniper Springs , [various dates 1959], H. A. Denmark, Berlese Pinus clausa debris ( FSCA); (1 ex) Florida, Marion Co., Weirsdale , 22. V.1955, M. H. Muma, Berlese funnel Spanish moss ( FSCA); (1 ex) Florida: Orange Co., Orlando , UCF [University of Central Florida], 14.XII.2000, xeric oak scrub underground pitfall trap, T. R. Smith, P. Skelley ( FSCA); (3 ex) same data only 21.I.2001 ( FSCA); (3 ex) Florida, Osceola Co., nr. Alligator Lake , 17.VII.1959, H. A. Denmark, Berlese funnel Pinus clausa debris ( FSCA); (5 ex) Florida, Osceola Co., SE of St. Cloud , 29.I.1962, Martin H. Muma, leaf litter of Pinus clausa (FSCA) ; (5 ex) Florida, Polk Co., E side of Lake Marion , SE of Haines City, 10.IV.2002, P. Skelley, sifting sand and grass ( FSCA); (60 ex) Florida, Polk Co., Tiger Creek Preserve, 2.5mi SE Babson Park , 18-19. V.2006, sand sifts, P. Skelley, D. Almquist ( FSCA); (12 ex) Florida, Putnam Co., 8 mi E Melrose, K. Ordway Pres. sandhill meadow, 20. VI.1997, P. Skelley ( FSCA, ISEA); (1 ex) Florida, Putnam Co., 2.5 mi NE Florahome , 9.I.1993, P. Skelley, nest of Pheidole morrisi (FSCA) ; (16 ex) Florida, Putnam Co., Hollister, Robert’s Ranch , [various dates 1984-1985], E. Milstrey, gopher tortoise burrow ( FSCA); (11 ex) Florida, St. Lucie Co., 17. VI.1959, H. A. Denmark, Berlese funnel Pinus clausa debris ( FSCA) .

Remarks. Additional Florida locality records for H. saramari reported in the literature are: Brevard Co., Titusville; Citrus Co., Holder Mine; Clay Co., Gold Head State Park; Lake Co., Alexander Springs ( Lamb and Justice 2005: 61); Hillsborough Co. ( Woodruff and Deyrup 1994); Martin Co., Jonathan Dickinson State Park ( Woodruff 1973: 213).

Haroldiataenius saramari appears to be restricted on the inland fossil dune systems in Florida ( Woodruff 1973). Specimens have been collected in nearly every month of the year. All data and field observations by PES indicate H. saramari is possibly a detritivore at the edges of open sandy soils. Specimens have been collected in sandhill meadow edge, sifted from sand scrubby flatwoods, berlesate from litter with deer dung, in Geomys [pocket gopher] burrow, under leaf debris of Pinus clausa [sand pine], sifting grass roots, gopher tortoise burrow, sifting debris around edge of open sandy areas, in barrier pitfall traps, and in nest of Pheidole morrisi [a sand-dwelling ant].

Woodruff and Deyrup (1994) state “The wings of specimens examined appear to be unusually short for the genus [ Ataenius ], and it is likely that at least some individuals or whole populations are flightless.” Lamb and Justice (2005) pushed this observation further stating “Its wings are greatly reduced and some populations are considered flightless.” A study of wings from most populations showed no variation between them regarding wing size, and they all appeared fully developed. Discussion of the original statement with M. Deyrup (pers. comm. 2008) confirmed the speculative aspect of the species being flightless, and that the wings appear proportionally a little shorter than normal Ataenius spp. However, this is not enough to confidently state the species is flightless.

Collections of H. saramari have never been by any method that requires flight (e.g. light, Malaise, or flight intercept traps). Author PES has found them locally abundant even within the habitat’s substrate, possibly implying low dispersal ability. The only aphodiines with similar local abundance which PES has regularly collected during years of sifting sand in Florida have been flightless scarabs ( Geopsammodius spp., see Skelley 2006). Discovering if the apparent low dispersal ability in H. saramari is due to being functionally flightless or behaviorally earth-bound will require much more work.

Figures

Figures 1-7. Haroldiataenius spp. 1) H. mariarum, lateral habitus. 2) H. hintoni lateral habitus. 3) H. lucanus, mesotibia. 4) H. semipilosus, mesotibia. 5) H. saramari, lateral habitus. 6) H. lucanus, lateral habitus. 7) H. limbatus, lateral habitus.

Figures 22-28. Haroldiataenius spp., male genitalia. 22) H. mariarum. 23) H. limbatus. 24) H. hintoni. 25) H. lucanus. 26) H. griffini. 27) H. saramari. 28) H. semipilosus.