Elacatis larsoni, Pollock, 2018

Pollock, Darren A., 2018, Review of the Nearctic (north of Mexico) species of Elacatis Pascoe (Coleoptera: Salpingidae: Othniinae), Zootaxa 4420 (3), pp. 301-333 : 327-330

Elacatis larsoni , new species

( Figs 11–12 , 24–25 , 32 , 38 )

Holotype, male, labeled: “Neb. 10 mi S Alliance [41.943341, -102.860955] 13.iv.96 Larson // Othniinae Elacatis umbrosus (LeC.) Det. D. Larson // HOLOTYPE ♂ Elacatis larsoni Pollock ”, in CNC.

Allotype, female, labeled: “USA: Kansas: Rooks Co. Webster Wildlife Area nr int 6 Rd & M Rd 39.39398°N 99.50944°W [39.39398, -99.50944] 5-V-2009 ZH Falin ex. beating dead Yucca KEE1F09 0 12 // [on underside of first label] KEE1F09 Old // ALLOTYPE ♀ Elacatis larsoni Pollock ”, in KSEM.

Paratypes (all with blue “PARATYPE” label): 1 male, labeled: “Kansas: Trego Co.: Cedar Bluffs State Park: South Shore [38.772759, -99.770609]: Flight Intercept Trap: May 21-24, 1994 Steve Lingafelter, Coll. // RLC”, in DAPC; 1 female, labeled: “USA: Colorado: Weld Co. Short-grass steppe CPER 8 km N. of Nunn [40.774332, - 104.791267], Rte 85 30 June-3 July 1998 Brandon Bestelmeyer // CYU1-9”, in CSU; 1 female, labeled: “USA: Colorado: Weld Co. Short-grass steppe CPER 8 km N. of Nunn [40.774332, -104.791267], Rte 85 20-23 June 1997 Brandon Bestelmeyer // Elacatis sp. ( Salpingidae ) // CYU 3-5 // Correct”, in CSU; 1 male, labeled: “USA: Colorado: Weld Co. Short-grass steppe CPER 8 km N. of Nunn [40.774332, -104.791267], Rte 85 30 June-3 July 1998 Brandon Bestelmeyer // Elacatis sp ( Salpingidae ) // CYU 1-5”, in CSU; 1 male, labeled: “USA: Colorado: Weld Co. Short-grass steppe CPER 8 km N. of Nunn [40.774332, -104.791267], Rte 85 30 June-3 July 1998 Brandon Bestelmeyer // Elacatis sp ( Salpingidae ) // CYU1-9”, in CSU; 1 male, labeled: “USA: NEBRASKA: Keith Co: Cedar Point Biol. Stn. [41.210555, -101.65]; on sunflower head; 19.VIII.1999 M.J. Paulsen coll. // MJPC”, in MJPC; 4 males and 8 females, labeled: “MONT: Prairie Co Hwy 253, N. of Terry 46.8118°N, 105.2926°W [46.8118, -105.2926] 08MAY-18MAY2012, 2293 ft Etzler, Hart; LinFnl#2EtOH”, in MTEC; 1 female, labeled: “MONT: Treasure Co. I94, exit 53 46.1482°N, 107.4400°W [46.1482, -107.4400] 21JULY- 20SEPT2010 Kraus et al. LindFnl”, in MTEC.

Derivation of specific epithet. I am pleased to name this species in honor of David Larson, expert on various adephagan Coleoptera groups, and who collected the holotype specimen.

Diagnosis. Elytra with irregular, lighter colored fasciae anteriorly and isolated spots posteriorly ( Figs 11–12 ); antennae dimorphic, more elongate in males, extended slightly beyond posterior pronotal margin; lateral pronotal margin with 2 tubercles anterad hind angle; male tegmen ( Fig. 32 ) relatively long and narrow, basal piece of tegmen long (length of apicale <1.5x length of basale).

Description. TL 3.7–5.0 mm; GEW 1.2–1.6 mm; TL/GEW (n=8) 3.0 8–3.35.

Color. Head and pronotum light to dark brown dorsally; base color of elytra light to dark brown, with irregular, semi-fasciate light patches especially in anterior half; light colored areas in posterior half of elytra broken into smaller, isolated spots ( Figs 11–12 ); antennae and mouthparts dark red-brown; legs brown.

Head with eyes relatively large, distinctly convex; frons relatively flat, with slight swellings just mesad eyes; punctation relatively coarse and deep, punctures separated by less than diameter of single puncture; setae relatively long, directed anteriorly and medially (close to midline), of two different colors – white and golden; antennae moderately elongate (TL/AL 2.8–3.8), extending posteriorly to near pronotal base; antennomeres 4–8 moniliform/ subfiliform, slightly sexually dimorphic, shorter in females; antennomeres 9–10 slightly longer than wide in males ( Fig. 24 ), slightly wider than long in females ( Fig. 25 ).

Pronotum. GPW/PL 1.16–1.33; disc slightly convex; punctation relatively deep and dense, punctures separated by much less than single puncture diameter; lateral margins evenly arcuate, widest point slightly posterior of midlength, marked by tubercle; lateral carina with 3 tubercles, including hind angle; hind angle distinct, short, acute; setae elongate, directed anteriorly and/or medially, color mixed white and golden; posterior bead distinct.

Elytra. TL/EL 1.67–1.74; EL/GEW 1.77–1.97; disc moderately convex, evenly sloping to lateral margins; punctation relatively dense and coarse, forming oblique meshes in some specimens, especially near humeri; setae moderately elongate, colors corresponding to dark and light base colors of elytra.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 32 ) with apicale moderately short, ca. 1.4 x length of basale; apicale relatively slender, ca. 3.8 x longer than wide; basale slightly longer than wide.

Natural history. The available data indicate that specimens are associated with Yucca (“beating dead Yucca ”), “short-grass steppe”, and sunflower (“on sunflower head”). Label data on most of the Montana paratypes indicate collection in Lindgren funnels baited with ethanol. Months of collection range from April to July. A single record of a specimen collected in a Lindgren funnel trap from 21 July – 20 September is not included in this activity range.

Taxonomic notes. This species, along with E. longicornis and E. stephani , appears to belong to a discrete species group, based on sexually size-dimorphic antennae, shape of pronotum, and characteristics of the light on dark elytral color pattern. More specifically, specimens of E. larsoni are very similar externally to those of E. stephani , and it was with some hesitation that these two species were considered to be separate. This separation was based mainly on the relative shape of the male genitalia, with the basal piece of the tegmen of E. stephani ( Fig. 33 ) being relatively shorter and wider than that of E. larsoni ( Fig. 32 ). Elacatis larsoni is relatively widespread ( Fig. 38 ), while E. stephani appears to be restricted to southeastern Arizona (with a single specimen known from the “Mountain and Basin” region of Texas) ( Fig. 39 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 38 ). Specimens are known from the Central Plains of the United States: west-central Kansas, western Nebraska, north central Colorado, and southeastern Montana.

Figures

FIGURES 7–12. Dorsal habitus of Elacatis spp. 7. Elacatis longicornis Horn [CA: Riverside Co.], male, TL = 4.3 mm; 8. Elacatis longicornis [CA: San Bernardino Co.], female, TL 5.1 mm; 9. Elacatis longicornis [CA: Riverside Co.], male, TL = 3.7 mm; 10. Elacatis longicornis [CA: Riverside Co.], female, TL = 4.2 mm; 11. Elacatis larsoni, n. sp. [NE: Box Butte Co.], male holotype, TL = 5.0 mm. 12. Elacatis larsoni, n. sp. [KS: Rooks Co.], female allotype, TL = 4.4 mm.

FIGURES 15–27. Distal antennomeres of Elacatis spp. 15. Elacatis fasciatus (Bland), female; 16. Elacatis immaculatus (Champion), male; 17. Elacatis immaculatus, female; 18. Elacatis senecionis (Champion), male; 19. Elacatis senecionis, female; 20. Elacatis umbrosus (LeConte), male; 21. Elacatis umbrosus (LeConte), female; 22. Elacatis longicornis Horn, male; 23. Elacatis longicornis, female; 24. Elacatis larsoni, n. sp. (male holotype); 25. Elacatis larsoni, n. sp. (female allotype); 26. Elacatis stephani, n. sp. (male holotype); 27. Elacatis stephani, n. sp. (female allotype).

FIGURES 28–33. Tegmen of male genitalia of Elacatis spp. (note: median lobe damaged/distorted in most specimens). 28. Elacatis immaculatus (Champion); 29. Elacatis senecionis (Champion); 30. E. umbrosus (LeConte); 31. Elacatis longicornis Horn; 32. Elacatis larsoni, n. sp.; 33. Elacatis stephani, n. sp.

FIGURES 38–39. 38. Distribution of Elacatis larsoni, n. sp.; 39. Distribution of Elacatis stephani, n. sp. Both maps created using www.gpsvisualizer.com.