Pediacus thomasi Marris & Ślipiński, 2014

Marris, John W. M. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2014, A revision of the Pediacus Shuckard 1839 (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) of Asia and Australasia, Zootaxa 3754 (1), pp. 32-58 : 54-56

Pediacus thomasi Marris & Ślipiński , sp. nov.

Figs. 10 A–C.

Diagnosis Recognisable by the combination of the following characters: body form elongate, pronotum sides convergent anteriorly with anterior denticle acute and prominent. This species is very similar to P. elongatus , from which it may be separated by its stouter antennae with antennomere III distinctly broader than IV.

Description. Body length 3.8–4.1 mm (n=4), strongly elongate, 3.16× longer than wide; colour red-brown to orange-brown, legs slightly paler; pubescence short, pale, appressed and inconspicuous; surface moderately glossy. Head transverse, 1.78× wider than long; puncturation moderately impressed and moderately dense medially, increasing in size and density laterally with punctures separated by about their diameter; setae short, fine and appressed, inconspicuous; microsculpture weakly reticulate, surface weakly glossy; eyes large, strongly projecting, ocular index 0.69, postocular denticle absent; antennae as in Fig. 10 C, antennomere VII larger than VI and VIII.

Pronotum transverse 1.22× wider than long, widest at about posterior 3/4, sides convergent anteriorly; lateral margins moderately explanate and reflexed with four prominent denticles, anterior denticle strongly projecting, narrowly obtuse to acute, antero-medial denticle small to moderate and obtuse, postero-medial and posterior denticles prominent and obtuse to narrowly obtuse; disc moderately impressed, deeper basally; puncturation as for head, with a narrow, impunctate median strip; setation and microsculpture as for head. Elytra strongly elongate, 2.17× longer than wide, sides subparallel, epipleura moderately explanate; puncturation moderately dense but weakly impressed basally, becoming more dense and deeply impressed laterally, puncturation faint on disc; setation short, appressed and inconspicuous; microsculpture finely granulate. Genitalia not examined. No male specimens were available.

Type material. Holotype (female): “ TAIWAN: Kaohsiung Tengjhih (ª¼) 27.V–22.VI.2005, leg. C. L. Li // Chi-Feng Lee // HOLOTYPE Pediacus thomasi Marris & Ślipiński 2013 ”. Specimen mounted on card; deposited in TARI.

Paratypes: TAIWAN: TAIWAN: Kaohsiung Tengjhih (ª¼) 27.V–22.VI.2005, leg. C. L. Li (1, FSCA); C. [Central] TAIWAN: Tai Chung Co. 40km., 200 Logging Road (200 ªϔffi) alt. ca. 2000m by FIT 26–27/VI/2002 collr. C. L. Li (1, TARI); N. [North] TAIWAN: Tao Yuan Co. Ming Chi (№m) 121˚27'35"E/24˚38'43"N alt. ca. 1020m by FIT 20/V–14/VI/2004 collr. C. L. Li (1, TARI).

Distribution. Taiwan.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Dr Mike Thomas in recognition of his contribution towards the knowledge of cucujoid beetles and for his willing assistance with the authors’ cucujoid research.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Pediacus species: (A – C) P. thomasi sp. nov.; (D – H) P. taiwanensis sp. nov. (A, E) Head and pronotum; (C, D) antenna; (B, H) dorsal habitus; (F, G) variation of aedeagus.