Gelae parvulum (LeConte) Miller, Kelly B. & Wheeler, Quentin D., 2004

Miller, Kelly B. & Wheeler, Quentin D., 2004, Two New Genera of Agathidiini from the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (4), pp. 466-487 : 477-478

Gelae parvulum (LeConte) , new combination

( Figs. 10–12 , 27 )

Agathidium parvulum LeConte, 1878 ; Horn, 1880 (synonymized with A. politum LeConte ); Leng, 1920 (as synonym of A. politum ); Fall, 1934 (resurrected from synonymy with A. politum ).

Material Examined. Holotype, # in MCZC labeled ‘‘ A. parvulum Lec. [handwritten]/ 35 [handwritten]/ Type 3177 [number handwritten, half of label red]/ Agathidium parvulum Lec. [handwritten, red line around edge].’’ It appears that LeConte (1878) had only a single specimen of this species when he described it, so that specimen is the holotype by monotypy. Other material was examined from the following localities: United States: California: Amador Co., 1 mi W Pine Grove, 24 Jun 1975, A. Newton and M. Thayer, (2, FMNH); Amador Co., Panther Ridge, 27 Jun 1975, 6,200 ft, A. Newton and M. Thayer, (1, FMNH); El Dorado Co., Blodgett Forest, 27 Aug 1975, F. Andrews, (2, CDFA).

Type Locality. United States, Michigan, Marquette ( Lake Superior ) .

478 Diagnosis. This species is externally very similar to G. parile (see the Diagnosis under that species). Gelae parvulum differs from that species in having very deep lateral emarginations on the male median lobe that subtend a very large lateral lobe ( Fig. 12 ). Also, the median lobe in ventral aspect terminates in a small rounded process ( Fig. 10 ). In lateral aspect the apical portion of the median lobe is relatively straight to a narrowly rounded apex ( Fig. 11 ). Also, G. parvulum males have a prominent tooth along the posterior margin of the metafemur about 1/4 distance from the end of the femur, whereas males of G. parile lack a tooth.

Description. Body moderately large (TBL ¼ 2.35–2.55 mm), robust (PNW/TBL ¼ 0.48–0.52), laterally broadly rounded, weakly contractile.

Head, pronotum and elytra brown; venter brown; antennae and palpi yellow-brown; legs yellow-brown.

Head moderately broad (MDL/PHW ¼ 0.61–0.62), dorsally flattened; constricted immediately posterad of eye; very finely and sparsely punctate, surfaces shiny and smooth between punctures; eyes large, rounded, protruding; fronto-clypeal suture continuous, but fine, medially; clypeal margin moderately protruding, extending beyond level of anterolateral margins of frons ( Fig. 27 ); labrum broad, transversely rectangular; antennae (ratios: length I:II:III ¼ 1.2:1.0:1.5, width VII:VIII:IX ¼ 1.0:1.0:1.3). Pronotum broad (PNL/PNW ¼ 0.60–0.62), laterally not strongly produced, lateral margins nearly straight, anterolateral angle subquadrate, posterolateral corner distinctive, more angulate than anterolateral corner; punctation similar to that of head. Elytra robust (SEL/ELW ¼ 0.87–0.95); lateral margins broadly rounded; punctation very fine and sparse, similar to pronotum; sutural stria prominent, extending about 1/2 length of elytron. Mesosternum strongly concave posteriorly, with prominent lobe extending ventrally between mesocoxae, anterior portion moderately narrow. Metasternum moderately broad medially (MTL/MTW ¼ 0.25–0.27).

Male tarsi 5–5–4; pro- and mesobasotarsomeres only slightly expanded and with small ventral field of adhesive setae; metafemur slender, with prominent tooth on posterior margin about ¼ distance from end of femur; metasternal fovea moderately prominent, located slightly anterad of middle, with moderately large pencil of fine, long setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect very broad basally and medially, submedially with extremely prominent emargination making lateral margin into broad, rounded lobe, emargination with 1–3 teeth on inner margin, lateral surface of lobe with longitudinal, shallow sulcus for reception of lateral lobe, apical portion of lobe more slender, somewhat expanded on dorsal margin, straight with apex narrowly rounded ( Fig. 12 ); in ventral aspect very robust and broad, lateral margins evenly curved, with lateral emargination prominently visible, apical portion broad, lateral margins evenly rounded, apex a prominent, round to subtruncate process, orifice very large, elongate, constricted medially by intrusion of lateral margins ( Fig. 10 ); operculum long, broad basally, abruptly constricted medially, apical half long, slender, straight ( Fig. 10 ); lateral lobes broad, elongate, evenly curved, apically distinctly expanded, with two stout setae ( Figs. 10–11 ).

Female tarsi 5–4–4.

Distribution. This species is known from Amador and El Dorado Counties in California and the type locality in Michigan.

Discussion. Gelae parvulum exhibits a disjunct distribution with several specimens known from California and the type specimen known from Marquette, Michigan.Numerous species of other agathidiine genera have broad,transcontinental distributions,and the regions between these two areas are not well collected for agathidiines,so the distribution may not be entirely unusual. The species has been collected from leaf litter in a mixed hardwood-conifer forest and from a Ponderosa pine log. The species has been recorded from the myxomycete Lycogala epidendrum (Linnaeus) Fries and from a ‘‘fungus’’ ( Newton 1984).

Figures

Figs. 3–12. Gelae species, median and lateral lobes of aedeagus. Figs. 3–4) G. fish; 3) ventral; 4) lateral. Figs. 5–6) G. belae; 5) ventral; 6) lateral. Figs. 7–9) G. parile; 7) ventral; 8) lateral; 9) apex of median lobe, lateral. Figs. 10–12) G. parvulum; 10) ventral; 11) lateral; 12) apex of median lobe, lateral.

Figs. 24–32. Gelae and Decuria species, heads, dorsal. 24) G. fish; 25) G. belae; 26) G. parile; 27) G. parvulum; 28) G. baen; 29) G. donut; 30) G. rol; 31) G. cognatum; 32) D. newtoni. Bars ¼ 0.25 mm.