Lasiodactylus falini Cline

Cline, Andrew R. & Carlton, Christopher E., 2004, Review of Lasiodactylus Perty, with Descriptions of Three New Species (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 58 (3), pp. 355-368 : 357-359

Lasiodactylus falini Cline , new species

( Figs. 3, 5, 8, 11 , 14, 17, 20 , 24, 29, 30 , 36, 40 , 44 )

Type Series. Holotype: $, Data Labels: Suriname, Marowijne, Palumeu , ca 160 m, 3 8 20 9 56 0 N: 55 8 26 9 18 0 W, 5–9 July, Z.H. Falin and D. Konoe collr., SUR1F99 185, ex: flight intercept trap; Bar Code Label, SM0164807 , KUNHM-ENT ; HOLOTYPE, Lasiodactylus falini, A.R. Cline des. 2002. Deposited SEMC . Paratype: #, Data Labels : French Guiana; Entomotech Lodge, 30 km SE Roura on Kaw Rd., 1-12-XII-2002, J.E. Eger; 04 8 33.570 9 N, 052 8 12.433 9 W, 300 m ; PARATYPE, Lasiodactylus falini, A.R. Cline des. 2003. Deposited in FSCA .

2) L. brunneus , dorsal aspect of head. Scale bars ¼ 0.5 mm.

Description. Length 9.0 mm, Width 4.1 mm, Depth 2.0 mm. Body uniformly dark reddish brown/black. Head with labrum deeply indented halfway to posterior border. Labrum glabrous with a few scattered minute punctures. Clypeus broadly emarginate at clypeo-labral suture. Maxillary palpi elongate with sensillar area not extending completely across apex ( Fig. 3 ). Vertex with small shallow fovea next to each orbit. Both small and large punctures evenly dispersed across head. Axillary (supraocular) space extending forward to middle of eye. Antennal scape curved along posterior margin. Eighth antennomere flattened. Antennal club compact, antennomeres 9 and 10 chevron shaped, antennomere 11 somewhat diamond-shaped ( Fig. 5 ). Several short, stiff setae are apparent throughout the coarsely faceted eyes. Pronotum with anterior margin shallowly emarginate, lateral margin widest just before posterior angles, posterior margin with small indentations near posterior angles. Both large and small punctures evenly dispersed across pronotum. Scutellum broadly triangular with several small punctures scattered throughout. Elytra finely, densely fimbriate along lateral margin from humeri to apex. Humeri moderately produced. Elytral margins narrowly explanate from humeri to five-sixths the length of the elytra. Punctures deeply impressed and in double rows, a row of minute punctures each bearing a minute golden seta between the double rows. Pygidium broadly triangular, narrowed at apex, with disperse setae scattered, apical margin bearing short setae laterally and longer setae medially ( Fig. 11 ).

Mentum with minute punctures along margin. Prosternal process in lateral aspect angled from anterior origin to a flattened area over procoxae, with short vertical face posteriorly ( Fig. 8 ). Prosternal process in ventral aspect greatly expanded behind procoxae with many short setae along apical border. Protibia shallowly curved along medial border. Apical spine short, as long as first tarsomere. Lateral margin finely, narrowly crenulate ( Fig. 14 ). Mesotibia similar to L. brunneus , except for broad teeth on the apical border ( Fig. 17 ). Metatibia with short slender spines along entire length of lateral margin, and only present in apical half of medial margin.Apical margin armed with 16–18 teeth ( Fig. 20 ). Apical spine large, as long as first two tarsomeres combined. Male genitalia with anal sclerite (¼ tergite VIII) broadly convex with shallow fossa for reception of tegmen, apicolateral corners convex ( Fig. 24 ). Numerous setae present on apical border, becoming longer medially. Tegmen small and compact, basal margin with shallow concavity ( Fig. 29 ). Scattered, short setae in apical one-half not extending to dorsal side of tegmen, with longer tuft of setae basally. Median lobe large, robust, greater than 3/4 length of tegmen, with simple apical opening ( Fig. 30 ). Ovipositor with gonocoxites fused from base to apical one-third of structure ( Fig. 40 ). Group of small basal sensilla, and larger sensilla scattered along apical two-thirds of gonocoxites. Terminal appendage originating from small pit on lateral margin near apex. Terminal appendage bearing seven setae from apex. Two setae overlapping at the extreme tip of the gonocoxites. Paraprocts with lateral and medial margins heavily sclerotized ( Fig. 36 ). Apical margin tapered into broad point at apex. Basal medial margin prolonged into a terminal ridge that extends over the base of the gonocoxites. Ovipositor long and slender.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors the collector of the Holotype, Zack Falin.

Diagnosis. Non-genitalic characters delimiting this species include: distinct large and small puncture pattern on the head, large size of the axillary space behind the eyes, maxillary palpi elongate with a sensillar region not extending across the apical margin, and lateral aspect of the prosternal process somewhat produced, with a short vertical face. The following genitalic features distinguish L. falini from the other known species: tegmen relatively small in comparison to the large median lobe, shorter setae on tegmen not extending around apex to dorsal surface, anal sclerite with concave apicolateral corners, gonocoxites of ovipositor distinctly fused in apical half, basal aggregation of sensilla on gonocoxites, seven setae originating from terminal gonocoxite accessory appendage, and sclerotized basal ridge on paraproct that partially covers the gonocoxite base.

Distribution. The holotype was collected at a locality near Palumea on the Tapanahony River in Marowijne province, southern Suriname. The paratype was collected in Guyanan Shield forest in neighboring French Guiana ( Fig. 44 ).

Biology. The village at the type locality is surrounded by a semi-circle of actively farmed fields, partially cut secondary forest, older secondary forest, disturbed primary forest, and undisturbed forest several kilometers away from the village. The flight intercept trap was in the disturbed primary forest. The forest there is classic Guyanan Shield forest, found throughout the interior of Suriname and the Guyanas. The forest where this particular trap was placed was disturbed only in that the larger, economically valuable/useful trees had been removed, otherwise it was virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding pristine forest (Z. Falin pers. comm.).

Figures

Figs. 3–13. External characters of Lasiodactylus. 3–4) Maxillary palpi; 3) L. falini; 4) L. centralis. 5–7) Antennomeres 8–11; 5) L. falini; 6) L. centralis; 7) L. kelleri. 8–10) Prosternal process, lateral aspect; 8) L. falini; 9) L. centralis; 10) L. kelleri. 11–13) Pygidium; 11) L. falini; 12) L. centralis; 13) L. kelleri. Scale bar ¼ 0.25 mm for Figures 3–4, 0.5 mm for Figures 5–13.

Figs. 14–22. Tibiae of Lasiodactylus spp. 14–16) Protibia; 14) L. falini; 15) L. centralis; 16) L. kelleri. 17–19) Mesotibia; 17) L. falini; 18) L. centralis; 19) L. kelleri. 20–22) Metatibia; 20) L. falini; 21) L. centralis; 22) L. kelleri. Scale bar ¼ 1.00 mm.

Figs. 23–34. Male genitalia of Lasiodactylus spp. 23–26) Anal sclerite; 23) L. brunneus; 24) L. falini; 25) L. centralis; 26) L. kelleri. 27–34) Tegmen and median lobe; 27–28) L. brunneus; 29–30) L. falini; 31–32) L. centralis; 33–34) L. kelleri. Scale bar ¼ 0.8 mm.

Figs. 35–42. Female genitalia of Lasiodactylus spp. 35–38) Paraprocts; 35) L. brunneus; 36) L. falini; 37) L. centralis; 38) L. kelleri. 39–42) Gonocoxites; 39) L. brunneus; 40) L. falini; 41) L. centralis; 42) L. kelleri. Scale bar ¼ 0.8 mm.

Fig. 44. Distribution of L. falini (squares); L. centralis (circles); L. kelleri (3); and L. brunneus