Platyparadonus taino, Pandolfi and Etzler, 2020

Pandolfi, Alessandra & Etzler, Frank E., 2020, Description of a new species of Platyparadonus Etzler and Ivie, 2019 (Coleoptera Elateridae), with an updated key to species, Zootaxa 4816 (3), pp. 377-382 : 378-381

Platyparadonus taino, Pandolfi and Etzler , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 A–C, 2A, 3A–C)

Diagnosis. Body length varies from 2.2–2.7 mm. Two color varieties have been identified within the species: one with body entirely dark brown, almost piceous ( Fig. 1A ) and the other brunneo-testaceous with infuscated head and pronotum ( Fig. 1B ). The lighter forms are readily distinguished from all other known species of Platyparadonus , by the combination of color, small body size (<3mm), aedeagus 0.5mm with slight basal curve of fused parameres, shape of pronotal median notch, and geography. Darker forms are similar in general appearance to P. marleyi but they can be readily separated by the characters above (see the identification key below).

Type material. Holotype male: USVI, St. John ; trail near Limetree Cove; coast. scrub/dry for; UV light; VII- 12-2013; 18° 20′ 47″ N, 64° 40′ 54″ W; Coll. Song Lab. & UCFC. ( UCFC 0560472 ).

Paratypes (73 ♂♂, 70 ♀♀), same data as for holotype (57 ♂♂, 51 ♀♀ UCFC; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ BMNH; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ WIBF; 6 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀ FSCA; 6 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀ APC) .

Transferred from P. marleyi : U. S. VIRGIN IS St. John , Europa Bay , 22 MAY–27 JUN 1979 / sifted from under wrack and under rocks on beach/ Colr. W. B. Muchmore (1 ♀, WIBF 017010 ); St. John, Lameshur Bay, V .I.E. R. S., 15 AUG 1980, at UV light/ M. A. Ivie Colr. (2 ♀, WIBF 017008 , WIBF 017009 ) .

Description of male holotype. ( Fig. 1A ). Length 2.5mm. Dorsum entirely dark brown (almost piceous), ventrum testaceous to brunneo-testaceous; legs and antennae testaceous, contrasting body and head; setae gold, short, suberect, and dense throughout.

Head. Typical for genus with following exceptions: Length-to-width ratio of antennomeres: antennomeres I and XI ca. 2.5, antennomere II ca. 3.5, antennomere III ca. 1.5 and antennomeres IV-X ca. 2. Antennae with lighter apical portion visible on inner part of antennomeres IV–X.

Pronotum. ( Fig. 2A ). Medial notch of pronotal hind margin with two small, weakly protruding tips not forming an ‘m’-shape, the distance between tips almost double width of tips. Pronotal hind angles short, subparallel laterally, tip directed posteriorly and not curved laterally.

Aedeagus. ( Fig. 3 A–C). Length ca. 0.5 mm, half the length of abdomen, with slight basal curve. Apex of medium lobe (centerpiece) papilla-shaped, exceeding apex of parameres (basimeres). Parameres fused together and to median lobe, forming cylinder, subparallel throughout. Basal struts of median lobe nearly reaching base of parameres.

Female. Habitus as male. Ovipositor weakly sclerotized, 0.8× length of abdomen. Coxites setose, lacking styli. Paraprocts elongate, 0.6× length of ovipositor. Membranous internal genitalia typical for genus (after Etzler and Ivie, 2019).

Etymology. The species epithet “taino” is treated as a noun in apposition and is in honor of the Taíno, the Caribbean indigenous people, who were contacted for the first time by the Spaniards in 1492. Archeologists discovered petroglyphs carved by the pre-Columbian Taíno and their ancestors on the St. John Island ( US Virgin Islands), the location of origin of the holotype and type series.

Distribution. ( Fig. 4 ). St. John, US Virgin Islands.

Discussion: The presence of a blunt projection on the basal piece of the aedeagus ( Fig. 3 A–C) seems common within the genus and is here depicted for the first time. The small size of the aedeagi and dissection damage to the weakly sclerotized basal piece caused this character to have been overlooked previously in Etzler and Ivie (2019).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Platyparadonus taino sp. nov. A) dorsal habitus, holotype. B) light form, dorsal habitus, paratype. C) ventral habitus, paratype. Scale line = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 2. A) Platyparadonus taino pronotum, arrow at medial notch. B) P. marleyi pronotum, arrow at medial notch. Scale line = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Platyparadonus taino aedeagus, A) dorsal view. B) lateral view. C) ventral view. Scale line = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Distribution map of species of the genus Platyparadonus Etzler and Ivie, 2019.