Zeadolopus cubensis Peck and Cook, 2014

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2014, A review of the small carrion beetles and the round fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), with descriptions of two new genera and 61 new species., Insecta Mundi 2014 (397), pp. 1-76 : 26

Zeadolopus cubensis Peck and Cook , new species

Figure 40

Diagnostic description. Body strongly convex. Length 2.0– 2.6 mm; greatest width 1.7–2.0 mm. Dark reddish brown, pronotum darker, head dark reddish brown to black; shining, with faint reticulate microsculpture. Head with moderately coarse, dense punctation. Antennal club robust. Eyes large. Pronotum finely, sparsely punctate; sides rounded, posterior angles roundly obtuse. Elytral striae weakly impressed; strial punctures coarse, dense; interstriae minutely, sparsely punctate. Flight wings fully developed. Vertical face of mesosternum broad, convex, not medially carinate. Metasternum irregularly, coarsely punctate medially; densely, coarsely punctate laterally. Posterior margin of mesofemur of both sexes expanded, forming a broad median tooth in males. Males with curved toothlike expansion of apex of posterior margin of metafemur; posterior margin broadly expanded in females. In both sexes, mesotibia evenly expanded from base to apex and strongly spinose; metatibia narrower, strongly spinose. Both sexes with pale setae ventrally on pro- and mesotarsi; setae more dense in males. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 40 ) elongate, parallel-sided, curved dorsoventrally; paired apices narrow, weakly inwardly curved. Parameres slender, elongate, extending beyond apex of median lobe, each bearing 2 apical setae. Inverted internal sac with median sclerotized tube. Spermatheca oblong with median constriction.

Type material. Holotype, male, with the following label data: “ CUBA: Santiago Prov. / Gran Piedra, Isabelica / 7–17.XII.95, 1100m / elfin forest FITs/ S. Peck, 95-84” ( SBPC) . Paratypes (5) have the following label data: with same data as holotype (3, SBPC) ; CUBA: Cienfuegos / Mayari , 1 km E / 21.97114 – 80.12172, 866m / 18.V.2013, R. Anderson / 2013-018, karst forest litter (1, SBPC) ; CUBA: Cienfuegos / Rio Cabagan / 21.93123 – 80.08461, 651m / 20.V.2013, gallery forest litter (1, SBPC) .

Distribution. Known only from Cuba.

Remarks. Because of the geographic proximity of south Florida and Cuba, it might be expected that the species of the two areas might be closely related. However, comparison of Z. cubensis n. sp. of Cuba with the species of Zeadolopus of south Florida ( Peck and Cook 2013b) showed no close affinity.

Etymology. The epithet cubensis ( Cuba + the Latin suffix –ensis, locality) refers to the occurrence of this species on Cuba.

Figures

Figures 37–43. Aedeagi, dorsal view, of Zeadolopus. 37) Z. bahamensis. 38) Z. caymanensis. 39) Z. atratus. 40) Z. cubensis. 41) Z. flavidus. 42) Z. lucidus. 43) Z. pusillus. Scale line = 0.30 mm.