Akalyptoischion echinos Hartley, Andrews & McHugh, 2008

Hartley, Christopher S., Andrews, Fred G. & Mchugh, Joseph V., 2007, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Genus Akalyptoischion Andrews (Coleoptera: Latridiidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 6) 61, pp. 1-50 : 24-25

Akalyptoischion echinos Hartley, Andrews & McHugh new species ( Fig. 16 )

Etymology. Greek meaning ‘‘spiny’’ referring to the short, erect hairs on the elytra.

Description. Length 1.2 mm. Width 0.35 mm. Body elongate, parallel sided, dark reddish brown; sparsely setose; head short, width equal to pronotum width, sides sinuate; clypeus narrowing at 45u angle anterior to antennal insertions; head foveae indistinct, elongate, with a faint anterior elongation reaching clypeal fovea; head setation uniform, setae very short and decumbent; head punctation dense, conspicuous on pointed specimen; eyes small and not prominent with 4 facets; tempora 1/2 eye width; hind angles 90u; clypeal fovea length of antennomere II, 0.7 times width of labrum; labrum anterior margin deeply emarginate, mandibles visible dorsally from beneath labrum; mandible apex broad with a large apical tooth and 4 subapical serrations, the 4th serration very small, prostheca short; antennae with a 3-segmented club; antennae reach hind angles of pronotum; antennomere I subglobular, slightly irregular, II elongate, sides slightly flattened, apex blunt, III small, globular, IV–VIII submonilliform, growing progressively larger, IX–XI form club, IX large, subglobular, X parallel sided, slightly flattened, wider than long, XI length equal to width, trapezoidal.

Pronotum slightly wider anteriorly; anterior angles rounded, lateral margin arcuate, converging slightly posteriorly; lateral margin explanate with,9 small, indistinct, tubercles each bearing a short decumbent seta; median 2/3 raised with uniform very short decumbent setae; pronotal foveae transverse, equal in size; pronotal punctation dense, conspicuous on pointed specimen.

Elytra parallel sided, lateral flange weak, present in anterior 1/3 only; 6 striae; strial punctures large; humeral angle prominently lobed; strial interspace 1 slightly raised, interspaces 3 and 5 carinate; interspaces 1, 3, 5, and lateral margin with short erect setae, other interspaces with short decumbent setae; epipleuron complete, narrowing posteriorly.

Ventral surface evenly setose, setae very short; submental fovea deep, length of antennomere II with sparse large punctures and micropunctures; ventral head evenly punctate laterally, sparsely punctate at midline; gular punctation even, not dense; prosternal punctation sparse; mesosternum without sharp carinae; metasternum with an irregular fovea between mesocoxae, a transeverse fovea posterior to each mesocoxa, a narrow, transverse fovea anterior to each metacoxa, and median surface with few, widely scattered punctures; abdominal ventrite I with 2 incomplete circular foveae at anterior corners of intercoxal process, a large, irregular fovea nearly size of metacoxae posterior to each metacoxa, and median surface without punctures; ventrites II–IV unmodified.

Material Examined. HOLOTYPE, USA: label data: ‘‘CALIF: Merced Co., Los Banos Valley 8009, III-26-1987 F. Andrews, A. Hardy & T. Eichlin, Berlese Quercus Litter’ ’ ( CDAE).

PARATYPE, USA, same data as holotype, on slide (1, CDAE) .

Remarks. This species resembles A. tomeus , from which it can be distinguished by its densely punctate head, lateral margin of the pronotum lacking setae, and shorter elytral setation ( Fig. 16 ).

Figures

Figs. 12–16. 12) A. hadromorphus, male, pronotum outline; 13) A. lasiosus, male, pronotum outline; 14) A. chandleri, elytra, dorsolateral view, diagrammatic; 15) A. tomeus, elytra, dorsolateral view, diagrammatic; 16) A. echinos, elytra, dorsolateral view, diagrammatic.