Pseudataenius socialis (Horn)

Stebnicka, Z. Teresa & Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Taxonomic redefinition of the genera Parataenius Balthasar and Pseudataenius Brown, with descriptions of three new species (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini), Insecta Mundi 2009 (66), pp. 1-18 : 16

Pseudataenius socialis (Horn)

Figure 29-33 , 35, 37

Ataenius socialis Horn 1871: 287 – Harold 1874: 174; Horn 1887: 76; Woodruff 1973: 135. Pseudataenius socialis – Brown 1927: 290; Woodruff 1973: 135; Cartwright 1974: 14-16; Ratcliffe and

Paulsen 2008: 239-240.

Diagnosis. Male head finely punctate; protibia with 2 lateral teeth, terminal spur long, parallel, hooked apically; pronotum without smooth midline. Female clypeus strongly transversely wrinkled; protibia with 3 lateral teeth, terminal spur straight.

Description. Length 4.2-5.0 mm. Male head short and broad ( Fig. 29 ), finely reflexed clypeal margin widely rounded on each side of shallow median emargination, sides nearly straight to sharply rounded, fimbriate genae; surface of head uniformly, very finely punctate ( Fig. 32 ). Pronotum weakly convex, sides widely arcuate to slightly sinuate base; sides fimbriate with long setae; surface with mixed very fine and very moderate punctures throughout. Elytra convex, long, subparallel sided humeri not dentate; striae fine, strial punctures shallow; intervals slightly convex with scattered very minute punctures, interval 10 flat. Ventral surface finely punctate; abdominal sternites finely fluted along sutures, surface minutely alutaceous with scattered punctures more noticeable at sides; apical lip of pygidium convex, shiny, eroded area finely roughened. Legs long; meso- and metafemora without posterior lines; protibia narrow with only 2 large teeth, terminal spur long, parallel with tip bent inward ( Fig. 30 ); metatibial apex with long setae and accessory spine; tarsi very long and slender, basal tarsomere of metatarsus longer than upper tibial spur and equal in length to following 3 tarsomeres combined, tarsomere 5 as long as 2 preceding tarsomeres together. Epipharynx as in Fig. 37 . Male genitalia as in Fig. 35 .

Female color usually darker than in male; head smaller, clypeus more deeply emarginate at middle ( Fig. 31 ), surface transversely wrinkled, posterior clypeus and vertex finely, closely punctate; pronotum more convex, surface with mixed very fine and moderately coarse punctures throughout, coarse punctures irregularly spaced ( Fig. 33 ). Abdominal sternites, pygidium shorter with narrower apical lip. Legs shorter than in male; meso- and metafemur with fine posterior lines; protibia with 3 normal lateral teeth and slender terminal spur; tarsi shorter than in male.

Type material. Lectotype female “La” [Louisiana] designated by Cartwright (1974), No 3609, in ANSP.

Specimens examined. Lectotype and other specimens (75). USA – Kansas, Labette Co. Mound Valley . 12.VII.1962, J.R. McCoy ( NMNH) ; Kansas: Lawrence VI-18-[19]37 ( PESC) ; Kansas: Ottawa , VII-27-1923, Calder coll. ( FSCA) ; Kansas: Riley Co., Manhattan , 23-Oct-1995, R. Bauernfeind, UVLL trap ( FSCA) ; Kansas: Topeka , 15.V.1963, B. Moore ( ISEA, NMNH) ; Nebraska: Greeley Co., jct. Hwy 281 & 91, 11-VII- 2004, P. Skelley, M. Paulsen ; at light in sandhill blowout ( PESC); Oklahoma, Latimer Co , VI.1995, VI.1999, K. Stephan ( FSCA) ; Louisiana (no additional data) ( SMTD); Texas: Orange , 20-VI-1949, W.E. Stein ( FSCA) .

Remarks. Species collected at black light traps, in cow dung, and in Cynomys burrow - May to July.

Distribution. USA - Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas.

Figures

Figure 29-33. Pseudataenius socialis. 29) Male, dorsal habitus. 30) Male, protibia. 31) Female, dorsal habitus. 32) Male, anterolateral view, head and pronotum. 33) Female, anterolateral view, head and pronotum.

Figure 34-37. Pseudataenius spp. 34) P. gracilitarsis, male genitalia. 35) P. socialis, male genitalia. 36) P. contortus, male genitalia. 37) P. socialis, epipharynx.