Agathidium gomezae Miller and Wheeler, 2005

MILLER, KELLY B. & WHEELER, QUENTIN D., 2005, Slime-Mold Beetles Of The Genus Agathidium Panzer In North And Central America, Part Ii. Coleoptera: Leiodidae, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2005 (291), pp. 1-167 : 94-95

Agathidium gomezae Miller and Wheeler ,

new species Figures 113 , 123 , 188–191 , 360

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype, Ƌ in CMNC labeled ‘‘ MEX: Tamps ; 1000 m nr Gomez Farias 7.VIII.83, S&J.Peck cloudforest litter/ HOLOTYPE Agathidium gomezae Miller and Wheeler, 2003 [red label with black line border]’’.

TYPE LOCALITY: Mexico, Tamaulipas, nr Gomez Farias.

DIAGNOSIS: Members of this species have moderately large, finely faceted eyes, a broad, rounded male metafemoral tooth that is located anteapically (fig. 123), and a very distinctive anteromedial prominent line or carina on the metasternum that forms a prominent, posteriorly directed, swollen lobe (fig. 113). The species is very similar to A. hidalgoense and A. oedema since they each possess this unusual modification to the metasternum. See the ‘‘Diagnosis’’ under A. oedema for characters to separate these species.

DESCRIPTION: Body large (TBL = 3.87– 4.15 mm), broad, robust (PNW/TBL = 0.44– 0.49), strongly contractile.

Head and pronotum red­brown; elytra red brown, slightly iridescent laterally; venter light red­brown; antennae and palpi redbrown; legs yellow to yellow­brown.

Head broad (MDL/OHW = 0.57–0.66), dorsal surface flattened, dorsoventrally compressed; with very fine punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures shiny, smooth; frontoclypeal suture obsolete medially; eyes prominent, not com­ pressed; gula flat; antennae moderately long (ratios: length I:II:III = 2.1:1.0:2.4, width VII:VIII:IX = 1.0:1.0:2.1). Pronotum very large, broad (PNL/PNW = 0.65–0.78), strongly convex, anterolateral lobes strongly produced, lateral margin broadly curved, not angulate; with very fine, sparse punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures smooth. Elytra broad, lateral margins strongly rounded, apically rounded (SEL/ELW = 1.06–1.10); punctation similar to pronotum; sutural stria present only at elytral apex. Flight wings well developed. Mesosternum broad, rounded medially; medial carina reduced anteriorly. Metasternum moderately narrow (MTL/MTW = 0.18–0.21), flattened, slightly sloping dorsad anteriorly, with prominent, medial, sinuate line, with lobelike structure medially that may be somewhat swollen (fig. 113); oblique femoral carinae present, medially obsolete.

Male tarsi 5­5­4; pro­ and mesobasotarsomeres moderately laterally expanded, with ventral field of spatulate setae; mandibles not modified; metafemur moderately broad, with broad, rounded subapical tooth along posterior margin (fig. 123); metasternal fovea small, transversely linear, with series of fine, dense setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect slender, evenly curved, expanded along dorsal margin submedially with prominent lateral carinae between which is a sulcus that receives the lateral lobe, apical portion slen­ der, directed dorsally but evenly curved, apex narrowly pointed (fig. 190); in ventral aspect slender, submedially expanded laterally by carinae at base of apical portion, apical portion slender, apex expanded and apically broadly rounded (figs. 188, 189); operculum in lateral aspect long, slender to broadly expanded apex, extending nearly to apex of median lobe, in ventral aspect long, with deep medial emargination, each ramus long, slightly curved, apices expanded and round, slightly divergent (fig. 188); lateral lobes long, slender, somewhat sinuate, submedially expanded and apex expanded with 2 subapical setae (fig. 191).

Female not observed.

ETYMOLOGY: This species is named after the type locality.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is known only from Tamaulipas (fig. 360).

PARATYPES: MEXICO: Tamaulipas: Mun.: Gomez Farias, Rancho Cielo, 6 Jul 1986, 1400 m, P Kovarik (2, PECK).

DISCUSSION: This species was collected from ‘‘cloud forest litter’’ and at elevations from 1000 to 1400 m.

Figures

Figs. 113–117. Agathidium oniscoides­group species, sterna and legs: 113, A. gomezae, metasternum, arrow indicating medial metasternal lobe. 114, A. skoliosternum, mesosternum, arrow indicating anterior excavation of mesosternal margin. 115, A. tribulosum, Ƌ left proleg, arrow indicating spine on Ƌ left protrochanter. 116, A. tribulograndum, Ƌ left proleg, arrow indicating spine on Ƌ left procoxa. 117, A. framea, Ƌ left metaleg, arrow indicating broad lobe along anterior margin of Ƌ left metacoxa.

Figs. 118–144. Agathidium concinnum­ and A. oniscoides­group species, left male metafemur, ventral aspect: 118, A. concinnum. 119, A. kimberlae. 120, A. vaderi. 121, A. bituberculum. 122, A. oedema. 123, A. gomezae. 124, A. hidalgoense. 125, A. skoliosternum. 126, A. erythromelas. 127, A. rhamphastes. 128, A. megoniscoides. 129, A. grumum. 130, A. triangularum. 131, A. lobosternum. 132, A. potosii. 133, A. popocatepetlae. 134, A. hyle. 135, A. stenomma. 136, A. tribulosum. 137, A. tribulograndum. 138, A. invisitatum. 139, A. multidentatum. 140, A. sejunctum. 141, A. grandidentatum. 142, A. andersoni. 143, A. disgregum. 144, A. oaxacaense. Bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs. 173–202. Agathidium oniscoides­group species, aedeagus: 173–176, A. vaderi: 173, ventral; 174, median lobe, apex, ventral; 175, median lobe, lateral; 176, left lateral lobe, lateral. 177–180, A. kimberlae: 177, ventral; 178, median lobe, apex, ventral; 179, median lobe, lateral; 180, left lateral lobe, lateral. 181–183, A. bituberculum: 181, ventral; 182, median lobe, lateral; 183, left lateral lobe, lateral. 184–187, A. oedema: 184, ventral; 185, median lobe, apex, ventral; 186, median lobe, lateral; 187, left lateral lobe, lateral. 188–191, A. gomezae: 188, ventral; 189, median lobe, apex, ventral; 190, median lobe, lateral; 191, left lateral lobe, lateral. 192–195, A. hidalgoense: 192, ventral; 193, median lobe, apex, ventral; 194, median lobe, lateral; 195, left lateral lobe, lateral. 196–198, A. skoliosternum: 196, ventral; 197, median lobe, lateral; 198, left lateral lobe, lateral. 199–202, A. erythromelas: 199, ventral; 200, median lobe, apex, ventral; 201, median lobe, lateral; 202, left lateral lobe, lateral.

Figs. 359, 360. Geographic distribution of Agathidium iota­ and A. oniscoides­group species: 359, A. bituberculum = ^; A. iota = •. 360, A. gomezae = ^; A. hidalgoense = •; A. oedema = -; A. skoliosternum = *.