Agnosthaetus sculptus Clarke, 2011

Clarke, Dave J., 2011, A Revision of the New Zealand Endemic Rove Beetle Genus Agnosthaetus Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 10) 2011, pp. 1-118 : 65-66

(30) Agnosthaetus sculptus Clarke , new species

( Figs. 174–176 , Map 6 )

Type Material. Holotype. ♂, with three labels: “ Red Beech litter| Above Long Bay | Banks Peninsula | 1.x.1974 | R. M. Emberson / FMNH-INS 0000 019 075 / HOLOTYPE Agnosthaetus sculptus Clarke , ♂, design. D. Clarke 2011”, in LUNZ.

Paratypes. 9 specimens ( 4♂ 5♀). NEW ZEALAND: South Island: MC: Banks Peninsula, Mt. Sinclair Scen. Res. , 775 m, ANMT 1163, 43°42.977′S, 172°51.098′E, ridgetop mixed broadleaf forest w/emergent Podocarpus totara , 3.xii.2005, FMHD#2005-072, berl., leaf & log litter, M. Thayer, A. Newton, & A. Solodovnikov , 2♂ (in FMNH) ; Banks Peninsula, Mt. Sinclair Scen. Res., 640 m, ANMT 1180, 43°43.349′S, 172°51.628′E, Podocarpus totara - Fuchsia forest w/dense understory, 16.xii.2005, FMHD#2005-109, berl., leaf (mostly) & log litter, A. Solodovnikov & D. Clarke , 1♂, 3♀ (in FMNH) ; Banks Peninsula, Peraki Saddle Scen. Res. , 500 m, ANMT 701, 43°49.338′S, 172°51.706′E, hdwdpodocarp elfin forest, 22.i.1985, FMHD#85-425, litter, forest, Berl. (sifted), A. Newton & M. Thayer , 2♀, FMNH-INS 66674–675 (in FMNH) ; 11.xii.1984, FMHD#85-426, litter, forest, Berl. (unsifted), A. Newton & M. Thayer, 1♂, FMNH- INS 48013 (in FMNH) .

Diagnosis. Agnosthaetus sculptus may be easily distinguished from A. truncatus only by aedeagal characters, including the rhomboidal shape of the apical part of the median lobe, with elongate apicomedial setae ( Fig. 176 ; easily visible in dorsal view: Fig. 175 ), together with the apices of the parameres completely visible in dorsal view.

Description. Color: Variably brownish, with forebody and abdominal segments darker brown to nearly black. Head: Frontal ridge absent. Dorsum sparsely punctate; with punctures distributed anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly on disc, middle part impunctate. Punctures shallow, rather indistinct; diameter subequal to diameter of eye facet; interpuncture distance approximately 0.5–1.0X puncture diameter. Dorsal microsculpture present on entire or most of surface; distinctly reticulate. Dorsal tentorial sulcus ( cf. Figs. 10–11 , dt) broadly ovate; width twice puncture diameter. Sublongitudinal ridge ( cf. Fig. 10 , sr) indistinct, more or less absent; crest at antennal tubercle with distinct microsculpture. Area above and behind antenno-ocular carina ( Figs. 10–11 , arrow) more or less smooth, without subsidiary carinae. Antenno-ocular carina joining eye at or behind middle ( cf. Fig. 10 , ao). Temple ( Fig. 11 , tm) short, much less than 50% EYL. Subocular surface more or less evenly microsculptured ( cf. Fig. 65 ). Labrum distinctly sexually dimorphic ( Fig. 174 ). Apical labral margin in males shallowly emarginate medially, evenly dentate, with 15–16 teeth ( n =4), with 2 broadly rounded, dorsally projecting, transversely oriented medial teeth, with or without up to 3 teeth between them. Apical labral margin in females broadly convex, not emarginate medially; with 19 teeth ( n =1), all teeth subequal in length. Adoral labral surface in males with subapical transverse ridge ( Fig. 174 , arrow). Mandible sexually dimorphic; males with single, dorsally directed tooth, with weakly developed preapical spur ( cf. Fig. 190 , arrow); females with single, mesially projecting tooth, without spur. Prothorax: Pronotum with distinctly reticulate microsculpture. Medial pronotal sulci anteriorly separate from and terminating posterior to anterior punctures. Distance between medial sulci slightly greater posteriorly. Pronotal basolateral carina present, distinct ( cf. Fig. 73 , bp). Pronotal macrosetal punctures distinct ( cf. Fig. 73 ). Medial pronotal seta subequidistant from medial and lateral sulci ( cf. Fig. 73 , mu). Pronotal hypomeron ( Fig. 24 , hy) with distinct reticulate microsculpture. Prosternum with faintly reticulate microsculpture. Pterothorax: Elytron ( Fig. 23 , e) with distinct microsculpture; with 2 macrosetae and inconsistently several others, set in distinct punctures; laterally with 1 or 2 ridges ( cf. Fig. 88 , ek, with or without mr). Mesothoracic epimeral region ( Fig. 24 , mer) with distinct microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural region ( Fig. 24 , m) with distinct reticulate microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural ridge present ( cf. Fig. 88 , mp), fully developed; metathoracic pleural groove ( Fig. 24 , gr) incomplete posteriorly, forming elongate oval punctiform impression. Abdomen: Abdominal vestiture short, somewhat appressed, dorsally more or less evenly projecting posteriorly but with middle setae directed posteromedially. Aedeagus ( Fig. 175 ): “ Type B” (see description on p. 8). Apical part of median lobe sub-rhomboidal, narrowly waisted at base and forming broadly rounded lateral lobes; gradually produced into acute, sharp point. Apicolateral setae small; apicomedial setae up to 10X longer than apicolateral setae ( Fig. 176 ). Paramere not exceeding apex of median lobe; in lateral view produced apically into lobe; with apical part perpendicular to median lobe (and entirely visible in dorsal view); in dorsal view with outer side more or less straight; with 2 setae on ventral edge, and 2 on mesal side.

Etymology. The specific epithet sculptus (-a, -um) is an adjective from Latin meaning carved, and refers to the very distinctive microsculpture on the head, pronotum, and elytra of this species.

Distribution. ( Map 6 ). South Island: MC.

Figures

Map 6. Geographic distribution of all georeferenced specimens in the Agnosthaetus imitator (South Island species), Agnosthaetus vicinus, Agnosthaetus thayerae, and Agnosthaetus truncatus species-groups. Diamonds = A. vicinus; stars = A. sculptus; squares = A. truncatus; triangles = A. thayerae; white circles = A. newtoni; black circle = A. kaikoura.

Figs. 171–176. Male (upper) and female (lower) labra, dorsal (anterior margin) view, and aedeagi, dorsal (left) and right lateral (right) views, of species in the Agnosthaetus truncatus species-group. 171–173) A. truncatus; 174–176) A. sculptus. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 10–13. Head capsules of Agnosthaetus spp. 10) A. stilbus; 11) A. rodmani; 12) A. brouni; 13) A. chiasma. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 63–68. Heads of Agnosthaetus spp., ventral view. 63) A. brouni; 64) A. stilbus, oblique view; 65) A. chiasma;

Figs. 189–194. Mandibles of Agnosthaetus spp., dorsal view (189–193, left; 194, right). 189) A. newtoni; 190) A. falx; 191) A. stenomastax; 192) A. heteromastax (Rakeahua Valley); 193) A. heteromastax (Big South Cape Island); 194) A. heteromastax (Twilight Bay). Scale bar = 100 mm.

Figs. 69–74. Pronota of Agnosthaetus spp. 69) A. chiasma; 70) A. rodmani; 71) A. heteromastax; 72) A. stenomastax;

Figs. 23–24. Agnosthaetus cariniceps, thorax. 23) Dorsal view; 24) Left lateral view. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 83–88. Pterothoraces of Agnosthaetus spp., right lateral view. 83) A. lanceolatus; 84) A. stilbus; 85) A. chiasma;