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;