Pristoderus occidentalis Turco & Ślipiński, 2012

Turco, Federica, Ślipiński, Adam & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Australian Pristoderus Hope (Coleoptera, Zopheridae), Zootaxa 3239, pp. 1-34 : 15-16

Pristoderus occidentalis Turco & Ślipiński sp. n.

( Figs 2 e, 4e, 6e, 8e)

Types. Holotype: Australia, Henbury Stn. H.O. Fletcher & W. Barnes [Ga: 24.552S 133.249E] ( AM, K324325 ). Paratypes: Western Australia, 10 km ESE Meedo HS, B. Hanich & T.F. Houston [ Ga : 25.664S 114.627E] (2, WAM); 31.07S 121.24E, WA, 29 km SEE of Coolgardie , 5.v.1983, E.S. Nielsen and E.D. Edwards (1, ANIC).

Diagnosis. Among the species with pronotal edges smooth or microdenticulate, and pronotum widest at middle, this species is similar to P. elongatus and P. queenslandicus , but distinct from the former for the costate elytra lacking distinct tubercles and supraorbital carina only weakly raised; from the latter for the supraorbital carina distinctly sinuate and pronotum more strongly sculptured with a deep groove along anterior edge.

Description. Body length: 7.6–7.7 mm.

Body flattened, elongate (ratio max length/max width: 2.75–2.81); colour dark brown; body vestiture consisting of very short, recumbent whitish setae, denser on pronotum and head; setae sparser and more erect on antennae, dense on club.

Head transverse; supraorbital carina weakly raised and sinuate; supra-antennal carina not raised and edge entire, not indented; eyes protruding with short, squamiform interfacetal setae; angulate protrusion between antennal insertion and eye, visible in lateral view; antennal insertion ventral, just below the edge of supra-antennal carina; antennae 11-segmented with a distinct 3-segmented club; antennomere I rounded, 1.5 times as long as II; II and III subcylindrical; III about as long as II; IV–VIII very short and simple; IX–XI transverse to form a rather loose club.

Pronotum slightly transverse (pronotal length/width: 0.79–0.85), narrower than elytra, without prominent median process; margins microdenticulate; maximum width at middle; anterior angles with one angulate lobe, directed anteriorly; three wide, shallow impressions on disc, one slightly larger median in anterior half, two admedian posterior; deep groove along anterior edge.

Elytra almost twice as long as wide (elytral length/width: 1.86–1.89), with lateral margins straight and smooth; no tubercles on elytra; weak, sharp costae on 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th intervals.

Etymology. The name is a masculine adjective from Latin occidentalis = western. It refers to the distribution of this species, compared with most similar species in the group, P. elongatus and P. queenslandicus , more widely distributed in southern Australia (from WA to Qld).

Distribution and habitat occurrence. W Western Australia and S Northern Territory ( Fig. 11 ); mulga and open Acacia shrubland.

The distribution is based only on four specimens. It is reasonable to assume that this disjunct pattern is due to a lack of sampling and the species may be more widely distributed.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Group of P. interruptus, habitus dorsal: a. P. bellus; b. P. elongatus; c. P. interruptus; d. P. l e a i; e. P. occidentalis; f. P. productus; g. P. pustulosus; h. P. queenslandicus; i. P. repandus.

FIGURE 11. Distribution map of P. occidentalis.