Renodesta stephani, Caterino & Leschen & Johnson, 2008

Caterino, Michael S., Leschen, Richard A. B. & Johnson, Colin, 2008, A New Genus of Caenoscelini (Cryptophagidae: Cryptophaginae) from California, with Two New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 62 (4), pp. 509-523 : 509-523

Renodesta stephani new species

( Figs. 2 , 3A, C , 4 , 5A–B , 6A–B )

Diagnosis. Funicle relatively compact with antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal ( Fig. 5A ). Sides of the prosternal process converging anteriorly ( Fig. 5B ). Aedeagus in lateral view with apex of phallobase obliquely oriented and penis about as wide as base of posterior quarter ( Fig. 6A–B ).

Description. Length 1.19–1.44 mm (n 5 10). Body about 1.85 times as long as wide (BL/EW 5 1.81–2.00), and greatest depth about 0.70 times as great as elytral width (GD/EW 5 0.68–0.75). Overall color light to tan brown; antennae, mouthparts, and legs yellowish-brown in darker specimens. Dorsal vestiture of decumbent setae on pronotum, biseriate on elytra and composed of suberect and decumbent setae that differ in lengths; longest setae at posterior end of elytra about as long as antennal club (specimens from Big Sur with setae more decumbent and slightly shorter); setae on ventral surfaces slightly shorter and appressed. Punctation relatively coarse on all surfaces: punctures of head with diameters subequal to those on the pronotum and separated by 1 diameter or less; punctures of pronotum anterior to the transverse stria separated by 1–2 diameters, punctures posterior to transverse stria separated by 1–3 diameters; elytral punctation similar to that present in the posterior portion of the pronotum. Antennomere ratios 2.7:2:2:1:1:1:1:1:1.2:4.4; funicle relatively compact with antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal. Pronotum about 0.68 times as long as wide (PL/PW 5 0.68–69). Elytra about 1.31 times as long as wide (EL/EW 5 1.25– 1.39) and about 2.24 times as long as pronotum (EL/PL 5 2.20–2.31). Sides of the prosternal process converging anteriorly. Aedeagus in lateral view with apex of phallobase obliquely oriented and penis about as wide as base of posterior quarter.

Remarks. The two species of Renodesta are easily distinguished. Renodesta stephani has the sides of the prosternal process converging anteriorly ( Fig. 5B ), whereas the prosternal process in R. ramsdalei is nearly or fully parallel-sided ( Fig. 5D ). The antennal funicle of R. stephani is slightly thicker, with the difference most noticeable in a comparison of antennomeres 2 and 3, which are subequal in R. stephani ( Fig. 5A ). In R. ramsdalei antennomere 3 is about 1.3 times as long as antennomere 2 ( Fig. 5C ). The male genitalia of the two are distinct, with the apex of the penis in lateral view pointed ventrally in R. stephani ( Fig. 6A–B ).

Etymology. We take pleasure naming this species for Karl Stephan, who collected the first known specimens of this species near Big Sur, California many years ago (1969).

520 Type material. Holotype: ‘‘ CA: Monterey Co., 36.0178 ° N 121.5962 ° W, UC Big Creek Reserve , Eagle Pt. Tr., iii.27.2004, Ceanothus litter, M. Caterino’ ’/ ‘‘ CA BEETLE PROJ, CBP0018455 ’’; deposited in SBMN.

Paratypes (total 56). 25: same data as type, CBP0043752 (gold coated for SEM) , CBP0018464 , CBP0018465 , CBP0018454 , CBP0018458 , CBP0018457 , CBP0078311 , CBP0078312 , CBP0078313 , CBP0078314 , CBP0078315 , CBP0078316 , CBP0078317 , CBP0078318 , CBP0078319 , CBP0078320 , CBP0078321 , CBP0078322 , CBP0078323 , CBP0078324 , CBP0078325 ; 1: ‘‘CA: Monterey Co., 36.0857 ° N 121.5935 ° W, UC Big Creek Reserve, @ Deer Head Spring , ii.10.2003, M. Caterino, oak/bay litter’’, CBP0005902 ; 1: ‘‘CA: Monterey Co., 36.0772 ° N 121.5923 ° W, UC Big Creek Reserve, Redwood Camp , iii.28.2004, M. Caterino, redwood litter’’, CBP0018436 ; 17: ‘‘CA: Monterey Co., 36.0904 ° N 121.5880 ° W, UC Big Creek Reserve, nr. Boronda Camp , iii.28.2004, M. Caterino, Quercus litter’’, CBP0071172 (DNA extraction voucher MSC-1457) , CBP0018427 , CBP0018433 , CBP0018434 , CBP0018429 , CBP0078299 , CBP0078300 , CBP0078301 , CBP0078302 , CBP0078303 , CBP0078304 , CBP0078305 , CBP0078306 , CBP0078307 , CBP0078308 , CBP0078309 , CBP0078310 ; 5: ‘‘CA: Monterey Co., 36.0712 ° N 121.5854 ° W, UC Big Creek Reserve , ii.14.2006, Caterino & Chatzimanolis, tanoak litter’’, CBP0041604 , CBP0041594 , CBP0041571 , CBP0041576 , CBP0041603 ; 1: ‘‘CA: Monterey Co., 36.0673 ° N 121.5781 ° W, UC Big Creek Reserve, Gamboa Rd. , iii.30.2004, M. Caterino, Quercus litter’’, CBP00018547 ; 6: ‘‘ California, Big Sur , June 16 1969 ’’, Renodesta stephani gen. sp. n. [handwritten], det. C. Johnson 1982; deposited in CASC, CJC, FSCA, NZAC, MMUE, MTEC and SBMN .

Figures

Fig. 2. Map of southern California showing all known localities for species of Renodesta. Stars indicate type localities. A. Renodesta stephani. B. Renodesta ramsdalei.

Fig. 3. SEM micrographs of Renodesta spp. A. R. stephani, dorsal habitus. B. R. ramsdalei, ventral. C. R. stephani, lateral.

Fig. 4. Generic characters of Renodesta spp. A. Mouthparts, ventral view. B. Antennal club (fused antennomeres 10 + 11), ventral. C. Antennal groove in prosternum, ventral. D. Abdomen, ventral. E. Head, anterolateral. F. Pronotum, dorsal. G. Metatarsus, lateral. All scale bars 100 Mm.

Fig. 5. Species level characters of Renodesta spp. A. Antenna of R. stephani, dorsal view. B. Prosternum of R. stephani, ventral. C. Antenna of R. ramsdalei, dorsal. D. Prosternum of R. ramsdalei ventral. All scale bars 100 Mm.

Fig. 6. Aedeagus of Renodesta spp. A. R. stephani, lateral view. B. R. stephani, ventral. C. R. ramsdalei, lateral. D. R. ramsdalei, ventral.