Renodesta ramsdalei, 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 ramsdalei new species

( Figs. 2 , 3B , 4 , 5C–D , 6C–D )

Diagnosis. Funicle slender with antennomere 3 about 1.3 times the length of antennomere 2 ( Fig. 5C ). Sides of the prosternal process parallel ( Fig. 5D ). Aedeagus in lateral view with apex of phallobase ventrally oriented and penis narrower than its base as posterior quarter ( Fig. 6C–D ).

Description. Length (n 5 7) 4.10–4.45 mm. Body about 1.85 times as long as wide (BL/EW 5 1.81–1.93), and greatest depth about 0.68 times as great as elytral width (GD/EW 5 0.67–0.70). Overall color light to tan brown; antennae, mouthparts, and legs yellowish-brown in darker specimens. Dorsal vestiture of suberect setae on pronotum, biseriate on elytra and composed of suberect and decumbent setae that are more or less the same lengths; longest setae at posterior end of elytra about as long as antennal club; setae on ventral surfaces slightly shorter and appressed. Punctation relatively coarse on all surfaces: punctures of head with diameters half that of those on the pronotum and separated by about K their diameter; punctures of pronotum anterior to the transverse stria separated by 1 diameter or less, punctures posterior to transverse stria separated by up to 3 diameters, shallower and less dense at middle; elytral punctation similar to that present in the posterior portion of the pronotum. Antennomere ratios 2.75:3:3:1:1:1:1:1.25:1.5:5.5; funicle slender with antennomere 3 about 1.3 times the length of antennomere 2. Pronotum about 0.61 times as long as wide (PL/PW 5 0.58–0.63). Elytra about 1.33 times as long as wide (EL/EW 5 1.28–1.32) and about 2.53 times as long as pronotum (EL/PL 5 2.34–2.69). Sides of the prosternal process parallel. Aedeagus in lateral view with apex of phallobase ventrally oriented and penis narrower than its base as posterior quarter.

Remarks. As discussed above, R. ramsdalei has a nearly parallel-sided prosternal process ( Fig. 5D ), and its antennomere 3 is about 1.3 times the length of antennomere 2, the funicle in total being relatively slender ( Fig. 5C ). The apex of the penis in this species is (in lateral view) pointed ventrally and deflected anteriorly ( Fig. 6C–D ) The two are otherwise extremely similar, and adequately characterized by the generic description.

Etymology. We dedicate this species to the memory of Alistair Ramsdale, formerly a graduate student of Montana State University, who assisted in the collection of the type series.

Type Material. Holotype: ‘‘ CA: Santa Barbara Co., 34.4855 ° N 120.1423 ° W, Arroyo Hondo Preserve, iv.8.2006, Platanus litter, Caterino & Ramsdale’ ’/ ‘‘ CA BEETLE PROJ, CBP0044721 ’’; deposited in SBMN.

Paratypes (total 24). 14: same data as type, CBP0008160 (gold coated for SEM) , CBP0071095 (DNA extraction voucher MSC-1456) , CBP0044734 , CBP0044729 , CBP0078326 , CBP0078327 , CBP0078328 , CBP0078329 , CBP0078330 ; 7: ‘‘ California: Santa Barbara Co. Arroyo Hondo Preserve, 34.4855 ° N 120.1423 ° W, 08 April 2006, Ramsdale & Caterino leg., berlese Quercus sp. debris & litter’’. 1: ‘‘ CA : Santa Barbara Co., 34.4833 ° N 120.1428 ° W, Arroyo Hondo Preserve, 25 mi. W Sta.Barbara , i.1.2003, M. Caterino, sifted Quercus litter’’, CBP0003795 ; 1: ‘‘ CA: Santa Barbara Co., 34.4833 ° N 120.1428 ° W, Arroyo Hondo Preserve, 25 mi. W Sta.Barbara , i.8.2003, M. Caterino, sifted Quercus litter’’, CBP0004774 ; 1: ‘‘ CA: Santa Barbara Co., 34.5145 ° N 119.8015 ° W, LPNF : E. Camino Cielo, xi.22-xii.5.2003, M. Caterino, unbaited pitfall’’, CBP0016536 ; deposited in CASC, CJC, MTEC, NZAC, 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.