Poophylax villosa Anderson and Fuller, 2005

Anderson, Roy & Fuller, Jennifer, 2005, Poophylax villosa, a New Species of Salpinginae (Coleoptera: Salpingidae) from the Falkland Islands, The Coleopterists Bulletin (London, England) 59 (4), pp. 423-432 : 423-432

Poophylax villosa Anderson and Fuller , new species

( Figs. 1–3 )

Etymology. Named for the pale outstanding pubescence covering the body surface, which gives a villous or hairy appearance and distinguishes this species from its congener P. falklandica .

Typology. Holotype. Falkland Islands Dependencies , East Falkland: Port Harriet (57 8 53 9 W, 51 8 44 9 S), 20/01/1994, J. Fuller, male, pitfall-trapped in tussac Poa flabellata grassland. Deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, U.K., BMNH 2004-238 .

Paratypes Falkland Islands Dependencies, East Falkland: Port Harriet , 12/10/1993 to 17/02/1994, J. Fuller, pitfall-trapped in tussac Poa flabellata grassland, BMNH 2004- 238 (44 exx.) , U. S. National Museum of Natural History , Washington, D.C ., U.S.A., USNM 2035153 (15 exx.) and collection of R. Anderson (6 exx.). East Falkland, Kidney Island : 29/10/1961, M. Holdgate, in tussac, BMNH 1962-450 (3 exx.); 27/10/ 1962, BMNH 1963-56 (3 exx.); 27/10/1963, D. Davidson, in tussac, BMNH 1968-371 (13 exx.). Republic of Argentina, Tierra del Fuego: Estancia Viamonte, 08/1927–02/ 1928, P. W. Reynolds, BMNH 1928-329 (1 ex.); Bahia Buen Sucèso , 23–26/04/1971, O. S. Flint and G. F. Hevel, USNM 2035166 (59 exx.); Isla de los Estados, 23/ 04–23/05/ 1971, O. S. Flint and G. F. Hevel, USNM 2035166 (22 exx.) .

Diagnosis. Closely related to Poophylax falklandica but distinctive in:

– small size (, 4 mm); P. falklandica . 4.5 mm

– less massive fore parts

– quadrate rather than transverse, subparallel-sided pronotum

– pronotum narrower than elytra at shoulders, of similar breadth in P. falklandica

– body strongly pubescent with hairs clearly visible at 3 10 magnification, hairs in P. falkandica short, visible only at higher magnifications

– latero-basal incisions on pronotum absent or much reduced compared to P. falklandica

– fronto-clypeal suture well impressed; evanescent in P. falklandica

– first metatarsal segment as long as segment 2; significantly longer than 2 in P. falklandica

– aedeagus small, 17% of body length; 24% of body length in P. falklandica

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426 show setal insertions.

Parts of a subfossil Poophylax figured by Buckland and Hammond (1997) from the

Falkland Islands closely resemble this species in terms of body proportions, pattern of

puncturation and shape.

Description. Body slender, convex and parallel-sided in both sexes with little consistent difference in size between sexes, but males on average smaller, more parallel-sided and less rounded in lateral profile. Upper surface sparsely microsculptured, glossy and reflective and covered in long, pale, semi-erect hairs varying in length from 0.04 to 0.08 mm ( Fig. 1 ). Hairs visible at 3 10 magnification or less. Ventral surface with more adpressed pubescence of shorter length and of an even, dark brown, with only lateral margins of pronotum lighter in some specimens. Upper surface yellowish to reddish-yellow in color with dark pronotal margins and a dark line along the elytral suture. Puncturation of dorsum strong and deep, also setate, with the hairs inserted on anterior margins of punctures ( Fig. 2 ). Legs stout and reddish-yellow. Body length, 2.5–4.0 mm.

Head capsule transverse and of even width with strongly convex eyes which stand out laterally. Labrum cordiform and slightly transverse with apical margin emarginate. Mentum strongly

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Terms of Use: https://bioone.org/terms-of-use Access provided by The Coleopterists Society transverse and mandibles lacking a mola. Terminal joints of the maxillary palpi short, oval, stout and obliquely truncate at tip. All appendages yellow. Antennae clavate, widening towards the apex but without a discernible club, but last three segments slightly broader than those preceding. Antennal length much shorter than head and pronotum combined with segments 3–6 slightly elongate, the remainder quadrate. Antennal insertions partly hidden by the frontal ridges. Frontal ridges running in an almost straight line from front of eyes. Frons depressed apically with a forwardly directed but ill-defined, U-shaped groove. Fronto-clypeal suture well impressed with front margin of the frons bordered by a fine bead. Centre of frons diffusely punctured and smooth, but scarcely raised. Puncturation of head capsule strong and moderately close, becoming closer and more rugose inside and behind eyes where interpunctal spaces are less than the diameter of punctures.

Pronotum sub-cordiform, quadrate (i.e., ratio of length to breadth ¼ 1.00), broadest near the middle, and at its widest point narrower than elytra at shoulders, but narrowing only shallowly to base. Apical margins bordered by a thin bead, with a broader bead on hind margin and sides immarginate. Puncturation strong and moderately close save for a narrow, unpunctured line running down the centre, and for the sides, where closer. Scutellum considerably reduced and very transverse, about 4 times broader than long. Procoxal cavities open behind and between them the prosternal process narrowing strongly, expanding to a small projecting tooth. Cavities closed in front by a closely adpressed sinuous ridge.

Elytra paler than the forebody with strongly punctate and regular striae but puncturation often irregular close to the elytral apex. Scutellar area irregularly punctured with traces of an abbreviated scutellar stria. Five complete, regular striae between the elytral suture and shoulder ( Fig. 2 ).

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428 Contrary to indications in Figure 2 , inter-strial intervals narrower than the diameter of the strial punctures when viewed by visible light from above. Intervals convex. Hairs sub-erect, directed to the rear and moderately long centrally (0.04–0.08 mm) but up to 0.11 mm long towards the apex and longer, fully erect (0.13–0.21 mm) on the three outer intervals (Plate 2). Ventrally puncturation close and slightly rugose with pubescence of moderate length and closely adpressed. Elytral epipleura wide at the shoulders but narrowing rapidly and evanescent two-thirds the distance to the sutural angle. Apterous. Ratio of elytral length (from shoulder) to pronotal length 2.67:1.

Legs short and stout with tarsal formula 5:5:4. Pro and mesotarsi with three broad and excavate, ventrally pilose basal joints and metatarsi with two. Penultimate joint much narrower, shorter and of simple construction. Antepenultimate joints broadest and nearly bilobate ventrally. Metatarsal claw joint equal or just subequal to joints 1–3. First metatarsal joint of same length or slightly longer than second joint.

Aedeagus 0.6 mm long (n ¼ 6). Parameres fused and parallel-sided, tapering strongly close to the apex to form rounded ‘shoulders’ ( Fig. 3 ). Sides between ‘shoulders’ and apex shallowly concave. A slender median lobe sits astride the parameres on their ventral face and is attached to a basal piece. Tegmen lacks parameral lobes.

External Variation. Pronotal width in relation to elytral width variable but mostly

narrower than the elytra at the shoulders. Coloration variable and dark sutural line on

the elytra often expanded laterally to form broad central spots or a more diffuse dark

coloration. In some specimens upper surface suffused with darker pigment though

never as dark as the venter.

Figures

Fig. 1. Whole body SEM of a paratype of Poophylax villosa from Port Harriet, East Falkland.

Fig. 2. Close-up of the shoulder region of Poophylax villosa, Port Harriet, East Falkland, to

Figs. 3–4. Median lobes of the aedeagi. 3) A paratype of Poophylax villosa from Port Harriet, East Falkland; 4) An example of Poophylax falklandica from the Coastal Ridge, West Falkland. Pa ¼ parameres, Me ¼ median lobe, Bp ¼ basal piece. Scale bar ¼ 0.25 mm.