Agnosthaetus thayerae 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 : 60-62

(27) Agnosthaetus thayerae Clarke , new species

( Figs. 165 , 167–168 , Map 6 )

Type Material. Holotype. ♂, with three labels:

“ Ahuriri V., 761 m., Otago | 23.i.1966, J.I. Townsend ,

in| forest, moss 66/44/ FMNH-INS 0000 048 449 / HOLOTYPE Agnosthaetus thayerae Clarke , ♂, design. D. Clarke 2011”, in NZAC. Paratypes. 22 specimens (15♂ 7♀). NEW ZEALAND: South Island: CO: Danseys Pass , 44°58.566′S, 170°29.28′E [coord.= Danseys Pass], 9.xi.1968, 68/165, moss, J.I. Townsend, 2♀, FMNH-INS 38428–429 (in NZAC) ; Danseys Pass , rd. summit, 915 m, 44°57.107′S, 170°22.312′E, 11.i.2009, moss & tussock litter, J.T. Nunn, 1♂, 1♀ (in JTNC) ; Danseys Pass , summit, 900 m, 44°57.161′S, 170°22.31′E, 6.ii.2005, J.T. Nunn, 1♂, FMNH-INS 19723 (in JTNC) ; CO/DN: Mt. Bitterness , 1219 m, 44°45.36′S, 170°18.18′E, 12.i.1971, 71/16, litter, J.S. Dugdale, 1♂ (in NZAC) ; DN: Otago, Mt. Watkins, Waikouaiti , 44°29.64′S, 168°21.54′E [coord.= Watkins Hill], 5.ix.1968, 68/106, litter, J.S. Dugdale, 1♂ (in NZAC) ; Silverpeaks, The Tunnels , 2.vi.2001, in moss and litter near stream, J.T. Nunn, 1♂, FMNH-INS 19715 (in JTNC) ; MK: Ahuriri Valley, Omarama , 762 m, 44°29′6″S, 169°57′16″E [coord.= Omarama], 23.i.1966, 66/46, moss, J.I. Townsend, 1♀ 1♂, 1♀, FMNH-INS 48447–448 (in NZAC) ; Ohau Range, Ohau Skifield , 1480 m, 44°13.417′S, 69°46.738′E, 10.iii.2007, in damp streamside moss and turf, J.T. Nunn, 5♂, FMNH-INS 19373 (in JTNC) ; 14.ii.2007, tussock litter, J.T. Nunn, 1♂, 1♀, FMNH-INS 48252–253 (in JTNC) ; OL: Hawea, Kidds Bush , 44°26.64′S, 169°16.08′E, 28.i.1973, 73/29, litter, J.C. Watt, 1♂, FMNH-INS 48450 (in NZAC) ; Lake Hawea, Hunter Valley Rd., Sawyer Burn , 400 m, ANMT 737, 44°26′S, 169°16′E, Nothofagus solandri forest, 13.i.1985, FMHD#85-470, litter, forest, Berl., A. Newton & M. Thayer, 2♂, FMNH-INS 38435–436 (in FMNH) ; SC: Mount Studholme , 1065 m, 44°38.528′S, 170°54.611′E, 1.ii.2007, tussock litter, J.T. Nunn, 1♀ (in JTNC) .

Diagnosis. In addition to the characters mentioned in the diagnosis of the thayerae speciesgroup, A. thayerae may be distinguished from A. newtoni by the combination of labrum without distinct medial ridge, medial oblique labral setae present ( Fig. 20 , mo), and median lobe with rounded apex, without apicolateral teeth ( Fig. 167 , cf. Fig. 169 ).

Description. Color: Reddish brown, with abdominal segments VI and VII sometimes darker. Head: Frontal ridge absent. Dorsum sparsely punctate; with punctures distributed over entire surface except for small medial impunctate region. Punctures deep, well-defined; diameter subequal to or slightly greater than diameter of eye facet; interpuncture distance mostly less than half puncture diameter. Dorsal microsculpture present on entire or most of surface; distinctly reticulate, fainter posteriorly. Dorsal tentorial sulcus (cf. Figs. 10–11 , dt) distinctly slit-like; width subequal to or less than puncture diameter. Sublongitudinal ridge (cf. Fig. 10 , sr) distinct; confused by punctures; crest at antennal tubercle with distinct microsculpture. Area above and behind antenno-ocular carina ( Figs. 10–11 , arrow) with single subsidiary carina formed by confluent punctures. Antenno-ocular carina joining eye at about middle. Temple ( Fig. 11 , tm) short, less than 50% EYL. Subocular surface more or less evenly microsculptured (cf. Fig. 65 ). Labrum with medial blunt carina; distinctly sexually dimorphic ( Fig. 165 ). Apical labral margin in males broadly convex, smooth mesially, dentate only laterally, with 6–11 teeth (n =7), all teeth normal, projecting more or less anteriorly. Apical labral margin in females broadly convex, not emarginate medially; with 19–23 teeth (n =2), all teeth subequal in length. Medial oblique labral setae (cf. Fig. 20 ) present. Adoral labral surface in males with subapical transverse ridge ( Fig. 165 , arrow). Mandible sexually dimorphic; males with 2 mesal teeth, 1 directed dorsally and 1 mesially (cf. Fig. 189 , arrow), without preapical spur (cf. Fig. 189 ); females with single, mesially projecting tooth, without spur. Labium angulate anterolaterally. Prothorax: Pronotum with distinctly reticulate microsculpture. Medial pronotal sulci anteriorly separate from and terminating posterior to anterior punctures. Distance between medial sulci subequal along entire length, or 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, set in distinct punctures; laterally with two ridges (cf. Fig. 88 , ek, 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. Abdominal sternite IV of male with surface glabrous and slightly impressed apicomedially; V with surface glabrous and impressed apicomedially, flanked by coarse acuminate setae; VI with surface subglabrous apicomedially. Aedeagus ( Fig. 167 ): “ Type B” (see description on p. 8). Apical part of median lobe gradually curving to small medial tooth at apex.Apicolateral setae small; apicomedial setae up to 5X longer than apicolateral setae ( Fig. 168 ). Paramere extending to about level of median lobe apex; in lateral view produced apically into lobe; with apical part perpendicular to median lobe; in dorsal view with outer side gently convex; with 4 small setae arranged in a line subapically.

Etymology. The name thayerae is a noun in the genitive case, honoring Margaret Thayer in recognition of her contributions to rove beetle systematics and evolution, particularly in the omaliine group of subfamilies, and also for her personal contributions to the intellectual development of the author.

Distribution. ( Map 6 ). South Island: CO; MK; OL; SC.

Biology and Ecology. Habitat: Nothofagus forest. Specimens have been taken from moss and a variety of leaf litter. Phenology: September–March. Elevation: 400–1,480 m.

Remarks. Though available specimens are all more or less uniformly light brown, not as large as A. newtoni , and with much shorter, non-swirled, and more appressed abdominal vestiture, these characters are not generally reliable as they overlap with that species or can be difficult to interpret without A. newtoni specimens on hand. Additionally, the medial pronotal sulcus is much straighter than in A. newtoni (and the inter-sulcus distance subequal along entire length of sulci). In the absence of the observable labral characters, this species can be distinguished from A. newtoni by the remarkable and many aedeagal differences (cf. Figs. 167–170 ).

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. 165–166. Male (upper) and female (lower) labra of species in the Agnosthaetus thayerae species-group, dorsal

Figs. 167–168. Agnosthaetus thayerae. 167) Aedeagus, dorsal (left) and right lateral (right) views; 168) Apex of median lobe, ventral view. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 14–20. Agnosthaetus brounides. 14) Head capsule, dorsal view; 15) Head capsule, ventral view; 16) Mandibles, dorsal view; 17) Right antenna, dorsal view; 18) Right maxilla, ventral view; 19) Labium, ventral view; 20) Labrum, dorsal view. Notes: A. brounides lacks the mo setae; circular dotted region between the mo setae indicates position of the adoral glandular pit, which from above is frequently visible as a darker region. Scale bars = 100 mm.

Figs. 169–170. Agnosthaetus newtoni. 169) Aedeagus, dorsal (left) and right lateral (right) views; 170) Apex of median lobe, ventral view. 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;