Microasydates punctipennis ( LeConte, 1866 ) Gimmel & Mayor, 2022

Gimmel, Matthew L. & Mayor, Adriean J., 2022, Revision of Microasydates, New Nearctic Genus of Soft-Winged Flower Beetles (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Dasytinae: Listrini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 76 (4), pp. 537-568 : 547-555

1. Microasydates punctipennis ( LeConte, 1866) , new combination

( Figs. 5 , 13 , 17, 18 , 25 , 29 , 35 , 38 , 42, 43 , 54, 57, 60 , 62 , 64 , 70–72 )

Pristoscelis punctipennis LeConte 1866: 350 , 355; Crotch 1873: 78 (checklist); Henshaw 1885: 80 (list).

Trichochrous punctipennis : Casey 1895: 473, 532; Fall 1897: 234, 237; Fall 1901: 24, 126; Leng 1920: 147 (catalog); Blaisdell 1930: 19 (misidentification; see Remarks); Pic 1937: 95 (catalog).

Type Specimens. Four female syntypes [see Remarks] as follows, all deposited in MCZH: syntype one [damaged, see Remarks] ( Figs. 70–72 ), labeled “Sta \ Cat. [Santa Catalina Island, white handwritten label] // P. (E.) punctipennis \ Lec. [white handwritten label] // Type \ 3504 [red printed and handwritten label] // Aug.-Dec. 2004 \ MCZ Image \ Database [white, black-rimmed printed label] // MCZ-ENT \ 00003504 [white printed barcode label] // SYNTYPE \ Pristoscelis \ punctipennis LeConte, 1866 \ det. Gimmel & Mayor 2022 [red printed label]”; syntype two [damaged, see remarks], labeled “punctipennis 2 [white handwritten label] // MCZ-ENT \ 00732111 [white printed barcode label] // SYNTYPE \ Pristoscelis \ punctipennis LeConte, 1866 \ det. Gimmel & Mayor 2022 [red printed label]”; syntype three [damaged, see Remarks], labeled “punctipennis 3 [white handwritten label] // MCZ-ENT \ 00732112 [white printed barcode label] // SYNTYPE \ Pristoscelis \ punctipennis LeConte, 1866 \ det. Gimmel & Mayor 2022 [red printed label]”; syntype four [damaged, see remarks], labeled “Cal [white printed label // Horn Coll \ 5093 [white printed and handwritten label] // P. \ punctipennis \ Lec. [white handwritten in pencil label] // MCZ-ENT 00732113 [printed barcode label] // SYNTYPE \ Pristoscelis \ punctipennis LeConte, 1866 \ det. Gimmel & Mayor 2022 [red printed label]”.

Diagnosis. The uniformly dark body, appendages, and setae ( Figs. 5 , 13 ); pronotum with a short, tight fringe of lateral setae ( Fig. 17 ); the weakly transverse pronotum, length/width ratio in dorsal aspect ~0.77 ( Fig. 17 ); female pygidium moderately deeply emarginate, with a broad median glabrous area ( Fig. 38 ); median lobe of aedeagus with only two ventral teeth and a subapical bulge in addition to the apical hook ( Fig. 42 ); and a distribution on Santa Catalina Island, California distinguish M. punctipennis from all other species of Microasydates .

Redescription. Body ( Figs. 5 , 13 , 70, 71 ) small, slender; very shiny with slight bronze luster; male head and pronotum with distinct but weak isodiametric microsculpture; elytra with microsculpture even less conspicuous, female pronotum with microsculpture absent, very weakly indicated on head and elytra. Length 1.72–2.11 mm (male mean: 1.79 mm; female mean: 1.97 mm); width 0.67–0.84 mm (male mean: 0.76 mm; female mean: 0.81 mm). Black throughout, including appendages, elytral apices, and all abdominal ventrites (older specimens sometimes with elytra and appendages appearing slightly lighter, dark reddish brown). Pubescence moderately dense, completely reclining, reddish-brown to black, pale setae entirely lacking; pronotal fringe short and not projecting but somewhat loose ( Figs. 17, 18 ); elytral fringe slightly longer, somewhat loose. Punctation shallow and

M. puncfipennis M. sanclemente M. santabarbara M. umbratus collected 15 10 collected 6 8 collected 150 100 collected 400 600

individuals 5 individuals 2 4 individuals 50 individuals 200

....

No 0 No 0 No 0 No 0

JFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASOND

86) Median lobe. Scale bars for Figs. 83–84 = 1 mm; for Fig. 86 = 200 μm.

inconspicuous on head and pronotum, coarser on elytra, punctures separated by about one puncture diameter or less near elytral base but becoming sparser apically. Head: Not enlarged, similar in the sexes, distinctly narrower than pronotum, eyes rounded laterally, bulging; 1.56–1.67 times wider than interocular distance (male mean: 1.63; female mean: 1.61). Antennomeres 5–10 weakly serrate, antennomeres 6 and 8 somewhat reduced, antennomeres 9–11 more symmetrical; male antenna short, reaching to near basal one-fourth of pronotum posteriorly, female antenna slightly shorter. ThoraX: Pronotum ( Figs. 17, 18 ) wider than long, not appearing transverse, 0.74–0.79 times as long as wide (male mean: 0.78; female mean: 0.77); widest at middle; lateral edges straight and diverging to middle in basal half, then straight and converging to anterior margin, not constricted, lateral bead very weakly serrate; anterior and posterior angles obsolete, broadly rounded. Elytra moderately elongate, broadly oval, more elongate in female, elytron 3.20–3.83 times as long as wide (male mean: 3.40; female mean: 3.66), elytra at humeri slightly wider than pronotum; elytral epipleuron distinct at base, tapering gradually and becoming obsolete near apex of abdominal ventrite 3 in both sexes, lateral carina barely visible in dorsal view for entire length, not explanate; apical margin broadly rounded, sutural angle absent in male ( Fig. 25 ), weakly present in female, margin very weakly serrulate in both sexes. All tibiae with fine, dark setae along external margin; pro- and mesotibiae with very inconspicuous, short, slender and sparse spines arranged along external margin, spines slightly more conspicuous in female; metatibia of male with weak brush of dense, fine, black setae in apical one-third on inner margin, brush virtually absent in female. Abdomen: Male ventrites 4 and 5 weakly flattened or depressed medially, with transverse field of black spiculate setae (very inconspicuous on the dark abdomen) in apical half medially on ventrite 4, a few black spiculate setae present medio-apically on ventrite 3, black spiculate setae absent from ventrite 5. Pygidium of male with scattered sparse setae, glabrous in ill-defined basal triangle, with apex of pygidium truncate ( Fig. 29 ); female pygidium sparsely setose with wide median glabrous strip ( Fig. 38 ), apex with small, weak, arcuate emargination ( Fig. 35 ). Spiculum gastrale with basal strut long, about half diameter of ring. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 42 ) with apical limb distinctly longer than basal limb, apex short, stout, strongly acute and sharply directed ventrally, ventral margin of apical limb with pair of ventrolateral teeth at same level (near proximal end of apical orifice), with slight ventral bulge between paired teeth and apex; tegmen ( Fig. 43 ) relatively elongate, with slight constriction near base of ring. Female sternite VIII as in Fig. 57 ; spiculum ventrale longer than width of sternite VIII ( Fig. 57 ); ovipositor as in Fig. 60 .

Etymology. The specific epithet is based on the Latin adjective punctipennis , meaning “punctate-winged”, probably in reference to the elytral punctation easily visible in the type series.

Host Plant Associations. No host plant records are available for this species.

Seasonal Distribution. 17 June to 9 July ( Fig. 64 ).

Geographic Distribution. Known only from Santa Catalina Island in the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California ( Fig. 62 ).

Specimens EXamined. Records reported here are based on the examination of 22 specimens. USA: CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles County: Avalon , Santa Catalina Island , 9 July 1910 (1♂, BYU) ; same except Blaisdell Collection (1♂, 1♀, SEMC) ; Santa Catalina Island , 7 August 1898 [“8.7.98”] (4♂♂, 8♀♀, LACM) ; same except 13 July 1913 (1♂, 1♀, UCRC) ; Santa Catalina Island, Ben Weston Beach, 33.368 0, −118.4812, 17 June 2008, Caterino and Chatzimanolis (1♂, SBMNH) ; Santa Catalina Island (syntypes, 4♀♀, MCZH) .

Remarks. LeConte (1866: 355) mentioned “ five specimens in bad condition” all from “Santa Catalina Island, California ”. Only four female syntype specimens were found in the MCZH collection. The whereabouts of the one missing syntype are unknown.

The four syntypes are damaged as follows: female syntype one missing both forelegs, except coxae; both middle legs except left coxa, trochanter and femur; hind legs missing left tibia and tarsus, and right tarsus; most setae on dorsal surface abrad- ed, but some dark setae are visible on head and at pronotal margins; female syntype two missing right foreleg except coxa; left hind leg missing tarsus; most setae on dorsal surface abraded, but some dark setae are visible on head and pronotum; female syntype three missing left foreleg; most setae on dorsal surface abraded, but some dark setae are visible on head, pronotum, and elytra; female syntype four missing both front legs except coxae; right middle tarsus detached and embedded in glue; left hind tibia and tarsus missing; setae on dorsal surface abraded, but some dark setae are visible on head, pronotum and elytra. Even though the syntypes are damaged, the species is easily recognized (see Diagnosis) and restricted to Santa Catalina Island, so it was not felt necessary to designate a lectotype.

The syntype in the Horn collection is labeled only “Cal”. However, from what is visible it possesses all of the distinguishing characters defining M. punctipennis , and we believe it originated on Santa Catalina Island , California .

Blaisdell’s (1930: 19) published record of this species from a series of 14 specimens from Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, collected 19 July 1924 by Warwick Benedict of the University of Kansas, was based on a misidentification. MLG examined seven specimens from this series (deposited in SEMC) and determined them to be Asydates kumeyaay Mayor and Gimmel, 2019 .

Figures

Figs. 5–8. Dorsal habitus of male Microasydates, new genus. 5) M. punctipennis (SBMNHENT0080249); 6) M. sanclemente, new species (holotype; SBMNHENT0079371); 7) M. santabarbara, new species, patterned form; 8) M. umbratus, “umbratus” form (specimen from Shasta Co., CA). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs. 13–16. Dorsal habitus of female Microasydates, new genus. 13) M. punctipennis (LACMENT540887); 14) M. sanclemente, new species (SBMNHENT0079368); 15) M. santabarbara, new species; 16) M. umbratus. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs. 17–24. Pronota of Microasydates, new genus. M. punctipennis: 17) Male; 18) Female. M. sanclemente, new species: 19) Male; 20) Female. M. santabarbara, new species: 21) Male; 22) Female. M. umbratus: 23) Male; 24) Female.

Figs. 25–28. Elytral apices of male Microasydates, new genus. 25) M. punctipennis; 26) M. sanclemente, new species; 27) M. santabarbara, new species; 28) M. umbratus.

Figs. 29–32. Pygidia with attached sternite VIII of male Microasydates, new genus in glycerol. 29) M. punctipennis; 30) M. sanclemente, new species; 31) M. santabarbara, new species; 32) M. umbratus. Scale bars = 200 μm.

Figs. 35–37. Female pygidia of Microasydates, new genus in glycerol showing degree of apical emargination. 35) M. punctipennis; 36) M. santabarbara, new species; 37) M. umbratus. Scale bars = 200 μm.

Figs. 38–41. Female pygidia of Microasydates, new genus showing pubescence. 38) M. punctipennis;

Figs. 42–53. Median lobe (lateral view) and tegmen (ventral view) for male Microasydates, new genus in glycerol. M. punctipennis: 42) Median lobe; 43) Tegmen. M. sanclemente, new species: 44) Median lobe; 45) Tegmen. M. santabarbara, new species, specimen from Santa Ynez Mountains, CA: 46) Median lobe; 47) Tegmen. M. santabarbara, new species, specimen from Santa Cruz Island, CA: 48) Median lobe; 49) Tegmen. M. umbratus, specimen from Shasta Co., CA: 50) Median lobe; 51) Tegmen. M. umbratus, specimen from Juab Co., UT: 52) Median lobe; 53) Tegmen. Scale bars = 200 μm.

Figs. 54–61. Abdominal structures of female Microasydates, new genus in glycerol. Abdominal ventrites 4 and 5: 54) M. punctipennis; 55) M. santabarbara, new species; 56) M. umbratus. Sternite VIII with strut (spiculum ventrale): 57) M. punctipennis; 58) M. santabarbara, new species; 59) M. umbratus. Ovipositor: 60) M. punctipennis; 61) M. santabarbara, new species. Scale bars for Figs. 54–56 = 200 μm; for Figs. 57–61 = 500 μm.

Figs. 62–63. Distribution maps for species of Microasydates, new genus. 62) M. punctipennis (green squares), M. sanclemente, new species (red triangles), and M. santabarbara, new species (blue circles); 63) M. umbratus (black circles).

Fig. 64. Seasonalities of adult Microasydates, new genus species by month, based on collection records in the Specimens Examined sections.

Figs. 70–72. Female syntype of Pristoscelis punctipennis. 70) Dorsal habitus; 71) Lateral habitus; 72) Labels. Images courtesy of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (© President and Fellows of Harvard College).

Figs. 83–86. Male lectotype of Trichochrous suffusus. 83) Dorsal habitus; 84) Lateral habitus; 85) Labels;