Pristoderus cornutus Turco & Ślipiński, 2012

Turco, Federica, Ślipiński, Adam & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Australian Pristoderus Hope (Coleoptera, Zopheridae), Zootaxa 3239, pp. 1-34 : 23

Pristoderus cornutus Turco & Ślipiński sp. n.

( Figs 3b , 5b, 7b)

Types. Holotype: Australia: Queensland: Mossman Bluff Track 9km W Mossman, 1000m, 20–24.xii.1989, Monteith , Thompson & ANZSES [Ga: 16.459S 145.285E] ( QMBA, T169597 , QM PHOTOS PS1720).

Paratypes: same data as holotype (2, QMBA, T 169598-9) .

Other specimens examined. Queensland: Bellenden Ker Range , 1 km S of Cable Tower 6, 17 Oct–5 Nov 1981, 500m, EARTHWATCH/QLD MUSEUM, Pyrethrum knockdown [GE: 17.275S 145.867E] (1, QMBA); 20°20’S 148°45’E, Mt Hayward, 350m, 20 Nov 1992 –mid Apr 1993, D. Cook & G.B. Monteith, RF, Intercept & Pitfalls (1, QMBA); 19.07S 145.23E, Mt Halifax, SE Ridge, 20 Mar 1991, 950m, G. Monteith & D. Cook, Pyrethrum , logs & trees (1, QMBA); 18.55S 146.09E, Mt Spec, S3, 880m, 6 Feb–9 Mar 1995, M. Cermak, FI Traps (1, ANIC).

Diagnosis. Pristoderus cornutus is similar to P. saccharatus and the Papuan P. phytophtorus having a narrow and semicircular lateral pronotal notch. Pronotal notch in P. saccharatus is almost closed, while is distinctly open in the remaining two species. P. cornutus can be distinguished from P. phytophtorus in having the elytral crest along 3rd interval uneven in lateral aspect, with apical portion distinctly raised, and the body comparatively stouter.

Description. Body length: 7.7–10.1 mm.

Body convex, about 1.5–2 times as long as wide (ratio max length/max width: 1.80–1.88); colour brown, often darker in central and apical part of elytra; vestiture of short, recumbent whitish setae, longer and more erect on pronotum (particularly on median process), holding a coat of dirt.

Head transverse; eyes protruding lacking interfacetal setae; long and fine setae just posterior to eyes; supraorbital carina raised and indented, with a distinct upwardly directed, pointed tubercle at posterior end above the eye; supra-antennal carina distinctly raised, frontal edge indented; antennal insertion frontal, just below the edge of supra-antennal carina; antennae 11-segmented with a distinct 3-segmented club; antennomere I slightly elongate, about as long as III; II subspherical; III distinctly longer than II; IV–VIII from subcylindrical to subspherical gradually decreasing in length; IX–XI distinctly transverse to form a rather loose club.

Pronotum distinctly transverse (pronotal length/width: 0.49–0.60), as wide as elytra; dorsal median process anteriorly prominent but short, not reaching anterior margin of head, just reaching anterior pronotal angles, strongly sloping in lateral view with pointed tubercles on dorsal edge; antero-lateral margins widely lobate (7–8 lobes), expanded posteriorly to form a circular, lateral notch; two admedian upwardly pointed tubercles in middle.

Elytra 1.2 times as long as wide, with straight lateral margins and distinctly indented margins; strongly prominent tubercles along 3rd and 5th intervals; 3rd interval with variable tubercles in size and shape, joined to form a crest, weakly zigzag ; proximal third of crest convergent, ridge-shaped; apical tubercle distinctly raised, with edge sharply indented, pointing upwards; 5th interval with basal tubercle larger than others on same interval, with pointed edge.

Etymology. The name of this species is a masculine adjective from Latin cornutus = provided with horns. It refers to the strongly pointed tubercles on elytra, particularly when compared to P. saccharatus and the Papuan P. phytophtorus , which are the most similar species.

Distribution and habitat occurrence. NE Queensland ( Fig. 14 a); upland tropical rainforest with one record of lowland tropical rainforest (Mt Hayward at 350m above sea level).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Group of P. sa cc ha ra tu s, habitus dorsal: a. P. ch lo reus; b. P. co rn utu s; c. P. duvalensis; d. P. monteithi; e. P. occultus; f. P. saccharatus; g. P. sp in osu s; h. P. tomentosus; i. P. zig zag.

FIGURE 14. Distribution maps: a. P. c o r n u t u s; b. P. occultus; c. P. saccharatus.