Myrmecoplectus attenuatus Nomura and Leschen, 2015

Nomura, Shûhei & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2015, Myrmecophilous Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from New Zealand, The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (1), pp. 121-152 : 121-152

Myrmecoplectus attenuatus Nomura and Leschen , new species

( Figs. 4B ; 7B, F–H )

Description. Female. Body length 2.30 mm, width 0.76 mm, antennal length 0.76 mm. Very similar to M. wellingtonicus in general aspect but separable by the following characters: abdominal tergite VIII short and transverse, conically projecting posteriad, attenuate in lateral view (arrow in Fig. 7B, F ); sternite VIII wider than that of M. wellingtonicus , transverse and triangular ( Fig. 7G ); genital plate transverse, sclerotized in middle part ( Fig. 7H ). Antennae very similar to female antenna of M. wellingtonicus , relative length (width) of each antennomere from base to apex to width of antennomere I: 0.9 (1.0); 0.9 (0.9); 0.7 (0.8); 0.6 (0.8); 0.6 (0.8); 0.6 (0.9); 0.6 (0.9); 0.7 (0.9); 0.7 (1.0); 0.9 (1.2); 1.8 (1.4).

Remarks. Myrmecoplectus attenuatus is known from a single female specimen. It can be distinguished from M. wellingtonicus by having an attenuate abdominal tergite VIII. This species was collected with ants in rotten wood (ant voucher was not taken).

Distribution. North Island. Coromandel (CL).

Specimen Examined. Holotype, female, Square Kauri Tk (ant nest), Coromandel Rng. [CL], 3. xi. 2005, S. Nomura leg. // HOLOTYPE Staphylinidae , Pselaphinae Myrmecoplectus attenuatus Nomura et Leschen, 2014 S. Nomura det., 2013 [red label].

Parkerola Nomura and Leschen , new genus ( Figs. 8 , 9 A, C, E, G , 10 , 11 , 23B )

Type species: Dalma gigantea Broun 1914:164 , herein designated.

Diagnosis. Body large, stout (2.76–3.28 mm), reddish colored and shiny ( Fig. 8 ). Head narrower than prothorax and nearly trapezoidal, strongly convex at antennal tubercles, with shallow concavity at middle of vertex, shallowly excavated around asetose tentorial pits, covered with short setae on dorsal surface; posterior constriction not notched and lacking lateral fovea; postgenae large, venter bearded, with setae apically modified ( Fig. 10B ). Eyes well-developed, hemispherical and visible in dorsal view. Antennae short, slender in basal part, antennomere IX strongly thickened in male ( Fig. 9A ), small, subglobose in female with insertions hidden in dorsal view; antennal tubercles well-developed.

Pronotum transverse, with pair of lateral projections near middle, pair of large and arcuate excavations just behind lateral projections, 3 longitudinal sulci, and transverse antebasal sulcus in form of a concavity, covered with short setae on dorsal surface ( Fig. 9C ). Elytra convex dorsally; each elytron with 4 basal foveae and 2 longitudinal sulci ( Figs. 9G , 10F ). Prosternum with welldeveloped median longitudinal carina, lateral carinae absent. Ventral foveae simple, those present as follows: gula (head); lateral procoxal (prosternum); lateral mesoventral, separate median mesoventral, and lateral mesocoxal (mesoventrite); lateral metaventral (metaventrite); basolateral (abdominal sternite III). Legs short and stout; 2 tarsal claws present, 1 minute. Legs without sexual modification.

Abdomen large, about as long and wide as elytra; segments IV–VII subequal in length; paratergites clearly separated; sternite III short ( Fig. 10H ). Male genitalia asymmetrical, bulbous at base ( Fig. 11D, E ).

Remarks. This new genus is established for P. gigantea (Broun) , originally described as a member of the genus Dalma Sharp. Though sharing some characters, such as a shortened antennomere 10 in males ( Fig. 9A, B ), Parkerola is easily separated from Dalma by the larger body that is sparsely covered with short setae on the head, pronotum, and basal part of the elytra (with long setae in Dalma ), the pronotum with a pair of large and arcuate excavations just behind the lateral projections (lacking in Dalma ), and the elytra with four basal foveae (three in Dalma ) ( Fig. 9D, F, H ). The genus Dalma currently includes three other species, and the composition of this genus with respect to other euplectites requires further study.

Etymology. This new genus is dedicated to the authors’ friends, Heidi and Joseph Parker, on the occasion of their marriage and honoring Joe’ s work on pselaphine inquilines. In early 2015, Joe and Heidi became parents of Jonah Wallace Parker (7 lbs. 10 oz.).

Figures

Fig. 4. Myrmecoplectus species, habitus. A) M. wellingtonicus, male paratype, B) M. attenuatus, female holotype.

Fig. 7. Myrmecoplectus species, females. A) M. wellingtonicus, abdominal segment VIII, lateral view, B) M. attenuatus, abdominal segment VIII, lateral view. M. wellingtonicus: C) Tergite VIII, D) Sternite VIII, E) Genital plate. M. attenuatus: F) Tergite VIII, G) Sternite VIII, H) Genital plate. Scale = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 8. Parkerola gigantea, habitus. A) Male, B) Female. Scale = 1 mm.

Fig. 9. Characters of Parkerola gigantea and Dalma sp. A) P. gigantea, male left antenna, B) Dalma sp., left antenna, C) P. gigantea, male pronotum, D) Dalma sp., pronotum, E) P. gigantea, postero-lateral part of male pronotum, F) Dalma sp., postero-lateral part of pronotum, G) P. gigantea, basal part of male elytron, H) Dalma sp., basal part of elytron.

Fig. 10. Parkerola gigantea, male. A) Head and pronotum, dorsal view, B) Head and pronotum, ventral view, C) Right maxillary palpus, ventral view, D) Pronotum, ventral view, E) Meso- and metathoraces, ventral view, F) Elytra, G) Abdomen, dorsal view, H) Abdomen, ventral view.

Fig. 11. Parkerola gigantea, male. A) Abdominal tergite VIII, B) Sternite VIII, C) Tergite IX (two lateral plates) and sternite IX (middle plate), D) Genitalia, ventral view, E) Genitalia, lateral view.

Fig. 23. Type specimens and their original labels. A) Kenocoelus dimorphus, B) “Dalma” gigantea, C) Neosampa granulata.