Leiopsammodius deyrupi, Harpootlian & Gordon & Woodruff, 2000

Harpootlian, Phillip J., Gordon, Robert D. & Woodruff, Robert E., 2000, Review Of The Genus Leiopsammodius Rakovic (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Psammodiini) In America North Of Mexico With Descriptions Of Three New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 54 (3), pp. 292-299 : 294-295

Leiopsammodius deyrupi , new species

Figs. 5–7

Description. Male; length 2.8 mm, width 1.2 mm, oblong­oval, subparallel, moderately shining, rufocastaneous. Antennae pale rufotestaceous. Head convex, strongly verrucose, granules large, frequently elongate, base with distinct, darker transverse groove. Clypeus broadly emarginate, angles rounded. Pronotum slightly lobed basally, narrower in front, angles obtusely rounded, faintly emarginate, sides entire, fimbriate basally with coarse, short hairs; surface very finely, sparsely punctate throughout, with three transverse rows of punctures; anterior row subapical, composed of closely spaced, moderately coarse punctures in a groove extending completely across between anterior angles, median row composed of punctures in transverse groove extending inward from near lateral margin nearly to median, longitudinal groove that extends from near pronotal base nearly to anterior row of subapical punctures, posterior row composed of widely spaced, coarse punctures extending across pronotum near base; base margined with contiguous band of moderate punctures ( Fig. 6 ). Elytra convex, striae deep, moderately, crenately punctate, intervals weakly convex, very finely, irregularly punctate. Metasternum smooth, shining, anterior postcoxal line absent, faint arcuate groove in front of posterior coxal plate, median longitudinal groove obvious, scarcely impressed, anteriorly alutaceous and very shallowly, moderately punctate at sides. Abdominal segments sparsely, minutely punctate and very finely alutaceous, faintly crenate in front. Pygidium eroded, longitudinally divided, faintly alutaceous, apical fringe with two long setae in moderate punctures. Posterior femora moderately stout, minutely alutaceous, two or three setigerous punctures paralleling posterior edge and with similar row along the anterior margin; middle femora ¾ as wide as posterior, basal marginal rows of setae weakly developed apically. Posterior tibiae ⅓ as wide as long, transverse ridges absent; posterior spurs narrow ( Fig. 7 ), faintly foliaceous, the longer as long as the first three tarsal segments combined; first tarsal segment elongate, triangular, equal in length to the next three together. Parameres elongate, ventral notch rounded ( Fig. 5 ).

Variations. Length 2.8 to 3.3 mm, width 1.2–1.5 mm; pygidium often with four fringe setae.

Material Studied. Holotype: Florida, Highland Co., Archbold Biol. Sta., 8 mi. S. Lake Placid , 21–23­III­1987, window trap, M. Deyrup ( FSCA) . Paratypes: Florida, Highland Co.: Archbold Biol. Sta., 8 mi. S. Lake Placid, 21– 23­III­1987, window trap, M. Deyrup (5); Archbold Biol. Sta., 16­IV­1989, mv & bl, R. Turnbow (1); Lake Co. : S. Tavares 1.3 mi. S. Jct. R 19 and R 561 , 8­VI­1998, P. Skelley (2); 2.5 mi. E. Hwy 27 on Hwy 50, 1­V­1999, R. H. Turnbow (9); Polk Co. : W. of Davenport, 0.2 mi. SR 547 on SR 27, 25­ VII­1998, sifted from sand, P. Skelley (2); E. Lake Hamilton , 1.5 mi., N. Rt. ­ 542 on Jim Edwards Rd, 6­XII­1998, in sand, P. Skelley & R. Morris (1) . Paratypes in the following collections: Florida State Collection of Arthropods ( FSCA), United States National Museum ( USNM), British Museum Natural History ( BMNH), and the personal collections of Paul Skelley, Gainesville, FL and Robert Turnbow, Ft. Rucker, AL .

Remarks. Mark Deyrup (pers. comm.) reports rarely collecting this species at blacklight in the spring, but only one specimen was seen with that collection data, all others were collected in window traps or sifted from sand. Only known from Highland, Lake, and Polk counties in Florida and is probably limited to the vicinity of the Lake Wales ridge. This species is very similar to L. acei and is difficult to differentiate without comparative material, but the punctures on the pronotum are generally larger, the shape more oval, the male genitalia are diagnostic, and the known distributions are allopatric.

Etymology. Named in honor of Mark Deyrup who collected the first specimens and recognized their uniqueness.

Figures

Figs. 5–7. Leiopsammodius deyrupi. 5) male genitalia; 6) head and pronotum, dorsal aspect; 7) hind tibial spurs.