Pristoderus occultus Turco & Ślipiński, 2012

Turco, Federica, Ślipiński, Adam & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Australian Pristoderus Hope (Coleoptera, Zopheridae), Zootaxa 3239, pp. 1-34 : 25-26

Pristoderus occultus Turco & Ślipiński sp. n.

( Figs 3e , 5e, 7e)

Type. Holotype: QLD - Sluice Ck , 9 km WSW Millaa Millaa, 1150 m, 5.xii.1988, Pyrethrum/Logs & Trees, Monteith , Thompson [GE: 17.552S 145.533E] (1, QMBA, T 169602).

Diagnosis. This species is similar to P. spinosus in having a dorsal crest on 3rd elytral interval almost straight and raised posteriorly (in lateral view), lateral pronotal notch broad and widely open and pronotal median process reaching over the head (but not beyond the anterior margins of pronotum), bearing dorsal pointed tubercles. It is distinct because of the following characters: vestiture consisting of much shorter setae; much shallower indentation on supraorbital carina; antennomere III more elongate (3 times as long as wide, instead of 2 times); lateral notch of pronotum partially closed by a small tooth protruding from the posterior lateral edge; only weakly pointed basal tubercle on 5th elytral interval and crest on 3rd interval (especially basal third); small pointed basal tubercle on 4th interval; and three distinct small tubercles along 5th interval.

Description. Body length: 7.0 mm.

Body convex, about 1.8 times as long as wide; colour light brown, except a U-shaped dark area on posterior half of elytra; vestiture of very short, dense, recumbent golden setae, holding a coat of dirt which forms a uniform encrustation.

Head transverse; eyes protruding lacking interfacetal setae; long and fine setae just posterior to eyes; supraorbital carina raised, indented with a distinct upwardly directed and pointed short tubercle at posterior end, above the eye; supra-antennal carina raised, frontal edge indented; antennal insertion frontal, just below the edge of supraantennal carina; antennae 11-segmented with a distinct 3-segmented club; antennomere I weakly elongate, slightly shorter than III; II subspherical; III distinctly elongate (about 3 times as long as wide) 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: 0.47), as wide as elytra; dorsal median process anteriorly prominent but short, not reaching anterior pronotal angles, slightly sloping in lateral view with weakly pointed and relatively low tubercles on dorsal edge; antero-lateral margins widely lobate (6 lobes, two anterior lobes almost completely fused), expanded posteriorly to form an open, lateral notch; with small tooth protruding from posterior lateral edge of pronotum (partially closing the lateral notch; see Fig. 3e ); lacking admedian pointed tubercles in middle.

Elytra about 1.3 times as long as wide (elytral length/width: 1.28), sinuate, with distinctly indented margins; strongly prominent tubercles along 3rd, 4th and 5th intervals; 3rd interval with variable tubercles in size and shape, weakly pointed, joined to form a crest, weakly zigzag ; proximal third of crest converging towards base of elytra; apical tubercle on 3rd interval raised, pointing upwards; 4th interval with two small, pointed tubercles, one basal and one apical; 5th interval with basal tubercle larger than other 3 on same interval, small but distinct.

Etymology. The name of this species is a masculine adjective from Latin occultus = hidden. It refers to the fact that the only specimen known was mistaken for P. spinosus and it was found in collection among specimens of this species.

Distribution and habitat occurrence. NE Queensland ( Fig. 14 b); upland tropical rainforest.

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.