Leaus monteithi, Matthews, Eric G. & Lawrence, John F., 2015

Matthews, Eric G. & Lawrence, John F., 2015, Trachelostenini sensu novo: redescriptions of Trachelostenus Solier, Myrmecodema Gebien and Leaus Matthews & Lawrence, based on adults and larvae, and descriptions of three new species of Leaus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Zootaxa 4020 (2), pp. 289-312 : 310

Leaus monteithi sp. n.

( Figs 5 , 22 , 25 , 30 , 34 )

Description. With the characteristics of the genus. Length 5.3–6.0 mm, maximum width of prothorax 1.5–1.7 mm, width at humeri 1.9–2.0 mm. Legs flavo-castaneous at bases and apices of femora and most of tibiae, otherwise fuscous. Prothorax with sides unevenly convex, widest at basal third, lateral carinae simple, disc with pair of low median tumosities on either side of depressed and glabrous median line, basally shallowly transversely depressed. Pterothorax. Elytra with strong basal tumosities and moderately deep transverse depression behind them. Abdomen. Ovipositor without gonostyli. Vaginal sclerite with wings anteriorly recurved. Aedeagal parameres simple. Larva unknown.

Distribution. Northern NSW in open eucalypt forest, obtained by pyrethrum fogging of moss on a tree trunk by Geoff Monteith (QMBA), after whom the species is named.

Type specimens: Holotype ♀: NSW: 30o29’42”S, 152o21’27” Point Lookout Rd, radar beacon, 1390m, 13–14 Nov 2008. G. Monteith. Pyrethrum, trees, open for. ( QMBA T 228901). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1 ♂, 1 sex not determined ( QMBA), 2 ♀♀ in spirit COL 427 ( ANIC)

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 5. Aedeagi: 3, Trachelostenus inaequalis with penis extracted; 4, Myrmecodema michelbacheri; 5, Leaus monteithi. a—ala of paramere. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 20 – 23. Leaus vaginal sclerites (vs): 20, L. tropicalis, sclerite in situ; 21, L. tasmanicus; 22, L. monteithi; 23, L. sp.

FIGURES 24 – 26. Leaus ovipositors: 24, L. tropicalis; 25, L. monteithi; 26, L. sp. cb—baculus of coxite 1; pb—baculus of paraproct. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 27 – 32. Leaus habitus, dorsal except 29: 27, L. tasmanicus paratype ♀ (SAMA); 28, L. tropicalis holotype ♀ (QMBA); 29, L. tropicalis paratype ♂ (ANIC); 30, L. monteithi holotype ♀ (QMBA); 31, L. elusus holotype ♂ (QMBA); 32, L. sp. ♀ (ANIC). Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 33 – 36. Leaus habitus, lateral: 33, L. tasmanicus holotype ♂ (SAMA); 34, L. monteithi sex not determined, paratype (QMBA); 35, L. tropicalis holotype ♀ (QMBA); 36, L. elusus holotype ♂ (QMBA). Scale bars 1 mm.