Akalyptoischion lasiosus Hartley, Andrews & McHugh, 2008

Hartley, Christopher S., Andrews, Fred G. & Mchugh, Joseph V., 2007, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Genus Akalyptoischion Andrews (Coleoptera: Latridiidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 6) 61, pp. 1-50 : 37-38

Akalyptoischion lasiosus Hartley, Andrews & McHugh new species ( Fig. 13 )

Etymology. Greek meaning ‘‘woolly’’ or ‘‘shaggy’’ referring to the very dense, long setae on the dorsal and ventral surface of this species.

Description. Length 1.53–1.55 mm. Width 0.50 mm. Body elongate, subparallel, uniformly reddish brown; uniformly setose, setae long; head width slightly narrower than pronotum or equal to pronotum width, sides straight, narrowing anteriorly; clypeus narrowing slightly, at less than 45u angle anterior to antennal insertions; head foveae shallow, indistinct, elongate ovals; head setation dense, setae long and decumbent, some setae at posterior corners near eyes may be erect; head punctation dense, surface rugose; eyes large and prominent with 4 facets; tempora long, 3/4 eye width; hind angles 90u and long, making head appear wide posteriorly; clypeal fovea length of antennomere V, 0.6 times width of labrum; labrum anterior margin slightly emarginate, mandibles visible dorsally from beneath labrum; mandible apex broad with a large apical tooth, 3 large subapical serrations and a small 4th serration, prostheca short; antennae with a 3- segmented club; antennae long, reach hind angles of pronotum; antennomere I slightly irregular, subglobular, bearing a long stout seta on its posterior face, II slongate oval, III long, 2 times longer than wide, IV–VIII elongate oval, sides arcuate, IX–XI form long, loose club, IX elongate, cone-shaped, broadening apically, X subequal in size to IX, elongate oval, XI straight sided, elongate trapezoid.

Prothorax small; pronotum slightly wider anteriorly; anterior angles lobed, lateral margin slightly arcuate, converging slightly posteriorly; lateral margin explanate with,13 tubercles each bearing a very long decumbent seta; median 2/ 3 raised with dense, long decumbent setae; pronotal foveae indistinct, broad and shallow; pronotal punctation dense.

Elytra subparallel, widest anteriorly, lateral flange indistinct; 6 striae; humeral angle slightly lobed; strial interspaces 3 and 5 weakly carinate; long decumbent setae present on each interspace; epipleuron complete, narrowing posteriorly.

Ventral surface densely setose, setae long; submental fovea length of antennomere V, sparsely micropunctate; ventral head punctation even, not dense; gular punctation densely concentrated posteriorly, no punctures on anterior gula; prosternum evenly punctate, mesosternum densely setose, with a distinct Y-shaped carina extending anteriorly from mesocoxal process; metasternum with a single fovea between and posterior to each mesocoxa, an arcuate fovea anterior to each metacoxa, and median surface without punctures; abdominal ventrite I with 2 small, indistinct foveae on anterior corners of intercoxal process, a small, oval fovea posterior to each metacoxa, and median surface with 2 small punctures situated beneath coxae and connected medially by a very shallow furrow; ventrites II–IV unmodified.

Material Examined. HOLOTYPE, USA: label data: ‘‘CALIF: San Diego Co. Anza Borrego Nat. Mon. Torote Canyon IV-20-82 K. W. Cooper 82-223,’’ ‘‘berlese Neotoma nest at margin of wash’’ ( CDAE).

PARATYPE, male, USA: label data: ‘‘ Borego San Diego Co., Calif. IV-27- 55,’’ ‘‘ Sheep Cyn.,’’ ‘‘ R. O. Schuster Collector’ ’ on slide ( EMEC) .

Additional Material, ‘‘Calif: San Bernardino Co. Pioneertown 4,2009 II-23- 1983 83-247 K. W. Cooper,’’ ‘‘ Neotoma nest in clump of Joshua trees’’ (2, CDAE); ‘‘CALIF: Riverside Co. Deep Canyon IV-16-1977 K. W. Cooper,’’ ‘‘Berlesed from Neotoma nest’’ (1, CDAE).

Remarks. The very long exclusively decumbent setae on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the body identify this species. Some species with a 2-segmented antennal club have similar setation to A. lasiosus . The number of club segments easily separates these species. The only other species to possess a 3-segmented antennal club and have only decumbent setae is A. quadrifoveolata . Akalyptoischion lasiosus may easily be distinguished from this species by its much longer setae and wide head with long temporae.

Figures

Figs. 12–16. 12) A. hadromorphus, male, pronotum outline; 13) A. lasiosus, male, pronotum outline; 14) A. chandleri, elytra, dorsolateral view, diagrammatic; 15) A. tomeus, elytra, dorsolateral view, diagrammatic; 16) A. echinos, elytra, dorsolateral view, diagrammatic.