Tarsostenodes howensis, Bartlett, 2009

Bartlett, Justin S., 2009, The Cleridae of Lord Howe Island, with Descriptions of Two New Species (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Records of the Australian Museum 61 (3), pp. 225-228 : 227

Tarsostenodes howensis n.sp. ( Tarsosteninae )

Fig. 2

Type material. Lord Howe Island: HOLOTYPE: AMS K 185983, 200 m E of trail to Goat House, footslopes of Mt. Lidgbird (31°33'41"S 159°5'15"E), 24 Nov. 2000, ex Howea belmoreana, M. Elliot, N. Plunkett-Cole, LHIS 029, beating. PARATYPES (16): 4 specimens, AMS K208418, AMS K208420, AMS K208421, AMS K208422, Valley of Shadows (31°31'50"S 159°4'36"E), 6 Dec. 2000, R. Harris, LHI/RH/01, Active sampling; 2 specimens, AMS K185993, AMS K185989, jn [on?] Rocky Run & Boat Harbour Trails ( CBCR Site 24), c. 30 m (31°33'19"S 159°05'33"E), 3 Dec. 2000, C. Reid, beating Pandanus / Howea /trees; 1 specimen, AMS K185992, path corner past Mutton Bird Pt. (31°32'S 159°05'E), 29 Nov. 2000, C. Reid, general beating veg.; 1 specimen, AMS K185991, 1/3 way up Goat House Trail (1st patch of palms) (31°33'47"S 159°05'09"E), 23 Nov. 2001, C. Reid, beating palms etc, c. 280 m; 1 specimen, AMS K185990, saddle between Intermediate Hill and Goat House Cave (31°32'S 159°05'E), 23 Nov. 2001, C. Reid; 2 specimens, K185984 (now in QM; type reg. no. T156377), AMS K185985, Stephens Reserve, c. 10 m, (31°31'33"S 159°03'53"E), beating, 29 Nov. 2000, C. Reid; 1 specimen, AMS K185988, same as last record but 09 Dec. 2000; 1 specimen, AMS K185987, same as last record but 04 Dec. 2000; 1 specimen, AMS K185994, beating bushes, Stevens Res., 11–14.v.2003, C. Reid; 1 specimen, K208419 (now in QM; type reg. no. T156378), Research Station backyard (31°31'37"S 159°3'58"E), 01 Dec. 2000, LHIS000/01M, Passive sampling; 1 specimen, AMS K246847, R. Baxter, xii.1921, AMS K45627 . All in Australian Museum, Sydney, unless otherwise indicated.

Diagnosis. Small, slender, volant species; body mostly yellowish with dark longitudinal markings (singular and medial on pronotum and head, paired and sub-sutural on elytra); elytra without callositous deposits; antennae long, reaching beyond base of pronotum; unlikely to be confused with any other clerid on Lord Howe Island.

Description. Total length: 3.8–5 mm; body slender, predominantly yellow to pale orange, with brown longitudinal markings; setal vestiture pale, finely distributed. Head with a short brown medial stripe on vertex; frontoclypeal suture entirely visible; vertex and frons impressed with circular foveolate punctation (punctations separated by their diameter or greater), clypeus smooth; ventral surface of head smooth, gular sutures long, strongly convergent; eyes reasonably small, laterally convex, deeply emarginate in front (kidney-shaped when viewed laterally), separated by 3.75 eye-widths, facets small but not particularly fine, several interfacetal setae present; terminal palpomeres securiform, distal margins of terminal maxillary palpomeres about as long as inner margins, distal margins of terminal labial palpomeres slightly longer than inside margins; antennae long, reaching beyond pronotal base, 11-segmented, A-3-8 slender filiform, A9–11 forming a gradual club, A9 elongate, A10 sub-cupuliform, A11 sub-ovate. Prothorax slightly elongate (length:width = c. 1.2:1), about as wide as head and base of elytra; sides divergent in basal third, apical two-thirds weakly convergent (as viewed from above); pronotal disc with a brown medial stripe, widely distributed with foveolate punctation (similar to those on head); lateral carina virtually absent, vaguely present at extreme base; prosternum smooth, obscurely darkened; procoxal cavities closed, prosternal process posteriorly expanded. Elytra elongate (length:width = c. 2.5:1), sub-parallel, widest near apical third, apices reasonably acute; post basal region flat; each elytron with a longitudinal marking near the suture along most its length;

Figures

Figure 2. Tarsostenodes howensis n.sp. holotype, scale = 1 mm.