Agathidium hyle Miller and Wheeler, 2005

MILLER, KELLY B. & WHEELER, QUENTIN D., 2005, Slime-Mold Beetles Of The Genus Agathidium Panzer In North And Central America, Part Ii. Coleoptera: Leiodidae, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2005 (291), pp. 1-167 : 106-107

Agathidium hyle Miller and Wheeler ,

new species Figures 134 , 225–227, 364

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype, Ƌ in FMNH labeled ‘‘ MEXICO: Jalisco E slope Nevado de Colima 5600 Ft ix.22.1973/A. Newton collector/leaf litter mixed hardwood­ conifer forest/ HOLOTYPE Agathidium hyle Miller and Wheeler, 2003 [red label with black line border]’’.

TYPE LOCALITY: Mexico, Jalisco, east slope of Nevado de Colima, 5600̍.

DIAGNOSIS: This species is similar to A. popocatepetlae and other relatively undifferentiated Mexican species. The male metafemoral tooth is small (fig. 134), the male metasternal fovea is large and transverse, the metasternum is moderately narrow, and the oblique metasternal lines are not strongly prominent and meet medially in a broad, subtriangular flange. The aedeagus is not strongly modified. The apex of the median lobe is short, subtriangular, sharply pointed, and, in lateral aspect, strongly curved apically (fig. 225). The operculum is moderately long, broad, flattened, has the lateral margins broadly rounded, and the apex is distinctly emarginate (fig. 225).

DESCRIPTION: Body small (TBL = 2.36 mm), broad, robust (PNW/TBL = 0.49), strongly contractile.

Head and pronotum red to piceous, lighter around margins; elytra red to piceous, lighter red around margins, not iridescent; venter yellow­brown; antennae and palpi yellow to yellow­brown.

Head broad (MDL/OHW = 0.68), dorsal surface flattened, dorsoventrally compressed; with very fine punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures shiny, smooth; frontoclypeal suture obsolete medially; eyes relatively prominent and finely faceted, somewhat dorsoventrally compressed; gula concave; antennomere ratios: length I:II:III = 2.1:1.0:1.7, width VII:VIII: IX = 1.0:1.0:2.2. Pronotum very large, broad (PNL/PNW = 0.72), strongly convex, anterolateral lobes strongly produced, lateral margin broadly curved, not angulate; with very fine punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures shiny, smooth. Elytra broad, lateral margins strongly rounded, apically rounded (SEL/ELW = 0.88); punctation similar to pronotum; sutural stria extending from apex for about onethird of elytral length. Flight wings strongly reduced. Mesosternum broad, convex; medial carina prominent. Metasternum moderately broad (MTL/MTW = 0.15), medial surface flattened, gently sloping dorsad anteriorly; oblique femoral carinae moderately well developed, meeting medially in broadly triangular, posteriorly directed flange.

Male tarsi 5­5­4; pro­ and mesobasotarsomeres moderately laterally expanded, with moderately large ventral field of spatulate setae; mandibles not modified; metafemur moderately broad, with prominent, small, acute tooth subapically on posterior margin (fig. 134); metasternal fovea large, transverse, with large, prominent, dense brush of long fine setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect slender, strongly curved basally, relatively straight thereafter, apical portion short, slen­ der, directed at angle dorsad, apically curved back ventrad, apex sharply pointed (fig. 226); in ventral aspect slender, slightly expanded at base of apical portion which is subtriangular and more strongly tapered in apical one­fourth to pointed apex (fig. 225); operculum flat, broad, moderately long, apex rounded with distinct medial emargination (fig. 225); lateral lobes very slender, evenly curved basally, straight distally, apically slightly expanded and slightly sinuate, apices rounded with 2 stout setae (fig. 227).

Female tarsi 5­4­4.

ETYMOLOGY: This species is named from the Greek word hyle , meaning ‘‘material’’ or ‘‘stuff’’, because the type specimens were collected from forest leaf litter.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is known from southern Mexico (fig. 364).

PARATYPES: MEXICO: Hidalgo: 7 mi NE Jacala, 23 Jun 1975, QD Wheeler (17, QDWC). San Luis Potosi: 40 km W Xilitla, 6 Aug 1983, 1700 m, pine­oak forest litter, S and J Peck (1, PECK).

DISCUSSION: This species has been collect­ ed from pine­oak forest and mixed hardwood litter. Altitude records are from 5600 ft.

Agathidium stenomma Miller and Wheeler ,

Figures

Figs. 118–144. Agathidium concinnum­ and A. oniscoides­group species, left male metafemur, ventral aspect: 118, A. concinnum. 119, A. kimberlae. 120, A. vaderi. 121, A. bituberculum. 122, A. oedema. 123, A. gomezae. 124, A. hidalgoense. 125, A. skoliosternum. 126, A. erythromelas. 127, A. rhamphastes. 128, A. megoniscoides. 129, A. grumum. 130, A. triangularum. 131, A. lobosternum. 132, A. potosii. 133, A. popocatepetlae. 134, A. hyle. 135, A. stenomma. 136, A. tribulosum. 137, A. tribulograndum. 138, A. invisitatum. 139, A. multidentatum. 140, A. sejunctum. 141, A. grandidentatum. 142, A. andersoni. 143, A. disgregum. 144, A. oaxacaense. Bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs. 363, 364. Geographic distribution of Agathidium oniscoides­group species: 363, A. popocatepetlae = -; A. potosii = •; A. stenomma = *; A. tribulosum = ^. 364, A. hyle = *; A. grandidentatum = O; A. multidentatum = •; A. sejunctum = ^; A. tribulograndum = •.