Agathidium oculeum 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 : 118-119

Agathidium oculeum Miller and Wheeler ,

new species Figures 108 , 145 , 264–266 , 366

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype, Ƌ in CMNC labeled ‘‘ MEXICO: Chiapas: Volcan Tacana, lower slopes, ca. 4 km N Union Juarez. 18­ IX­1992. R.S.Anderson 92­109/cloud forest litter Elev. 1950 m./ HOLOTYPE Agathidium oculeum Miller and Wheeler, 2003 [red label with black line border]’’.

TYPE LOCALITY: Mexico, Chiapas, lower slopes of Volcan Tacana, ca. 4 km N Union Juarez, 1950 m.

DIAGNOSIS: This species is very similar to A. recurvatum but the eyes are much more prominent, protruding, and finely faceted (fig. 108). The male genitalia are also similar to that species but differ in that the operculum is broader and more rounded in A. oculeum (fig. 264) than in A. recurvatum (fig. 267).

DESCRIPTION: Body moderately large (TBL = 2.82–3.97 mm), broad, robust (PNW/TBL = 0.44–0.48), rounded, strongly contractile.

Head and pronotum red­brown; elytra redbrown, not iridescent; venter, antennae, palpi, and legs yellow.

Head broad (MDL/OHW = 0.64), dorsal surface flattened, dorsoventrally compressed; with very fine punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures shiny, very lightly microreticulate; frontoclypeal suture obsolete medially; eyes large with many facets, not reduced (fig. 108); gula slightly convex medially; antennomere ratios: length I:II:III = 2.1:1.0:1.8, width VII: VIII:IX = 1.0:1.0:2.1. Pronotum very large, broad (PNL/PNW = 0.73–0.76), strongly convex, anterolateral lobes strongly produced, lateral margin broadly curved, not angulate; with fine, sparse punctures, each with a short, very fine seta, surface between punctures shiny, smooth. Elytra broad, lateral margins strongly rounded, apically rounded (SEL/ELW = 1.03–1.20); punctation and surface similar to pronotum; sutural stria absent. Flight wings strongly reduced. Mesosternum moderately broad, not declivitous; medial carina well developed. Metasternum narrow (MTL/MTW = 0.12–0.16), flat medially, distinctly dorsally sloped anteriorly; oblique femoral carinae moderately developed, not prominent, low where meeting medially.

Male tarsi 5­5­4; pro­ and mesobasotarsomeres only slightly laterally expanded, with small ventral field of spatulate setae; mandibles not modified; metafemur moderately broad, with small tooth subapically along posterior margin (fig. 145); metasternal fovea moderately large, transverse with line of fine, dense, long setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect slender, moderately short, strongly curved medially, apical portion long, slen­ der, sinuate, apex sharply pointed, recurved ventrad (fig. 265); in ventral aspect slender, apical portion with margins sinuate, converging, apex slightly expanded and pointed apically (fig. 264); operculum flat, short, narrow basally, expanded apically, apex emarginate, each ramus broad and apically pointed (fig. 264); lateral lobes long, slender, not expand­ ed, sinuate, apex narrowly rounded with 2 stout setae (fig. 266).

Female not examined.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the Latin word oculeus, meaning ‘‘full of eyes’’, for the large, many faceted eyes of members of this species.

DISTRIBUTION: This species has been collected from San Luis Potosi and Chiapas (fig. 366).

PARATYPES: MEXICO: Chiapas: 10 mi SE San Cristobal de las Casas , 1 Sep 1993, 8000̍, pinemadron­oak forest litter, Berlese, A Newton (4, FMNH) ; Pico Cerro Tzontehuitz , 10 km NE San Cristobal, 16 Sep 1991, 2910 m, cloud forest litter, RS Anderson (1, CNCI) .

DISCUSSION: This species has been collect­ ed from cloud forest litter and leaf and log litter from Liquidambar , pine, oak, and madrone forests. Elevation records are from 4800 to 8000 ft.

Figures

Figs. 106–112. Agathidium oniscoides­group species, heads, left lateral aspect: 106, A. vaderi. 107, A. kimberlae. 108, A. oculeum. 109, A. stenomma. 110, A. microphthalmum. 111, A. nimbosilva. 112, A. chauliodoum. Bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs. 145–172. Agathidium oniscoides­group species, left male metafemur, ventral aspect: 145, A. oculeum. 146, A. recurvatum. 147, A. impensum. 148, A. cheneyi. 149, A. tenangoense. 150, A. rumsfeldi. 151, A. hirsutum. 152, A. cortezi. 153, A. tumidiventre. 154, A. aztec. 155, A. iridescens. 156, A. dentigerum. 157, A. stephani. 158, A. akrogeneios. 159, A. appalachium. 160, A. pocahontasae. 161, A. carolinense. 162, A. gallititillo. 163, A. divaricatum. 164, A. bushi. 165, A. georgiaense. 166, A. chauliodoum. 167, A. microphthalmum. 168, A. nimbosilva. 169, A. oniscoides. 170, A. rubellum. 171, A.

Figs. 261–287. Agathidium oniscoides­group species, aedeagus: 261–263, A. oaxacaense: 261, ventral; 262, median lobe, lateral; 263, left lateral lobe, lateral. 264–266, A. oculeum: 264, ventral; 265, median lobe, lateral; 266, left lateral lobe, lateral. 267–269, A. recurvatum: 267, ventral; 268, median lobe, lateral; 269, left lateral lobe, lateral. 270–272, A. impensum: 270, ventral; 271, median lobe, lateral; 272, left lateral lobe, lateral. 273–276, A. cheneyi: 273, ventral; 274, median lobe, apex, ventral; 275, median lobe, lateral; 276, left lateral lobe, lateral. 277–279, A. tenangoense: 277, ventral; 278, median lobe, lateral; 279, left lateral lobe, lateral. 280–283, A. rumsfeldi: 280, ventral; 281, median lobe, apex, ventral; 282, median lobe, lateral; 283, left lateral lobe, lateral. 284–287, A. hirsutum: 284, ventral; 285, median lobe, apex, ventral; 286, median lobe, lateral; 287, left lateral lobe, lateral.

Figs. 365, 366. Geographic distribution of Agathidium oniscoides­group species: 365, A. andersoni = -; A. disgregum = ^; A. invisitatum = •; A. oaxacaense = *. 366, A. impensum = *; A. oculeum = •; A. recurvatum = -; A. cheneyi = ^.