Agathidium picipes Fall, 1934b: 130

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 : 59-61

Agathidium picipes Fall, 1934b: 130 .

Agathidium contiguum Fall, 1934b: 119 . NEW SYN­ ONYM.

Agathidium contiguum var. varipunctatum Hatch, 1936: 40 . NEW SYNONYM.

Agathidium striolum Hatch, 1957: 33 . NEW SYNO­ NYM.

TYPE MATERIAL: Agathidium picipes : holotype, Ƌ in MCZC labeled ‘‘Santa Cruz Co. VI­96 CAL./Ƌ/ TYPE picipes [name handwritten, red line under ‘‘TYPE’’]/M.C.Z. Type 24042 [number handwritten, red label]/ H.C. FALL COLLECTION’’.

Agathidium contiguum : Holotype, Ƌ in MCZC labeled ‘‘W. T./Ƌ/ TYPE contiguum [‘‘contiguum’’ handwritten, red line under ‘‘TYPE’’/ M.C.Z. Type 24034 [number handwritten, red label]/H.C. FALL COLLEC­ TION’’.

Agathidium varipunctatum : holotype, Ƌ in USNM labeled ‘‘Seattle, WASH IV­13 1931 M.H. Hatch [date handwritten]/TYPE Ƌ Agathidium (Neoceble) varipunctatum 1935 —M.H. Hatch [handwritten, red label]’’.

Agathidium striolum : holotype, Ƌ in USNM labeled ‘‘Seattle, WASH V­9 1941 Lewis [date and ‘‘Lewis’’ handwritten]/ TYPE Ƌ Agathidium (Cyphoceble) striolum 1953 —M.H. Hatch [handwritten, red label]’’.

TYPE LOCALITY: Agathidium picipes : Unit­ ed States, California, Santa Cruz Co.

Agathidium varipunctatum : United States, Washington, Seattle. Agathidium contiguum : ‘‘W.T’’ [probably United States, Washington State]. Agathidium striolum : United States, Washington, Seattle.

DIAGNOSIS: This species differs from others in the group by concolorous dorsal surfaces, lack of microreticulation, the male metasternal fovea located distinctly anterad of the middle of the metasternum and the median lobe of the aedeagus prominently bent medially in lateral aspect (fig. 81). The male mandibular horn, when fully formed, is rep­ resented by a short, flattened spine extending posterad over the clypeus (figs. 29, 30). The female tarsi are 5­4­4.

DESCRIPTION: Body moderately large (TBL = 2.58–2.86 mm), somewhat elongate (PNW/TBL = 0.43–0.47), moderately contractile.

Head piceous with dark red, diffuse medial macula; pronotum dark red to piceous, with lighter margins; elytron and venter dark redbrown to piceous; antennae and palpi dark red­brown to piceous; legs dark red.

Head broad (fig. 30) (MDL/OHW = 0.58– 0.64), flattened, often with moderately prominent transverse, medial crease; temporum moderately prominent (fig. 30); head finely and sparsely punctate, smooth and shiny on surface between punctures; eyes large, rounded, finely faceted; frontoclypeal suture moderately well defined medially; clypeal margin strongly excavate (fig. 30); anterior margin of labrum entire; antennomere ratios: length I:II:III = 2.1:1.0:1.3, width VII:VIII: IX = 1.0:1.0:1.9. Pronotum broad (PNL/ PNW = 0.54–0.61), laterally not strongly produced, anterolateral angle subquadrate, posterolateral angle relatively strongly angulate; punctation and surface microsculpture similar to those of head. Elytra very broad (SEL/ELW = 1.21–1.25); punctation more coarse and dense than on pronotum, punctures in two sizes, many specimens with some coarser punctures forming longitudinal series, surface between punctures shiny and smooth; sutural stria about one­half length of elytron on most specimens. Mesosternum strongly concave posteriorly, without prominent lobe extending ventrally between mesocoxae, anterior portion about one­half length of posterior portion; medial longitudinal carina reduced on anterior portion. Metasternum very broad medially (MTL/MTW = 0.34 –0.40), slightly convex, setose; oblique carinae absent.

Male tarsi 5­5­4; pro­ and mesobasotarsomeres slightly expanded and with small ventral field of spatulate setae; mandibular horn, when fully developed, relatively short, spinelike, flattened and adpressed, setose, extending posteriorly over surface of clypeus, apex sharply pointed (figs. 29, 30), setose fovea not on horn, instead on mandible between horn and apex of mandible; metafemur moderately slender, unmodified; metasternal fovea anterior, large, transversely linear, with series of fine, dense setae. Median lobe in lateral aspect slender, strongly and conspicuously bent medially, apical portion short, slender, directed slightly dorsad, apex very narrowly rounded (fig. 81); in ventral aspect slender, lateral margins subparallel, apical portion broad, subapically slightly constrict­ ed, apex narrowly rounded (fig. 80); operculum small, apically bilobate (fig. 80); lateral lobes slender, very broad basally, strongly curved medially, apically pointed with 2 prominent setae (figs. 80, 81).

Female tarsi 5­4­4.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is found along the West Coast from northern California north to British Columbia (fig. 93).

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA: British Columbia: Stanley , 13 Jul 1931, WG Mathers (1, CASC) ; Mt Robson P Park Berg Lake Trailhead, 11 Jul 1984, FIT, RS Anderson (9, CNCI) ; Charlotte Islands Grahm Island 4 mi S Port Clementa, 27 Jun 1984, sitka spruce hemlock/cedar forest, RS Anderson (1, CNCI) .

UNITED STATES: California: Butte Co.: 2 mi SW Sterling City , 29 May 1981, live oak, alder litter, DS Chandler (1, DENH) ; Marin Co.: Samuel P. Taylor St Park, 31 Mar 1976, bay litter, Berlese, FG Andrews, TD Eichlin (1, FGAC) ; Santa Cruz Co.: Jun 1896 (1, WSUC) ; Teh. Co.: 6 mi W Log Springs, Mendocino Natl Forest , 29 Nov 1986, 2500̍, oak leaf litter, DS Chandler (5, CNCI) ; 5 mi SE Manton Bluff Springs , 1 Dec 1987, 2500̍, fern leaf litter on stream edge, DS Chandler (2, CNCI) ; Snoqualmie Gulch , 10 mi SE Manton, 1 Dec 1986, 2850̍, live oak leaf litter, DS Chandler (1, CNCI) ; 6 mi W Log Springs, Mendocino Natl Forest , 29 Nov 1986, oak leaf litter, DS Chandler (10, CNCI) ; Trinity Co.: Del Loma , 1 May 1985, Alnus duff, TR Haig (1, FGAC) ; 4 mi W Forest Glen , 1 Jul 1975, 3300̍, leaf litter, mixed hardwood conifer forest, A Newton, M Thayer (1, MCZC) ; Del Loma, 23 Feb 1978, Alnus duff, Berlese, TR Haig (1, FGAC). Oregon: Forest Grove , 17 May 1941 (2, MCZC) ; Benton Co.: 2 mi NW Adair Village , 14 May 1983, grass sod, DS Chandler (1, DENH) ; Corvallis , 24 Nov 1950, V Roth (1, PECK) ; Jackson Co.: Soda Mtn Rd , 8 mi S 13 mi E Ashland, 15 Oct 1972, 5400̍, E Benedict (1, CNCI) ; Soda Mtn Rd 8 mi S 13 mi E Ashland, 15 Oct 1972, 5400̍, serviceberry duff, E Benedict (1, CUIC) ; 8 mi S, 13 mi E Ashland , 15 Oct 1972, 5400̍, oak duff, E Benedict (10, PECK) ; Polk Co.: Eola Hills nr Homan Wayside , 4 May 1969, RL Westcott (6, RLWE) ; Washington Co. : 3 mi SW Tualatin, 1 Jan 1972, madrone duff, E Benedict (1, PECK). Washington: Seattle (1, MCZC) .

DISCUSSION: The names A. picipes , A. contiguum , A. c. var varipunctatum , and A. striolum are synonyms based on examination of the types of each species. Agathidium picipes has priority. Although there is a fair amount of variation in coloration, punctation, and other features among specimens of this species (which led in part to the proliferation of names), the very distinctive male genitalia are identical between populations of this species. Agathidium striolum was placed near A. concinnum based on a putatively more ‘‘well­developed’’ temporum. However, it does not appear to have a temporum more well developed than other specimens of A. picipes and certainly not as strongly developed as in the A. concinnum species group.

This species has been collected from throughout the year. It has been collected from bay litter, fern leaf litter, grass sod, mixed hardwood and conifer forest, live oak litter, madrone duff, serviceberry duff, and Sitka spruce­hemlock­cedar forest.

Agathidium hamulum Miller and Wheeler ,