Zenascus elenae, Grzymala & Leschen, 2020

Grzymala, Traci L. & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2020, Sexual Dimorphism of New Zealand Puppet Beetles (Aderidae, Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea): Systematic Revision, Description of Three New Genera, and Phylogeny for Zenascus, gen. n., Zootaxa 4889 (1), pp. 1-59 : 36-37

Zenascus elenae sp. n.

Figs 11E , 14E , 17C, 17D , 18E , 20E , 21E , 23E , 27C

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Elena Hilario, an ardent supporter of Coleopterists both near and far. Both authors greatly appreciate her encouragement and support. The first author specifically recognizes the pleasure of Hilario’s company during an extended visitation to New Zealand during which major progress on this project was accomplished.

Diagnosis. This species is separated from congeners by the shining, black integument without secondary pubescence on the pronotum or elytra, the darkened scape and remaining antennomeres testaceous, the shape of the metatibiae, and the unmodified antennae of males. Zenascus elenae is very similar to Zenascus nitidus in general habitus shape, coloration, and pubescence patterns, but the two species can be readily separated from one another by the different shape and apical pubescence patterns of the metatibiae ( Figs 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D ). Additionally, Z. elenae generally has the scape darkened in comparison to the remaining antennomeres whereas Z. nitidus has a similarly colored scape in comparison to the remaining antennomeres (though specimens of Z. nitidus from Three Kings Island are exceptions). Zenascus elenae is also similar to Z. antennalis and can be separated by the absence of male antennomere modification and by the testaceous apical antennomeres of females.

Description. Length 1.46–1.76 mm. Head, clypeus, antennal scape, pronotum, and elytra piceous; mouthparts, coxae, trochanters, femora, and tibia brunneous; tarsi, pedicel, and antennomeres 2–11 light brown to testaceous. Dorsal integument shining, vestiture uniseriate, one decumbent, thin, short seta arising anterad of each primary puncture, length about equal to puncture length, without additional setae between each pair of punctures. Ventral vestiture biseriate. Head, HW 0.42–0.50 mm, HL 0.17–0.20 mm, punctation consisting of numerous deep, elongate punctures, evenly spaced in center, clustered at basal and lateral edges on vertex, absent from base to just anterad of head constriction; impression between antennal ridge and vertex absent. Antennae with distance between antennal insertions wide, approximately equal to diameter of five antennal insertions; length reaching past basal ¼ of elytra when extended backward; scape rounded, 1.3× length of pedicel; pedicel subglobular, subequal in length to antennomere 3 and ¾× width; antennomere 3 slightly expanded apically, width at apex subequal to width of anten-nomeres 4–8; antennomeres 4–8 subequal in length, each 2× length of antennomere 3; antennomeres 9 and 10 subequal in length and width, each 1.3x wider than antennomere 8; antennomere 11 1.3× wider than antennomere 10; antennomeres 3–11 covered in moderately dense, suberect pubescence, without additional pilosity. Pronotum, PW 0.35–0.44 mm, PL 0.33–0.41 mm, subquadrate, slightly wider than long, width 1.06–1.19× length; pronotal width 0.47–0.58× elytral width, pronotal width 0.83–0.88× head width; sides slightly rounded; disc without basal fovea, without transverse sulcus just anterad of center; discal punctures deep and elongate, approximately evenly spaced, separated by an average of two punctural lengths. Elytra 1.48–1.88× longer than wide and 3.29–3.75× longer than pronotal length, EW 0.60–0.81mm, EL 1.13–1.35 mm; slightly impressed oblique subscutellar depression present; punctation elongate, separated by an average of two punctural lengths. Proleg with tarsomeres 1 and 2 subequal in length, tarsomere 1 with ventral short, stout spine; tarsomere 3 with ventral adhesive setae. Midleg with tibia straight from base to apex. Hindleg with few deep, elongate punctures along posterior margin of coxa; femur with distinctly thickened setae on postero-ventral face, overlying slight excavation restricted to 1/6 th length of femur, apico-ventral impression absent; tibia gradually expanded apically from base to midlength, greatly expanded from midlength to apex, apex inner margin clothed with cluster of setae, total length of setal cluster shorter than tarsomere 1 ( Fig. 17C ). Abdomen with lateral and medial lengths of ventrite 2 subequal; deep punctures confined to abdominal process and basal margin of ventrite 1, present on ventrites 2–4, and several scattered at the base of ventrite 5; ventrite 5 with disc composed of a majority of small, shallow micropunctures, distinct medial impression present. Phallobase broadly rounded anteriorly, delimited from apicale laterally and medially, without distinct sclerotization; apicale posteriorly narrowly acute; accessory lobes present, each with four setae, one long seta at apex, two short setae basad of apex, and one long seta basad to pair of short setae; penis with anterior struts elongate, but not extending past phallobase.

Females. Length 1.61 mm, HW 0.49 mm, HL 0.21 mm, PW 0.44 mm, PL 0.35 mm, EW 0.90 mm, EL 1.26 mm. Antennal scape rounded, slightly longer than wide; pedicel subglobular; antennomere 3 subequal in length to pedicel, ¾ width of pedicel; antennomere 4 subequal to 3 in width, slightly longer in length and width; antennomere 5–8 subequal in length, antennomere 9 slightly reduced in length, slightly greater in width, subequal to antennomere 10; antennomere 11 longer than 10, rounded. Protarsomere 1 without a ventral short, stout spine. Metatibia gradually expanded apically from midlength, greatly expanded from midlength to apex, apex inner margin clothed with thickened, elongate cluster of setae, total length of setal cluster as long as tarsomere 1 ( Fig. 17D ). Abdominal ventrite 5 without medial impression.

Natural history. This is a relatively uncommon species known from only a few specimens from the North Island. This species has been primarily collected using Malaise traps and one specimen has been found by sifting litter.

Distribution. North Island : Northland (ND), Auckland (AK), and Bay of Plenty (BP).

Type material examined. Holotype. Male ( NZAC), labeled: “ NEW ZEALAND GB/ / BP / Karakatuwhero V / Waipiata / 29 Oct 1992 / J.S. Dugdale // Litter / 92/80 // ADERI- / DAE / ( Euglenidae ) / Det. A. Larochelle 1993 // ‘Xylophilus’ nitidus / Broun 1893 [male symbol] / det. S.E. Thorpe, 2002” . Paratypes (5). North Island. ND: Kaitaia, 29/12/1962, E.S. Gourlay, 35.11S, 173.32E (1, NZAC) . AK: Waitakere Range , Cascade Park , 23/03/2000 ,, Malaise trap, wasp survey, 36 53.264S, 174 31.135E (1, AMNZ) ; Waitakere Range , Karekare , 27/03/2000 Malaise trap, wasp survey, 36 59’11S, 174 28’46 (1, AMNZ) ; same but 14/02/2000 (1, AMNZ) ; same but 03/04/2000 (1, AMNZ) .

Figures

FIGURES 11A–E. Dorsal habitus images. (A) Zenascus coloratus (Broun), male; (B) Zenascus obscurus (Broun), male; (C) Zenascus aurum, sp. n., female; (D) Zenascus nitidus (Broun), male; (E) Zenascus elenae, sp. n., male. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 14A–J. Antennal illustrations for Zenascus species, male on left, female on right.(A) Z. coloratus; (B) Z. obscurus; (C) Z. aurum, sp. n.; (D) Z. nitidus; (E) Z. elenae, sp. n.; (F) Z. antennalis; (G) Z. xenarthrus; (H) Z. roberti, sp. n.; (I) Z. luniger; (J) Z. incensum, sp. n. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 17A–D. Scanning electron microscope images, Zenascus species, metatibia (A) Z. nitidus, male; (B) Z. nitidus, female; (C) Z. elenae, sp. n., male; (D) Z. elenae, sp. n., female. Scale bars = 30μm.

FIGURES 18A–E. Scanning electron microscope images, Zenascus species, elytron, dorsal view. (A) Z. coloratus; (B) Z. obscurus; (C) Z. aurum, sp. n.; (D) Z. nitidus; (E) Z. elenae, sp. n. Scale bars = 10μm.

FIGURES 20A–J. Scanning electron microscope images, ventral view of metafemora for Zenascus species. (A) Z. coloratus, male; (B) Z. obscurus, male; (C) Z. aurum, sp. n., male; (D) Z. nitidus, female; (E) Z. elenae, sp. n., male; (F) Z. antennalis, female; (G) Z. xenarthrus, male; (H) Z. roberti, sp. n., male; (I) Z. luniger, male; (J) Z. incensum, sp. n., male. Scale bars = 60μm.

FIGURES 21A–E. Abdominal ventrite illustrations for Zenascus species showing generalized punctation pattern. (A) Z. coloratus (Broun), male; (B) Z. obscurus (Broun), male; (C) Z. aurum, sp. n., male; (D) Z. nitidus (Broun), male; (E) Z. elenae, sp. n., male.

FIGURES 23A–J. Male genitalia illustrations for Zenascus species. (A) Z. coloratus; (B) Z. obscurus; (C) Z. aurum, sp. n.; (D) Z. nitidus; (E) Z. elenae, sp. n.; (F) Z. antennalis; (G) Z. xenarthrus; (H) Z. roberti, sp. n.; (I) Z. luniger; (J) Z. incensum, sp. n.

FIGURES 27A–D. Distribution maps. (A) Zenascus aurum, sp. n., Zenascus incensum, sp. n., and Zenascus xenarthrus, (B) Zenascus coloratus, (C) Zenascus elenae, sp. n. and (D) Zenascus luniger.