Pinodytes contortus Peck & Cook, 2011

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2011, Systematics, distributions and bionomics of the Catopocerini (eyeless soil fungivore beetles) of North America (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Catopocerinae) 3077, Zootaxa 3077 (1), pp. 1-118 : 23-24

Pinodytes contortus Peck & Cook , new species

( Figs. 10 , 87 , 112–119 )

Type material. Holotype male ( CSCA). UNITED STATES. California: El Dorado Co., 5miE Placerville off Hwy. 50, VI-26-1980, S. Kuba and T. Eichlin, F80-19, Berlesed from Neotoma nest at base of Pseudotsuga taxifolia . Paratypes (10). UNITED STATES. California: with same data as holotype, 1 ( CSCA); Butte Co., 2miN Hurleton, Stringtown Road, 22.III.1983, D.A. Chandler, sift maple & grape litter, 1 ( UNHC); El Dorado Co., Blodgett Forest, 27.VIII.1975, F.G. Andrews, M.S. Wasbauer, Ber. Pinus ponderosa , 1 ( CSCA); El Dorado Co., Blodgett Forest, 27.VIII.1975, F.G. Andrews, M.S. Wasbauer, Ber. Libocedrus decurrens duff, 2 ( CSCA); El Dorado Co., Blodgett Forest, 13miE Georgetown, 28.IV.1976, J. Doyen, Ber. litter Quercus kelloggii , 1 ( EMEC);

El Dorado Co., Peavine Ridge Rd. , 7miSW Ice House, 16.IV.1992, F.G. Andrews, Ber duff under Quercus kelloggii , 1 ( CSCA) ; Placer Co., 2miW Colfax , 14.X.1971, E.A. Kane, Ber. oak duff, 2 ( CSCA) ; Placer Co., 3miN Colfax , Rollins Lake, 26.I.1971, F.G. Andrews, Ber. pine & oak duff, 1 ( CSCA) .

Material examined. We have examined 11 specimens.

Distribution. Specimens ( Fig. 87 ) are known from Butte, El Dorado, and Placer counties, on the western side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, of California.

Diagnostic description. Total length 1.16–1.34 mm; greatest width 0.60–0.70 mm; Reddish brown; oval in shape ( Fig. 10 ). Head. Finely, sparsely punctate; shining; vertex with faint reticulate microsculpture. Eyes absent. Antenna ( Fig. 112 ) with antennomere 2 longer and wider than 3; antennomere 5 wider than 4, longer than 6; antennomere 7 longer but not wider than 8; antennomeres 9 and 10 each with a single sensory vesicle indicated apically by a protruding flange. Pronotum. Finely punctate, punctures separated by 3–4 diameters; shining, microsculpture faintly indicated. Widest near base, weakly narrowing to apex; apical margin weakly emarginate, basal margin nearly straight; apical angles obtuse, basal angles about rectangular. Elytra. Finely punctate, in longitudinal rows only basally near suture; punctures joined by fine transverse strioles. Joined elytra slightly wider than pronotum; widest in basal one-third, roundly narrowing to apex. Legs. Protibia ( Fig. 113 ) slender, width increases slightly from base to apex; spinose on outer margin near apex and apically; finely spinose on apical one-half of inner margin. Mesotibia ( Fig. 114 ) moderately slender; strongly spinose on outer margin and apically. Metatibia ( Fig. 115 ) slender, weakly curved; spinose apically and near apex; scattered small spines on outer margin. Metafemur ( Fig. 115 ) slender. Male protarsomeres ( Fig. 113 ) weakly expanded, bearing elongate setae laterally and broad, thin, colorless phanerae ventrally. Mesotarsomeres without phanerae. Venter. Mesoventrite ( Fig. 119 ) carinate; longitudinal carina with toothlike expansion near middle; not excavated behind transverse carina. Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs. 116, 117 ) broad, with narrow, flattened apex; inverted internal sac ( Fig. 117 ) with three clusters of elongate spines and clusters of short spines basally. Parameres ( Figs. 116, 117 ) elongate, extending beyond apex of median lobe; apices deflexed, flattened and contorted; each bearing two setae before apex. Spermatheca. Elongate ( Fig. 118 ), tubular, ribbed.

Etymology. The name contortus, Latin , twisted, refers to the shape of the paramere apices of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 87. Distributions of species in the Pinodytes pusio species group in the southwestern United States. P.pusio, closed circles in the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range mountains of central and southern California. P. ovatus, closed triangles in the Coast Range mountains of southwestern Oregon. P. chandleri, open triangles in the Coast Range mountains of northern California. P. constrictus, open circle in the transverse mountain ranges north of Los Angeles, California. P. contortus, closed square in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. P. eldorado, open squares in the the northern Sierra Nevada mountains of California.

FIGURES 2–10. Pinodytes habitus photos. 2. P.newtoni, total length 1.38 mm. 3. P. borealis, total length 2.10 mm. 4. P. punctatus, total length 1.36 mm. 5. P.colorado, total length 1.66 mm. 6. P.pusio, total length 1.54 mm. 7. P. ovatus, total length 1.34 mm. 8. P. chandleri, total length 1.54 mm. 9. P. constrictus, total length 1.48 mm. 10. P.contortus, total length 1.16 mm.

FIGURES 112–119. Pinodytes contortus. 112. Male right antenna, dorsal. 113. Male right protibia and protarsus. 114. Male right mesotibia. 115. Male right metafemur and metatibia. 116. Aedeagus, lateral. 117. Aedeagus, dorsal. 118. Spermatheca. 119. Mesoventrite, lateral. Scale bar = 0.1 mm (Fig. 118), 0.3 mm (Figs. 112–117, 119).