Lionothus exiguus Peck and Cook, 2013

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2013, Systematics and distributions of the genera Cyrtusa Erichson, Ecarinosphaerula Hatch, Isoplastus Horn, Liocyrtusa Daffner, Lionothus Brown, and Zeadolopus Broun of the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Leiodinae: Leiodini), Insecta Mundi 2013 (310), pp. 1-32 : 17

Lionothus exiguus Peck and Cook , new species

( Fig. 10 , 22 )

Description. Length (pronotum + elytra) = 1.34–1.44 mm; greatest width = 1.00– 1.04 mm. Reddish brown, shiny. Head punctation variable in size and spacing. Antennal grooves not well defined. Mandibles moderately long, left mandible with blunt tooth near middle. Antennal club slender; antennomere 8 disc-like, narrower than apex of 7; apical antennomere longer than and as wide as 10. Eyes of normal size. Pronotum broad, sides rounded; posterior angles rounded, barely evident; basal margin rounded. Pronotal punctures minute and sparse. Elytral strial punctures round and deep, variable spaced; interstrial punctures minute and sparse. Metasternum finely punctate medially, coarsely punctate laterally; lateral punctures separated by less than one diameter. Male mesofemur unmodified. Male mesotibia straight. Abdominal sternites III–VII each with basal transverse row of large punctures. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 10 ) cylindrical and curved in basal half, with flat paired apices. Parameres narrow, not reaching apex of median lobe. Internal sac as in Fig. 10 .

Type material. Holotype, male, in SBPC, with label data: “ UNITED STATES: TX: Cameron Co., 3m / 15 km se Brownsville, TNC/ Southmost Preserve, N25°50.6’ / W97°22.9’, palm forest FITs/ 1.III–4.IV.04, S. & J. Peck 04–54”.

Paratypes, 7, as follows: same data as holotype (1, SBPC) ; “ TX: Cameron Co. / Brownsville, Audubon / Sabal Palm Grove/ 31.V–10.VIII.83/ S.&J. Peck, FIT” (1, SBPC) ; “ UNITED STATES: TX: ne Cameron Co. / Laguna Atascosa NWR/ N26°14.0 W 97°21.0. 2 m / Thorn thicket FIT, 1.III–6.IV.04/ S. & J. Peck, 04–50” (3, SBPC) ; “ FLA: Columbia Co. / O’Leno State Park / 16.VI–8.VIII.1981 / S. Peck, sand-oak-/ pine, intercept tp.” (1, SBPC) ; “ FLORIDA: Suwanee / Suwanee R. St. Pk. / 15.VI–8.VIII.1981 / S. Peck, mixed/ forest intercept ” (1, SBPC) .

Distribution. The species is known only from Florida and Texas in the United States ( Fig. 22 ). Its distribution in the extreme south of Texas suggests that the species may also occur in Mexico. The Florida populations seem to be disjunct from those in Texas. They may have once been connected across the Gulf Coastal Plain at times of Pleistocene low sea levels. This was a route from a western source for faunas moving into Florida, and is recognized for the movement of both vertebrates ( Webb 1990) and arthropods ( Deyrup 1989).

Seasonality. Adults are known only from the months of March to August.

Bionomics. Adults are known from mesic forests, thorn thicket, and palm forest, often on sandy soils. All were collected in flight intercept traps.

Etymology. Latin “ exiguus ”, small, refers to the small size of this species.

Figures

Figure 22. North American distribution of Lionothus bidentatus (black circles), L. exiguus (black triangles), L. parvoculus (black squares).

Figures 7–15. Aedeagi, dorsal, of Lionothus species. 7) L. ulkei. 8) L. forticornis. 9) L. bidentatus. 10) L. exiguus. 11) L. parvoculus. Scale line = 0.3 mm for L. ulkei, L. exiguus; 0.4 mm for L. forticornis, L. bidentatus, L. parvoculus. Aedeagi, dorsal, of Zeadolopus species. 12) Z. egenus. 13) Z. bifoveolatus. 14) Z. oklahomensis. 15) Z. rubricornis. Scale line = 0.3 mm.