Antimerus jamesrodmani, Solodovnikov, A. & Newton, A. F., 2010

Solodovnikov, A. & Newton, A. F., 2010, Revision of the rove beetle genus Antimerus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), a puzzling endemic Australian lineage of the tribe Staphylinini, ZooKeys 67, pp. 21-63 : 40-41

Antimerus jamesrodmani sp. n. Figs 1635-37

Type locality:

Australia: Queensland:Mt. Glorious State Forest (NW of Brisbane), 750m, 27°23'S, 152°45'E

Material examined.

AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Holotype, pinned, aedeagus dissected and attached to the specimen in a plastic genitalia vial with glycerin; with labels "AUSTRALIA: Qld.,/ Mt. Glorious St. For./ (nw Brisbane), 750m,/ subtropical rainforest/ Y. Basset canopy study", "ex canopy (25m) of/ Agyrodendron actinophyllum/ Edlin ( Sterculiaceae )", "12-19.II.87/ IT3 (OFT)", "FMNH-INS 0000 019 164", "HOLOTYPE Antimerus jamesrodmani sp. nov. A. Solodovnikov des. 2008", ♂ in QM. Paratypes: same locality, 11-18.xii.1986, ex canopy (25m) Agyro. actinoph., IT1 (0FT) (Y. Basset), FMNH-INS 0000 019 172, 1♂ in ZMUC; same locality, 12-19.ii.1987, ex canopy (25m) Agyro. actinoph., IT3 (0FT) (Y. Basset), FMNH-INS 0000 019 165, 1♂ in FMNH; same locality, 2-8.ii.1987, ex canopy (25m) Agyro. actinoph., IT4 (0FT) (Y. Basset), FMNH-INS 0000 019 166, 1♂ in ZMUC; same locality, 25.xii.1986-2.i.1987, ex canopy (25m) Agyro. actinoph., IT5 (0FT) (Y. Basset), FMNH-INS 0000 019 163, 1♀ in FMNH.

Description.

Measurements (n=4): HL: 1.7-2.2; HW: 2.5-2.9; PL: 2.4-2.7; PW: 2.7-3.0; EL: 3.0-3.5; EW: 3.0-3.5. Total size of the body 14 -16 mm.

Head and pronotum metallic blue with purple reflection, very glossy; elytra red with metallic reflection; abdomen dark brown to black, with weak metallic reflection, antennae and tarsi paler, brown. Disc of head and pronotum without punctuation or pubescence, their surfaces with microsculpture of transverse waves and micropunctuation. Elytra with sparse punctuation bearing brown to black pubescence, interspaces without distinct microsculpture. Abdomen moderately densely punctuated, with brown to black pubescence.

Head wider than long; tempora tapered towards relatively narrow neck, forming broadly rounded, poorly distinct hind angles, about as long as eye (in lateral view); neck delimited from head dorsally by very fine groove. Antennae with antennomeres VIII–X distinctly wider than long, transverse.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, as wide as head; pronotal anterior and posterior angles rounded but distinct; pronotum widest in its middle, converging more strongly anteriad than posteriad. Pronotal hypomera inflexed, not visible from lateral view except for its translucent postcoxal process.

Elytron elongate, longer than pronotum.

Wings well developed.

Abdominal tergites IV–VI (second to fourth visible) with moderately deep transverse impression in basal part; tergite VII (fifth visible) with whitish seam at apical margin.

Male (Figs 35-37). Aedeagus with broad paramere, which is as wide as median lobe (in dorsal or ventral view); parameral apex distinctly bilobed, lobes separated by deep narrow incision.

Comparison.

Antimerus jamesrodmani is most similar to Antimerus bellus and Antimerus gracilis . From both of them Antimerus jamesrodmani differs in having red elytra and the neck delimited from the head dorsally by very fine groove (rather than not delimited). From Antimerus bellus additionally it differs in having slightly more distinct hind angles of the head. Aedeagi of Antimerus jamesrodmani and Antimerus bellus are very similar and differ slightly in the shape of the sclerotized piece of the internal sac. Also, unlike that in Antimerus bellus , the median lobe in Antimerus jamesrodmani lacks lateral carinae on its parameral side near apex (in lateral view; cf. Figs 35 and 38, carina indicated by “c”; sclerotized piece indicated by arrow).

Distribution and bionomics.

Antimerus jamesrodmani is known only from the type locality in southeastern Queensland (Fig. 55, B, triangle). All known specimens were collected in subtropical rainforest from the canopy of the tree Argyrodendron actinophyllum Edlin ( Sterculiaceae ) 25 m above ground (see Basset 1991), suggesting an arboreal life style for this species.

Etymology.

It is our pleasure to dedicate this noticeable rove beetle species to Dr. James Rodman, who promoted and then, for a number of years, managed the " Partnership of Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy" (PEET) program at the National Science Foundation of the United States. The PEET funding greatly facilitates systematic exploration of poorly known groups of organisms on a world basis and provides unique opportunities for young systematists to develop their own careers. In particular, our taxonomic exploration of the poorly known Australian Staphylinidae greatly benefited from the PEET program.