Pseudoagathidium ignotum Peck and Cook, 2014

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2014, A review of the small carrion beetles and the round fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), with descriptions of two new genera and 61 new species., Insecta Mundi 2014 (397), pp. 1-76 : 14

Pseudoagathidium ignotum Peck and Cook , new species

Figures 25–27

Diagnostic description. Total length 2.5-2.6 mm; body strongly contractile, shining, with scattered very minute punctures and scattered erect, pale setae; reddish brown, head darker, not iridescent. Head broad; postocular tempora short, not prominent, defined by supraocular carinae; clypeus not protruding; labrum with fringe of pale setae; mandibles with erect pale setae. Eyes prominent. Antennae of 11 antennomeres with 3-antennomere club; antennomere XI as long as IX and X combined. Pronotum broad, deeply emarginate anteriorly, evenly rounded laterally and posteriorly. Elytra broad, lateral margins rounded in dorsal view. Flight wings present. Mesosternum on about same plane as metasternum. Metasternum in both sexes with projecting broad median process with acute apex. Tarsi 4-4- 4 in both sexes. Male pro- and mesobasitarsomeres with spatulate setae ventrally. Prolegs slender in both sexes. Metafemur unmodified in both sexes. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 25, 26 ) elongate, parallel-sided in ventral view, with rounded, strongly up-turned apex; in lateral view, thickest near middle, evenly flattening to apex; operculum elongate-oval with rounded apex; inverted internal sac with elongate flagellum. Parameres absent. Spermatheca ( Fig. 27 ) bulbous with narrow, curved neck.

Type material. Holotype, male, with the following label data: “WEST INDIES: St. Vincent / Hermitage Forest , E of Spring / Village, N13°14.86’ W61°12.77’ / 16–27.VIII.2006, tree base forest/ litter/ 348m, S. & J. Peck, 06-106” ( SBPC) . Paratypes (3 males, 1 female) have the following label data: same data as holotype (2, SBPC) ; same data as holotype except: 21.VIII.2006, uv trap, 350m, 06-116 (2, SBPC) .

Distribution. Known only from St. Vincent.

Remarks. This is the first reported occurrence of Pseudoagathidium outside the Afrotropical and Oriental regions. Because of the very poorly researched fauna of Agathidiini in Central and especially South America we do not think it profitable to speculate on the biogeographic meaning of this first New World record of Pseudoagathidium . It might have been an introduction through colonial-era commerce but this seems unlikely to us.

Etymology. The epithet ignotum , Latin adjective (unknown, strange), refers to the unexpected occurrence of this species in the West Indies.

Figures

Figures 25–29. Genitalic structures of Pseudoagathidium and Agathidium. 25, 26) Aedeagus, ventral and lateral views, of P. ignotum. 27) Spermatheca of P. ignotum. 28, 29) Aedeagus, ventral and lateral views, of A. minutum. Scale line = 0.30 mm, Fig. 25, 26; 0.15 mm, Fig. 27-29.