Pristoderus duvalensis Turco & Ślipiński, 2012

Turco, Federica, Ślipiński, Adam & Lambkin, Christine L., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Australian Pristoderus Hope (Coleoptera, Zopheridae), Zootaxa 3239, pp. 1-34 : 23-24

Pristoderus duvalensis Turco & Ślipiński sp. n.

( Figs 3c , 5c, 7c)

Types. Holotype: 30.25S 151.38E NSW, Mt. Duval , Tin Weir Ck. , 15 km NW Armidale, 1225m 14 Jun. 1993, D.S. Chandler / Berlesate ANIC 1643, cut dry sclerophyll, Euc. viminalis litter ( ANIC) .

Diagnosis. This species is similar to P. c h lo re u s for the crest along 3rd elytral interval indistinctly joined to form a costa, but different for the teeth along elytral edge protruding, pointed and uniform in size, pronotal edge also characterised by pointed teeth (6), the same size as those on elytral edge, and pronotal median process not sloping posteriorly, in lateral view.

Description. Body length: 5.6 mm.

Body convex, about 2 times as long as wide (ratio max length/max width: 1.87); colour uniformly brown with a vestiture of short, fine, erect whitish setae, holding a coat of dirt which forms a uniform encrustation.

Head transverse; eyes protruding lacking interfacetal setae; long, fine setae just posterior to eyes; supraorbital carina raised, indented with a distinct upwardly directed, pointed tubercle at posterior end, above the eye; supraantennal carina distinctly raised, frontal edge indented; antennal insertion frontal, just below the edge of supraantennal carina; antennae 11-segmented with a distinct 3-segmented club; antennomere I slightly elongate, about as long as III; II subspherical; III distinctly longer than II; IV–VIII subspherical, weakly decreasing in length; IX–XI distinctly transverse to form a rather loose club.

Pronotum distinctly transverse (pronotal length/width: 0.65), as wide as elytra; dorsal median process, anteriorly prominent but short, not reaching anterior margin of head, just reaching anterior pronotal angles, slightly sloping in lateral view with pointed tubercles on dorsal edge; antero-lateral margins widely lobate (6 lobes), expanded posteriorly to form a widely-open lateral notch; two admedian upwardly pointed tubercles in middle.

Elytra 1.3 times as long as wide, sinuate, distinctly indented margins; strongly prominent tubercles along 3rd and 5th intervals; 3rd interval with variable tubercles in size and shape, indistinctly joined to form a crest, weakly zigzag ; proximal third of crest subparallel, reduced to digitiform tubercles; apical tubercle distinctly raised, with edge sharply indented, pointing upwards; tubercles on 5th interval subequal in size, edge of basal tubercle pointed; basal tubercle low.

Etymology. The species is named after the locality where the holotype was collected, Mt. Duval in northern New South Wales.

Distribution and habitat occurrence. NE New South Wales ( Fig. 13 b); open forest.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Group of P. sa cc ha ra tu s, habitus dorsal: a. P. ch lo reus; b. P. co rn utu s; c. P. duvalensis; d. P. monteithi; e. P. occultus; f. P. saccharatus; g. P. sp in osu s; h. P. tomentosus; i. P. zig zag.

FIGURE 13. Distribution maps: a. P. c h l o re u s; b. P. duvalensis; c. P. monteithi.