Agnosthaetus leviceps Clarke 2011, new species
Creators: name: Clarke, Dave J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Agnosthaetus
Agnosthaetus leviceps

description: (17) <i>Agnosthaetus leviceps</i> Clarke, new species (Figs. 137–139, Map 4) <b>Type Material.</b> <b>Holotype.</b> ♂, with four labels: " New Zealand SL| 2km SW Longwood | Trig [46°13.602′S, 167°50.292′E] 610m | Longwood Ra| 1 Feb 1976 / L.L. Deitz | moss in forest| 76/11/ <i>FMNH-INS 0000 038 382</i> / HOLOTYPE <i>Agnosthaetus leviceps</i> Clarke, ♂, design. D. Clarke 2011", in NZAC. <b>Paratypes.</b> 2 specimens (2♂). Same data as holotype, 2♂, <i>FMNH-INS 38380–381</i> (in NZAC). <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Agnosthaetus leviceps</i> may be distinguished from all other known <i>Agnosthaetus</i> species by the combination of lack of punctures on the dorsum of the head (<i>cf. A. nitidus</i>, with indistinct punctures), medial pronotal sulcus separated from both anterior setal puncture and basal fovea (Fig. 24, <i>ap</i>, <i>bf</i>; similar to <i>A. vicinus</i>: Fig. 75), incomplete to largely effaced lateral pronotal carina (similar to Fig. 80, <i>pc</i>), and absence of an elytral sutural stria. The aedeagus differs from all others with aedeagus " Type A" in having copious, long apicomedial setae on the median lobe (Fig. 139). <b>Description. Color</b>: Attractive, pale brown, and shiny species. <b>Head</b>: Frontal ridge absent. Dorsum impunctate on disc; with distinct shallow punctures only posterolaterally. Dorsal microsculpture absent. Dorsal tentorial sulcus (<i>cf</i>. Figs. 10–11, <i>dt</i>) broadly ovate. Sublongitudinal ridge (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 10, <i>sr</i>) distinct; not confused by smaller carinae or punctures; crest at antennal tubercle without distinct microsculpture. Area above and behind antennoocular carina (Figs. 10–11, arrow) with distinct subsidiary carina formed by confluent punctures. Antenno-ocular carina joining eye behind middle (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 59). Temple (Fig. 11, <i>tm</i>) long, greater than 50% EYL. Subocular surface without microsculpture, completely smooth between punctures (<i>cf</i>. Figs. 63–64). Apical labral margin in males moderately broadly and shallowly emarginate medially, evenly dentate, with 16–18 teeth (<i>n</i> =3), all teeth normal, projecting more or less anteriorly (Fig. 137). Adoral labral surface in males smooth, without subapical transverse ridge. Mandible more or less identical in both sexes; males with single, mesially directed tooth, without preapical spur (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 189); females with single, mesially projecting tooth, without spur. <b>Prothorax</b>: Pronotum without microsculpture. Medial pronotal sulci anteriorly separate from, and terminating posterior to anterior punctures; basally distant from remnant basal foveae (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 75). Distance between medial sulci slightly greater posteriorly. Lateral pronotal sulcus partly to completely interrupted at middle (<i>cf</i>. Figs. 77, 80, <i>ls</i>). Pronotal basolateral carina present, but only weakly developed. Base of pronotum without pair of median foveae (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 75); without lateral foveae, or with single distinct lateral fovea. Pronotal macrosetal punctures absent (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 77). Medial pronotal seta adjacent to lateral sulcus (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 77). Lateral pronotal carina, anteriorly complete, continuous with anterior pronotal margin and incomplete, usually more or less completely absent beyond middle of pronotum, if present anteriorly then difficult to discern even at high magnification (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 80, <i>pc</i>). Pronotal hypomeron (Fig. 24, <i>hy</i>) shiny, without microsculpture. Prosternum (Fig. 24, <i>pro</i>) impunctate; with distinctly reticulate microsculpture. <b>Pterothorax</b>: Elytron (Fig. 23, <i>e</i>) without microsculpture; without sutural stria; without macrosetae; laterally with single ridge (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 24, <i>ek</i>). Mesothoracic epimeral region (Fig. 24, <i>mer</i>) shiny, without microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural region (Fig. 24, <i>m</i>) shiny, without microsculpture. Metathoracic pleural ridge absent (<i>cf</i>. Fig. 86); metathoracic pleural groove (Fig. 24, <i>gr</i>) complete, continuing to or near to pleurocoxal articulation. <b>Abdomen</b>: Abdominal vestiture short, somewhat appressed, dorsally more or less evenly projecting posteriorly. Abdominal sternite VI of male with setose apicomedial protuberance. <b>Aedeagus</b> (Fig. 138): " Type A" (see description on p. 8). Apical part of median lobe with rounded lateral lobes and abruptly distinct, broadly acuminate, sharply pointed apicomedian lobe. Apicolateral setae small; apicomedial setae up to 10X longer than apicolateral setae (Fig. 139). Paramere extending to about level of median lobe apex; in lateral view produced apically into lobe; in dorsal view with outer side gently convex; with 4 large setae at apex. <b>Etymology.</b> The specific epithet <i>leviceps</i> is a noun in apposition from the Latin <i>levis</i> (smooth) combined with <i>ceps</i> (head) in reference to the unique lack of punctation on the dorsum of the head. <b>Distribution.</b> (Map 4). South Island: SL. <b>Remarks.</b> The holotype and paratypes of this species share some unusual and otherwise unique pronotal characters with <i>A. nitidus</i> and <i>A. vicinus</i>. From both of these species, <i>A. leviceps</i> can be distinguished most easily by the lack of the elytral sutural stria. The male secondary sexual character on abdominal sternite VI is a unique structure within <i>Agnosthaetus</i>.
description: Published as part of <i>Clarke, Dave J., 2011, A Revision of the New Zealand Endemic Rove Beetle Genus Agnosthaetus Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), pp. 1-118 in The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 10) (mo 10) 2011</i> on page 47, DOI: 10.1649/0010-065X-65.mo4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4907083