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8http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5705F4F1-AB8C-40C3-88D4-17D1F988FBC7
DOI: 10.24412/2226-0773-2023-12-4-449-452
EDN: VJMRYO
A new Litargus species from Australia
(Coleoptera: Mycetophagidae)
J. Háva
Private Entomological Laboratory & Collection
Rýznerova 37/37, Únětice u Prahy, Prague-west, Czech Republic
e-mail: jh.dermestidae@volny.cz
Key words: taxonomy, new species, Coleoptera, Mycetophagidae, Litargus, Australia, Queensland.
Abstract: A new species Litargus (Litargosomus) suturalis sp. nov. from Australia, Queensland is described, illustrated and compared.
Introduction
The genus Litargus Erichson, 1846 can be divided into the following 4 subgenera: Alitargus Casey, 1900 including 3 species, Litargosomus Motschulsky, 1858 including 21 species, Litargus Erichson, 1846 including 16 species, Paralitargus Casey, 1900 including 1 species and 21 species as incertae sedis (Háva 2022, 2023). Only one cosmopolitan species is known from Australia as an introduced species (Lawrence 1987, Lawrence & Ślipiński 2013, Hagstrum & Subramanyam 2009, Háva 2022).
During the determination of some unidentified material deposited in Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien I a new species from Australia, Queensland east found, which is described below.
Material and Methods
The type material is deposited in the following collection:
NHMW - Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien, Austria (M. Seidel).
The size of the beetles or of their body parts can be useful in the species recognition and thus, the following measurements were made:
total length (TL) - linear distance from anterior margin of head to apex of elytra.
elytral width (EW) - maximum linear transverse distance.
The specimen of the presently described species are provided with red, printed label with text as follows: “HOLOTYPE Litargus (Litargosomus) suturalis sp. nov. Jiří Háva det. 2023”.
Results
Litargus (Litargosomus) suturalis sp. nov.
Figs. 1-2
Description. Female. Body measurements TL 2.1 mm, EW 1.1 mm; oblong-oval, subparallel-sided; weakly convex dorsally, weakly glossy; brown on dorsal and ventral surfaces, covered with short, light brown recumbent setation.
Head brown, with dense and coarse punctures; covered by light brown, recumbent setation; labrum brown; eyes prominent laterally in dorsal view, coarsely faceted and slightly emarginate near antennal insertions; antennae with 11 antennomeres (but antennomeres 10-11 missing), entirely light brown with brown setation, antennal club with three antennomeres; palpi brown, apical maxillary palpomere large, cylindrical.
Pronotum brown, convex dorsally, rugose, with large and dense punctures, covered with light brown recumbent setation; widest at middle, gradually narrowed anteriad and posteriad; anterior margin slightly arcuate; sides roundly arcuate; basal margin sinuate, without short and circular grooves on subbasal parts.
Scutellum broadly triangular, with short recumbent light brown setation.
Elytra brown with dark brown suture and humeri, without colour yellowish patterns, covered by light brown recumbent setation, elongate, subparallel-sided, narrowed from apical 1/4 to apex (Figs. 1-2). Epipleuron brown, covered with light brown recumbent setation. Mesometaventrite brown, with light brown recumbent setation. Prosternal process broad.
Legs entirely brown with light brown spines, covered with yellow recumbent setation. Tibiae with long brown spines apically.
Abdominal visible ventrites brown, covered with light brown recumbent setation. Pygidium brown, covered with light brown recumbent setation.
Male. Unknown.
Figs. 1-2. Litargus (Litargosomus) suturalis sp. nov. (holotype):
1 - body, dorsal aspect; 2- elytra, dorsal aspect.
Differential diagnosis. The new species differs from the introduced species Litargus balteatus LeConte, 1856 by the elytral colour without yellowish spots; from other known Oriental species, it differs by the colour of elytra (elytra brown with dark brown suture and humeri).
Type material. Holotype, female, Australia, QLD, Cape Tribulation Daintre N.P, Turpentine Road, 120 m, 8.11.1996, L. Hendrich leg. - NHMW.
Etymology. Named according to dark brown elytral suture.
Acknowledgements. I am obliged very much to Miloslav Rakovič (Czech Republic) for linguistic revision of the manuscript.
REFERENCES
Hagstrum D.W. & Subramanyam B. 2009. Stored-product Insect resource. St. Paul: AACC International, i-viii + 509 pp.
Háva J. 2022: World Catalogue of Mycetophagidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea). - Studies and Reports. Taxonomical Series. 18 (2): 287-331.
Háva J. 2023: A new Litargus species from Thailand (Coleoptera: Mycetophagidae). - Munis Entomology & Zooogy. 18 (2). (in press).
Lawrence J.F. 1987: Notes on the classificatio of some Australian Tenebrionoidea (Coleoptera). - Journal of the Australian Entomological Society. 26: 361-362.
Lawrence J.F. & Ślipiński A. 2013: Australian Beetles. Volume 1. Morphology, classification and keys. Collingwood: CSIRO, 561 pp.
Received: 25.04.2023
Accepted: 02.06.2023
