Review Of The Genus Leiopsammodius Rakovic (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Psammodiini) In America North Of Mexico With Descriptions Of Three New Species
Author
Harpootlian, Phillip J.
Author
Gordon, Robert D.
Author
Woodruff, Robert E.
text
The Coleopterists Bulletin
2000
2000-09-30
54
3
292
299
http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/0010-065x(2000)054[0292:rotglr]2.0.co;2
journal article
10.1649/0010-065X(2000)054[0292:ROTGLR]2.0.CO;2
10101823
Leiopsammodius acei
,
new species
Figs. 10–12
Description.
Male; length
2.8 mm
, width
1.1 mm
, oblongoval, subparallel, moderately shining, rufocastaneous. Antennae pale rufotestaceous. Head convex, strongly verrucose, granules large, frequently elongate, base with distinct, darker transverse groove. Clypeus broadly emarginate, angles rounded. Pronotum slightly lobed basally, narrower in front, angles obtusely rounded, faintly emarginate, sides entire, fimbriate basally with coarse, short hairs; surface very finely, sparsely punctate throughout, with three transverse rows of punctures; anterior row subapical, composed of closely spaced, moderately coarse punctures in a groove extending almost completely across between anterior angles, median row composed of punctures in transverse groove extending inward from lateral margin nearly to median, longitudinal groove that extends from near pronotal base nearly to anterior row of subapical punctures, posterior row composed of irregular, confused coarse punctures extending across pronotum near base; base margined with contiguous band of moderate punctures (
Fig. 12
). Elytra convex, striae deep, moderately, crenately punctate, intervals weakly convex, very finely, irregularly punctate. Metasternum smooth, shining, anterior postcoxal line absent, with faint arcuate groove in front of posterior coxal plate, median longitudinal groove obvious, anteriorly alutaceous and very shallowly, moderately punctate at sides. Abdominal segments sparsely, minutely punctate and very finely alutaceous, faintly crenate in front. Pygidium eroded, longitudinally divided, faintly alutaceous, apical fringe with four long setae in moderate punctures. Posterior femora moderately stout, minutely alutaceous, two or three setigerous punctures paralleling posterior edge with similar row along the anterior margin; middle femora
¾
as wide as posterior, basal marginal rows of setae weakly developed apically (
Fig. 11
). Posterior tibiae
⅓
as wide as long, transverse ridges absent; posterior spurs narrow, faintly foliaceous, the longer as long as the first three tarsal segments combined; first tarsal segment elongate, triangular, equal in length to the next three together. Parameres stout, ventral notch rounded (
Fig. 10
).
Variations.
Length
2.8 to 3.3 mm
, width
1.1–1.5 mm
; pygidium with two to five fringe setae.
Material Studied.
Holotype
:
South
Carolina
, Beaufort Co., Hunting
Island
,
10X1998
, sifted from sand,
P.J. Harpootlian
(
FSCA
)
.
Paratypes
:
South
Carolina
, Beaufort Co., Pritchards
Island
,
14IX1996
, blacklight,
P.J. Harpootlian
(1);
Hunting Island
,
28VIII1997
, sifted from sand,
P.J. Harpootlian
(1);
21 IX1997
, sifted from sand,
P.J. Harpootlian
(5)
.
North Carolina
,
New Hanover Co.
,
Carolina Beach
,
7IX1956
, dead in beer can,
R
.
E Woodruff
(5);
Fort Fisher
,
8IX1956
, dead in beer can,
R
.
E Woodruff
(4)
.
Paratypes
in the following collections:
FSCA
,
USNM
,
BMNH
, and the personal collections of the authors
.
Remarks.
The first known specimens were collected dead in beer cans on two
North Carolina
beaches by R.E. Woodruff in 1956. The species was not collected again until a single specimen was found in a blacklight trap set in a narrow wooded trail near the shore of Pritchards Island,
South Carolina
. Additional light trapping in the area has failed to attract any more specimens. Appears to prefer the sand in amongst grass, shaded by trees, not in the more open dune, and appears primarily during autumn. The somewhat similar appearing
Geopsammodius hydropicus
(Horn)
is sympatric in the treeline sand, but that species can also be found in the sand right up to the high tide line and is evidently more common. This species is very similar to
L. deyrupi
and is difficult to differentiate without comparative material, but the punctures on the pronotum are generally smaller, the shape more parallel sided, the male genitalia are diagnostic, and the known distributions are allopatric.
Etymology.
Named for the ACE basin, a coastal wilderness area in
South Carolina
formed by the confluence of the Ashepo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers.