Pseudataenius contortus Cartwright 1974

Pseudataenius contortus

DESCRIPTION.—Holotype Male: Length 5.1 mm; width 2.1 mm. Elongate-oblong, shining, dark castaneous, antennae testaceous. Head short, broad, very weakly convex; finely reflexed clypeal margin broadly rounded each side of shallow median emargination, sides arcuate to sharply rounded right-angled genae, genae fimbriate with a close group of seven or eight moderately long, stiff setae; surface of head very minutely alutaceous with rather evenly spaced, minute to very fine punctures, generally separated by two or three diameters over middle disc, a trifle finer anteriorly, and a little closer basally. The genae flaring outward give the head a broad distinctive appearance. Pronotum 2.0 mm wide, and 1.4 mm long, rather weakly convex, sides strongly arcuate from the widely rounded anterior angles into the similarly arcuate base, sides and base finely margined, fimbriate with long, conspicuous setae which are very slightly longer at anterior angles, then very gradually decreasing in length around posterior margin to base, separated at anterior angles by approximately one-third their length; surface very minutely alutaceous throughout under high magnification, mixed very fine and fine, quite evenly distributed punctures throughout except for a narrow, impunctate, longitudinal midline, punctures a trifle smaller anteriorly, and little larger basally and laterally. Elytra 3.2 mm long and 2.1 mm wide, convex, subparallel, humeri not distinctly dentate, striae fine, not deep, very fine strial punctures weakly crenating inner margins of the moderately convex intervals, intervals with a medium row of very minute punctures, tenth interval flat and a little more strongly alutaceous. Mesosternum shagreened with dense fine punctures and very fine, short, decumbent hair, not distinctly carinate between the coxae. Shining metasternum with long midline weakly impressed at ends and barely traceable at middle, with a very irregular row of fine-to-moderate close punctures each side, smooth and shining outward to sides, a trace of fine, rough sculpture at extreme sides, the metasternal triangle weakly depressed and minutely alutaceous within. First visible abdominal sternum with posterior marginal line, next two sterna with similar line except at middle, sterna flattened at middle, very fine fluting along anterior margin, their surface minutely alutaceous with a few very fine to fine, scattered, shallow punctures more noticeable at sides. Fourth abdominal sternum about two-thirds as long as preceding sternum, 5th not quite as long. Apical lip of pygidium at middle about half as long as 5th sternum, convex, shining but minutely, densely punctate, eroded area finely roughened and about four times as long as the apical lip at middle. Anterior femora without marginal lines, surface shining, convex, with a few scattered, shallow, very moderate punctures. Anterior tibiae without lateral teeth, the terminal tooth elongate, subparallel-sided, and bluntly rounded; the spur long, gradually widened, and slightly twisted to anterior third then bent inward and slightly downward to sharp tip, at widest point it is at least twice as wide as at base; first tarsal segment larger than second, terminal segment as long as three preceding segments combined. Middle and hind femora minutely alutaceous, a few scattered, shallow, fine punctures and a row of four, moderate, setigerous, widely spaced punctures over outer half of femur, without marginal lines. Apical fringe of posterior tibia of nine fairly long setae, an accessory spine half as long, and an intervening seta between the spine and spur; tarsus very long and slender, the tibia only two-thirds as long; metatarsus one-fourth longer than long spur, as long as following three segments combined, terminal segment as long as two preceding segments combined.

Allotype Female: Length 4.6 mm; width 1.9 mm. Compared with the male, the clypeus is more deeply emarginate at middle, the sides are very slightly incurved or emarginate in outline, the genae are curved back, not continuing straight to angle of the genae; the head is more coarsely and closely punctate, the pronotum is more convex, much more coarsely punctate with close, mixed punctures showing much greater disparity in size but with same impunctate midline. The anterior femora have a perimarginal groove which is weak posteriorly. The anterior femora are normal with the usual three sharp, triangular teeth and a long, straight, slender spur. The middle femora have a shallow but complete posterior marginal line. The posterior femora have a slightly deeper posterior marginal line along the outer two-thirds. The abdominal sterna are convex from side to side with the 4th sternum comparatively longer. The pygidium is shorter, with a thin, shiny apical marginal lip.

HOLOTYPE.—USNM 71732.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Florida, 17 miles north of Tallahassee, Tall Timbers Research Station, at light, 25 June to 4 July, 1967, L. Collins. Holotype, allotype, and 27 paratypes with same data.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—372.

DATES COLLECTED.—June 1 to July 23.

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 3).—Paratypes. Alabama (1): Daphne, 12 June. ?Delaware (1): Delaware Bay, “14 foot Bank, L.H.,” 17 July 1936. Florida (321): Monticello (199), black light, 12 June 1969, W. H. Whitcomb. Tallahassee (4), 29 June 1965, W. Suter. Tall Timbers Research Station, Leon County (118), black light, 1–8 June 1967, L. Collins. Georgia (20): Beachton, Birdsong Plantation, 4–7 July 1967, E. V. Komarek. Louisiana (11): Baton Rouge (2), June 1905, A. W. Merrill. New Orleans (1), 13 June, H. Soltau Coll. (USNM). Patterson, St. Mary Parish (4), 11 June 1959, W. Suter. Pearl River (4), 6 June 1893, H. Soltau Coll. (USNM). Mississippi (2): “Southern Mississippi” (1), 11 June 1893, H. Soltau Coll. Utica (1), trap light, 21 July 1964. New Jersey (1): “ New Jersey,” no date, J. B. Smith. South Carolina (11): Blackville, Edisto Exp. Sta. (2), trap light, 9 July 1938, O. L. Cartwright. Charleston (1), 15 June 1930, O. L. Cartwright. Hendersonville, Colleton County (2), 23 July 1936, M. Robinson. Summerville (1), 9 July 1936, O. L. Cartwright. Swansea (1), F. Knab. Yemassee (4), 3 June 1939, 6 June 1947, O. L. Cartwright. Virginia (3): Arlington (1), 20 July 1949. Nelson County (2), 30 June 1911, 3 July 1916, W. Robinson.