Fauna of New Zealand 69 - Landcare Research

Fauna of New Zealand 69 57
described genus Trichopsida. In addition, Tarastethus species
share the following characters: terminal segment of
palpi glabrous, posterior bead of pronotum absent, segment
5 of metatarsi always with a single pair of ventral setae.
The genus Tarastethus now includes one newly
described species as well as five species originally described
in Tarastethus, more recently ascribed to Molopsida,
and here reinstated to their original combinations.
Key to species of Tarastethus
1 Legs uniformly coloured, pale red ............................. 2
—Legs not uniformly coloured, at least tibiae infuscate 4
2(1) Pronotum (Fig. 117) punctate throughout. [Body
(Fig. 212), length 4.6–6.3 mm; northwestern South
Island (coastal NN and BR).] ...................................
.................................... ...(p. 57)... puncticollis Sharp
—Pronotum (Fig. 118–119) impunctate on disc ........... 3
3(2) Pronotum (Fig. 118) moderately cordate; sides moderately
sinuate posteriorly. Head coarsely punctate in
and between deep frontal furrows. Head, pronotum,
elytra, and abdomen testaceous to reddish black.
[Body slender (Fig. 213); two supraorbital setiferous
punctures on inner side of each eye; body length
5.0–6.6 mm; northern and central South Island.] .....
...........................................(p. 58)... simulans Broun
—Pronotum (Fig. 119) less cordate; sides less sinuate
than above. Head impunctate or finely and sparsely
punctate in shallow frontal furrows. Head, pronotum,
elytra, and abdomen black. [Body stout (Fig. 214);
one or two supraorbital setiferous punctures on inner
side of each eye; body length 4.9–6.1 mm; northern
South Island.] .....................(p. 59)... alpinalis Broun
4(1) Colour of apex and sides of elytra widely yellowish
red, contrasting with dark background (Fig. 215).
Sides of pronotum (Fig. 120) strongly sinuate posteriorly.
[Pronotum strongly cordate; body length 4.5–
6.2 mm; central and southwestern South Island.] .....
....................................... ...(p. 59)... convexus Broun
—Colour of apex and sides of elytra not contrasting
with background as described above (Fig. 216–217).
Sides of pronotum (Fig. 121–122) less sinuate than
above ...................................................................... 5
5(4) Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen testaceous.
Pronotum (Fig. 121) finely punctate across base; laterobasal
foveae shallow, narrow. Elytra: striae shallow,
finely punctate; intervals depressed, becoming
slightly convex apically. Abdominal sterna impunctate.
[Body (Fig. 216), length 4.8–5.4 mm; southern
South Island.] .............(p. 60)... southlandicus Broun
—Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen black. Pronotum
(Fig. 122) coarsely punctate across base; laterobasal
foveae deep, wide. Elytra: striae deeper, coarsely
punctate; intervals slightly convex throughout. Abdominal
sterna punctate. [Body (Fig. 217), length
4.3–5.6 mm; southwestern South Island.] ................
................................... ...(p. 61)... sirvidi new species
Tarastethus puncticollis Sharp, 1883 E reinstated
Figures 72, 117, 212; Map p. 181
Tarastethus puncticollis Sharp, 1883: 24. Holotype: female
(BMNH) labelled “Tarastethus puncticollis. Type D.S.
Greymouth. (hand-written on card mount) / Type H.T. (circular
red-bordered label; typed) / Greymouth, New Zealand.
Helms. (white label with red horizontal line; typed)
/ Sharp Coll. 1905-313.” Condition: Excellent. Paratype:
female (BMNH) labelled “ [female symbol] Tarastethus
puncticollis Greymouth 1885 (hand-written on card mount)
/ Paratype (circular yellow-bordered label; typed) / Greymouth,
New Zealand. Helms. (white label with red horizontal
line; typed) / Sharp Coll. 1905-313. (typed)” Condition:
Excellent. Original combination reinstated.
Molopsida puncticollis: Britton, 1940: 277.
Description. Body: length 4.6–6.3 mm. Head, pronotum,
elytra, and abdomen black; lateral margins of elytra dark
reddish; antennae, palpi, and legs entirely pale red. Head.
Coarsely punctate in and between frontal furrows, unwrinkled
dorsally, much narrower across eyes than pronotal
apex. Labrum moderately transverse, truncate anteriorly.
Antennae: segment 1 (scape) moderately long, about 1.5×
longer than its maximum width. Frontal furrows wide,
deep. Eyes moderately large and convex; two supraorbital
setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Interocular
fovea shallow. Tempora convex, short (about one-third as
long as eyes). Mentum: medial tooth moderately shorter
than lateral lobes. Paraglossae membranous, prominent,
much longer than ligula. Thorax. Pronotum (Fig. 117)
strongly convex, punctate throughout (coarsely punctate
across base, finely to moderately punctate elsewhere; disc
impunctate in other species), unwrinkled, slightly cordate;
apex straight; anterolateral angles well developed, obtuse;
sides moderately rounded anteriorly, slightly sinuate
posteriorly; lateral beads slightly widening from apex
to base; lateral depressions absent; each anterolateral
setiferous puncture situated well in front of middle and
touching lateral bead; posterolateral angles rectangular,
not denticulate; laterobasal foveae well defined, coarsely
punctate, deep, wide, oblong; base very slightly arcuate,
more or less straight medially, slightly oblique laterally,
much wider than apex, slightly narrower than elytral base.
Prosternum punctate, unwrinkled. Proepisterna punctate,
unwrinkled. Metepisterna punctate. Elytra. Widest in front