Abstract
The endemic Hawaiian nitidulid genus Apetasimus is revised and a key to species provided. Originally described for a single species, Apetasimus involucer, five new species are described and five species are moved from the endemic Hawaiian genus Orthostolus. The following new species are described: Apetasimus conditus sp. nov., A. ganeademus sp. nov., A. abstrusus sp. nov., A. pleomelarrosus sp. nov., and A. debbiae sp. nov. Six species previously assigned to Orthostolus and the monotypic Cyrtostolus are moved to Apetasimus; Apetasimus guttatus comb. nov., Apetasimus sordidus comb. nov., Apetasimus expers comb. nov., Apetasimus atratus comb. nov., Apetasimus kauaiensis comb. nov., and Apetasimus subalatus comb. nov. Apetasimus are arranged in three species groups: pleomelarrosus-group, involucer-group, and guttatus-group. The involucer-group is characterized by brachyptery, and are rarely collected. The pleomelarrosus-group is fully winged and one species, A. pleomelarrosus, is locally abundant on Kauai. One member of the guttatus-group, A. subalatus, is brachypterous. All guttatus-group species are presumed extinct, with the last known collection in 1935.References
Blackburn, R.T. & Sharp, D. (1885) On some new species and genera of Coleoptera. Scientific Transactions of the Royal Dublin Society, 3, 131–231.
Ewing, C.P. (submitted 2006) Phylogenetic analysis of the genera of endemic Hawaiian sap beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) based on morphology with redescription and key to the genera of endemic Hawaiian Nitidulidae. Zootaxa.
Ewing, C.P. & Cline, A.R. (2005) Key to adventive sap beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in Hawaii, with notes on records and habits. Coleopterists Bulletin, 59, 167–183.
Gillogly, L.R. (1962) Coleoptera: Nitidulidae. The Insects of Micronesia. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 133–188 pp.
Liebherr, J.K. (2004) Patterns of endangerment or pathways to enlightenment? Reconstructing the Fauna Hawaiiensis. Systematics and Biodiversity, 2, 175–189.
Murray, A. (1864) Monograph of the family Nitidulariae, pt. 1. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 24, 211–414.
Perkins, R.C.L. (1892–1897) Diaries, notes on collecting. Copy of ms. made by Perkins in 1936. Ms. S. C. Perkins, box 1, Bishop Museum Archives. (Copy also in Entomology Library, The Natural History Museum, London).
Sharp, D. (1878) On some new Nitidulidae from the Hawaiian Islands. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society London, 26, 127–140.
Sharp, D. (1881) On some new Coleoptera from the Hawaiian Islands. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society London, 29, 507–534.
Sharp, D. & Scott, H. (1908) Coleoptera 3. In: Sharp, D. (Ed.), Fauna Hawaiiensis: being the land-fauna of the Hawaiian Islands. Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 435–508.
Swezey, O.H. (1954) Forest entomology in Hawaii, special publication 44. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 266 pp.
Taiti, S. & Howarth, F.G. (1996) Terrestrial isopods from the Hawaiian Islands (Isopoda: Oniscidae). Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 45, 59–71.
Zimmerman, E.C. (1948) Insects of Hawaii: vol. 1, introduction. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 206 pp.