Cymatodera merickeli Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 519-552 : 545-546

Cymatodera merickeli Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs. 56–59 )

Type specimen. Holotype male: México, Oaxaca, Rt. 131, 15 mi. S. Sola de Vega, 6000’, V-30-1971,

H. F. Howden. Holotype deposited in CASC.

Diagnosis. Separable from congeners based on the unique shape of the male pygidium. The new species shares a similar facies with C. oxchuc , including rather deeply, arcuately incised elytral apices, but their elytral patterning differs, and their terminal abdominal structures are entirely different (cf. Figs. 57–58 with Figs. 54–55 ).

Description. (Holotype). Length: 15.0 mm. Form: elongate, subcylindrical. Color: integument light brown; head and pronotum reddish brown; metasternum and abdominal ventrites (in part) dark brown; elytra with three sets of large, pale testaceous blotches ( Fig. 56 ), the middle and posterior pairs attaining the lateral margins. Head: measured across eyes, wider than pronotum; surface rather finely, moderately densely punctulate and shallowly rugulose; vestiture fine, pale, subrecumbent, moderately long, arrayed in swirling patterns on vertex and laterally, converging anteriorly on frons. Pronotum: longer than broad, narrower than base of elytra; surface shallowly rugulose, inconspicuously punctulate; vestiture fine, pale, inconspicuous, consisting of erect and suberect setae of moderate length. Elytra: elongate (ratio of length to width 68:23), subparallel; anterior margin sinuate; humeral angles weakly oblique; umbones distinct, subgibbous; elytral apices ( Fig. 57 ) deeply, arcuately emarginate, rendering external angles falciform and internal angles acute; apices dehiscent at posterior sutural margin; surface with rather deep, primarily circular punctures arranged in striae, interstrial integument wider than diameter of punctures, which diminish in size posteriorly, becoming rather small and widely spaced at middle, and absent altogether from posterior 1/4; vestiture moderately dense but inconspicuous, composed of mostly suberect, rather short, fine, pale testaceous setae, intermingled with fewer longer, erect, pale testaceous setae. Metaventrite: surface finely, moderately densely punctulate, shallowly transversely and finely rugulose posteriorly; tubercles distinct but shallow, transverse, not acute at crown; vestiture moderately dense but pale and inconspicuous. Abdomen: ventrites shining, rather coarsely but shallowly punctate, rather thinly and inconspicuously setose; ventrite 5 with sides slightly, obliquely convergent, hind angles subacute, curved slightly inward, posterior margin broadly U–shaped; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 58 ) elongate, with sides subparallel, hind angles arcuate externally, produced and subacute posteriorly, hind margin with a deep V–shaped emargination at middle, surface with a short, oblique carina on either side anterior to middle; tergite 6 ( Figs. 57 & 59 ) elongate, concave (lateral margins raised), slightly expanded posteriorly, then constricted before broadly sagittate, upturned apex.

Variation. Known only from the holotype.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors Frank Merickel, tireless and able curator of the William F. Barr Entomological Museum, in recognition of many kindnesses.

Distribution. The type locality is in the Sierra Sur of Oaxaca, in upland pine–oak forest.

Figures

FIGURES 56 – 59. 56. Habitus of Cymatodera merickeli Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 57. Dorsal view of pygidium and elytral apices, Cymatodera merickeli (holotype male). 58. Pygidium (ventral view) of Cymatodera merickeli (holotype male). 59. Pygidium (ventrolateral view) of Cymatodera merickeli (holotype male).

FIGURES 52 – 55. 52. Habitus of Cymatodera oxchuc Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 53. Cymatodera oxchuc (holotype male): detail of head, showing swirling setal pattern. 54. Pygidium (ventral view) of male Cymatodera oxchuc. 55. Pygidium (dorsal view) of male Cymatodera oxchuc.