Sceloenopla flava Staines

Staines, C. L., 2002, Nomenclatural notes and new species of Sceloenoplini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 89, pp. 1-32 : 20-21

Sceloenopla flava Staines , new species

Figure 11

Type material. Holotype (): Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Punta Blanco, 24 de agosto de 1988, A. Solis// 0 43763 ( INBio). Paratypes (1, 1): 1­ same label data as holotype // 0 43785 ( INBio); 1­ Est. Biol. Las Alturas, 1500 m, Coto Brus, Prov. Punt. Costa Rica, Oct 1991, M. Ramírez, L­S­322500, 591300// 209165 ( INBio).

Derivation of name. From flava (Latin= yellow) for the yellowish body color.

Diagnosis. This species is in group 6 ( Uhmann 1937). It can be distinguished from all other species in group 6 by the lateral margins of the pronotum that are diverging on the basal half, the coarsely densely punctate pronotum, the smooth apical margins of the elytra, and the yellowish body color.

Description. Pale yellowish; eyes dark; antennae, except apical three antennomeres, dark; pronotum with narrow medial vitta and lateral margins black; scutellum black; elytra with brownish black vitta from humeri to just before middle, exterior apical angle darkened; femora dark, except base; tibiae and tarsi reddish brown. Head: medial sulcus present; vertex smooth; minute tooth present between antennal bases; frons not angulate. Antenna: antennomere I subglobose, punctate; II­VII cylindrical, III longest; VIII­X transverse; XI bluntly pointed at apex; VII­XI setose; II­VI with scattered setae. Pronotum: lateral margin straight and slightly divergent for basal 1/2 then sinuate, converging to apex; each anterior angle with small tooth; posterior angle acute; disc convex, coarsely, densely punctate; slight transverse basal impression present; pronotal length 1.5 mm; pronotal width 1.7 mm. Scutellum: quadrate; alutaceous. Elytron: slightly expanded to apex; lateral margin smooth; apical margin smooth; exterior apical angle with small backwardly directed tooth; with 10 rows of punctures plus short scutellar row; humerus produced, angulate; interspace 4 slightly costate for entire length; elytral length 6.0 mm; elytral width 2.9 mm. Venter: pro­, meso­, and metasterna yellow medially, black laterally; pro­ and mesosterna smooth medially, punctate laterally; metasternum smooth medially, rugose laterally. Total length: 7.8 mm.

Variation. Specimens vary in pronotal length from 1.4­1.6 mm, in pronotal width from 1.6­1.7 mm, in elytral length from 5.7­6.3 mm, in elytral width from 2.7­2.9 mm, and in total length from 7.4­8.0 mm. The color and sculpture is very similar to that of the holotype. Some specimens have the exterior apical angle of the elytra not darkened.

Figures

FIGURES 7 - 12. Habitus. 7. Sceloenopla apicispina. 8. Sceloenopla bicolorata. 9. Sceloenopla bidentata. 10. Sceloenopla expanda. 11. Sceloenopla flava. 12. Sceloenopla lampyridiformis.