Tarsobaenus hansoni Leavengood, Pinkerton and Rifkind, 2022

Leavengood, John M., Pinkerton, Morgan G. & Rifkind, Jacques, 2022, Description of the new genus Tarsobaenus and three new species from Costa Rica (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocerini), Zootaxa 5138 (2), pp. 167-176 : 174

Tarsobaenus hansoni Leavengood, Pinkerton and Rifkind , new species

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5FEA089B-0D0D-4C32-95A5-635DC82D3585

( Figs. 12–16 )

Holotype: Female. COSTA RICA: Alajuela Prov.: 5 km W San Ramon , 1200m, VII-1997, Malaise trap, P. Hanson ( CSCA) . Paratype: 1specimen. Alajuela Prov.: 5 km W San Ramon , 1200m, VI-1997, O.Castro, P.Hanson ( FSCA, 1f) .

Description: Holotype (female). Body length: 5.18 mm. Head, mouthparts, thorax, legs, tarsi, scutellum, elytra, abdomen reddish-yellow to testaceous; clypeus, antennomeres V-VI darkening apically, mandibles pale basally, darkening toward apices; antennomeres VII-X, large metathoracic macula near metacoxa covering most of metathorax, metepisternum, incomplete band on apical 1/3 of dorsal margin of femora (more apparent on mesofemora and metafemora), and basal half of elytra (except for anterior elytral margin) black; basal antennal segments and apical 1/2 of elytra yellow testaceous. Head: Slightly wider than humeri, surface smooth, impunctate, moderately covered in fine, long, pale, erect, semirecumbent setae; setae on eyes and posterolateral margin of head (behind eyes) longer; eyes prominent, distinctly wider than pronotal tubercles, sparsely covered with fine, long, pale, erect setae; antennae 10-segmented with distinct single-segment apical club; frons with two dorsally converging elongate depressions; mouthparts with clypeus longitudinally subdivided; mandibles bifid, right mandible dorsally excavated to receive the left; apical maxillary palpomeres securiform; apical labial palpomeres digitiform. Thorax: Pronotum widest at lateral angles but still narrower than width of head across eyes, covered in long, pale, testaceous, erect setae interspersed with short, pale, semirecumbent setae; pronotal disc shiny, sparsely and finely punctate; punctures obsolete on anterior and posterior pronotal collars, anterior collar finely rugose; disc very convex, anterior collar strongly constricted and upturned at head, transverse impression complete, anterior fringe of short pale, erect setae projecting over head; posterior collar abruptly curved upward at scutellar margin with posterior fringe of long, pale, erect setae projecting over scutellum; scutellum with long, pale, erect setae projecting over base of elytral suture. Ventral prothorax sparsely covered with long, pale, somewhat erect setae which become shorter and more recumbent towards middle; procoxal cavities open; mesothorax more densely covered with pale, recumbent setae which continue onto metepisternum where they are less dense; metathorax sparsely covered with long, pale, erect setae. Metathorax large, inflated, surface shiny, smooth, minutely granulate. Legs: Surface shiny, covered with long, fine, testaceous, erect setae of varying lengths; femora expanded, mildly laterally compressed, pro- and mesofemora nearly twice the width of tibia (slightly wider distally), metafemora more than twice width of tibia; tibiae narrow and elongate, covered with long, fine, testaceous, erect setae of varying lengths, with short, fine, testaceous, semirecumbent setae on 1/3 near apex; hind legs slightly longer, metafemora extended well past apex of elytra (when laid alongside); tibial spur formula 1-2(?)-2(?); tarsal claw bifid (ungues present). Wings: Elytra shiny, distinctly punctate with large, widely spaced punctures (punctures obscured on tumid apices), parallel to subparallel (widest at humeri), not extending completely over abdomen, disc subflattened dorsoventrally, covered in long, fine, pale, erect and semirecumbent setae of varying lengths; internal facing margin of plica forming an elongate excavation with a distinct margin; strongly dehiscent in apical 1/3 (beginning after excavation) where plica broadens noticeably; lateral margins weakly serrulate and each serrulate denticle with single seta, serrulations strongest apically, weakest in anterior 1/3; elytral apices serrate and independently rounded to truncate (serration reduced at apical truncation); increased tumidity apically resulting in obscured punctation. Hindwing dusky-testaceous radiating from venation, apical 1/4 entirely cloudy black. Abdomen: Surface weakly shiny, sparsely covered with long, pale, erect setae; posterior margin of fifth sternite with broad, gradual, smooth emargination; sixth sternite divided longitudinally into two sclerites with widely-spaced, long, testaceous, subapical setae and dense apical fringe of shorter setae on each sclerite, apical tergite unmodified, clothed with pale setae of varying lengths. Male not known.

Variation: The paratype, also a female (3.14 mm, but abdomen is curled beneath body and elytra are parted), is similar to the holotype.

Diagnosis: Tarsobaenus hansoni is readily distinguished from its congeners by the anteriorly positioned broad, black, elytral fascia.

Biology: Unknown.

Distribution: Alajuela Province, Costa Rica.

Etymology: We dedicate this species to Paul Hanson (Universidad de Costa Rica) in recognition of his contributions to our knowledge of tropical insects. For many years, Paul operated the “Malaise Network”—a project that ran dozens of Malaise traps set throughout Costa Rica. These traps yielded hundreds of specimens of hydnocerine Cleridae , a collection that will form the basis of our understanding of the distribution and diversity of these beetles in Costa Rica.

Figures

FIGURES 12–16. Tarsobaenus hansoni, n. sp. (holotype, paratype): 12—holotype, dorsal habitus; 13—head; 14—paratype, dorsal habitus; 15—elytral plica; 16—lateral habitus.