Decorosa aladecoris, Opitz, 2008

Opitz, Weston, 2008, Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Part V. Decorosa Opitz, a New Genus of Checkered Beetles from Hispaniola with Description of Its Four New Species, American Museum Novitates 3628 (1), pp. 1-20 : 6

Decorosa aladecoris , new species

Figures 1 , 34 , 39, 42 , 46

HOLOTYPE: Female. DOMINIC. REP.: La Vega, Constanza , 1160 m, 30AUG1988, beating in secondary pine guava forest, M. A. Ivie, T. K. Philips & K. A. Johnson ( USNM). (Specimen mounted on on minuten pin in neoprene block; gender label and metathoracic wing mounted on support card; locality label; holotype label).

PARATYPES: Three specimens: Dominican Republic: La Vega: Estación Cabanito, 20- VII-1996, R. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1); Cordillera Central , 4.1 km SW El Convento, 18 ° 50 9 N 70 ° 42 9 W, 31-IV-2003, 1729 m, disturbed evergreen forest with pine canopy trap, J. Rawlins, R. Davidson, C. Young, C. Nuñez, P. Acevedo ( CMNH, 1); Loma Casablito, 16.0 km NW Bonao, 19 ° 02 ° N 70 ° 31 9 W, 28-IV- 2003. 1487 m, evergreen cloud forest at summit, canopy trap, J. Rawlins, R. Davidson, C. Young, C. Nuñez, P. Acevedo ( WOPC, 1) .

DIAGNOSIS: From congeners these beetles are distinguished by the uniform dark brown coloration of the cranium and pronotum, and by the color pattern on the elytral disc (fig, 1).

DESCRIPTION: Size: Length 4.0 mm; width 1.2 mm. Integumental Color: Cranium and pronotum dark brown; antennae yellow; elytra as in figure 1; legs yellow; venter dark brown. Vestiture: Cranium and pronotum densely vested with pale decumbent setae. Head: Vertex much wider than width of eye (27:13); ratio of head width to pronotal width 1.05 (62:59); antennal form similar to antenna depicted in figure 4. Thorax: Pronotum only slightly longer than broad (60:58); pronotal lateral tubercle obtuse; anterior margin conspicuously wider than posterior margin (58:50); apical region of protibial anterior margin with 3 spines; seventh row of elytral punctations begins slightly anterior to elytral middle. Abdomen: Aedeagus as in figure 34.

VARIATION: There is some variation in the extent of dark and light coloration in the most distal region of the elytral disc.

NATURAL HISTORY: Specimens were collected during May, July, and August, one by beating secondary vegetation in a pine/guava forest at 1160 m. Two specimens were captured in canopy traps, one in disturbed evergreen forest with pine at 1729 m, the other at the summit of an evergreen cloud forest at 1487 m.

DISTRIBUTION (fig. 46): Known only from the highlands of the La Vega Province of the Dominican Republic.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a Latin compound name that stems from the noun ala (‘‘wing’’) and decoris (‘‘adorned’’). I refer to the ornate markings on the elytral disc.

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of Decorosa aladecoris Opitz.

Figs. 33–38. Anatomical structures. 33. forebody of Madoniella dislocata (Say). 34. Aedeagus of Decorosa aladecoris Opitz. 35–36. Madoniella dislocata (35, terminal labial palpomere; 36, terminal maxillary palpomere). 37–38. D. iviei Opitz (37, terminal maxillary palpomere; 38, terminal labial palpomere.

Figs. 39–43. Anatomical organs and habitus. 39. Decorosa aladecoris Opitz elytra, ventral view. 40–41. D. neiba Opitz (40, aedeagus; 41, habitus). 42. D. aladecoris, pronotum. 43. D. neiba, pronotum.

Fig. 46. Geographic distribution of Decorosa Opitz species.