Decorosa, 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 : 4-6

DECOROSA , NEW GENUS

TYPE SPECIES: Decorosa iviei , n. sp.

DIAGNOSIS: The known geographic distribution of the members of this genus is confined to the Dominican Republic. Morphologically, the most striking synapotypic characteristic that distinguishes the members of this genus is that there has been a reduction in expression of the seventh row of elytral punctations. The seventh row is absent in the anterior third or anterior half of the elytral disc (see figs. 24, 29). Also, the funicular antennomeres are filiform, and the vertex is wider (fig. 2) than in specimens of some of the superficially similar specimens of Amboakis Opitz (2006: 22) , Madoniella Pic (1935: 10) , and Parvochaetus Opitz (2006: 14) .

Terminal palpomeres of the maxilla and labium may also be used to distinguish Decorosa specimens from those of other above-mentioned epiphloeines. For example, in Madoniella specimens the maxillary terminal palpomere is curved-subconic (fig. 36) whereas in Decorosa specimens it is curvedrectangulate (fig. 38). The labial terminal palpomere is conic in specimens of Madoniella (fig. 35), but slightly curved-conic in those of Decorosa (fig. 37). The cranium and pronotal disc are vested with short, pale, horizontally decumbent, silken setae, the elytral disc is very ornate with its pattern of yellow and brown markings (fig. 1), and the pronotum is longer than wide (fig. 7).

From superficially similar specimens of the genera Madoniella , Amboakis , and Parvochaetus , characterized by funicular antennomeres that are expanded (fig. 28), Decorosa specimens are distinguished by less bulgy eyes and a shallower medial border of the eye. Lastly,

TABLE 1 Character Matrix of 14 Morphological Characters in specimens of Decorosa the epipleural fold spans the entire length of the elytra (fig. 26), which is not the case in specimens of Madoniella (fig. 27), Amboakis , or Parvochaetus .

DESCRIPTION: Size: Length 3.5–5.6 mm; width 1.0– 1.4 mm. Form (fig. 12): Elongate, narrow, rectangulate; pronotum elongate (fig. 7) or about as long as wide (fig. 12); elytra about three times longer than wide, epipleural margin subparallel, posterolateral margin gradually or sharply curved toward sutural margin. Integument: Cranium and pronotum light reddish brown to dark brown; elytra with intermixture of yellow and brown streaklike ornate patterns (figs. 1, 12–14); legs yellow, tibiae may be infuscated at their anterior margins; abdomen dark brown. Vestiture: Cranium and pronotum vested densely with short, pale, horizontally decumbent, silken setae, elytral disc vested with moderately stout, dark 1 ° setae, very uniform in length, and fine decumbent pale 2 °, profusely distributed throughout elytral surface. Head: Cranium fine, rugosely punctate; eyes not very bulgy, finely faceted, ocular notch angle not acute at innermost point (fig. 2); antenna (fig. 4) inserted at lower angle of eye incision, comprised of 10 antennomeres, loosely clubbed, scape about as long as combined length of next three antennomeres, pedicel oblong, funicular antennomeres filiform, antennomeres 3–6 elongate, antennomere7 quadrate, antennomeres 8 and 9 triagonal, antennomere10 subglobose to ovate; labrum (fig. 5) deeply incised, incision bordered by eight setae; mandible (fig. 10) robust, anterior and posterior dentes well developed, mandibular penicillus poorly developed; maxilla (fig. 9) well developed, terminal palpomere curved-subconic, only slightly narrowed distally, laterolacinia present; labium (fig. 8) well developed, terminal palpomere curved-rectangular; frons planar; gula (fig. 3) subtrapezoidal. Thorax: Pronotum (figs. 6, 7) oblong or about as long as wide, pronotal lateral tubercle obtuse (fig. 12) or subacute (fig. 7); anterior margin convex, posterior margin linear, anterior transverse depression absent (fig. 1) or short (figs. 12–14), disc slightly depressed at sides where discal and paralateral trichobothria are prominent; epimeral prolongations slightly extended to middle; procoxal cavities open; elytra rectangulate, posterior portion of epipleural margin gradually or sharply rounded toward sutural margin, anterior half of disc surface macrosculptured with nine rows of punctations, posterior half macrosculptured with 10 rows of punctations, seventh row of punctations absent in basal half to basal third of disc (fig. 24); punctations large, sometimes binodal (fig. 25), and much wider than width of interstitial spaces; epipleural fold extends entire length of the elytra (fig. 26), posterior rounded portion of epipleural margin minutely spinous; metathoracic wing as in figure 23; mesoscutellum subquadrate; tibial spur formula 0-1-1, tarsal pulvilli formula 3-3-1, anterior margin of tibia with one to three spines; tarsal claws with large basal denticle. Abdomen: Six visible sterna; pygidium broad scutiform. Male Genitalia: Aedeagus short and broad, phallobasic apodeme short and broad, phallobasic rod usually tapered to a fine point, phallic plates very narrow; spicular fork as in figure 31.

DISTRIBUTION: This insular genus is known only from the Dominican Republic.

ETYMOLOGY: The genus name stems from the Latin adjective decorus (‘‘beautiful’’) and the Latin feminine suffix -a. I refer to the stunning elytral color pattern of these beetles.

KEY TO DIFFERENTIATE DECOROSA FROM AMBOAKIS AND MADONIELLA, AND KEY TO SPECIES OF DECOROSA

Epiphloeinae checkered beetles have four trichobothria on the pronotum, two are dorsal-paralateral (fig. 33) and one occurs on each pronotal side. Also, the anterior margin of the protibiae exhibit one to many acute spines, which are not to be confused with the more coarse and obtuse spines found among some members of Enopliinae ; the latter tend to be in the 8–15 mm bodysize range whereas Decorosa specimens are usually about 4 mm. This key deals only with epiphloeines from Hispaniola.

1. Anterior half of elytral disc macrosculptured by 10 rows of punctations, or elytral disc somewhat roughened and densely matted with decumbent setae to extent that punctation organization poorly defined; epipleural fold extended slightly beyond middle of elytra (fig. 27); elytral disc vested with bristlelike vertical setae........ 2

1 9. Anterior half to anterior third of elytra macrosculptured by nine rows of punctations and by 10 behind middle, elytral disc never roughened or densely matted with decumbent setae; epipleural fold extended to elytral apex (fig. 26); elytral disc not vested with bristlelike vertical setae ( Decorosa )..... 3

2(1). Funicular antennomeres subfiliform, fourth and sixth slightly expanded (fig. 29); elytra usually somewhat oblong-suboval (fig. 32)................. Madoniella Pic

2 9. Funicular antennomeres very expanded (fig. 28); elytra usually narrow-rectangulate (fig. 30).......... Amboakis Opitz

3(1 9). Seventh row of elytral punctations begins at about basal third of elytral disc, anterior to the plane of metacoxae............ 4

3 9. Seventh row of elytral punctations begins near middle of elytral disc behind plane of metacoxae (fig. 24)............... 5

4(3). Cranium and pronotum uniformly dark brown; elytral markings as in figure 1 ( Dominican Republic: La Vega).................. Decorosa aladecoris , n. sp.

4. Cranium and pronotum not uniformly dark brown, cranium narrowly reddish, brown at margins of eyes, pronotum narrowly red brown along anterior margin ( Dominican Republic: San Juan)............................. Decorosa neiba , n. sp.

5(3 9). Pronotum narrow (figs. 13–14); apex of anterior protibial margin of right tibia with one stout spine; pronotal lateral tubercle subacute (fig. 7); elytral disc markings as in figures 13–14 ( Dominican Republic: San Juan: Santiago)..... Decorosa iviei , n. sp

5 9. Pronotum broad (fig. 12); pronotal lateral tubercle obtuse (fig. 12); apex of anterior protibial margin of right tibia with 2 spines; elytral markings as in fig. 12 ( Dominican Republic: Azua)....................... Decorosa limatula , n. sp.