Pujoliclerus helvinus Opitz, 2014

Opitz, Weston, 2014, Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of the Checkered Beetle GenusPujoliclerusPic (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Peloniinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 68 (4), pp. 727-756 : 727-756

Pujoliclerus helvinus Opitz , new species ( Figs. 21 , 48 , 76 , 92 , 123 )

Holotype. ♂. Arg.- Chaco, San Bernardo, 26 al 31-VII-90, DiIorio leg. Second red label: Emergido seco Cereus corine , S.& D. ( MLPA).

Paratypes. Two specimens. ARGENTINA: Chaco: San Bernardo, 26-31-VII-1990, emerged from Cereus coryne Salm-Dyck (Cactaceae) , colector DiIorio ( MLPA, 1; WOPC, 1).

Diagnosis. Within the maracayensis speciesgroup, only in specimens of this species is the pronotal disc red and the pronotal arch infuscated.

Description. Size: Length 5.5 mm; width 1.5 mm. Form: As in Fig. 92 . Integument: Cranium light brown, antenna mostly black, capitular antennomeres with small yellow patches; pronotum light brown, infuscated on arch and base; elytra black; femora and tibiae yellow; pterothorax and abdomen black. Head: Eyes not as wide as frons (13:16); funicular antennomeres moderately expanded, 7 th antennomere long ( Fig. 21 ). Thorax: Pronotum transverse (42:38), lateral tubercle very prominent ( Fig. 48 ); epipleural fold gradually narrowed to elytral apex, asetiferous punctures prominent to elytral apex. Abdomen: Tegminal lobes and phallic apex as in Fig. 76 .

Variation. The infuscation on the pronotal arch is more prominent in the paratypes.

Natural History. The type series emerged from the cactus C. corine during July.

Distribution. Known only from Argentina ( Fig. 123 ).

Etymology. The trivial name helvinus (= yellowish) is a Latin adjective that refers to the yellow coloration of the legs.

Figures

Figs. 21–38. Pujoliclerus species, antennae. 21) P. helvinus; 22) P. maracayensis; 23) P. bilineatus; 24) P. calceatus; 25) P. corumba; 26) P. ovatus; 27) P. wappesi; 28) P. amplus; 29) P. flavoapicalus; 30) P. gilvus; 31) P. hermani; 32) P. alajuela; 33) P. orellana; 34) P. megacavus; 35) P. oxinus; 36) P. alboordinus; 37) P. apolegmus; 38) P. catarina.

Figs. 48–61. Pujoliclerus species, pronota. 48) P. helvinus; 49) P. maracayensis; 50) P. modestus; 51) P. bilineatus; 52) P. calceatus; 53) P. corumba; 54) P. flavolimbatus; 55) P. ovatus; 56) P. wappesi; 57) P. amplus; 58) P. flavoapicalus; 59) P. gilvus; 60) P. hermani; 61) P. orellana.

Figs. 76–91. Pujoliclerus species, aedeagi. 76) P. helvinus; 77) P. bilineatus; 78) P. calceatus; 79) P. corumba; 80) P. flavolimbatus; 81) P. ovatus (tegmen only); 82) P. wappesi; 83) P. gilvus; 84) P. hermani; 85) P. casselorum; 86) P. catarina (phallus only); 87) P. argus; 88) P. aspigalbus; 89) P. flora; 90) P. posticalis; 91) P. pallidus.

Figs. 92–97. Pujoliclerus species, habitus. 92) P. helvinus; 93) P. maracayensis; 94) P. modestus; 95) P. bilineatus;

Fig. 123. Geographic distribution of six Pujoliclerus species.