Aphelocerus irroratus, OPITZ, 2005

OPITZ, WESTON, 2005, Classification, Natural History, And Evolution Of The Genus Aphelocerus Kirsch (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2005 (293), pp. 1-128 : 53-55

IRRORATUS GROUP Aphelocerus irroratus , new species Figures 34 , 63 , 132 ; map 9

HOLOTYPE: Female. Guatemala, Guat., Antigua, 2000 m, 20­VI­1973, Ginter Ekis ( AMNH). (Specimen point mounted, sex label affixed to paper point, white, machine printed; support card; locality label, white, machine printed; AMNH repository label, red, machine printed, holotype label, red, machine printed.)

PARATYPES: Twenty­seven specimens. Four from the same locality as the holotype ( USNM, 1; JNRC, 1; WOPC, 2). Mexico: Chiapas: 6.4 km N Bochil, 4­V­1969, H. F. Howden ( CMNC, 1). Guatemala: 4 km W Sta. Catarina Pinula, 1800 m, 13­VI­1991, H. Howden ( CMNC, 1): El Progresso : above Los Albores , 2439 m, 7–8­IV­1991, E. Giesbert ( WOPC, 1): Sacatepequez: Capetillo ( BMNH, 4) ; Finca San Rafael , 27­VI­1948, 2103 m, R. D. Mitchell ( FMNH, 1) ; 19–24 km N. Salama, 25–31­IV­1989, 1371 m, J. E. Wappes ( JEWC, 1): Baja Verapaz: 7.8 km W Chilasco , 1700 m, 24­V­1991, H. & A. Howden ( CMNC, 1) ; 24 km N Salama, Pantin , 21­IV­1995, E. Giesbert, J. Monzon ( WOPC, 1) ; 19–24 km N Salama, 1371 km, 25–31­IV­1989, E. Giesbert ( FSCA, 1), San Jeronimo ( BMNH, 1) ; 9 km S San Jeronimo, BVP, 25­VI­1966, 1371 m, J. M. Campbell ( CNCI, 1): Zacapa: Rd. to San Lorenzo, 1288 m, 4­IV­1991, E. Giesbert ( FSCA, 1; WOPC, 1) ; 158049N, 898569W, Las Nubes near La Trinidad, 1900 m, 27­IV­1997, M. E. Erwin ( WOPC, 1) ; Guatemala City ( MNHN, 1): Quetzaltenango: 3.0 km SE Zunil, NW slope Vol. Zunil , 148469N, 918289W, 18­VIII­ 1974 ( USNM, 1), 8 km SW Zunil, 1585 m, 18­VI­1993 ; F. Genier, hand collected ( WOPC, 1) ; 1288 m, 20–21­IV­1996, E. Giesbert & J. Monzon ( FSCA, 1) ; Guatemala: Nebaj , 1829 m, 9­VII­1947, C. & P. Vaurie ( AMNH, 2) .

DIAGNOSIS: The fine punctiform microsculpture (fig. 34) on the elytral disc anterior to the middiscal setal tuft will separate the members of this species from congeners.

DESCRIPTION: Size: Length 4.3–5.6 mm, width 1.7–2.1 mm Integument: Cyanescent, except elytra piceous. Vestiture: Basal third of elytral disc densely vested with short, very fine white setae conspicuous along epipleural margin; generally integument vested predominately with dark setae; metepisternal, sutural, and elytral discal tuft well developed, latter bipartite, setae of anterior patch directed anteriorly, setae of posterior patch directed towards epipleural margin. Head: Width across eyes narrower than width across pronotum (23:27); finely punctate; interocular depression and frontal umbo shallow; antenna as in figure 63. Thorax: Pronotum subequal in width and length, narrow­ er than width of elytra across humeri (27: 31); elytral depth at humerus 15, greatest depth in posterior half 20. Male genitalia: Aedeagus (fig. 132) short; ventral sinus twice length of dorsal sinus.

NATURAL HISTORY: In June, in Antigua, Guatemala, I collected four specimens at 2000 m by beating a stand of roadside hedgerow adjacent to an extensive pine forest. Oth­ er specimens were taken from June to August, by ‘‘sweeping herbs in cleared fields’’ and by ‘‘beating dead leaves’’, at altitudes ranging from 518 to 2439 m.

DISTRIBUTION (map 9): This species ranges from the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, to the southern extension of the Sierra Madre of Guatemala.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet irroratus is a Latin adjective denoting ‘‘covered with granules’’ and it is used in reference to the granular condition on the surface of the basal third of the elytra.

Figures

Figs. 33–36. Habitus views. 33. Aphelocerus nitidus, dorsal. 34. A. irroratus, dorsal. 35–36. A. naevius (35, dorsal; 36, lateral)

Figs. 62–84. Antennae. 62. Aphelocerus sagittarius. 63. A. irroratus. 64. A. naevius. 65. A. triangulus. 66. A. extensivus. 67. A. humerus. 68. A. argus. 69. A. protenus. 70. A. arenatus. 71. A. patulus. 72. A. monteverde. 73. A. chondrus. 74. A. catie. 75. A. chiriqui. 76. A. immarginatus. 77. A. anticus. 78. A. yungas. 79. A. batesi. 80. A. bufustis. 81. A. acanthus. 82. A. sturnus. 83. A. myrmecoides. 84. A. scutellaris.

Figs. 121–138. Tegmina or phalli. 121. Aphelocerus inconstans, tegmen. 122. A. inconstans, tegmen. 123. A. citimus, tegmen. 124. A. argus, tegmen. 125. A. echinatus, tegmen. 126–127. A. leucomelas (126, tegmen; 127, phallus). 128–129. A. coalitus (128, tegmen; 129, phallus). 130. A. acutus, tegmen. 131. A. lividus, tegmen. 132. A. irroratus, tegmen. 133. A. acutus, tegmen. 134. A. arenatus, tegmen. 135–136. A. sagittarius tegmina (135, ventral view; 136, lateral view). 137. A. sculptillus, tegmen. 138. A. protenus, tegmen.