Aphelocerus chelonus, 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 : 89

Aphelocerus chelonus , new species Figures 202, 203 , 227; map 25

HOLOTYPE: Male. Guatemala: Izabal: 25 km SE Morales , 28009; May 21–24, 1996, E. Giesbert, J. Monzon ( FSCA). (Specimen point mounted, sex label affixed to paper point, white, machine printed; support card, white; locality label, white machine printed; FSCA repository label, white machine print­ ed; holotype label, red, machine printed; plastic vial with aedeagus and abdomen.)

PARATYPES: Four specimens from the same locality as the holotype ( FSCA, 1; WOPC, 1) ; 31­IV–2­VI­1997, E. Giesbert, J. Monzon ( FSCA, 1) ; Montanas del Mico , Cerro San Gil, at microwave station, 9­VI­1993, mv & uv light, W. B. Warner, J. Monzon, J. Ryan ( WOPC, 1) .

DIAGNOSIS: The members of this species have the elytra polished, devoid of shallow longitudinal ridges, the pronotal tuft is absent, and the elytral apical angle is acute. These features will distinguish A. chelonus , n.sp., members from those of other species with the antennal apex testaceous.

DESCRIPTION: Size: Length 5.5–6.5 mm; width 2.0– 2.5 mm. Integument: Black, antennal apex testaceous. Vestiture: Integument densely vested with prominent light and dark setae, light setae prominent along lower edge of pronotum and along epipleuron. Head: Genae and epicranium expanded; interocular depressions and frontal umbo prominent; frons, epicranium, and gena very finely punctate; eyes spherical, moderately convex; width across eyes equal to width across pronotum (50:50); antenna (fig. 227) elongate, nearly as long as length of pronotum (40:50). Thorax: Pronotum as long as wide (50:50), very finely punctate, anterior transverse depression well defined, side margins boldly arcuate, considerably narrower than wide across humeri (50:65); elytra moderately convex, disc polished, very finely punctate, erect and decumbent setae serially arranged, apical slope acute, depth at humerus 30, greatest depth in posterior half 35; metafemora not extended beyond elytral apex. Abdomen: Posterior margin of pygidium evenly arcuate in male, feebly sinuous in female. Male genitalia: As in figure 202; phallic plate with denticular margin (fig. 203).

VARIATION: No appreciable variation was noted among the available specimens.

NATURAL HISTORY: The available specimens were collected in late May at 853 m.

DISTRIBUTION (map 25): Known only from the type locality.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet chelonus (turtle) is a Greek noun. I refer to the convex shell­like configuration of the elytra.

Figures

Figs. 193–214. Tegmina and phalli. 193. Aphelocerus delicatulus, tegmen. 194–195. A. bispineus (194, tegmen; 195, phallus). 196. A. aeneus, tegmen. 197. A. acuticolis, tegmen. 198. A. sculptillus, tegmen. 199. A. sabulosus, tegmen. 200–201. A. akis (200, phallus; 201, tegmen). 202–203. A. chelonus (202, tegmen; 203, phallus). 204. A. scalenus, tegmen. 205. A. ebenus, tegmen. 206. A. hespenheidei, tegmen. 207–208. A. ciliaris (207, tegmen; 208, phallus). 209. A. turnbowi, tegmen. 210. A. improcerus. 211. A. anticus, tegmen. 212. A. inbatus, tegmen. 213. A. chondrus, tegmen. 214. A. monteverde. tegmen.