Colyphus zacki Rifkind, 2023

Rifkind, Jacques, 2023, Two new species of Guatemalan Colyphus Spinola (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Insecta Mundi 2023 (3), pp. 1-4 : 1-3

Colyphus zacki Rifkind , new species

( Fig. 1–3 )

Type specimens. Holotype male. Guatemala, Alta Verapaz Dept.,“Pamac,” Aldea Mexabaj, San Cristobal– Quixal road, 13-14 Jun 2021, 1480 m, 15.419217° N, 90.606651° W, light traps, R. S. Zack, collector. The holotype is deposited in WSUC.

Paratype. 1 female ( JNRC), same data as holotype.

Description. Holotype length: 9.0 mm. Form: elongate; elytra subparallel ( Fig. 1–2 ). Color: black; elytra with three pairs of yellowish maculae arranged as in Fig. 1 ; antennal scape and pedicel, maxillary palpi (in part) and labial palpi (entirely), testaceous; tibiae and tarsi, piceous. Head: surface densely, shallowly granulate/punctate; moderately densely clothed with adpressed and suberect whitish setae. Antennae: of medium length for this genus, compared to congeners; antennomeres 9–11 forming a gradually enlarged, loose club. Pronotum: subflattened above, slightly longer than broad; transverse impression distinct, broadly V-shaped; surface shining, sparsely, finely and shallowly punctate and transversely rugulose, moderately densely clothed with short and long, reclinate and suberect, anteriorly oriented, mostly stout whitish setae, interspersed with a few medium length black setae. Scutellum rather densely clothed with white setae. Elytra: elongate (more than 2× as long as wide); somewhat compressed dorso-ventrally; humeri subquadrate; umbones prominent; subbasal tumescences nearly obsolete; sides subparallel, very slightly, and gradually inflected at anterior 1/3; apices slightly dehiscent. Surface shining, shallowly transversely rugulose, moderately densely, finely and shallowly punctate throughout. Vestiture moderately dense but inconspicuous, composed of rather short, fine, suberect and erect whitish and black setae. Metasternum: surface granulate laterally, densely clothed with whitish setae. Abdomen: surface shining, finely, shallowly rugulose, moderately densely clothed with fine, whitish setae. Ventrite VI with posterior margin rather broadly subtruncate; sternite VI with hind margin rounded. Genitalia: Aedeagus with parameres sagittate and each bearing a sharp basolateral barb ( Fig. 3 ).

Variation. The paratype female measures 8.5 mm. in length; it differs from the male by having abdominal ventrite VI slightly less broad posteriorly, and with the hind margin very feebly inflected at middle.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronymic honoring Richard Zack for his contributions to our knowledge of Guatemala’s insect fauna. Richard has kindly made available to me many specimens of Cleridae , including those treated in this paper.

Distribution. Known from Alta Verapaz province in central Guatemala.

Diagnosis. Separable from the similarly marked species Colyphus artus Ekis by differences in the configuration and location of the pale median elytral fascia ( Fig. 1 ). In Colyphus zacki , this fascia takes the form of an irregularly outlined, bilobate macula, whereas in C. artus it is composed of two rectangular maculae joined narrowly at one corner. Furthermore, in the new species, the posterior lobe of the median fascia is located more medially than in C. artus . While these differences in pattern are rather subtle, the condition of the male terminalia of C. zacki removes any doubt about the distinctness of the species. In the case of C. zacki , the parameres are sharply barbed posteriorly ( Fig. 3 ), an unusual condition within Colyphus , where, with the exception of C. irazu Ekis , the apices of the parameres are at most sagittate. This latter condition is shown in Fig. 4 which depicts the aedeagus of C. artus , illustrated here for the first time.

Figures

Figures 1–5. Colyphus spp. 1–3) Colyphus zacki, new species. 1) Habitus of holotype. 2) Living specimen, photographed in Guatemala, Alta Verapaz, Coban, July 2015, by J. Monzón. 3) Aedeagus of holotype. 4) Aedeagus of C. artus. 5) Habitus of holotype of Colyphus monzoni, new species.