Blaiseus zamoranoensis Douglas

Douglas, Hume, 2009, Revision of Blaiseus Fleutiaux, a Genus Now Known from Asia, Africa and North America (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Cardiophorinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (1), pp. 86-100 : 97-99

Blaiseus zamoranoensis Douglas , new species

( Figs. 15, 16 , 26 , 27 )

Material examined. Fifty three males and one female.

Holotype: Male labeled: ‘‘ Honduras: Fco Morazan / San Antonio de Oriente / Uyuca / 1–6 May 1990 / rcol R. Cave’ ’; [red] ‘‘ HOLOTYPE / Blaiseus / zamoranoensis/ Douglas 2006,’’ with genitalia in microvial attached to pin ( CMNC) .

Allotype: Female labeled: ‘‘ HONDURAS: FRANC. MOR/ Cerro Uyuca, ca. 10 km W./ Zamorano, 1,840 m / 9.VI.1994 -105 A, R. Anderson / cloud forest litter berlese’’; [red] ‘‘ ALLOTYPE / Blaiseus / zamoranoensis/ Douglas 2007,’’ with 98 genitalia in microvial attached to pin ( CMNC) . Paratypes: 52: 51 males from the type locality collected between April and June in 1990 and 1993 by R. Cave and R. Ortega, and one male caught by R. Anderson with the same label data as the allotype female except with the code ‘‘105B’’ not ‘‘105A,’’ all with the following paratype designation labels added [yellow] ‘‘ PARATYPE / Blaiseus / zamoranoensis/ Douglas 2006’’ ( CASC, CMNC, CNCI, EAPZ, MCZC, USNM) .

Type locality: Honduras, Department of Morazan, Cerro Uyuca, cloud forest zone.

Diagnosis. Pterothorax: Elytra with apex upturned (including suture). Legs: Protibiae with posterior tooth at midlength (Fig. 5).

Description. Male: Length 6.0 mm, habitus similar to B. chiapasensis new species ( Fig. 9 ). Integument without lighter coloured patches on elytra. Head: Antennae reaching beyond metacoxae; labrum flat; nasale with circular pits antero-mesad of antennal fossae. Prothorax: Hypomeron with hind edge sinuate immediately meso-ventrad of hind angles ( Fig. 1 ). Prosternum with ventral surface of prosternal process surface not carinate laterally. Pterothorax: Scutellum with posterior apex pointed (Fig. 3). Elytra with apex upturned (including suture), posterior surface flattened; interval 5 costate; epipleurae not serrate. Hind wings with CuA1 not forked at junction with MP3+4. Legs: Femora and tibiae expanded (fossorial); protibiae with posterior tooth at midlength and apex (Fig. 5); tarsi simple. Male genitalia: Aedeagus with median lobe broadest at base; parameres with free part of dorsal (setose) apices less than J length of ventral apices ( Fig. 26 ); inner apices present but unsclerotized.

Female: Length 7.5 mm. More robust and fossorial in appearance than male, with reduced eyes and hind wings ( Figs. 15, 16 ). Integument uniformly orangebrown. Head: Antennae not reaching pronotal hind angles; eyes flattened with diameter only 1.2 times that of antennal fossa; supra antennal carina incomplete between antennae; supraorbital carina obsolete. Pterothorax: Elytra not reaching apex of abdomen. Hind wings about half as long as elytra, with longitudinal veins present, but most cross veins absent. Legs: Femora and tibiae expanded (fossorial); protibiae with posterior tooth at midlength and apex flared (Fig. 5); tarsi simple. Abdomen: more cylindrical in cross section than in males. Genitalia: Ovipositor with baculae short, about as long as coxites. Bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 27 ) without distinguishable colleterial glands; without sclerotized structures or spermathecae; anterior end of bursa with one pedunculate sac.

Comments. Evidence that this species is not conspecific with any of the others includes the unique combination of diagnostic characters above and ventral aedeagal paramere apices that are longer and/or more curved than in any other species. This is the only Blaiseus species known from Honduras.

Despite their dissimilar sizes and shapes, the association of males and the female of this species is supported morphologically by their shared simple mandibles, protibiae with posterior teeth at the midlength and upturned elytral apices. Their co-occurrence in litter samples collected by R. S. Anderson ( CMNC) at the type locality, from where no other Blaiseus species are known, also supports this conclusion .

The fossorial appearance and reduced eyes and hind wings of the female of this species suggest that females are generally flightless and spend most of their time in the soil. The description of female genitalia provided here was based on one gravid female (containing 34 eggs, 0.7 mm in diameter). Examination of a recently mated female would provide more information on the structure of the membranous parts of the female genitalia.

Figures

Figs. 8–16. Dorsal habitus of Blaiseus spp. 8) B. bedeli Fleutiaux; 9) B. chiapasensis new species; 10) B. daklakensis new species; 11) B. daklakensis new species, side view; 12) B. malayensis new species; 13) B. mexicanus new species; 14) B. nothoafricanus new species; 15) B. zamoranoensis new species female; 16) B. zamoranoensis new species female, side view. Scale bar 5 1.0 mm. All photos are dorsal view of male specimens unless specified otherwise.

Figs. 17–26. Dorsal view of aedeagi of Blaiseus spp. 17) B. bedeli Fleutiaux; 18) B. chiapasensis new species; 19) B. daklakensis new species; 20) B. fujianus new species; 21) B. guatemalensis new species; 22) B. laoensis new species; 23) B. malayensis new species; 24) B. mexicanus new species; 25) B. nothoafricanus new species; 26) B. zamoranoensis new species. d 5 dorsal apex of parameres; i 5 inner apex; v 5 ventral apex. Scale bar 5 1.0 mm.

Fig. 27. Lateral view of bursa copulatrix of gravid female of Blaiseus zamoranoensis new species. T8 5 tergum 8; O 5 ovipositor, AS 5 anterior sac, SD 5 (hypothesized) spermathecal gland duct, CO 5 common oviduct, E 5 egg. Scale bar 5 1.0 mm.

Figs. 1–2. Lateral view of pronotum of Blaiseus spp. 1) B. malayensis new species; 2) B. nothoafricanus new species. Arrows indicate concavity of hypomeron immediately mesoventrad of hind angles. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Figs. 3–4. Dorsal view of scutellum of Blaiseus spp. 3) B. mexicanus new species; 4) B. bedeli Fleutiaux. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Figs. 5– 6. Dorsal view of protibia of Blaiseus spp. 5) B. mexicanus new species; 6) B. guatemalensis new species. m 5 tooth at midlength; a 5 apical tooth. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Fig. 7. Wing of Blaiseus bedeli Fleutiaux. Arrows indicate forked vein CuA1. Scale bar 5 2 mm.