Sesaspis triplehorni Foley and Ivie, 2008

Foley, Ian A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2008, A phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Zopherini with a review of the species and generic classification (Coleoptera: Zopheridae), Zootaxa 1928 (1), pp. 1-72 : 36-37

Sesaspis triplehorni Foley and Ivie NEW SPECIES

Fig. 26

Diagnosis: Resembles S. emarginata (Texas) and S. denticulata ( Mexico) , in the dense setose vestiture, but is quite distinct in sculpture. The pronotum has sub-parallel ridges along the midline that have weakly divided elevations at the apex and base (not quite as strong as S. emarginata ), the elytral sculpture consists of arcuate rows of small round nodules, with one distinctly larger and teardrop shaped nodule at the start of the apical declivity. The dense mottled tomentose vestiture and banded apex of the parameres are also quite distinct.

DESCRIPTION (male): Length 11–22 mm. Vestiture consisting of dense setae, short and bristle like to tomentose, color mottled darks and light. Anterior clypeal margin concave. Antennomere 2 short and transverse; 3 only slightly longer than 4; antennomeres 1–6 with short dense golden setae on apical margin. Labium with two lateral tufts and few median setae inserted in broad depression; subgenal ridge thickened with median depression or pit. Pronotum with arcuate lateral ridges; lateral margin sinuate with weak notch; hind angles obtusely rounded. Elytral sculpture with arcuate rows of nodules in 3 rd and 5 th elytral intervals; large teardrop shaped nodule in 3 rd interval at start of declivity. Femoral nodules present only on pro and meso femora. Ventrites 1–3 flattened medially.

Parameres strongly narrowed at the tip almost fused, weakly emarginate; near apex with distinct color band, light yellow at the tip.

Distribution: Far southern Mexico through Central America as far south as Nicaragua.

Types: HOLOTYPE: ♂ - BELIZE: Toledo Dist.; Blue Creek Village ; 16 June 1981; W. E. Steiner / EARTHWATCH Belize; Expedition 1981; D. H. Messersmith,; W. E. Steiner, et al. / red rectangle HOLO- TYPE; Sesaspis ; triplehorni; ♂; Foley & Ivie 2007 ( NMNH) . PARATYPES: 7 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ - same data as Holotype ( NMNH) . 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ - same data as Holotype, except 1 July 1981 ( NMNH) . 1 ♂ - BELIZE: Orange Walk District; Rio Bravo Conservation Area; Mahogany Trail ; 17°50’N, 89°01’W 4May1996; C.E. Carlton Lot #093/ LSAM0024746 ( LSAM) . 2 ♂♂ - BELIZE, 28.v.1997; Chiquibul For. Res.; Las Cuevas Field Station ; 88°59’W, 16°44’N / Pitfall with (1 specimen) dung/ (1 specimen) meat; coll. D. Inward; BMNH {E}; 2005-78 (BMNH). 1 ♀ - BELIZE, V –VI 1997; Chiquibul For. Res.; Las Cuevas field station; 88°59’W, 16°44’N; 500–700m, D. Inward; BMNH {E}; 2005-78 (BMNH). 2 ♂♂ - BELIZE (Cayo); Chiquibul Forest Reserve; Las Cuevas Research Station ; 16°44’N 88°59’W; June 2006; BMNH { E} 2006-141; C. Gillett & J. Kitson ( BMNH) . 4 ♀♀ - BELIZE: Orange Walk Dist.; Rio Bravo Conserv. Area; Mahogany Trail , 2- 3.IX.1995, P. W. Kovarik, coll.; taken on logs at night (1 MAIC, 1 OSUC) . 1 ♀ - BELIZE: Cayo District; San Ignacio, San Ignacio; Hotel, 290m ., VI-25-VII-1-1992; MV & FLUOR . lgts., broadleaved-: hardwood for., J. Rifkind & P. Gum ( WFBM) . 1 ♂ - BELIZE: Cayo District, mtn. Pine; Ridge , Pine Ridge Chito Line at; Little Vaqueros Ck. 525m .VI-26&28;-1992. broadleaf hardwood forest; slash area, J. Rifkind & P. Gum ( WFBM) . 1 ♀ - BELIZE: Orange Walk.; Dist. Rio Bravo Cons.; Area 8/ 16 -IV- 1996; mushroom pitfall trap ( OSUC) . 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀ - ( BELIZE): 2 mi. S Orange Walk ; Cayo, Br. Honduras; VIII-14-56 400’; B. & B. Valentine ( OSUC) . 1 ♀ BELIZE: Orange Walk; Dist. Rio Bravo Cons. Area, Well Trail near; “Texas Camp” 11-18.VII.;1996 P. W. Kovarik, coll.; yellow pan traps ( OSUC) . 1 ♂ BELIZE: Orange Walk Dist.; Rio Bravo Conservation Area; vic. La Milpa ruins, 17.IV.1995 P. W. Kovarik, coll./ collected as pupa; from within rotting; log/ Rio Bravo Coleoptera ; Survey ZOP0001 ( OSUC) . 3 ♀♀ - HONDURAS, Liberia; 2-IX-1984 (rain; forest), C.W. O’Brien ( HNHM) . 2 ♂♂ - HONDURAS, Liberia; 6-IX-1984 (rain; forest), C.W. O’Brien ( HNHM) . 1 ♂ - HONDU- RAS: Atlantida; Lancetilla Bot. Grd., Tela ; 10 m, 22 June 1994; 15°46’N, 87°27’W; J. Ashe, R . Brooks #181; ex: fogging fungusy log/ Zopheridae ; det. K. J. Ahn 1994 ( SEMC) . 1 ♀ - HONDURAS: Atlantida Dpt.; Parque Nacional Pico Bonito,; Rio Secate , 15-III-2002; 15°41.700’N, 86°55.892’W; Caesar, Cognato, Harlin & Torres ( TAMU) . 1 ♂ - GUATEMALA: Tikal ; 20-22.VII.1970; J. & M. Sedlacek ( BPBM) . 1 ♂ - MEXICO: CHIAPAS; Boca de Chajul ; 27-VIII-1984 Alt. 110 m; Fragoso-Villalobos, cols./ TM-20; Colecta general.; En troncos podridos ( IEXA) . 1 ♀ - NICARAGUA: Rio San Juan Dept.; 60 km SE San Carlos Refugio; Bartola 100m 10°58.40’N 84°20.30’W; 26-V-2002, R . Brooks, Z. Falin ,; S. Chatzimanolis ex. pyrethrum; fogging fungusy logs, NIC1BFC02 074/ Bar Code label with; SM0531635 ; KUNHM-ENT ( SEMC). All paratypes with blue rectangle label PARATYPE; Sesaspis ; triplehorni; ♂; Foley & Ivie 2007.

ETYMOLOGY: This species is named in honor of Dr. Charles A. Triplehorn, our academic parent (to MAI) and grandparent (to IAF), whose excellent species level revision of Zopherus was motivation to understand the other genera of the tribe, and in recognition of the considerable unpublished observations on the group which were kindly shared with us.

Notes: Specimen data report individuals collected from the trunk of a rotten tree, another on logs at night, and a handful on “fungusy” logs. Specimens were collected from 10–290 m and apparently inhabit lowland tropical wet forests. A long series of specimens was collected over several days in a rain-forested creek valley with steep sides among large rotten tree trunks covered with a garden of different bracket fungi and mushrooms both on and under the logs (W. Steiner pers. comm.).

Figures

FIGURES 26–29. Dorsal habiti. 26. Sesaspis triplehorni, Belize; 27. S. emarginata, Texas, Comal Co.; 28. S. lutosa, Mexico, Oaxaca; 29. S. sylvatica, Mexico, Tamaulipas. Scale bar = 5mm.