Thoasia pterosmaragdos Aldebron & Erwin, 2018

Erwin, Terry L. & Aldebron, Charlotte, 2018, Neotropical Thoasia Liebke, 1939 and Straneotia Mateu, 1961 of the Cryptobatida group, subtribe Agrina: Taxonomic revisions with notes on their ways of life (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), ZooKeys 742, pp. 57-90 : 66-68

Thoasia pterosmaragdos Aldebron & Erwin sp. n. Emerald-winged pentagonal arboreal carabid Figs 1B , 3B , 7

Holotype.

(Female): Type locality. French Guiana, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Commune de Regina, Nouragues, Camp Inselberg, 4.0833°N, 52.6833°W, 13 October 2013 (S. Brûlé, PH. Dalens, E. Poirier)(NMNH: ADP148174).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The epithet, Thoasia pterosmaragdos , is an ancient Greek derivation comprised of the words “ptero,” meaning wing, and “smaragdos,” meaning emerald. It refers to the emerald green hue of the elytra.

Proposed English Vernacular Name.

Emerald-winged pentagonal arboreal carabid.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus and rugifrons species group as described above and adults with unicolorous ferrugineus head and pronotum, elytra entirely metallic dark emerald except translucent, explanate, narrow lateral margin, and meso-, and metathorax and abdomen black. Aedeagus narrow with apex narrow, twisted.

Description.

(Figs 1B , 3B ). Habitus: (Fig. 1B ). Size: See Appendix 1. Length (SBL) average for genus, ABL = 4.97-5.11 mm, SBL = 4.21-4.39 mm.

Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: Elytra shiny, metallic. Microsculpture: Mostly isodiametric, well-impressed. Head: Frons with rugous depressions, bisected by centrally produced carina, perpendicular to clypeus, occiput with transverse, moderately coarse rugae. Eye large, sub-hemispheric, and evenly rounded anteriorly, subtly more prolonged posteriorly. Antenna moderately long, reaching humerus. Labrum very large, somewhat cordate, shallowly convex at middle. Neck constricted, width coequal to anterior margin of pronotum. Prothorax: Pronotum moderately narrow, disk centrally convex, with dense transverse rugae and two dark stripes extending longitudinally, occasionally converging at the base. Lateral margins at apical third explanate and sharply acute, becoming constricted at basal third. Hind angles moderately acute. Differs from T. rugifrons in that lateral angles are markedly broader than hind angles. Pterothorax: Normal for Agrina , fully winged, wings dark emerald in color. Elytron intervals 3, 5, and 7 with numerous discal setae, intervals slightly convex, side margin markedly explanate. Elytron moderately narrow and short, moderately wider than the pronotum at the broadest part, apex truncate, slightly sinuate with distal corner obtusely rounded, disc not significantly convex, basal third not depressed. All interneurs well-impressed. Legs: Normal for Agrina . Apex of femur dusty brown. Abdomen: Sparsely setiferous; normal ambulatory setae on sterna 3-5; female with three pairs of ambulatory setae on sternum 6; males with two pairs of longer setae on sternum 6. Male genitalia: Phallus (Fig. 3B ) narrow, phallobase short, ostium 1/3 of its length, catopic, apex narrow, longitudinally twisted, moderately rounded; endophallus moderately complex without flagellum. Parameres asymmetric, right very small, left larger, broad, apically rounded. Female genitalia: (cf. Fig. 2B ) Unstudied, but likely similar to T. manu .

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and capable of flight, as evidenced by collection through flight intercept traps.

Way of life.

Specimens where the specimens were collected in February, September, and October, the climate is tropical, hot and humid throughout the year, with a relatively dry and slightly warmer season from July to November, and a rainy season from December to June.

Other specimens examined.

French Guiana: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Commune de Sauel , Belvedere de Saül, 3.6223°N, 53.2159°W, 283-325 m, 17 February 2010 (S Brûlé, PH Dalens, E Poirier)(NMNH: ADP130748, male paratype); Cayenne, Commune de Regina, RN 2, PK65, Cirque Orfion Orapu, 4.4961°N, 52.3453°W, 17 September 2016 (S Brûlé, PH Dalens, E Poirier)(NMNH: ADP151211, male paratype) .

Geographic distribution.

(Fig. 7 ). This species is currently known from three localities in French Guiana.

Figures

Figure 1. Digital Photo-illustrations. Habitus, dorsal aspect: A Thoasia rugifrons Liebke, female, ADP 148165 B Thoasia pterosmaragdos Aldebron & Erwin, sp. n., female, ADP 148174 C Thoasia manu Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., female, ADP 100320. Scale bar: 1.00 mm.

Figure 2. Digital Photo-illustrations. A Habitus, dorsal aspect: Thoasia surinamensis Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., female, ADP 112239. Scale line = 1.00 mm B Female reproductive system dorsal aspect: Thoasia manu, Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., ADP 100301. Legend, bc, bursa copulatrix; sg, spermathecal gland; sgd, spermathecal gland duct; sp., spermatheca; lt, laterotergite; co, common oviduct; gc 1, gonocoxite 1; gc 2, gonocoxite 2, des, dorsal ensiform seta, b, base of gonocoxite 2; bl, blade of gonocoxite 2. Scale bar: 0.50 mm.

Figure 3. Digital Photo-illustrations, male aedeagus in repose, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects: A Thoasia rugifrons Liebke, ADP 152522 B Thoasia pterosmaragdos Aldebron & Erwin, sp. n., ADP 13748 C Thoasia manu Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., ADP 100336. Legend, lp, left paramere; rp, right paramere; pb, phallobase; bo, phallobase orifice; ps, phalloshaft; a, phalloapex; ml, median lobe. Scale bar: 0.50 mm.

Figure 7. Distribution map for known localities of Thoasia and Straneotia species.