Dromaeolus holdridgei Otto, Muona and Córdoba-Alfaro, 2023

Otto, Robert L., Muona, Jyrki & Córdoba-Alfaro, Jim, 2023, A new genus and sixteen new species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) described from the Heredia Province of Costa Rica with several additional records from the Osa Peninsula and Panama, Insecta Mundi 2023 (991), pp. 1-36 : 28-29

Dromaeolus holdridgei Otto, Muona and Córdoba-Alfaro , new species

Figures 61–62

Diagnosis. The new eucnemid species can be readily distinguished from any ornate members of Dromaeolus present in Costa Rica by the presence of interantennal carina, very short, median carina on the frontoclypeal region and short, median carina present on the frons except D. herediensis new species. Narrower silver-colored band on the elytra along with the absence of silver-colored setae at elytral apices will distinguish the new species from D. herediensis new species.

Type material. Female holotype: “ COSTA RICA: Heredia; Est.Bio. La Selva , 50–; 150 m 10°26′N 84°01′W; Proy. ALAS, INBio-OET” / “M/01/136; 01 Julio 1993; Parcelas sucesionales” / “ HOLOTYPE:; Dromaeolus ; holdridgei ♀; Otto, Muona & Córdoba-Alfaro; Det. R. L. Otto; 2019” (red printed label). Holotype to be deposited in INBC.

Description. Female holotype: Length, 6.0 mm. Width, 1.5 mm. Body elongate; black; antennae black; femur and tibiae black, tarsi dark brownish-black; head and pronotum clothed with short, recumbent silver-colored setae more apparent at base and along lateral sides of pronotum, elytra with silver-colored setae more apparent along lateral sides at basal half, narrow band across the middle of each elytron and narrow band along elytral suture terminating at the middle band ( Figure 61 ). Head: Surface dullish, subspherical with closely spaced punctures; frons convex with short median carina; frontoclypeal region with short, delicate median carina; interantennal carina present, sinuous; apical margin of frontoclypeal region weakly trilobed, more than 2 times wider than base; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate. Antenna: Filiform from flagellomeres I–IX, attaining nearly 1/3the length of the body, never passed beyond pronotal hind angles; flagellomere I longer than wide, longer than II; flagellomere II quadrate, shorter than III; flagellomere III slightly longer than wide, shorter than IV; IV–VIII each sub-equal, longer than wide; flagellomere IX slightly longer than VIII. Pronotum: Surface shiny, with evenly dispersed punctures; slightly longer than wide, with well-developed, sharp hind angles; sides subparallel-sided, slightly arcuate near craniad; disc convex without shallow median groove or circular fovea; base sinuous. Scutellar shield: Elongate, sub-triangular, shallowly punctate, setose and distally rounded. Elytra: Very shallow striae indicated; interstices slightly elevated; surfaces shiny with transversely rugose to deep punctures at humeri, shallower punctures elsewhere. Legs: First tarsomere longer than the combined lengths of the remaining four on meso- and metatarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metatarsomeres I–III simple; metatarsomere IV excavated; metatarsomere V short with simple claws. Venter ( Figure 62 ): Closely punctate, with short, recumbent silver-colored setae; hypomeron with basally opened, lateral antennal grooves; metepisterna parallel-sided; elytral epipleura punctate; metacoxal plates medially 3.0–6.0 times wider than laterally.

Distribution. This eucnemid species is known from a single specimen taken from La Selva within the province of Heredia.

Biology. The holotype was taken from a successional plot. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is dedicated in honor of Dr. Leslie Holdridge, an American botanist and climatologist who was the founding member of the La Selva Biological Station established in 1968.

Figures

Figures 58–62. Costa Rican Dromaeolus species. 58) Dromaeolus brunneus sp. nov., female allotype, dorsal habitus. 59) Dromaeolus herediensis sp. nov., dorsal habitus. 60) Dromaeolus herediensis sp. nov., ventral habitus. 61) Dromaeolus holdridgei sp. nov., dorsal habitus. 62) Dromaeolus holdridgei sp. nov., ventral habitus. (Scale: 59–62 = 1.0 mm; 58 = 5.0 mm)