Dromaeolus herediensis 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 : 27-28

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

Figures 59–60

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, median carina on the frontoclypeal region and median carina present on the frons except Dromaeolus holdridgei new species. Broader silver-colored band on the elytra along with the presence of silver-colored setae at elytral apices will distinguish the new species from D. holdridgei new species. Shiny surface with punctures will further distinguish the new species from Dromaeolus dilutipes Bonvouloir.

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/11/026; 03 Marzo 1993; Bosque primario” / “ HOLOTYPE:; Dromaeolus ; herediensis ♀; Otto, Muona & Córdoba-Alfaro; Det. R. L. Otto; 2019” (red printed label). Holotype to be deposited in INBC.

Paratype. 1 ♀: COSTA RICA: “COSTA RICA: Heredia; Est.Bio. La Selva , 50–; 150 m 10°26′N 84°01′W; Proy. ALAS, INBio-OET” / “M/11/026; 03 Marzo 1993; Bosque primario” / “ PARATYPE:; Dromaeolus ; herediensis ♀; Otto, Muona & Córdoba-Alfaro; Det. R. L. Otto; 2019” (yellow printed label) . Paratype 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, elytra with silver-colored setae more apparent along lateral sides at basal half, wide band across the middle of each elytron, narrow band along elytral suture terminating at the middle band and patch of silver-colored setae present at elytral apices ( Figure 59 ). Head: Surface shiny, subspherical with closely spaced punctures; frons convex with median carina extending down to interantennal carina, above frontoclypeal region; frontoclypeal region with median carina; interantennal carina present, sinuous; apical margin of frontoclypeal region trilobed, more than 2 times wider than base; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate. Antenna: Filiform from flagellomeres I–IX, attaining nearly 1/3 the 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 parallel-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 rugose to deep punctures at humeri, shallower 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 60 ): 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.

Variations. One female paratypes was examined. The female paratype measured 5.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide. The female paratype is slightly shorter than and just as wide as the holotype. The frontal carina on the frons on the paratype does not extend down towards the interantennal carina. The frontal carina does extend down to the interantennal carina in the holotype.

Distribution. This eucnemid species is known from two specimens taken from La Selva within the province of Heredia.

Biology. Both the holotype and paratype were taken from a primary forest. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from a combination of two words, ‘Heredia’ and ‘-ensis’, a Latin adjectival suffix meaning “pertaining to”; from which the new species have been taken.

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)