Nematodes apicalis 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 : 32-33

Nematodes apicalis Otto, Muona and Córdoba-Alfaro , new species

Figures 73–74

Diagnosis. The new eucnemid species is distinguished from all known Central American Nematodes species by the presence of silver-colored setae on the elytral apices.

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/07/337; 01 Febrero 1994; Bosque primario” / “ HOLOTYPE:; Nematodes ; apicalis ♀;

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, 1.25 mm. Body elongate; dark black; antennae black with apices of antennomere XI infuscate reddish; femur and tibiae black, tarsi dark brownish-black; head, pronotum and elytral humeri and elytral apices clothed with short, recumbent silver-colored setae ( Figure 73 ). Head: Surface densely punctate, somewhat dullish, subspherical; frons convex, with slightly depressed median fovea above frontoclypeal region; apical margin of frontoclypeal region rounded, about 2 times wider than base; interantennal carina absent; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate. Antenna: Filiform from flagellomeres I–VIII, attaining about 1/3 the length of the body, never beyond pronotal hind angles; flagellomere I longer than II; flagellomeres II–III sub-equal, quadrate; flagellomere IV larger than III, slightly shorter than V, quadrate; flagellomeres V–VIII each larger than IV, sub-equal, quadrate; flagellomere IX simple, slightly longer than VIII. Pronotum: Surface somewhat dullish, densely punctate to rugose; longer than wide, with moderate, sharp hind angles; lateral sides sinuous basally, apically arcuate; disc convex with pair of very shallow circular fovea; base sinuous. Scutellar shield: Elongate, sub-triangular, setose, shallowly punctate and distally rounded. Elytra: Striae present on humeri and elytral apices, indistinct elsewhere; interstices flattened; surfaces shiny, transversely rugose at basal 1/4, dense, crowded punctures present elsewhere. Legs: First tarsomere as long as the combined lengths of the remaining four on meso- and metatarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metatarsomeres I–III simple; metatarsomere IV short, excavate-emarginate; metatarsomere V elongate with simple claws. Venter ( Figure 74 ): Closely punctate, with short, recumbent silver-colored setae; hypomeron without 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 holotype taken from a single location within the province of Heredia.

Biology. The holotype was taken from a primary forest. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the presence of silver colored setae present on the elytral apices.

Figures

Figures 71–74. Costa Rican Nematodes species. 71) Nematodes mannerheimi, dorsal habitus. 72) Nematodes mexicanus, dorsal habitus.73) Nematodes apicalis sp. nov., dorsal habitus. 74) Nematodes apicalis sp. nov., ventral habitus. (Scale: 72–74 = 1.0 mm; 71 = 5.0 mm)