Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano, 2014

Erwin, Terry L. & Zamorano, Laura S., 2014, A synopsis of the tribe Lachnophorini, with a new genus of Neotropical distribution and a revision of the Neotropical genus Asklepia Liebke, 1938 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 430, pp. 1-108 : 32-33

Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano sp. n. Demiti pattern-wing beetle Figs 31 , 59 , 75 , 77

Holotype.

Brazil, Amazonas, circa Rio Demiti, 0.5748°N, 66.6869°W, 116m, 13 September 1978 (G.E Ball, K.E. Ball) (NMNH: ADP132539, male).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The specific epithet, demiti, is a singular Latinized feminine noun in apposition, based on the name of the river along which these beetles are found.

Proposed english vernacular name.

Río Demiti pattern-wing beetles.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus Asklepia as described by Liebke (1938) and as noted above under the generic diagnosis, and medium to large-sized for the genus (SBL = 2.590-3.131 mm). Adults with head and prothorax fuscous, elytral maculae fulvous or aurantiacus in some individuals; elytron fuscous with rounded aurantiacus macula in the lower left corner of apical proximal quadrant and in the upper right corner of medial lateral quadrant; maculae are connected forming a single macula in some individuals, apical proximal quadrant with a rounded aurantiacus macula in the upper left corner and sutural area aurantiacus; metasternum, abdominal sterna III-VI, and epipleuron brunneus, abdominal sternum VII slightly paler; legs flavotestaceous; antennal scape and pedicel testaceous, antennomeres 3-7 infuscated (less so in the holotype), 8-11 white. Dorsal surface devoid of microsculpture, surface luster very shiny. Pronotum cordiform, narrowly explanate, with medial lobe at base, lateral margin beaded; anterior angle feebly produced, hind angle angulate, very prominent; median line moderately defined. Elytral interneurs evident as short discontinuous rows of fine punctures.

Description.

( Figs 31 , 59 , 75 ). Habitus: ( Fig. 31 ). Size: [See also Table 3 ] Medium to large-size for the genus; ABL = 2.089-3.071 mm, SBL = 2.590-3.131 mm, TW (total width) 1.491-1.815 mm, LP = 0.545-0.642 mm, WP = 0.762-0.888 mm, LE = 1.721-2.036 mm. Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: See diagnosis above. Head ( Fig. 31 ): as in description for genus above. Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 31 ) moderately broad, as wide as head across eyes (WP/WH, both sexes: 1.025), longer than head (LP/LH, mean both sexes: 1.471), wider than long (W/L, mean both sexes: 1.380); markedly cordiform and explanate, lateral margin beaded with seta at anterior third; apical margin straight, base markedly constricted with medial lobe at base; anterior angle feebly produced, hind angle markedly prominent and setose; median line moderately defined, apical transverse impression punctate, punctures coarse and infuscated; surface smooth throughout. Pterothorax. Normal for genus, see description for genus above. Elytra slightly convex; at apical third twice as wide as head across eyes (WH/TW, mean both sexes: 0.492) and pronotum (WP/TW, mean both sexes: 0.504). Elytral interneurs evident as short discontinuous rows of fine punctures; punctures with a fuscous halo at basal and apical proximal quadrant of elytron. Hind wings fully developed. Legs. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Abdominal sterna. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Male genitalia ( Fig. 59 , see Fig. 61 for attribute labels). Median lobe with phallobase short about a fifth the length of shaft, basal opening small, oriented parallel to shaft. Shaft broad, slightly curved ventrally, dorsally sclerotized except for short ostium; in ventral aspect tapered toward rather narrowly rounded apex, in lateral aspect, a broadly rounded apex. Left paramere very large and broad, right small and triangular, apex of left paramere lobate much longer than right paramere about half the length of shaft (measured in left lateral aspect). Endophallus with 10 small medial spines and one large distal spine. Female genitalia. ( Fig. 75A and B ) Ovipositor with broad laterotergite (lt) and two narrow gonocoxites (gc 1, gc 2); gonocoxite 1 apico-laterally not setose; gonocoxite 2 shallowly falcate, base (b) medium-size much broader than narrow blade (bl) which is elongate, with two dorsal ensiform setae (des), ventral ensiform seta absent, ensiform setae moderately short and robust; without ventral preapical nematiform setae. Reproductive tract proximally with moderately short, broad bursa copulatrix (bc), continuous at its distal end with common oviduct (co) and long robust bipartite spermatheca (sp) distal to broad short villous canal (vc), one lobe slightly narrowed distally; spermathecal gland not found in dissection; spermathecal gland duct (sgd) robust, heavily sclerotized, attached to oviduct at base of its broadened portion. Defense gland ( Fig. 75C ) with an annulated sausage-shaped accessory gland (cc) and large reservoir (gldr) distal to a long efferent duct (ed).

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and probably capable of flight. They are moderately swift and agile runners.

Distribution.

( Fig. 77 ). This species has been found at only two locations on second-order white-water streams of the Río Negro drainage system. But that does not at all indicate its real distribution: as has been pointed out above, very small beetles are inadequately sampled, especially in the Neotropics.

Way of life.

See Erwin (1991) for a general description of the genus. Adults of this species are active in lowland Varzea rainforest in the late rainy season. It seems from the known samples that this species is found on white-water systems.

Other specimens examined.

Brazil, Amazonas, circa Rio Demiti, 0.5748°N, 66.6869°W, 116m, 13 September 1978 (G.E Ball, K.E. Ball)(NMNH: ADP132585, female paratype, ADP132483, ADP132501, male paratypes). Venezuela, Amazonas, 29 km S Puerto Ayacucho, Río Paria Chico, 5.4694N, 67.6029W, 71m, (J.T. Polhemus)(NMNH: ADP132605, male paratype).

Figures

Figure 75. Asklepia demiti sp. n. Digital Photo-illustration, female genitalia based on specimen ADP 132483 from Rio Demiti, Brazil. A Dorsal aspect. Legend, bc, bursa copulatrix; co common oviduct; sg spermathecal gland; sgd spermathecal gland duct; sp spermatheca. dorsal aspect; vc villous canal; lt laterotergite; gc 1 gonocoxite 1; gc 2 gonocoxite 2. B Gonocoxite 2, dorsal aspect: Legend, b base of gonocoxite 2; bl blade of gonocoxite 2; des dorsal ensiform seta. C. Defense gland (gldr); cc accessory gland; ed efferent duct.

Figures 29 - 32. Digital Photo-illustrations, habitus, dorsal aspect of holotypes. 29 Asklepia geminata (Bates, 1871) ADP 132513, Santarem, Rio Tapajos, Brazil 30 Asklepia campbellorum Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 133032, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil 31 Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132539, Rio Demiti, Brazil. Note that the holotype has feebly infuscated antennomeres 3 - 7, others in the series have more normal infuscation, as in other species with this attribute 32 Asklepia duofos Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 133147, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 57 - 62. Illustrations, male aedeagus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects. 57 Asklepia geminata (Bates, 1871) ADP 109186, Rio Samiria, Boca Cano Ingles Camp, Peru 58 Asklepia campbellorum Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109196, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil 59 Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132585, Rio Demiti, Brazil 60 Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 052565, Rio Sucusari, Peru 61 Asklepia laetitia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109190, Leticia, Colombia. Legend: a apical area; bl basal lobe; bo basal orifice; lp left paramere; ml median lobe; om ostial membrane; oo ostial opening; rp right paramere; sh shaft; pb phallobase; ps phallobase shaft; ms medial spine; ds distal spine 62 Asklepia lebioides (Bates, 1871), comb. n., ADP 109208, Rio Demiti, Brazil. Scale line = 0.25 mm.

Figure 76 - 77. 76 Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia geminata (Bates) 77 Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia species of the hilaris group.