Hymenorus balli, Campbell, J. M., 2014

Campbell, J. M., 2014, An unusual suite of sexual characters in three new species of Hymenorus (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Alleculinae) from Guatemala and Mexico, ZooKeys 415, pp. 295-309 : 297-298

Hymenorus balli sp. n. Figs 1, 4-6, 13-14, 19

Description.

Body light to dark brown; legs light brown to testaceous; narrowly elongate-oval (Fig. 1). Length 7.5-10.0 mm. Setae short, subrecumbent; uniformly reddish-brown. Eyes moderately separated dorsally (OI of male 19-25 and of female 25-33). Vertex coarsely, densely, punctate; punctures separated by distance approximately half diameter of a puncture. Antennae narrowly elongate, antennomeres 3-11 slightly and evenly widened from base to apex. Apex of sixth antennomere extending posteriad to base of pronotum; antennomeres 3 and 4 subequal in length; tenth antennomere approximately two times longer than wide.

Pronotum distinctly wider than long, PI index 62-71; sides evenly, gradually narrowed from base to apical fourth then evenly curved to continuously curved apical margin; basal angles rectangular; base slightly, but distinctly narrower than base of elytra; basal margin slightly bisinuate; basal foveae small, shallowly impressed, separated by broad, shallow, median impression; midline unimpressed; sides at basal angles slightly reflexed. Disc with fine, dense microsculpture between punctures; punctures coarse, dense, narrowly separated, evenly distributed over disc; each puncture obliquely impressed.

Hypomeron finely, densely, evenly punctate to lateral margins. Basal three abdominal ventrites moderately densely, evenly punctate; punctures each with a short, recumbent seta. Elytra with striae evenly, shallowly impressed; strial punctures circular, almost contiguous along striae; strial interstices slightly convex; interstices moderately densely punctate; punctures randomly distributed, approximately 2 or 3 punctures wide across interval. Metatarsus with basal segment subequal in length to segments 2-4 combined.

Male. Second segment of anterior tarsus without rudimentary lobe on ventral margin. Tibiae not modified. Posterior femora with ventral margin flattened, glabrous, with outer margin of glabrous area distinctly carinate. Anterior tarsal claws each with more than 20 teeth. Metaventrite finely, densely punctate medially; punctures becoming coarser, sparser laterally; median punctures each bearing an elongate, posteriorly directed seta. Fifth abdominal ventrite highly modified (see Figs 4, 5) with large, broad, bifurcate process projecting ventrally from middle of disc; bifurcate process densely setate on outer margins; disc broadly, moderately deeply impressed behind bifurcate process; apical margin of ventrite broadly truncate. Lobes of eighth sternite (Fig. 19) highly modified; narrowed medially with apex broadly widened, inner anterior angle of apical enlargement triangularly narrowed; base of lobes with a moderately long, less heavily sclerotized lobe projecting medially. Lobes of ninth sternite (Fig. 19) short, strongly curved medially, apex broadly rounded. Apicale (Figs 15-16) moderately broad with sides slightly narrowed from base to broadly truncate apex; penis narrowly elongate with sides evenly narrowed from base to apex.

Female. Anterior tarsus without rudimentary lobes or setaceous pads on basal two segments. Anterior tarsal claws each with 9-10 teeth. Metaventrite moderately coarsely punctate medially; punctures becoming slightly coarser, sparser laterally; median punctures each bearing a short, appressed seta. Apical portion of fifth ventrite broadly impressed. Ninth tergite (Fig. 6) with apical margin broadly, evenly convex; with narrow, evenly sclerotized band completely around sides and apex of tergite.

Type.

Holotype, male, with labels as follows: "GUAT, 22 km S San Marcos, 5000', IX-3-1965, JM.Campbell/ HOLOTYPE ♂ Hymenorus balli, desig. 2013, JM Campbell". The holotype is deposited in the CNCI.

Paratypes. Males 12, females 19.

GUATEMALA: Sacatepequez: Finca Florencia, 24.VI.1993, JMC (CNCI) 1. Quezaltenango: nr. tunnel, 2 km N Santa María, 5500 ft, VII.10.1965, X.24.1965 JMC (JMCC) 3; 3 km N Santa María, 6000 ft, VIII.27.1965, JMC (JMCC) 1. San Marcos: 20 km S San Marcos, 4500 ft, IX.4.1964, JMC (CNCI) 2; 22 km S San Marcos, 5000 ft, IX.3.1965, X.2.1965, JMC (CNCI) 8.

MEXICO: Chiapas: Pico Gallo, NW Union Juarez, 5000-6000 ft, 1972, G. E. Ball (CNCI, JMCC) 16.

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of George Ball, University of Alberta, Edmonton in recognition of his many contributions to the study of Coleoptera (particularly Carabidae ). Dr. Ball collected a long series of this species from Chiapas, the only record of any of the three species described in this paper from Mexico.

Remarks.

The modifications of the male fifth ventrite (Figs 4, 5) are the most unusual of any species of Alleculinae known to me from the New World. In addition to the bizarre modifications of the fifth ventrite, the shape of the male lobes of the eighth and ninth sternites (Fig. 19) and the shape of the apicale (Figs 13, 14) of the aedeagus will readily distinguish the species. The lobe attached to the base of the inner side of each lobe of the eighth sternite is unknown from any other species of the genus. Females are easily distinguished by examination of the eighth tergite (compare Figs 6, 9, 12).

This species was collected by beating arboreal bromeliads and from under moss and bromeliads on tree trunks.