Aspitonis OPITZ, 2015

Opitz, Weston, 2015, Systematics of the checkered beetle subfamily Platynopterinae SPINOLA (Coleoptera Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (2), pp. 1513-1572 : 1529-1530

Aspitonis OPITZ nov. gen.

Type species: Aspitonis gramilis OPITZ , new species. By present designation.

Diagnosis: Within Platynopterinae only in members of Aspitonis are the funicular antennomeres subquadrate and moderately setose ( Fig. 93 ).

Description: Size: Length 5.5-9.0 mm; width 1.7-2.0. Form: Elytra rectangular, posterior angle narrowly rounded. — Integumental color: Antenna black; mandible black, other mouthparts flavotestaceous, maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres brown; cranium bicolorous, may be mostly black with lower frons and venter flavotestaceous, rarely mostly red; pronotum bicolorous, sides and disc narrowly black and remainder flavotestaceous, rarely mostly red; elytra unicolorous, flavotestaceous, red, or black; legs black; pterothorax and abdomen black. Vestiture: Integument highly setose, funicular antennomeres slightly setose, cranium and pronotum densely vested with decumbent setae, elytra densely vested with short 2° setae and fewer 1° setae that become more prominent along epipleural and sutural margins; legs highly setose. Head: Cranial setose punctation cribrate; eyes bulging, finely faceted and deeply broadly incised along frontal margin; antenna ( Fig. 66 ) capitate, inserted at level of eye incision (= ocular notch); antennal carina very prominent, comprised of 11 antennomeres, scape very robust, pedicel rotund, funicular antennomeres subquadrate, capitulum very long, about 3 times longer that length of other antennomeres combined, anterior margin of capitular antennomeres undulated; labrum deeply incised; mandible robust; maxilla well developed, terminal palpomere subsecuriform; labium well developed, terminal palpomere subsecuriform; gula triangular. Thorax: Pronotum ( Figs 95 ) with incipient trichobothrium ( Fig. 94 ), transverse, oblong, or quadrate, side margins with tubercle, anterior margin linear, prebasal depression feebly developed, dorsolateral carina not extended to anterior margin of pronotum, joins pronotal hem at pronotal posterior angle; elytra rectangular, posterior angles gradually round, discal carinae faintly visible; mesoscutellum quadrate; protibial anterior margin not spinous; ungues without denticle; tibial spur formula 0-2-2; tarsal pulvillar formula 3-3-3; glandular pit not present on male metatibia. Abdomen: Six visible sternites; pygidium usually rounded distally in males and females; rarely incised in males. Male genitalia ( Figs 117, 118 ): Aedeagus short, tegmen feebly sclerotized, lobate distally; phallus more sclerotized; spicular fork comprised of two narrow plates that connect at posterior apex, intraspicular plate narrow and long.

Distribution: The members of this genus range from México to Panamá.

Etymology: The generic epithet is a Greek compound name derived from aspis (= shield) and tonus (= stretching). I refer to the pronotal lateral expansion resulting from a well-developed tubercle.

Figures

Figs 93-96b: Morphological organs of Aspitonis alarutinis (93-95), Pilosirus brunnoi (96a), Tarandocerus lycoides (96b). (93) Antennal funicle; (94) Insipient trichobothrium on the pronotal disc; 95) Pronotal disc; (96a) Pronotal disc; (96b) Metatarsal ungues.

Figs 62-69: Antennae. (62) Ambonoides retinoides, male; (63) A. caraguata, female; (64) Artoadenus dius, male; (65) A. regina, male; (66) Aspitonis alarutinis, male; (67) A. graminis, female; (68) A. undulicornis, male; (69) Isoforma biguttula, male.

Figs 109-132: Aedeagi. (109) Ambonoides retinoides phallus; (110) A. retinoides tegmen; (111) A. caraguata phallus; (112) A. caraguata tegmen; (113) Artoadenus dius phallus; (114) A. dius tegmen; (115) A. regina phallus; (116) A. regina tegmen; (117) Aspitonis alarutinis phallus; (118) A. alarutinis tegmen; (119) A. chiapas phallus; (120) A. chiapas tegmen; (121) A. undulicornis phallus; (122) A. undulicornis tegmen; (123) Isoforma biguttula phallus; (124) I. biguttula tegmen; (125) Platynoptera carti phallus; (126) P. carti tegmen; (127) P. flavohumeralis phallus; (128) P. flavohumeralis tegmen; (129) P.humeralis phallus; (130) P. humeralis tegmen;(131)P.lyciformis phallus;(132)P.lyciformis tegmen.