Aspitonis alarutinis OPITZ, 2015

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

Aspitonis alarutinis OPITZ , nov.sp.

( Figs . 66, 93-95 , 117 , 118 , 150 , 173 )

Holotype: ♀. Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Monteverde , Feb 21 1987, E. Giesbert ( FSCA).

Diagnosis: The elytral disc is bright red. This characteristic will distinguish the members of this species from congeners.

Description: Size: Length 8.0 mm; width 2.5 mm. Form: As in Fig. 150 . Color: Cranium black, clypeus testaceous; pronotum mostly red, upper sides and short line at midbase testaceous; mesoscutellum black; elytra bright red. Head: Antennal capitulum very long ( Fig. 66 ), each capitular antennomere longer than combined length of scape, pedicel, and funicle ( Fig. 93 ); antennal carina very prominent; EW/FW 11/17. Thorax: Pronotal anterior margin not projected at middle, side margin of disc with welldeveloped tubercle; PW/PL 48/45; elytral disc strongly deflexed at sides, elytral carina faintly visible; EL/EW 190/35. Abdomen: Male pygidium incised distally; aedeagus ( Figs. 117, 118 ) slightly sclerotized; tegminal lobes acuminate.

Natural history: The holotype was collected during February.

Distribution ( Fig. 173 ): Known only from the type locality.

Etymology: The specific epithet alarutinis is a Latin compound name derived from ala (= wing) and rutilus (= red). I refer to the red coloration of the elytra.

Figures

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 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 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.

Figs 149-152: Habitus illustrations of (149) Artoadenus similus, holotype; (150) Aspitonis alarutinis, holotype; (151) A. chiapas, holotype; (152) A. graminis, holotype.

Fig. 173: Geographic distribution of species as noted.