Asklepia ecuadoriana 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 : 54-55

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.430.8094
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:86F76056-3B8B-49FB-9C86-FAD0DB0CBE8C
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/40AFE3C2-454B-42E4-998A-BBC8014E7406
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:40AFE3C2-454B-42E4-998A-BBC8014E7406
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano
status	sp. n.

Treatment

Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano sp. n. Ecuadorian pattern-wing beetle Figs 43 View Figure 41–44 , 67 View Figure 63–68 , 68 View Figure 63–68 , 78 View Figure 78

Holotype.

Ecuador, Sucumbíos, Limoncocha, 0.4088°S, 76.6176°W, 233m, 11 June 1977 (W.E Steiner)(NMNH: ADP132485, male).

Derivation of specific epithet.

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

Proposed english vernacular name.

Ecuadorian pattern-wing beetle.

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 aurantiacus and prothorax flavotestaceous, elytral maculae fulvous or aurantiacus in some individuals; elytron flavotestaceous with a triangular flavous macula in the basal proximal quadrant, macula covering half of the quadrant, and elongated, longitudinally oriented flavous macula in the medial proximal quadrant, a flavous macula in the medial lateral quadrant and a triangular flavous macula in the apical proximal quadrant; metasternum, abdominal sterna III-VI, and epipleuron flavotestaceous, abdominal sternum VII infuscated; legs testaceous; antennal scape, pedicel and antennomere 3 testaceous, antennomeres 4-6 and basal half of 7 deeply infuscated, apical half of 7, 8-11 white. Dorsal surface devoid of microsculpture, surface luster very shiny. Pronotum markedly convex with lateral margin effaced except just anterior to hind angle and there a simple bead; hind angle feebly produced; median line feebly defined. Elytral interneurs effaced from most of the elytron surface, only evident as short discontinuous rows of course punctures in the basal proximal quadrant and upper right corner of basal lateral quadrant.

Description.

( Figs 43 View Figure 41–44 , 67 View Figure 63–68 , 68 View Figure 63–68 ). Habitus: ( Fig. 43 View Figure 41–44 ). Size: [See also Table 15 View Table 15 ] Medium-size for the genus; ABL = 2.894-2.995 mm, SBL = 2.501-2.598 mm, TW (total width) 1.325-1.490 mm, LP = 0.555-0.595 mm, WP = 0.638-0.691 mm, LE = 1.607-1.632 mm. Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: See diagnosis above. Head ( Fig. 43 View Figure 41–44 ): as in description for genus above. Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 43 View Figure 41–44 ) moderately broad, slightly narrower than head across eyes (WH/WP, mean both sexes: 1.140), longer than head (LP/LH, mean both sexes: 1.586), about as longer than wide (WP/LP, mean both sexes: 1.157); markedly cordiform and convex lateral margin effaced with seta at anterior third on slightly raised area; apex markedly constricted; anterior angles feebly produced, hind angle slightly acutely produced and setose; median line feebly defined, basal transverse impressions punctate, punctures infuscated; surface smooth throughout. Pterothorax. Normal for genus, see description for genus above. Elytra moderately convex; at apical third twice as wide as head across eyes (WH/TW, mean both sexes: 0.535) and pronotum (WP/TW, mean both sexes: 0.469), longer than wide. Elytral interneurs effaced from most of the elytron surface, only evident as short discontinuous rows of coarse punctures, punctures with fuscous halo. Scattered fuscous punctures in the medial and apical quadrants present in some individuals. 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 ( Figs 67 View Figure 63–68 , 68 View Figure 63–68 , see Fig. 61 View Figure 57–62 for attribute labels). Median lobe with phallobase short about a fourth the length of shaft, basal opening small, oriented parallel to shaft. Shaft broad, slightly curved ventrally then curved dorsally near apex, dorsally sclerotized except for short ostium; in ventral aspect tapered toward rather broadly rounded apex, in lateral aspect, a narrowly rounded apex. Parameres: left very large and broad, right small and triangular; apex of left paramere narrowly rounded much longer than right paramere about half the length of shaft (measured in left lateral aspect). Endophallus with 2 preapical spines; we have illustrated an everted endophallus to demonstrate the location of the spines in a median field and an apical field. Female genitalia. Not investigated, presumably similar to that of Asklepia demiti sp. n.

Dispersal potential.

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

Distribution.

( Fig. 78 View Figure 78 ). This species has been found at only one location on a lake shore near the white-water system of the Río Napo 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 the rainy season on the shore of a small lake in lowland rainforest.

Other specimens examined.

Ecuador, Orellana, Limoncocha, 0.4088°S, 76.6176°W, 233m, 11 June 1977 (W.E Steiner)(NMNH: ADP132500, female paratype, ADP109192, ADP132468, male paratypes).