Asklepia vigilante 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 : 73-75

Asklepia vigilante Erwin & Zamorano sp. n. Vigilante pattern-wing beetle Figs 55 , 74 , 78

Holotype.

Perú, Loreto, Boca del Río Samiria, 1 km SW Vigilante post No. 1, 4.5005°S, 74.0659°W, 99m, 16 August 1991 (T.L. Erwin, M.G. Pogue)(MUSM: ADP051642, female).

Derivation of specific epithet.

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

Proposed english vernacular name.

Vigilante 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-size to large-size for the genus (SBL = 2.589-3.259 mm). Adults with head aurantiacus, prothorax fulvous, elytral maculae fulvous or aurantiacus in some individuals; elytron fuscous with a triangular flavous macula in the lower right corner of the proximal apical quadrant, broad flavous macula ending in hook crossing from medial lateral quadrant to right half of medial proximal quadrant, triangular flavous macula in the upper right corner of apical proximal quadrant, apical and lateral margin fulvous; metasternum fulvous, abdominal sterna with III-VI, and epipleuron fulvous, abdominal sternum VII fuscous; legs flavotestaceous; antennal scape and pedicel testaceous, antennomeres 3-6 and basal half of 7 deeply infuscated, apical half of 7 and 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 moderately prominent; anterior angles feebly produced; median line feebly defined. Elytral interneurs evident as short discontinuous rows of widely spaced coarse punctures, interneurs effaced in the medial quadrants.

Description.

( Fig. 55 , 74 ). Habitus: ( Fig. 55 ). Size: [See also Table 26 ] Medium-size to large for the genus; ABL = 3.002-3.372 mm, SBL = 2.589-3.259 mm, TW (total width) 1.397-1.598 mm, LP = 0.556-0.751 mm, WP = 0.703-0.861 mm, LE = 1.623-2.024 mm. Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: See diagnosis above. Head ( Fig. 55 ): as in description for genus above. Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 55 ) slightly broad, about as wide as head across eyes (WH/WP, mean both sexes: 1.051), longer than head (LP/LH, mean both sexes: 1.436), about as wide as long (WP/LP, mean both sexes: 1.209); markedly cordiform and rounded, lateral margin effaced with seta at anterior third on slightly raised area; apex markedly constricted; anterior angle feebly produced, hind angle slightly produced and setose; median line feebly defined, apical transverse impressions punctate, punctures infuscated; surface smooth throughout. Pterothorax. Normal for genus, see description for genus above. Elytra moderate convex; at apical third twice as wide as head across eyes (WH/TW, mean both sexes: 0.534) and pronotum (WP/TW, mean both sexes: 0.508), longer than wide. Elytral interneurs evident as short discontinuous rows of widely spaced coarse punctures, interneurs effaced in the medial quadrants. 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. 74 , see Fig. 61 for attribute labels). Median lobe with phallobase short about a fourth the length of shaft, basal opening large, oriented parallel to shaft. Shaft broad, moderately curved ventrally, dorsally sclerotized except for short ostium; in ventral aspect tapered toward rather broadly acute apex, in lateral aspect, a 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 2 preapical spines, distal one very large. 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 ). This species has been found at only one location on the black-water system of the upper Amazon River 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. Adults of this species are active in the rainy season in Igapó rainforest. They occur in wet leaf litter on wet soil in swales off to the side of the main river course and in open grassy marshes with some standing water.

Other specimens examined.

Perú, Loreto,1 km SW Boca del Rio Samiria, Vigilante post No. 1, 4.5005°S, 74.0659°W, 99m, 5 May 1990 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP132520, female paratype),14 August 1991 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP067302, female paratype, ADP067301, male paratype),16 August 1991 (T.L. Erwin, M.G. Pogue) (NMNH: ADP051665, male paratype).

Figures

Figure 78. Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia species of the pulchripennis group.

Figure 53 - 55. Digital Photo-illustrations, habitus, dorsal aspect of holotypes. 53 Asklepia strandi Liebke, 1938, Guyana, ABL = 3.00 mm (from Liebke, 1938: 114). Liebke's illustration of Asklepia strandi Liebke. The single specimen Liebke described was likely lost during World War II. We have seen no specimens from Guyana, nor any specimens matching this illustration from anywhere 54 Asklepia surinamensis Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 130040, l'Hermitage, Surinam River, Surinam 55 Asklepia vigilante Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 051642, Boca del Rio Samiria, Peru. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 69 - 74. 69 Asklepia kathleenae Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132529, Belem, Brazil 70 Asklepia marchantaria Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. Adis 001103, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleao, Brazil 71 Asklepia pakitza Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132466, Pakitza, Peru 72 Asklepia paraguayensis Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 132769, San Lorenzo Paraguay 73 Asklepia surinamensis Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 132763, l'Hermitage, Surinam 74 Asklepia vigilante Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 067301, Boca del Rio Samiria, Peru.

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.