Aspitonis graminis OPITZ, 2015

Opitz, Weston, 2015, Systematics of the checkered beetle subfamily Platynopterinae SPINOLA (Coleoptera Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (2), pp. 1513-1572 : 1531-1532

Aspitonis graminis OPITZ nov. sp.

( Figs . 67, 152 , 173 )

Holotype: ♀. Panama: Chiriquí: Bambito, 1585 m, 7 Jan. 1988, MacDonald & Shiefer ( MEMU) . Paratypes: One specimen. Panamá: Chiriquí: Bambito, 1585 m, 7-I-1988, MacDonald & Shiefer (WOPC).

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

Description: Size: Length 5.5 mm; width 1.6 mm. Form: As in Fig. 152 . Color: Cranium mostly black, lower frons and venter flavotestaceous; pronotum mostly flavotestaceous, upper sides and short line at midbase black; mesoscutellum black; elytral disc mostly flavotestaceous, epipleural and sutural margins partly dark brown. Head: Antennal capitulum very long ( Fig. 67 ), each capitular antennomere as long as combined length of scape, pedicel, and funicle; antennal carina very prominent; EW/FW 10/12. Thorax: Pronotal anterior margin not projected at middle, side margin of disc with welldeveloped tubercle; PW/PL 33/30; elytral disc strongly deflexed at sides, with 3 faintly developed carina; EL/EW 130/20. Abdomen: Female pygidium not incised at distal margin.

Variation: Size: length 7.0-8.5 mm; width 1.6-2.0.0 mm.

Natural history: Specimens were collected from the type locality during January, at 1585 m.

Distribution ( Fig. 173 ): Known only from western Panamá.

Etymology: The specific epithet graminis (= grass) is a Latin noun. I refer to the straw-colored 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 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.