Epikastea mancocapac Erwin

Erwin, Terry L., 2004, The beetle family Carabidae of Costa Rica: The genus Epikastea Liebke of the Plochonida Group, with new Neotropical species and notes on their way of life (Insecta: Coleoptera, Lebiini, Agrina), Zootaxa 790, pp. 1-20 : 15-16

Epikastea mancocapac Erwin , new species

(Fig. 4, 13)

Holotype. Male, PERÚ, LORETO, Samiria River, Camp Manco Capac, 04º 43’ 0 S, 074º 18’ 0 W, June (T.L. Erwin, G.P. Servat, et al.)( NMNH: ADP093696).

Derivation of specific name. The specific epithet, mancocapac , is used as a noun in apposition based on the name of the founder of the Inca Empire, Manco Capac, who was the Sun's son, and the first Inca. He came from Lake Titicaca and had the mission of looking for a good place to found his empire that he did with the help of a silver stick. When this silver stick could penetrate the soil it indicated fertility and it did so at Cerro Huanacaure in Cusco, Perú. Although our camp in the lowlands had nothing to do with Cusco and the Sun’s son, the locals saw fit to name the area Manco Capac, so I use their custom and name this species after the name of the local camp.

Common name. Inca big­headed carabid beetle.

Diagnosis. With the attributes of the genus as described above and pronotum unicolorous, rufous; elytron without preapical spot. Head with course granulate isodiametric microscupture, surface dull. Size moderately large for genus.

Description. (Fig. 4). Size medium: ABL = 7.8 to 10.2 mm, SBL = 7.45 to 7.5 mm, TW = 3.0 to 3.2 mm. Color: Dorsum of head, prothorax and entire venter rufescent; mouthparts, antennomeres 1–4 and legs rufotestaceous; antennomeres testaceous. Metathorasic wings clear. Luster: Semi­matte on head; pronotum and elytron moderately shiny. Microsculpture: Isodiametric meshes throughout, these granular on head and pronotum; slightly transverse on elytra. Head: Subequal across eyes to that of pronotum; frontal furrows extended to level of anterior supraorbital seta, moderately impressed proximal to clypeus, margined laterally by well developed carina, surface near carina slightly rugose; eyes large, produced, gena absent; frons and occiput slightly convex; labrum moderately emarginate; labial palpomere 4 depressed, subequal in size to maxillary palpomere 4. Prothorax: Pronotum cordiform, moderately convex, depressed along midline, side margins broadly explanate, markedly sinuate anterior to slightly acute hind angle, base slightly rounded, not lobed posteriorly. Pterothorax: Normal for Agrina, fully winged. Legs: Normal for Agrina. Abdomen: Sterna normal for Agrina, glabrous, except normal paired ambulatory setae on sterna III–V; males with two and females with 3 pairs long setae on sternum VI. Male genitalia: Phallus ( Fig. 13 ) with ostium of 1/4 its length, slightly catopic, apex slightly elongate, narrowly rounded; endophallus without sclerotized attributes. Parameres asymmetric, right very small, left larger.

Dispersal potential. These beetles have been fogged from the canopy and from a cluster of suspended dry leaves 4m off the ground in a tree and these beetles are fully winged, thus they are likely good dispersers, as are most arboreal beetles.

Way of life. See under genus. One adult of this species was fogged from the canopy of a of a Mauritia flexuosa L. palm and another from a cluster of suspended dry leaves 4m off the ground in a broad leaf tree in Perú. The known altitudinal range of this species is 100m above sea level. Adults have been obtained in June; hence, there is activity by them in the rainy season.

Other specimens examined. Paratype. Female, PERÚ, LORETO, Samiria River, Camp Manco Capac, 04º 43’ 0 S, 074º 18’ 0 W, June (T.L. Erwin, et al.)( MUSM: ADP066767). Geographic distribution. Known only from the Samiria River watershed, Perú.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Phallus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects of Epikastea mancocapac Erwin n. sp., specimen # ADP 0093696.