Piezonemus espoch Trýzna, Caballero-Serrano & Carrasco, 2024

Trýzna, Miloš, Caballero-Serrano, Verónica & Carrasco, Juan Carlos, 2024, Review of the Neotropical Piezonemus Jordan with type designations, description of Piezonemus espoch sp. nov. from Ecuador, and notes on the tribe Piesocorynini Valentine with keys to world genera (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), Zootaxa 5415 (3), pp. 401-435 : 418-425

Piezonemus espoch Trýzna, Caballero-Serrano & Carrasco sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5F81CC8A-04B9-4643-AB11-3EFE8013DFB0

( Figs 73–89 )

Type locality. Ecuador, Orellana province, Loreto env. near El Coca [= Puerto Francisco de Orellana], remnants of natural forest [ca. S 0°42´, W 77°19´]

Type material. Holotype, male ( Figs 73–80 ): ‘ Ecuador, Napo distr. / Loreto [now in Orellana province] / 17.2.- 14.3.1996 / J. Strnad leg. [p]’ // ‘ Piezonemus / lateralis / Jord. [h] / det. R. Frieser 199[p]6[h]’ ( NMPC) . Allotype, female: ( Figs 81–86 ): ‘ Ecuador, 4.-18.xii. 2004 / prov. Sucumbios, Shushufindi / (S 0°11´, W 76°38´) / 200-400 m, Zd. Mráček leg.’ // Piesocorynus / sp. [h] / det: B.D. Valentine [p]´10 [h] [= 2010] ( MTDC) .

Red label [p] HOLOTYPE (or ALLOTYPE) / Piezonemus espoch sp. nov. / M.Trýzna, V.Caballero-Serrano / & J.C.Carrasco det., 2024.

Identification. The coloration of the body is similar to that in both previous species, but in general, coloration of head, pronotum, elytra and legs is more yellowish (rather more greyish in the previous two species). Elytra yellowish in apical and lateral parts, while disc of elytra black.

Male tarsomere I of protarsus with spine on lower part ( Fig. 78 ), tarsomere I of mesotibia continuously flowing to spur with a wide base ( Figs 73, 79 ) (dilated at apex on inner side in both previous species). Pygidium of female without any promontory.

Description. Holotype, male (allotype, female) ( Figs 73–86 ). Measurements (in mm): Total body length—4.41 (4.41). Head: total length—0.86 (0.86), length of rostrum—0.30 (0.33), maximum width of rostrum—0.79 (0.77), length of eye—0.60 (0.57), maximum width across eyes—1.04 (1.09), minimum distance between eyes—0.27 (0.27). Antenna: length of segments: II—0.20 (0.17), III—0.27 (0.26), IV—0.21 (0.21), V—0.21 (0.20), VI—0.16 (0.14), VII—0.17 (0.14), VIII—0.13 (0.10), IX—0.34 (0.33), X—0.19 (0.17), XI—0.21 (0.20), width of segment IX—0.20 (0.20). Pronotum: maximum length—0.98 (1.00), maximum width—1.50 (1.55), minimum width—0.88 (0.90). Elytra: maximum length—2.55 (2.63), width in humeral part—1.50 (1.55). Pygidium: maximum length— 0.50 (0.50), maximum width—0.44 (0.53).

Coloration of the cuticle of entire body generally dark brown to black. Disc of elytra black, margins and apical part brown, abdominal ventrites and pygidium dark brown. Antennae light brown, antennomeres IX–XI black, only apical half of XI dark brown. Labrum distinctly yellow, mandibles light brown with black outer edges. Legs brown, tarsomeres IV–II with lighter basal part than apical, III–V rather yellowish.

Vestiture ( Figs 73– 80 male, 81– 86 female). Head ( Figs 74 , 82 ) with sparse appressed yellowish setae, setae denser on upper margin of eyes. Antennomeres I–VIII ( Figs 77 , 85 ) almost bare, only with sporadic fine setae located in the apical half of the antennomeres, IX–XI with short appressed black dense setae. Disc of pronotum ( Figs 76 , 84 ) with appressed yellowish setae forming irregular and interrupted longitudinal stripe in central part and also slightly denser on lateral sides. Lower side of pronotum with denser yellowish to whitish setae. Elytra ( Figs 73, 80–81, 86 ) covered with appressed yellowish setae particularly in apical and lateral parts, disc of elytra with black setae (surface is not abraded here as it might seems). Meso-, metasternum and all abdominal ventrites covered with dense yellowish to whitish setae. All femora with sparse appressed yellowish setae, each tibia with subdecumbent setae forming two yellowish rings in post-basal and apical part, part between rings covered with dark brown setae. Basal part of tarsomeres I–II with light-coloured setae only in basal part, rest of these tarsomeres brown, III–V with light-coloured setae. Pygidium covered with longer sparse yellowish setae.

Structure. Head ( Figs 74 , 82 ) noticeably short, rostrum flat, without any carinae, only with indistinct depression before eyes. Sides of rostrum short, only imperceptibly widening apically. Ratio of rostrum length to maximum width 0.38 in male, 0.43 in female. Dorsal and lateral part of rostrum only with very fine sculpture. Eyes strikingly large, dorsal ocular index 0.70 in male, 0.66 in female. Ratio of maximum width across eyes to maximum width of rostrum 1.32 in male, 1.42 in female.

Antennae ( Figs 73, 77 , 81, 85 ) reaching posterior margin of pronotum, however, do not reach half of elytra in both sexes. Scape and pedicel distinct, at least 2 times as wide as antennomeres III on apical parts, VIII shorter and nearly the same width as VII, IX–XI not forming compact club, but with only separated antennomeres, IX 1.7 times longer than wider (1.65 times in female), X as wide as long (wider than longer in female), X ovoid.

Pronotum ( Figs 76 , 84 ) conical, sides straight, only weakly convex in female, pronotum transverse, ratio of its length to maximum width ca. 0.65 in both sexes, widest at dorsal transverse carina, from here strongly narrowed anteriad. Dorsal transverse carina basal, slightly bisinuate, widely and shallow emarginate in middle posteriad, continuous to sides, here forming weakly protruding sharp lateral angle. Lateral carinae of pronotum distinct, protruding, not reaching to half of length of pronotum ( Figs 80 , 86 ). Basal longitudinal carinulae of pronotum present, but due to basal dorsal transverse carina, extremely short. Disc of pronotum moderately convex.

Elytra ( Figs 73 , 81 ) sub-oval, sides parallel, humeri developed, apical part of elytra broadly rounded. Ratio of the maximum length to maximum width of elytra ca. 1.70 in both sexes. Elytra with pair of indistinct bumps in sub-basal part. Elytral striae with distinct punctures, elytral intervals ca. 3 times as wide as foveae, fovea often weakly longitudinal, spaces between foveae shorter than individual fovea.

Legs. Male: protibia and mesotibia with small, short spine at apex (see Fig. 78 —spine on apical part of protibia). Tarsomere I of protarsus with delicate but visible spine on lower part ( Fig. 78 ), tarsomere I of mesotarsus continuous to spur with a wide base ( Figs 73, 79 ). Female: protibia, mesotibia and tarsomeres simple, without any spine or spur.

Abdomen shorter than broad. Pygidium slightly convex, widely rounded, longer than wider in male, wider than longer in female. Ratio of the maximum length to maximum width 1.14 in male, 0.94 in female. Pygidium of female without any promontory.

Etymology. The species name espoch is dedicated in honor of the Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (acronym ESPOCH) in recognition of the support given for the development of the research project Entomofauna IDIPI 281 (see Acknowledgements).

Collecting circumstances. Both specimens of the type series were collected by beating smaller twigs of fallen branches of unidentified deciduous trees inside natural forests.

Distribution. Ecuador, Orellana (holotype) and Sucumbíos (allotype) provinces ( Fig. 87 ).

Differential diagnosis. The new species differs from both other species of Piezonemus mainly by the male protibia and mesotibia with a small, short spine at apex, and tarsomere I of the protarsus with a delicate spine on lower part, and tarsomere I of mesotibia with a distinct spur. Males of two other species lack these spines or spur. The female of the new species has a simple, convex pygidium, without any promontory, while both other species have a bifurcated promontory on the apical part. For more details see key below.

Figures

FIGURE 87. Piezonemus espoch sp. n., distribution map.

FIGURES 73–80. Piezonemus espoch sp. n., holotype male (NMPC); 73, dorsal habitus; 74, head in dorsal view; 75, pygidium; 76, pronotum in dorsal view; 77, right antenna in dorsal view; 78, right protarsus; 79, right mesotarsus; 80, lateral habitus. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 81–86. Piezonemus espoch sp. n., allotype female (MTDC); 81,dorsal habitus; 82, head in dorsal view; 83, pygidium; 84, pronotum in dorsal view; 85, left antenna in dorsal view; 86, lateral habitus. Scale bars in mm.

FIGURES 88–89. Piezonemus espoch sp. n., Ecuador, Loreto env., collecting site.