Notaepytus lavegaensis, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 74-75

Notaepytus lavegaensis Skelley, new species

Figure 1b , 88 , 102 , 129 , 140

Diagnosis. This species is diagnosed by: apical and subapical orangish marks of elytra in addition to a variable transverse band on the basal third, a short metasternum, greatly reduced wings, orangish marks of pronotal anterior angle extending posteriorly to the base ( Fig. 102 , 129 ), and male genitalia with

flagellum possessing a small dorsal cartilaginous thickening at apical third, flagellar apex straight and narrowly truncate.

Description. Length: 7.8-9.1 mm; width: 3.9-4.5 mm. Body elongate, robust; surface weakly microreticulate, glossy. Color dark brown to black except as noted: antennae, palpi, pronotal hypomeron, and legs reddish-brown, antennal club usually paler; pronotal sides with orangish mark entire form anterior to posterior edge, some with distinct longitudinal orangish mark in center of pronotal disc; elytra with orangish band at basal third and apical quarter, and spot at the apex; elytral epipleuron orangish beyond basal quarter; basal abdominal ventrites laterally red-brown, apical 1-2 ventrites entirely redbrown.

Head interocular width = 3.5-4.0 x ocular width; vertex and epistome finely punctate, puncture size = 0.33 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 2-3 x their diameter; epistome anterior margin shallowly concave. Eyes facets moderate in size. Antennomere III length = 4 x width, length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length, each with length = 2.5 x width; antennomere IX triangular, length = 1.5 x width; antennomere XI elongate, subcircular. Terminal maxillary palpomere triangular, slightly asymmetrical, slightly wider than long. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, asymmetrical, width = 1.5 x length, expanded medially, width = 1.2 x terminal maxillary palpomere.

Pronotum transverse; punctures on disc equal in size and distribution to vertex; small group of slightly larger punctures in shallow depression each side of base. Scutellum pentagonal, length = 0.5 x width. Elytral striae punctures indistinct to absent, striae indicated by a vague wrinkle; intervals with punctures apparently lacking; base lacking marginal bead. Wings reduced to narrow strips.

Prosternum convex, length = 2.5 x intercoxal width; sternal punctures indistinct; sternal lines continuous around coxal cavity; base shallowly concave. Mesosternal lines parallel, continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum short, distance between meso- and metacoxae = 0.9-1.0 x intermesocoxal width; anterior lines not meeting medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity; punctures fine, obscured, widely scattered. Abdomen with coxal lines not meeting medially; continuous around metacoxal cavity; punctures similar to metasternum punctures. Male genitalia with flagellum bearing a small dorsal cartilaginous thickening at apical third; flagellar apex straight and narrowly truncate, lacking additional processes ( Fig. 88 , 120 ).

Distribution. Found in the Dominican Republic, Cordillera Central ( Fig. 140 ).

Type Material. The male holotype and female allotype of Notaepytus lavegaensis bear the following label data: “/ Valle Nuevo Valle Nuevo, SE. Constanza, Aug.’38, Dom. Rep., c. 7000ft., Darl. /” ( AMNH) ; each bearing the appropriate type label [red paper] holotype or [blue paper] allotype “/ Notaepytus lavegaensis P. E. Skelley /”. Paratypes (9): same as holotype (3- AMNH, PESC) ; La Vega, cloud forest vic. Valle Nuevo, c. 6000ft, AUG-1938, Darlington (2- MCZC) ; La Vega [?], 53 km. SE. Constanza, 9-AUG-1979, C.W. O’Brien (2- PESC) ; [LaVega or Santiago?], Loma Rucilla & Mts.N., 5-8000 ft., JUN-1938, Darlington (1- MCZC) ; Sto. Domingo, 15-MAR-1917, R.H. Beck (1- CASC) .

Variation. There is notable variation in the size and distinctness of the pronotal and elytral markings, with some members bearing the same collection data. Sometimes, these elytral marks are reduced and indistinct. One female, which lacks the basal elytral band, was collected with a male possessing a large, well-defined band. Other specimens have an additional longitudinal spot in the middle of the pronotal disc.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the province where the type material was collected.

Figures

Figure 1. West Indian maps. 1a) Map of West Indian countries mentioned in the text. 1b) Map indicating species occurring on specific islands with distribution of Notaepytus flavitarsis (Lacordaire) indicated by the white triangles.

Figure 85-88. Notaeptyus spp., key characters. 85) N. flavitarsis, normal long metasternum. 86) N. cubanacan, shortened metasternum of wingless form. 87) N. fulvitarsis (DR: La Vega) male genitalia with flagellum everted. 88) N. lavegaensis male genitalia, with flagellum inverted. Genitalic scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 89-104. Notaepytus spp., habitus drawings. 89) N. flavitarsis. 90) N. tarsatus. 91) N. cubanacan. 92) N. modestus. 93) N. cyclosignatus. 94) N. elongatus. 95) N. fulvitarsis. 96) N. decoregens. 97) N. ignotensis. 98) N. haitensis. 99) N. inversus. 100) N. baorucoensis. 101) N. neibaensis. 102) N. lavegaensis. 103) N. cyanoros. 104) N. elateroides.

Figure 126-131. Notaepytus spp. occurring on Hispaniola. 126) N. fulvitarsis (DR: La Vega). 127) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Hato Mayor). 128) N. decoregens, paratype. 129) N. lavegaensis, paratype. 130) N. neibaensis, holotype. 131) N. baorucoensis, holotype.

Figure 138-140. Distribution maps of Notaepytus spp. on Hispaniola. 138) Circle = N. modestus; triangle = N. elongatus. 139) Circle = N. fulvitarsis; triangle = N. decoregens; square = N. haitensis; square with ‘X’ = N. inversus. 140) Circle = N. cyclosignatus; triangle = N. lavegaensis; square = N. neibaensis; square with ‘X’ = N. baorucoensis.

Figure 105-120. Notaepytus spp., male genital flagella. 105) N. flavitarsis. 106) N. tarsatus. 107) N. modestus. 108) N. elateroides. 109) N. cyanoros. 110) N. cyclosignatus. 111) N. inversus. 112) N. neibaensis. 113) N. haitensis.114) N. ignotensis. 115) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Hato Mayor). 116) N. fulvitarsis (DR: La Vega). 117) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Barahona). 118) N. decoregens. 119) N. baorucoensis. 120) N. lavegaensis. All reproduced to same scale, scale line = 1 mm.