Dyslexia belamyi Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, 2020

Skelley, Paul E. & Gasca-Álvarez, Héctor Jaime, 2020, Dyslexia, a new remarkable genus of pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae) from the Andes, Insecta Mundi 2020 (835), pp. 1-15 : 6-8

Dyslexia belamyi Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez , new species

Figures 7–8 , 10–16 .

Diagnosis. A member of Dyslexia easily distinguished from the other species its elongate parallel-sided body, vertex of head with a black central spot, and male dimorphism on all tibiae.

Description. Length: 9.5–10.2 mm; width 4.1–4.5 mm. Body elongate parallel-sided, convex dorsally, elytra declivous at base and widest at basal third; microreticulation weak, surface glossy ( Fig. 10 ).

Color pattern variable in distinctness and thickness of dark markings, but always based on the following scheme: Body orange with black markings, elytra yellow with black marking. Head with variable sized central black spot on vertex; base of head behind eyes entirely orange or with black mark. Pronotum with 2 elongate, variably large central spots on anterior margin, can be poorly defined or merged into one maculation ( Fig. 13 ); spots not touching posterior margin. Scutellar shield dark brown to black. Elytra with several black markings that are well separated from the thin black margins ( Fig. 12 ); a large triangularly rounded scutellar spot, solid or ring-like; subhumeral spot situated at basal third of elytra; central band narrowing postero-laterally, most with band separated into two transverse lines (Pilaco paratype has these fused into one mark); free circular apical elytral spot. Ventrally black maculations highly variable in size and presence or absence ( Fig. 11 ); prosternum and mesothorax entirely orange; metathorax orange, except some with metaventrite bearing a central black spot on posterior margin; abdominal ventrite I of most with free central spot; abdominal ventrites I–IV with a free circular lateral spot; Mouthparts orange-brown, other appendages entirely black.

Head dorsal distance between eyes = 5× eye width ( Fig. 7 ); vertex and epistome punctures fine, size = 0.25× facet, widely separated; clypeus with strong v-shaped apical emargination. Antenna with all antennomeres elongate, narrowed; antennomere II length = 2× width; antennomeres III–VII width near apex slightly less than antennomere II width; antennomere VIII width near apex = antennomere II width, rounded at apex; antennomere III length = 3× width, length = 1.2× length antennomere IV; antennomeres IV–VIII becoming gradually shorter with antennomere VIII length = 0.5× length antennomere III; antennomeres IX–X triangular, narrowed basally, length = antennomere VIII, length = width; antennomere XI length = 1.5 width, elongately ovoid, slightly longer and narrower than antennomere X.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, width = 1.4–1.5× length, lateral edge weakly arcuate, appearing rhomboidal, width at anterior angles = 1.5× width at posterior angles; posterior angles 90°. Scutellar shield pentagonal, length = 0.6× width. Elytra microreticulate, weakly glossy; elytron length = 3.5× width in dorsal view; in lateral view, elytra flattened medially, becoming declivitous near base; lateral margin parallel-sided on basal half, parabolically rounded on apical half; strial punctures distinct on disc, approaching base; width of striae greater basally than at mid-length; interval punctures not evident; punctures in groove of lateral marginal bead same sized as pores of marginal bead; epipleuron wide at base, width = 2× width of femur, narrowing toward apex, width in apical half = width of femur. Hind wings present, apparently functional.

Prosternum with angulation of anterior margin flattened, not projecting ventrally ( Fig. 8 ); distance from anterior margin to procoxae = distance between procoxae; surface impunctate; coxal lines weakly constricted around procoxae; prosternal plate weakly convex, length = distance between coxae. Mesoventrite length = 1.2× distance between mesocoxae; posterior margin weakly convex to weakly sinuate. Metaventrite long, length from mesocoxae to posterior margin = 1.5× distance between mesocoxae. Protarsomeres I–III of equal length. Meso- and metatarsomeres with tarsomere I length = next two combined.

Sexual dimorphism present, males with all tibiae slightly swollen in apical quarter, inner margin of protibia with subapical depression ( Fig. 14 ); medial patch of setae on abdominal ventrite I ( Fig. 11 ) variable in size, diameter 0.2–0.5× length of ventrite; females lack these structures.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 15 ) with penis weakly arched, narrowing apically, with narrow 45° curved apical process; median strut length = 1.3× median lobe length; internal sac without noticeable sclerotized structures, but covered with pale microtrichia; flagellum length = 1.5× median lobe length; virga of flagellum narrow, straight, not thickened basally; head of flagellum small, sclerite at base elongate claw-shaped. Females genitalia shortened ( Fig. 16 ).

Material examined. The holotype male of Dyslexia belamyi label data: “ ECUADOR: Pichincha / Macquipucuna For. Res. / 50 km NW of Quito, 1750 m / 21 Dec. 1991, C. Carlton / R. Leschen #41, ex:flat / ascomycete” ( SEMC) [R. Leschen, pers. com.: years after labeling, a sample of the fungus was identified as a basidiomycete].

Allotype female same data as holotype ( SEMC) . Paratypes (3): same data as holotype (1 female FSCA, 1 male SEMC) ; “ ECUADOR / Pilaco / IX-1992 / G. Onore ” (1 male FSCA) .

Etymology. This species is named after a friend, Charles “Chuck” Bellamy, buprestid expert, who gave PES the idea for the naming theme of Dyslexia . The species name has the intentional spelling variation of “ belamyi ” without the second “l” (ICZN 1999, Article 58.7).

Remarks. Dyslexia belamyi is represented by five specimens. All but one are from the same locality, and these show a substantial amount of variation in the color pattern. The specimen from Pilaco has a variation not seen in the others, with the central elytral band of two marks is combined into a single band. However, this male has the same sexual dimorphism of the tibia which is present in the others. Until more materials are available for study, we consider specimen from Macquipucuna and Pilaco conspecific.

Figures

Figures 1‒9. Heads of various Erotylini. 1) Aegithus clavicornis (Linnaeus). 2) Iphiclus (Sternolobus) dispilotus (Lacordaire). 3) Iphiclus (Saccomorphus) bimaculatus (Fabricius). 4) Erotylus giganteus (Linnaeus). 5) Ellipticus sp. 6) Scaphidomorphus quinquepunctatus (Linnaeus). 7‒8) Dyslexia belamyi Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, n. sp., dorsal and ventral views. 9) Dyslexia tomasi Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, n. sp.

Figures 10–16. Dyslexia belamyi Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, holotype male, unless stated otherwise. 10) Dorsal habitus.11) Ventral habitus. 12) Lateral habitus. 13) Anterior dorsal oblique view of head and pronotum. 14) Anterior ventral oblique view of head and pronotum, not male protibial dimorphism. 15) Male genitalia. 16) Female genitalia, allotype.