Romanaeclerus quadratus Opitz, 2017

Opitz, Weston, 2017, Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of the Orthopleurinae (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Part VI. The New Genera Coadnatus Opitz, Furcadia Opitz, and Latupusillus Opitz, One New Species of Funicula Opitz, and Four New Species of Romanaeclerus Winkler, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (3), pp. 421-433 : 431

Romanaeclerus quadratus Opitz , new species ( Figs. 4, 22, 35, 38)

Type Material. Holotype: Ƌ. LIBERIA, Nimba Co., Gbei Vongwea , 23 November 1986, leg. D. G. Furth ( PMNH).

Diagnosis. The members of this species are very similar to those of Romanaeclerus vitellinus Opitz , new species, but in specimens of R. quadratus , the ninth and 10 th funicular antennomeres are more subquadrate that trigonal. Also, in R. quadratus the frons is proportionally broader compared to the width of the eye (EW/FW = 20:28 (0.71) in specimens of R. quadratus , 10:25 (0.40) in those of R. vitellinus ).

Description. Size: Length 4.2 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 35. Color: Forebody, antennae, legs, and abdomen testaceous, elytra redbrown. Head: Antennal capitulum well-developed ( Fig. 4), capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 subquadrate, antennomere 11 suboval, funicular antennomeres progressively more serrate; maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres acuminate; eyes narrower than frons (EW/FW = 20/28). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 22) transverse (PW/PL = 90/70), lateral margins evenly arcuate; asetiferous elytral punctation small and extending to elytral subapex, punctation subseriate, interstitial spaces smooth and shiny; sutural margin narrows to elytral apex. Abdomen: Pygidium scutiform; aedeagus with phallobasic lobes minute; phallic plates slender, long.

Natural History. The holotype was collected in November.

Distribution. This species is known from Liberia ( Fig. 38).

Etymology. The specific epithet quadratus (= 4-sided) refers to the subquadrate shape of the ninth and 10 th capitular antennomeres.