Charisius apterus, Campbell, J. M., 2014

Campbell, J. M., 2014, New species and records of Charisius Champion from Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Alleculinae), ZooKeys 415, pp. 269-293 : 276-278

5. Charisius apterus sp. n. Figs 7, 20

Description.

Dark reddish-brown; elytron yellow with extensive brunneous markings as follows: moderately broad, transverse bands across basal fourth and across middle; narrow, jagged band across apical fourth and extreme apical portion; suture brunneous (Fig. 7). Length 9.8 mm.

Head coarsely, densely punctate, punctures separated by distance distinctly less than diameter of a puncture. Eyes small, widely separated dorsally, ocular index of female holotype 47. Pronotum slightly wider than long, PI of holotype 88; surface with microsculpture finely, uniformly granulate, not shining; moderately densely and coarsely punctate, punctures separated by distance slightly greater than diameter of a puncture; punctures evenly distributed except becoming sparser on narrow band at anterior lateral angles of pronotum; sides distinctly convex, widest at apical third, distinctly narrowed towards base; transverse groove broad, shallowly impressed; midline broadly, shallowly impressed on basal half.

Prosternum and hypomeron sparsely, finely punctate; postcoxal extension of sides of pronotum with row of coarse, moderately shallow impressions. Metaventrite short, length between meso- and metacoxae subequal in length to length of mesocoxal cavity; moderately coarsely and densely, evenly punctate. Abdomen with basal three ventrites with a few scattered, fine punctures; apical two ventrites more densely punctate with punctures separated by distance approximately two to three times diameter of puncture. Elytra 3.2 times longer than pronotum (in unique holotype) with striae shallowly, evenly impressed throughout; strial punctures coarse, narrowly separated along striae; intervals slightly convex. Wings reduced, flightless.

Male. Unknown.

Female. Anterior tarsal claws each with 6 teeth. Elytra with sutural margin near apex and apex emarginate as in Fig. 20. Fifth visible sternite broadly, shallowly impressed medially.

Type.

Holotype, female with labels as follows: MEX. OAXACA, 2 mi. S Cerro Pelon, 03 JUL 1982, 8-9000 ft. MA Ivie colr./ Holotype _, Charisius apterus, desig. 2013, JM Campbell. The holotype is deposited in the collection of the University of Montana.

Distribution and records.

Charisius apterus is known only from the type locality in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Etymology.

The species name apterus is derived from the species having the flight wings reduced to short stubs.

Remarks.

Adults of this remarkable flightless species can be easily distinguished from those of all other species of Charisius except Charisius subalatus by having the wings shorter than the elytra and the associated reduction in length of the metaventrite. The female holotype differs from specimens of Charisius subalatus by the distinctive elytral markings (Fig. 7) and by the unusual modifications of the elytral apices (Fig. 20). Other than the reduced wings and modified elytral apices of the female, the species is readily assigned to Charisius by the fact that the body is completely glabrous dorsally, the pronotum has a distinct, transverse depression across the base, and the antennae are elongate with the apical segments at least 2 times longer than wide.