Cymatodera copei Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 519-552 : 542-543

Cymatodera copei Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs. 49–51 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: México, Q[uintana] Roo, 23 km SW Cancún, 2-vi-2001, Cope collection. Holotype deposited in CASC. Paratype: MEXICO: Quintana Roo: 1, 22 km SW Cancún, 17-X-1991, F. W. Skillman, Jr., beaten / old slash. Paratype deposited in JNRC.

Diagnosis. The new species appears most similar to Cymatodera prolixa (Klug) , sharing its general elongate form, shining integument and serially punctured elytra. Cymatodera copei differs from its congener, however, by having the anterior half of the elytra pale testaceous ( Fig. 49 ) (brown or reddish brown in C. prolixa ), the pronotal disk distinctly roughened (feebly rugulose in C. prolixa ), and by the shape of the male pygidium, most notably tergite 6, which is saddle–shaped with the posterior margin rather broad (tapered in C. prolixa , with the posterior margin rather narrow). No other species of Cymatodera exhibits this combination of characteristics.

Description (Holotype). Form: elongate, subcylindrical. Length: 9.0 mm. Color: testaceous; head, pronotum and bases of tibiae, reddish brown; elytra slightly paler just posterior to middle, then transversely infuscate from posterior 3/10 to posterior 1/10, with apices testaceous. Head: measured across eyes, considerably wider than pronotum; eyes moderate; surface rather shallowly rugulose–punctate, inconspicuously and rather thinly vested with mostly short, mostly reclinate, fine, pale setae. Pronotum: elongate (ratio of length to width 14:9); post– anterior depression shallow; disk subflattened; posterior tumescences gibbous; integument shining, transversely rugulose and indistinctly punctured; vestiture as on head but with the addition of some longer, more robust, suberect and erect setae. Elytra: longer than broad (ratio of length to maximum width 16:7); anterior margin arcuately emarginate at middle; humeral angles oblique; umbones distinct; sides subparallel, converging posteriorly to separately, rather broadly rounded, dehiscent apices; integument shining, set with coarse, subcribrate punctures arranged in distinct striae; punctures somewhat smaller posterior to middle, then rather abruptly terminating at posterior 1/5; vestiture consisting of a moderately dense but inconspicuous array of very short, fine, pale, suberect setae, intermingled with fewer, longer, more robust, erect and suberect setae of varying lengths. (It should be noted here that the holotype specimen bears a transverse ridge across the elytra at posterior 1/5, corresponding with an inflection at the lateral and sutural margins of each elytron, and a downward crimping of the elytral apices. I believe this condition is the result of a trauma to the individual insect either in its pupal state or as a teneral imago, and is not a characteristic of the species (the female has the elytral apices unmodified). Unfortunately, the holotype is the only male specimen available for study.) Metaventrite: smooth, shining, very finely, inconspicuously setose; bearing a pair of small, acute but shallow tubercles. Abdomen: ventrites shining, shallowly punctate, vestiture rather sparse but setae long and erect; ventrite 5 ( Fig. 51 ) with sides oblique, lateral posterior angles acute, posterior margin rather deeply, arcuately emarginate; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 51 ) oblong, sides slightly divergent posteriorly; lateral posterior angles produced, slightly dorsally inflected, arcuate externally and subacute at apex; posterior margin with a deeply arcuate emargination; tergite 6 ( Fig. 50 ) saddle shaped, broadest anteriorly, subsinuate laterally, expanded posteriorly, convex ventrally, hind margin broadly subtruncate.

Variation. The female paratype measures 10.0 mm in length. Its venter is somewhat darker than that of the male, and it lacks tubercles on the metaventrite. Ventrite 5 has the lateral posterior angles subquadrate and the posterior margin weakly, arcuately emarginate; ventrite 6 (somewhat obscured by the everted ovipositor in the dried specimen) appears to have the hind margin arcuate; tergite 6 is elongate, with the sides feebly, arcuately convergent and the posterior margin subtruncate.

Etymology. The specific name honors James Cope, collector of the holotype and many other interesting Mexican checkered beetles.

Distribution. Known only from the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, southwest of Cancún.

Biology. One specimen was collected by beating old slash. Based on its location, the habitat at the collecting site likely combines elements of tropical evergreen forest and tropical deciduous forest ( Lee 2000). The new species is presumably nocturnal, like most of its congeners.

Figures

FIGURES 49 – 51. 49. Habitus of Cymatodera copei Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 50. Pygidium (dorsal view) of male Cymatodera copei. 51. Pygidium (ventral view) of male Cymatodera copei.