Ridica merida OPITZ, 2019

Opitz, Weston, 2019, Descriptions of new genera and new species of Western Hemisphere checkered beetles (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 959-1076 : 989-990

Ridica merida OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 49 , 104 , 307 )

Holotype: ♀. Type locality: VENEZUELA, 20 km SW El Vig’a Merida, XII-10-1969, el. 50 m, L. Wood ( FSCA).

D i a g n o s i s: The members of this species are conveniently distinguished from those of its congener by the shape of the 8 th antennomere and by the sculpture on the elytral disc. In Ridica merida the 8 th antennomere is quadrate and the elytral disc shows 4 longitudinal carinae, whereas in specimens of R. achira the 8 th antennomere is oblong and the elytral disc is devoid of longitudinal carinae.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 9.0 mm; width 2.2 mm. Form: As in Fig. 307 . Color: Cranium bicolored, mostly black, upper frons with central linear testaceous line; prothorax bicolored, pronotal sides testaceous, remainder of prothorax black; antenna black, last antennomeres not seen; pterothorax, legs, and abdomen black; elytra bicolorous, sutural margins narrowly black in basal 1/2, disc testaceous. Head: Antenna ( Fig. 49 ) capitate, funicular antennomeres transverse, capitular antennomeres 8 and 9 broad-oblong, capitular antennomere 10 missing; eyes large, finely facetted, eye as wide as frons (EW/FW 29/29). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 104 ) quadrate, disc coarsely punctate (PW/PL 75/75); pronotal tubercle broad, disc concave paralaterally near pronotal collar, discal and lateral trichobothria well developed; elytral asetiferous punctures small, profusely distributed (EL/EW 430/75); anterior margin of protibia with 7 spines. Abdomen: Pygidium transverse/scutiform.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: The available specimen was collected in December, at 50 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: This species is known from Venezuela.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, merida, is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Figures

Figs 43-60: Antennae; (43) Ordinis taxis; (44) Pelonium tayrona; (45) Neorthopleura turnbowi, male; (46) N. turnbowi, female; (47) Megaphloeus imparilus; (48) Plocamocera catalexis; (48 a) Cregya entrerios; (49) Ridica merida. (50) Kataspinula puebla. (51) Cregya tobagoensis; (52) Topainca patchacutii; (53) Eurycaulis anaxeis; (54) Amboakis expandosa. (55) Ridica achira. (56) Ampleris cacuminis; (57) Sicamus suprus; (58) Sirpa latiflava; (59) Alarius careoritus; (60) Cregya petalosa.

Figs 101-117: Pronota; (101) Aphelocerus ligulus; (102) A. yoro; (103) Ridica achira; (104) R. merida; (105) Ampleris cacuminis; (106) Plocamocera catalexis; (107) Aphelocerus tigra; (108) A. sparicapillus; (109) A. nolus; (110) A. magnipannus; (111) Pyticeroides desodes; (112) Cregya petalosa; (113) C. livida; (114) C. tobagoensis; (115) C. maura; (116) Pujoliclerus flavidus; (117) Amboakis collucoatis.

Figs 306-309: Habitus; (306) Ridica achira; (307) R. merida; (308) Kataspinula puebla; (309) Nelsopelonium aspikelum.