Aphelocerus nolus, Opitz, Weston, 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 : 964-965

Aphelocerus nolus OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 7 , 109, 205 , 266 )

Holotype: ♂. Type locality: PERU, Madre de Dios, Rio Tambopata Res. , 30 km (air) sw Pto. Maldonado, 290 m, 12°50'S 069°20'W. A second label reads: Canopy Fogging Project, 31 Oct 82, La Torre Trail to Sunset Pt., Secondary Floodplain Forest-Fogged tree No. 73. A third label reads: FOGGING 0064921 ( USNM) . Paratype: 1 specimen. Peru: Provincia de Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Rio Tambopata Reserva, 30 km SW Puerto Maldonado, 12°50'S 069°20'W, 31-X- 1982, 290 m, canopy tree fogging, collector not noted ( USNM).

D i a g n o s i s: The genus Aphelocerus KIRSCH was revised in 2005 (OPITZ 2005). This work included a key to species. Aphelocerus nolus specimens key out to A. hespenheidei OPITZ, from which they differ by showing broader and less acuminate phallobasic lobes.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 5.0 mm; width 1.8 mm. Form: As in Fig. 266 . Color: Black; few white setae at frontal sides, row of white setae on metepisternum. Head: Genae and epicranium extended; gena wrinkled behind eyes; interocular depression and frontal umbo shallow; antenna ( Fig. 7 ) capitate, funicular antennomeres filiform, progressively shorter and wider towards capitulum, capitulum not compact; eyes finely facetted, eye narrower than frons (EW/FW 20/40). Thorax: Pronotum proper ( Fig. 109 ) subglobose, very finely punctate (PW/PL 78/92); elytra short and boldly convex, disc with striae of very small setiferous punctures (EL/EW 215/60). Abdomen: Pygidium transverse / scutiform; aedeagus as in Fig. 205 .

Variation: Frons width is sex dimorphic with male frons proportionally wider. Also, male antennae are proportionally longer and the capitulum is slightly more lax.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: The available specimens were collected by fogging tree canopy, during October, at 290 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: ThisspeciesisknownfromPeru.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, nolus, is a Latin noun that stems from nola (= bell); with reference to the shape of the pronotum.

Figures

Figs 1-27: Antennae; (1) Aphelocerus nodus; (2) A. copanus; (3) A. magnipannus; (4) A. yoro; (5) A. sparicapillus; (6) A. tigra. (7) A. nolus; (8) A. ligulus; (9) Perilypus schusteri; (10) P. apunctus; (11) P. virgulatus; (12) P. izabal; (13) P. alpinus; (14) Cregya fuscomacula; (15) Phonius versus; (16) Pujoliclerus ariquemes; (17) Pelonium falcatum; (18) Pujoliclerus cnecostus; (19) P. trunculus. (20) P. sentus; (21) P. testudinatus; (22) P. catie; (23) P. flavidus; (24) P. convexus; (25) P. meloinus; (26) P. mexicoensis; (27) P. tuxtlas.

Figs 201-206: Aedeagi; (201) Aphelocerus copanus; (202) A. ligulus; (203) A. magnipannus; (204) A. nodus; (205) A. nolus; (206) A. sparicapillus.

Figs 266-269: Habitus; (266) Aphelocerus nolus; (267) A. sparicapillus; (268) A. tigra; (269) A. yaguare.

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.