Asiocnemis bicolor, , Otto, 2017

Otto, Robert L., 2017, Descriptions of six new species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae), with new identification keys for one tribe and two genera, Insecta Mundi 2017 (558), pp. 1-19 : 6-7

Asiocnemis bicolor sp. nov.

Fig. 7–8

Diagnosis. Bicolored elytra, along with ornate arrangements of setae on the pronotum will distinguish the new species from any known Asiocnemis species.

Description. Female holotype: Length, 7.0 mm. Width, 2.0 mm. Body cylindrical, elongate and tapering towards the elytral apex; head, pronotum, venter, scutellum, elytral suture and lateral sides of elytra black; elytral disc orange; antennae black; femur and tibiae dark brown-black; tarsi dark brown-black; pronotum with wide band of short, white, recumbent setae along each lateral side and a narrowed, medial band of short, white, recumbent setae extending entire length of pronotum; head and elytra completely clothed with very short, sparse, white recumbent setae ( Fig. 7 ).

Head: Surface closely, deeply punctate on frons, shiny, subspherical; frons convex, with median carina extending from frontolclypeal region to middle of frons; interantennal carina complete; apical margin of frontolclypeal region evenly rounded, more than 2.0 times wider than base; frontoclypeal region with carina present along each lateral side from base to apex; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate and rugose.

Antenna: Weakly serrate to filiform from antennomeres III–X, reaching just beyond elytral humeri, flattened; antennomere III shorter than IV and V combined; antennomere IV about as long as II, shorter than V; antennomere V shorter than VI; antennomeres VI–X each sub-equal, longer than wide; antennomere XI slightly longer than X; antennomeres I–XI with lateral keel.

Pronotum: Surface shiny, deeply punctate; punctures closely spaced; longer than wide, with moderate hind angles; slightly arcuate, gradually narrowed anteriorly; disc convex; base sinuous, with short, elevated carina above scutellum.

Scutellum: Closely punctate, short, sub-triangular and distally rounded.

Elytra: Punctate striae present; interstices flattened; humeri closely punctate to transversely rugose, remaining areas with closely spaced, shallow punctures.

Legs: First tarsomere longer than the combined lengths of the remaining four on mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metathoracic tarsomeres I–III simple; metathoracic tarsomere IV excavated and emarginated, wider than tarsomere V; metathoracic tarsomere V short with simple claws.

Venter ( Fig. 8 ): Densely and closely punctate, with white recumbent setae; hypomeron with well- defined basally open, deep, lateral antennal grooves; antennal grooves without punctures, shiny; metathoracic episterna parallel-sided; metathoracic coxal plates medially 3.0–6.0 times wider than laterally.

Variation. One female paratype was examined. Female paratype measured 7.0 mm long and 2.0 mm wide, as long as and as wide as the holotype. Lateral keel on antennomere XI is more pronounced in the paratype than the holotype. Exoskeletal surfaces and ornate arrangements of setae on pronotum observed for the paratype are similar to the holotype.

Type Material. Holotype, ♀: “ ECUADOR: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge, 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270m, 10–21- X, 1994, Hibbs, ex: malaise” / “ Dromaeolus , sp. b, Det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” / “ HOLOTYPE:, Asiocnemis , bicolor, Otto , det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” (♀ handwritten behind species name on label) [red printed label]. Holotype deposited in SEMC.

Paratype. 1 ♀: “ ECUADOR: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge, 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270m, 10–21-X, 1994, Hibbs, ex: malaise” / “ Dromaeolus , sp. b, Det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” / “ PARATYPE:, Asiocnemis , bicolor, Otto , det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” (♀ handwritten behind species name on label) [yellow printed label]. Paratype is deposited in GERP.

Distribution. The eucnemid species is known from the type locality in Ecuador.

Biology. Two specimens were taken from a Malaise trap. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. Specific epithet is derived from the bicolored elytra present on this species.

Remarks. This is the first record for Asiocnemis to be recorded not only in South America, but also in the southern hemisphere. Chassain and Touroult (2011) imaged this species collected in French Guiana. They identified the eucnemid as an unknown species of Dromaeolus . The presence of A. bicolor in both Ecuador and French Guiana would suggest the species may be more widespread in the Amazonian basin and could be present in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.

Note. Identity at the generic level was made possible through an on-line key to the world eucnemid genera provided by Muona (2011).

Figures

Figures 5–8. Neotropical Eucnemidae. 5) Dromaeolus comayaguiensis (SEMC), dorsal habitus. 6) Dromaeolus comayaguiensis (SEMC), ventral habitus. 7) Asiocnemis bicolor (SEMC), dorsal view. 8) Asiocnemis bicolor (SEMC), ventral view. (Scale: 6–7 = 5.0 mm; 8–9 = 1.0 mm.)