Priocera flavofetosa OPITZ, 2021

Opitz, Weston, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Western Hemisphere checkered beetle genus Priocera KIRBY (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (2), pp. 1145-1255 : 1177

Priocera flavofetosa OPITZ nov.sp. (Figs 46, 89, 133)

HOLOTYPE: ♂. Type locality: BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz, 5 KM SSE Buena Vista , Hotel Flora & Fauna, 440 m, W6339.128 S1729.925, 10-22-X-2004, J. E. Eger. A second label reads: At UV, MV and Incandescent Lights ( FSCA) . PARATYPES: 7 specimens. Bolivia: Departamento de Santa Cruz, Buena Vista, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 21-25-X-2003, Morris, Nearns, Wappes ( ACMT, 1) ; Potrerillo del Guenda, Snake Farm, 21-24-X-2011, 370- 400 m, Wappes & Skillman ( ACMT, 1). Peru: Provincia de Tambopata , Madre de Dios , Rio Tambopata Reserve , 30 km SW Puerto Maldonado, 1-I-2004, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 1). Brazil: Estado do Pará , Jacaraeacanga,?- VI-1969, F. R.Barbosa ( WOPC,1) ; Estado do Amazonas, Amazon, Bates, no other information available ( BMNH, 1). East Peru ,?- V-1940, collector not noted ( USNM, 1; WOPC, 1) .

D i a g n o s i s: Forebody black, except prothoracic venter and pronotal collar testaceous; antennae testaceous; pterothorax testaceous; elytra tricolorous, mostly testaceous, basal 2/3 rd with lots of yellow mottling, apical 1/3 mostly black but apical region flavotestaceous, each elytral disc with 3 yellow markings, one oblong at elytral base near mesoscutellum, one triangular positioned in front of middle near epipleural margin, one short transverse near sutural margin; legs testaceous, slightly infuscated.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 9.0 mm; width 2.2 mm. Form: As in Fig. 133 . Head: Cranium finely punctate; frons about as wide as length of antennal pedicel ( EW /FW 55/15). Thorax: Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescenses and small central fissure ( PW /PL 105/140), pronotal arch sides wrinkled; elytral disc slightly depressed at middle, sculptured with striate, asetiferous punctures slightly beyond basal 1/2, elytral apex rounded ( EL /EW 390/80); metathoracic femur gradually increasing in diameter to femoral apex. Abdomen: Aedeagus as in Fig. 46.

V a r i a t i o n: In the Brazilian specimens the premedian and postmedian markings are contiguous.

The pronotum proper may be castaneous.

N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Specimens were collected during January, May, June, and October, some at an altitudes that range from 370 to 440 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n ( Fig. 89 ): This species is known from Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, flavofetosa, is a Latin compound name that stems from fetosus (= prolific) and the prefix flav- (= yellow). I refer to the abundance of yellow coloration on the elytral disc.

Figures

Figs 89. Approximate distribution of species as noted.

Figs 132-135. Habitus. Priocera fissura nov.sp. (132), P. flavofetosa nov.sp. (133), P. gibberis nov.sp. (134), P. gracilis (135).