Axina nigrifrons Schenkling, 1906

Opitz, Weston, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the Western Hemisphere checkered beetle genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Insecta Mundi 2020 (793), pp. 1-70 : 32-33

Axina nigrifrons Schenkling, 1906

Figures 71 , 111 .

Axina nigrifrons Schenkling, 1906: 253 . Lectotype. Female. Here designated. Type locality: Puerto Cabello (Venezuela) (SDEI). Paralectotype. One specimen. Venezuela: Estado de Carabobo, Puerto Cabello (SDEI). Corporaal 1950: 98. There is indication that Schenkling examined more than one specimen in his description of this species, but he did not select a holotype, therefore, I invoke Recommendation 73F of the ICZN (1999) and designate a lectotype for this nominal species.

Diagnosis. The elytral apex is obtuse in specimens of this species, which is not the case in superficially similar specimens of A. acutipennis , in which the elytral apex is subacuminate.

Redescription. Size. Length 6.0 mm; width 1.3 mm. Form. As in Fig. 111 . Color. Cranium bicolorous, frons black, remainder flavotestaceous; antenna testaceous; thorax and abdomen flavotestaceous; elytra bicolorous, basal 1⁄5 and apical 1⁄5 black, remainder flavotestaceous; legs bicolorous, prothoracic femora flavotestaceous, basal ½ of mesothoracic and metathoracic femora flavotestaceous, remainder of femora and tibiae black, tarsi brown. Head. Cranium finely punctate, frons slightly wider than length of antennal pedicel; EW/FW 40/10. Thorax. Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescences, concave at middle; PW/PL 98/130; elytra, asetiferous punctures arranged into striae, striated punctures extend to elytral middle, width of interstitial spaces variable, elytral apex obtuse; EL/EW 360/65. Abdomen. Aedeagus, phallobasic lobes very short and abruptly narrowed in distal ½, narrowly separated; phallic plates serrate, phallic apex extended; phallobasic apodeme abbreviated.

Variation. Size. Length 6.0–9.0 mm; width 1.6–2.2 mm. There may be one or 2 dark spots between the black basal and apical elytral region, and the black portion on the apical 1⁄5 of the elytra may be faintly visible or reduced to a narrow fascia.

Natural history. Specimens were collected in Bolivia during October through December, some at altitudes that range from 370– 430 m.

Distribution (for map see Fig. 71 ). In addition to the types, I examined 20 specimens from: Bolivia: Departamento de Santa Cruz, Potrerillos del Guenda, 6-8-XII- 2011, 400 m, Morris & Wappes; idem, 3-5-III- 2011, 370 m, J. Wappes & D. Thomas; 4-6 km SSE Buena Vista, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 22-31-X- 2002, 430 m, Wappes & Morris; idem, 1-8-XI-2002, J. E. Wappes; Buena Vista, 20-II- 1999, 380 m, L. Stange; Sara, collection day not noted, J. Steinbach; Brazil: Estado do Goías, Jatai,?- XI-1972, F.M. Oliveira; Trindade, collection date not noted, Ch. Pujol; Estado do Mata Grosso, Mato Grosso,?-?-1886, P. Germain; Corumba, collection date and collector not noted; Sinop,?- X-1976, M. Alvarenga. Specimens are deposited in: ACMT, FSCA, MNHN, RFMC, WFBM, and WOPC.

Figures

Figure 71. Distribution map for Axina species: A. luzia, A. munda, A. minas, A. pallidioccabus, A. picta, A. pollex, A. polycaula, A. proxima, A. rio, A. villa, A. vista, A. nigrifrons, A. ochra.

Figures 110–113. Habitus of Axina species. 110) Axina vista. 111) A. nigrifrons. 112) A. ochra. 113) A. analis.