Agra maia Erwin, 2010

Erwin, Terry L., 2010, Agra, arboreal beetles of Neotropical forests: pusilla group and piranha group systematics and notes on their ways of life (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini, Agrina), ZooKeys 66, pp. 1-28 : 16-17

Agra maia Erwin sp. n. Fig. 11

Holotype:

Bolivia: Santa Cruz, 4-6 km SSE Buena Vista, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 400-500m, "17.479°S, 63.631°W," 1-10 November 2002 (S.W. Lingafelter)(NMNH: ADP 116043, female).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The epithet " maia " is a Latinized genitive eponym, based on the given name of Maia Samuel, Executive Producer of the Smithsonian Spotlight program, The Bug House, in recognition of the hours of dedication she put into developing the program.

Proposed English vernacular name.

Maia’s Elegant Canopy Beetle.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus and species-group as described above and prothorax brassy black, legs unicolored, frons laterad unicarinate, smooth, prothorax markedly setiferous both laterally and ventrally, and elytra markedly constricted at apical third, side margin markedly arcuate.

Description.

Size: Small, ABL = 8.57 mm, SBL = 7.25 mm, TW = 2.2 mm. Color: Head black with faint bluish reflection posteriorly, pronotum brassy black legs and venter black, elytra metallic blue; antennae and mouthparts piceous. Luster: Shiny, prono tum brassy and elytra shiny metallic. Head: Labrum moderately elongate and moderately rounded apically. Frons medially raised and smooth, laterally depressed and smooth. Gena almost squared to constricted neck in females. Genae and occiput with moderately dense disc each side with four long setae, punctures, most setiferous. Prothorax: Slightly broader medially, flared basally; surface densely punctuate, disc each side with four long setae; lateral elongate callous with single row of setiferous punctures along middle. Pterothorax: Elytron moderately convex, broadly flared at apical third, intervals moderately costate, interneurs of rows of somewhat laterally ovate punctures, apex truncate, barely lobate, apical dentation asymmetric, lateral tooth small, acute, sutural apex slightly produced, narrowly pointed. Metasternum sparsely setiferous in female. Legs: Normal in female. Abdomen: Abdominal sterna III to VII of female moderately and bilaterally setiferous; sternum VII of female barely emarginated, corners rounded. Male genitalia: Unknown. Female ovipositor: Stylomere 2 as in Agra piranha ( Fig. 9 ).

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and are probably capable of flight; they are swift and agile runners.

Way of life.

Adults of other Agra species are found in the canopy of rainforest trees; known larvae of this genus ( Arndt et al. 2001) are found under the bark of these trees, however they must also roam on the surface, as they have been collected by insecticidal fogging techniques in the very early morning before first light. Members of Agra maia occur at lowland altitudes in the Amazon Basin. Adults are active in November, the rainy season.

Other specimens examined.

None.

Geographic distribution.

( Fig. 11 ). This species is currently known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 11. Distribution map of the species of the piranha group.

Figures 8 - 9. 8 Agra piranha Erwin, sp. n., male genitalia (dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects) (ADP 087440) 9 Agra piranha Erwin, sp. n., female stylomeres (dorsal aspect) (ADP 117227).