Ceracis luci Souza-Gonçalves & Lopes-Andrade, 2024

Souza-Gonçalves, Igor & Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano, 2024, Ceracis luci sp. nov., the first Ciidae species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) from the Caatinga biome, Zootaxa 5512 (1), pp. 67-79 : 68-72

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5512.1.5
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:921E846F-FF50-49A1-8770-9FB4C7CDC320
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13848659
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0A0DF22C-FFC1-EF13-0B87-231076122FD4
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Ceracis luci Souza-Gonçalves & Lopes-Andrade
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ceracis luci Souza-Gonçalves & Lopes-Andrade sp. nov.

Fig. 1A–D View FIGURE 1 ; Fig. 2A–G View FIGURE 2 ; Fig. 3A–D View FIGURE 3 ; Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ; Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8

Type locality. Licínio de Almeida , coordinates 14º40’S 42º30’W (Bahia, Brazil) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. In honor of Lucimar Soares de Araujo, a great colleague and friend, who is continually contributing to the Ecology and Taxonomy of Ciidae beetles.

Diagnosis. Each antenna with eight antennomeres ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Elytral punctation subseriate ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Males with anterocephalic edge produced forward and slightly elevated upward forming a wide lamina with straight edge (when seen from above) ( Fig. 1A, C View FIGURE 1 ), and anterior edge of pronotum produced forward as a plate deeply emarginate at middle forming two horns, almost parallel to each other and with rounded apices ( Fig. 1A, C View FIGURE 1 ). Female ovipositor lacking gonostyli ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ). Ceracis luci sp. nov. resembles Ceracis pullulus (Casey) in the cephalic and pronotal ornaments and general body features, but in the latter species each antenna has nine antennomeres ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ), the pronotum is comparatively widest and the elytra comparatively shortest with seriate punctation. Additionally, in Cer. pullulus the anterior pronotal horns are slightly divergent with subrounded apices ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ), and the female ovipositor has conspicuous gonostyli ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ).

Description, male holotype ( Fig. 1A–D View FIGURE 1 ). Adult apparently not fully pigmented, lacking left metatibia and two tarsi. Measurements in mm: TL 1.26, PL 0.50, PW 0.44, EL 0.76, EW 0.44, GD 0.39. Ratios: PL/PW 1.14, EL/EW 1.74, EL/PL 1.53, GD/EW 0.89, TL/EW 2.89. Body elongate, convex, subparallel-sided, dorsum and venter reddish dark brown; antennae yellowish brown with dark brown club; palpi and tarsi yellowish brown; dorsal vestiture single, consisting of minute suberect setae barely visible in high magnification (100x); ventral vestiture of fine decumbent setae, easily discernible in high magnification (100x). Head with the anteriormost portion visible from above; dorsum widely concave, with a small elevation on vertexal disc; dorsal punctation single; anterocephalic edge produced forward, slightly elevated upward, forming a wide lamina with a straight edge (when seen from above). Antennae ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 , left antenna of a female paratype) with eight antennomeres, length of antennomeres as follows (in mm, left antenna measured): 0.05, 0.04, 0.03, 0.01, 0.01, 0.04, 0.04, 0.05 (FL 0.05 mm, CL 0.13 mm, CL/FL 2.6). Eyes coarsely facetted, each with about 50 ommatidia; GW 0, 10 mm. Gula 0.36x as wide as head. Pronotum ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ) coarsely, shallowly punctate; punctures of one size, scattered, separated from each other by 2–3 puncture-widths; interspaces, markedly microreticulate; vestiture single, consisting of minute suberect yellowish setae (<0.01 mm); anterior edge produced forward as a plate, deeply emarginate at middle forming two horns, almost parallel to each other and with rounded apices; lateral carinae not crenulate, not explanate and not visible when seen from above; anterior corners rounded and posterior corners broadly rounded. Scutellar shield ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ) triangular, with few punctures, apparently glabrous; BW 0.08 mm; SL 0.04 mm. Elytra ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ) punctation finer and shallower than pronotal punctation, subseriate, indistinctly dual; macropunctures about 2x as large as micropunctures, separated from each other by 1–2 macropuncture-widths; interspaces, rugose and shiny; vestiture single, consisting of minute suberect yellowish setae (<0.01 mm) arising from macropunctures. Metathoracic wings developed, apparently functional. Hypomera punctation fine, shallow; each puncture bearing one fine decumbent seta; interspaces, markedly microreticulate. Prosternum in front of coxae concave; interspaces, markedly microreticulate. Prosternal process laminate, 1.4x as long as prosternum at midline. Protibiae ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ) maximum width about one-third its length, expanded at apex; outer apical angle rounded and bearing a few thick spines; outer edge slightly sinuous and devoid of spines. Meso- and metatibiae ( Fig. 2B–C View FIGURE 2 ) with slender spines in apical edge; outer edge almost straight, devoid of spines. Metaventrite punctation fine, shallow; interspaces, markedly microreticulate; discrimen indiscernible. Abdominal ventrites punctures fine, shallow, sparse, each with one slender decumbent yellowish seta; interspaces, markedly microreticulate; length of ventrites (in mm, from base to apex at longitudinal midline) as follows: 0.14, 0.05, 0.05, 0.05, 0.06; first abdominal ventrite with margined, circular, setose sex patch posteriorly of center, with transverse diameter of 0.05 mm. Male terminalia in a topotype ( Fig. 2D–G View FIGURE 2 ): sternite VIII ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ) apical edge slightly emarginate, with short setae at middle and long setae at broadly rounded corners; lateral edges diverging; anterior edge biconcave and subacute medially. Tegmen ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ) 3.2x as long as wide, widest near base, apical portion deeply, narrowly emarginate; lateral edges subparallel-sided; basolateral edges wide ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 , red arrows); basal portion triangular. Basal piece ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ) subtriangular, as long as wide. Penis ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ) elongate, 0.9x as long as tegmen, 6.1x as long as wide; lateral edges subparallel-sided, converging near apex to form two sclerotized struts ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 , black arrows); basal portion rounded.

Females ( Fig. 3A–D View FIGURE 3 ). Like males, but without cephalic and pronotal ornaments, and abdominal sex patch. Female terminalia in a topotype ( Fig. 3C–D View FIGURE 3 ): spiculum ventrale ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ) 1.73x as long as ovipositor ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ); ovipositor 0.55x as long as wide; paraprocts ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ) 0.85x as long as gonocoxites; each baculus of paraprocts bowed and completely fused to the respective proctigeral baculus ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ); gonocoxites ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ) 0.44x as long as their combined widths, not distinctly lobed ventrally, each with subacute apex and without gonostylus.

Variation. Males, measurements in mm (n= 13, including the holotype): TL 1.03–1.26 (1.13 ± 0.08), PL 0.38– 0.53 (0.44 ± 0.05), PW 0.39–0.46 (0.42 ± 0.03), EL 0.65–0.76 (0.69 ± 0.04), EW 0.40–0.48 (0.44 ± 0.03), GD 0.34–0.43 (0.38 ± 0.03), PL/PW 0.97–1.14 (1.04 ± 0.05), EL/EW 1.49–1.74 (1.58 ± 0.08), EL/PL 1.40–1.77 (1.60 ± 0.11), GD/EW 0.78–0.89 (0.85 ± 0.03), TL/EW 2.37–2.89 (2.56 ± 0.13). The degree of development of pronotal and cephalic ornaments varies between males ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ). Female, measurements in mm (n= 6): TL 1.03–1.13 (1.09 ± 0.04), PL 0.36–0.41 (0.40 ± 0.02), PW 0.38–0.41 (0.40 ± 0.01), EL 0.66–0.74 (0.69 ± 0.03), EW 0.41–0.45 (0.43 ± 0.01), GD 0.38–0.39 (0.38 ± 0.01), PL/PW 0.97–1.03 (0.99 ± 0.02), EL/EW 1.51–1.74 (1.60 ± 0.08), EL/PL 1.72–1.90 (1.76 ± 0.10), GD/EW 0.86–0.91 (0.87 ± 0.02), TL/EW 2.42–2.65 (2.52 ± 0.08).

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( CELC) “ \ BR: BA, Licínio de Almeida , APA Capão 07.i.2011 leg. P.A. Cota \ ex Trametes sp. \ Ceracis luci Souza-Gonçalves & Lopes-Andrade HOLOTYPUS [red paper; printed]” . Paratypes: 12 ♂♂ (11 CELC; 1 CERPE) and 6 ♀♀ (5 CELC; 1 CERPE), same data as the holotype. All paratypes are additionally labeled “ Ceracis luci Souza-Gonçalves & Lopes-Andrade PARATYPUS [yellow paper; printed]” .

Host fungus. Trametes sp. ( Polyporaceae ), one breeding record.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality at the Center-South mesoregion of the state of Bahia, an area dominated by the Caatinga biome ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).