Selenophorus yucatanus Putzeys

Shpeley, Danny, Hunting, Wesley & Ball, George E., 2017, A taxonomic review of the Selenophori group (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Harpalini) in the West Indies, with descriptions of new species and notes about classification and biogeography, ZooKeys 690, pp. 1-195 : 29-33

Selenophorus yucatanus Putzeys Figs 14B, 15 D–F, 16, 17

Selenophorus yucatanus Putzeys, 1878a: 24. TYPE MATERIAL: female, in front of the following box label: yucatanus / Chaud/ Yucatan/ Pilate; LECTOTYPE female, labelled: Ex Musaeo/ Chaudoir// Bates vidit/ Xle 1881// Type//. - Csiki 1932: 1202.- Blackwelder 1944: 50.- Ball 1992: 85.- Ball and Shpeley 1992: 96.- Lorenz 1998: 356.- Lorenz 2005: 378.

Notes.

According to the original description ( Putzeys 1878a: 24), this species description is based on a single specimen, sex not specified (see details above). In spite of the statement in the original description, in the Chaudoir-Oberthür Collection are two males and a female, in front of the following box label: “Yucat”. Each of the specimens is labelled “Type”. Under the circumstances, it seems best to treat one of the specimens as a lectotype, rather than as a holotype.

Type area.

Yucatan Peninsula, México.

Diagnosis.

This species is readily separated from the other West Indian member of the discopunctatus species group by the posteriolateral impressions of pronotum, which are densely punctate and rugose. Additionally, the apical portion of the phallic median lobe lacks a hook.

Descriptive notes.

Data for SBL in Table 1. Habitus as in Fig. 14B. Clypeus with anterior margin moderately concave. Labrum with anterior margin shallowly concave. Antennae and legs testaceous to slightly darker; palpi infuscated, tip testaceous, base slightly to much darker, maxillary palpomere 3 same color as base of maxillary palpomere 4. Dorsal and ventral surfaces brunneous to dark brunneous, not quite piceous; elytral epipleuron paler than disc. Frons shiny in males and females, with mesh pattern isodiametric; disc of pronotum shiny in males and females, males without microlines visible at 100 ×, females with microlines visible at 100 ×, sculpticells about 2 × wide as long; posteriolateral surface of pronotum in males and females with mesh pattern isodiametric. Elytra with mesh pattern slightly transverse, sculpticells about 1.5 –2× wide as long. Elytral striae impunctate, except the standard setigerous punctures in striae 2, 5 and 7. Punctures of striae 2, 5 and 7 foveate. Males with two terminal setae and females with four terminal setae near the posterior margin on sternum VII.

Male genitalia. Fig. 15 D–F. Apical portion of phallic median lobe with long taper, symmetrically rounded in dorsal/ventral aspect, with two small dorsal projections; endophallus without spines or dark microtrichial fields; lamina present, long, more or less ovoid, with tip curved to left, pointed at apex. Ventral surface of shaft with two rows of finely saw-toothed ridges.

Ovipositor and female reproductive tract. Fig. 16. Gonocoxite 2 (gc2) moderately thick, nearly straight. Bursa copulatrix (bc) short, bowl-like apically; long spermatheca (sp) originating near base of common oviduct (co), without distinct narrowing basally; spermathecal gland duct originating near base of spermatheca; spermathecal gland (spg) small, somewhat bulbous.

Geographical distribution.

Fig. 17. This species is only recorded from the Lesser Antillean islands of Grenada, Mustique and Union in the West Indies. On the mainland it is known from the Middle American Yucatan Peninsula.

Chorological affinities and relationships.

The known West Indian range of this species is overlapped by that of the closely related S. discopunctatus . Its relationships are not postulated beyond species group membership.

Material examined.

In addition to type material, we have seen a total of 53 specimens (30 males, 23 females). See Appendix for details.