Chariessa floridana Schaeffer, 1917

Opitz, Weston, 2017, Classification, natural history, and evolution of the subfamily Peloniinae Opitz (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Cleridae). Part VIII. Systematics of the checkered beetle genus Chariessa Perty, Insecta Mundi 2017 (574), pp. 1-42 : 15-16

Chariessa floridana Schaeffer, 1917

Figures 3, 4 , 25 , 30 , 45 , 61 , 67 .

Chariessa floridana Schaeffer, 1917: 133 . Holotype. Type locality: United States of America, Florida, Key Largo (USNM).

Diagnosis. Specimens of this species are distinguished from those of the superficially similar Chariessa pilosa by the coloration of the pronotum. In C. floridana specimens, the pronotum is mostly flavotestaceous and the black discal streaks are narrow and surround a tuft of gold-colored setae. In C. pilosa , the pronotum is reddish at the sides and the black discal streaks are wide (compare Fig. 30, 31 ).

Redescription. Size: Length 12.5 mm; width 3.8 mm. Form: As in Fig. 45 . Mouthparts, cranium, antennae, pterothorax, legs, and abdomen dark brown; pronotum mostly flavotestaceous, disc with two narrow arcuate lines at middle, between which is a tuft of gold-yellow setae; elytra dark brown, epipleural and sutural margins testaceous. Head: Funicular antennomeres progressively shorter and wider towards capitulum, in males capitulum longer than combined length of funicular antennomeres, capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 with collateral branch ( Fig. 3, 4 ), antennomere 11 oblong, anterior margin sinuous; eyes small, frons wider than width of eye (EW/FW 15/30). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 25 ) quadrate (PW/PL 85/85), side margins with small tubercle, disc finely punctate; elytral asetiferous punctation small, profusely distributed throughout disc (EL/EW 220/50); protibial anterior margin spinous. Abdomen: Pygidium oblong / scutiform, deeply incised apically; 5 th visible sternite emarginated; aedeagus ( Fig. 61 ) poorly sclerotized ventrally; phallobasic lobes slightly developed, fimbriate, phallobasic rod long and narrow, phallobasic apodeme explanate at extremity; phallus with subapical sclerotization, phallic apex triangular/subacuminate.

Variation. Size: Length 11.0-15.0 mm; width 4.0-6.0 mm. There is some variation in the width of the dark pronotal lines. The epipleural and sutural margins may or may not be testaceous.

Natural history. Specimens were collected from poisonwood [ Metopium toxiferum (Linnaeus) Krug & Urban (Anacardiaceae) ] and on a rotten log of an undisclosed species of tree.

Distribution (Fig. 76). I examined 9 specimens from: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Florida; Monroe County, Upper Key Largo, 30-V-1976, on rotten log, M. C. Thomas & J. H, Frank; idem, 17-VII- 1959, W. W. Warner; idem, 3-5-V- 1978, F. Hovore; idem, 24-VI- 1978, R. Turnbow; idem, 3-V- 1978, R. Turnbow; 1-10-IV-1979, ex Metopium toxiferum (Linnaeus) Krug & Urban. Specimens are deposited in FSCA, WFBM, RHTC, and USNM.

Figures

Figure 67. Geographical distribution of Chariessa species as noted.

Figures 1-18. Antennae of Chariessa spp. 1) Chariessa duponti (male). 2) C. duponti (female). 3) C. floridana (male). 4) C. floridana (female). 5) C. catalina (male). 6) C. catalina (female). 7) C. elegans (male). 8) C. elegans (female). 9) C. texana (male). 10) C. dichroa (male). 11) C. dichroa (female). 12) C. pilosa (male). 13) C. pilosa (female). 14) C. ramicornis (male). 15) C. ramicornis (female). 16) C. vestita (male). 17) C. vestita (female). 18) C. texana (female).

Figures 21-29. Pronota of Chariessa spp. 21) Chariessa catalina. 22) C. elegans. 23) C. ramicornis. 24) C. duponti. 25) C. floridana. 26) C. texana. 27) C. dichroa. 28) C. pilosa. 29) C. vestita.

Figures 30-35. Pronota and elytra. 30-31. Pronota. 30) Chariessa floridana. 31) C. pilosa. 32-35. Elytra. 32) C. ramicornis. 33) C. texana. 34) C. pilosa. 35) Pelonium lampyroides.

Figures 45-48. Habitus of Chariessa spp. 45) Chariessa floridana. 46) C. pilosa. 47) C. pilosa. 48) C. ramicornis.

Figures 57-62. Male genitalia and aedeagi. 57) Chariessa catalina. 58) C. dichroa. 59) C. duponti. 60) C. elegans. 61) C. floridana. 62) C. pilosa.