Iphiclus (Neoogaster) suturalis (Lacordaire)

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 31-33

Iphiclus (Neoogaster) suturalis (Lacordaire) , reinstated species, new combination

Figure 1b , 9 , 46 , 48, 50 , 145

Aegithus suturalis Dejean 1836: 427 ~ Dejean 1837: 451 [both are nomina nuda].

Brachysphaenus (Oogaster) suturalis Lacordaire 1842: 378-379 ~ Crotch 1876: (137)513 [as synonym of B. (O.) guadeloupensis ]; Gemminger and Harold 1876: 3710 [as synonym of Morphoides marginatus ]; Kuhnt 1909: 27 [as synonym of B. (O.) guadeloupensis ].

Brachysphaenus marginatus (Olivier) ~ Leng and Mutchler 1914: 412 [misidentification]; Blackwelder 1945: 459 [catalog].

Iphiclus (Neoogaster) marginatus (Olivier) ~ Peck 2006: 187 [catalog].

Diagnosis. Iphiclus suturalis is recognized by its posteriorly acuminate body shape and black color with yellow-brown elytra bearing a black sutural margin, reduced and indistinct elytral striae and dull elytral surface.

Description. Length: 7.0-10.0 mm; width: 4.5-6.5 mm. Body elongate-oval, dorsally convex (not globose), acuminate posteriorly; weakly microreticulate, body glossy, elytra dull. Body and appendages black except noted: elytra yellow-brown with black sutural margin; abdomen yellow-brown ( Fig. 9 , 46 , 48 ).

Head interocular width = 3.5 x ocular width; ocular striae attaining base of epistome; vertex punctures faint to absent, obscured in microreticulations; epistome puncture size = an ocular facet diameter, separated by 2 x their diameter, impressed and readily visible. Antenna attaining pronotal base; antennomere II length = width, length = 0.5 x antennomere III; antennomere III length = 3 x width, length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length; antennomeres IV-VII each with length = 1.5 x width; VIII triangular, part of club, length = width; antennomere IX trapezoidal, parallel-sided ( Fig. 46 ), length = 1.3 x width; antennomere X length = 0.66 x IX length; antennomere XI circular, length = 0.75 x IX length. Terminal maxillary palpomere securiform, length = 0.8 x width. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, length = 0.8 x width, expanded medially, width = 0.8 x width terminal maxillary palpomere. Mentum with triangular plate, not defined by marginal bead, length = 1.2 x width. Genal lobes present, short, blunt.

Pronotum transverse, width = 2 x length, anterior width = 0.75 x posterior width; punctures fine, weak to absent, obscured by microreticulation; sides depressed, dorsally concave in lateral view; base lacking large punctures; anterior edge with fine, complete marginal bead; base sinuate, marginal bead lacking. Scutellum triangularly rounded, length = width. Elytra with strial and interval punctures lacking or obscured in surface microreticulations, punctures gemellate when visible; base lacking marginal bead.

Prosternum length = 3 x intercoxal width; anterior edge with marginal bead, not pinched; prosternum convex, depressed anterior and posterior of coxa, not punctate; sternal lines continuous around coxal cavity; base weakly concave ( Fig. 48 ). Mesosternum truncate, lines divergent anteriorly, continuous around coxal cavity; lacking punctures. Metasternum with lines not meeting medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity; punctures lacking. Abdomen with coxal lines not meeting medially; continuous around metacoxal cavity; punctures fine, indistinct; with a few punctures at posterior margin of last abdominal ventrite. Male and female lacking small group of setose punctures at center of first abdominal ventrite. Male genitalia ( Fig. 50 ) similar to I. guadeloupensis .

Figures

Figure 1. West Indian maps. 1a) Map of West Indian countries mentioned in the text. 1b) Map indicating species occurring on specific islands with distribution of Notaepytus flavitarsis (Lacordaire) indicated by the white triangles.

Figure 2-11. Key characters. 2-3) Anterior view of head and pronotum. 2) Iphiclus suturalis. 3) Notaepytus flavitarsis. 4-5) Lateral habitus. 4) Aegithus clavicornis. 5) Iphiclus suturalis. 6-11) Dorsal habitus. 6) Aegithus clavicornis. 7) Aegithus lebasii. 8) Iphiclus guadeloupensis. 9) Iphiclus suturalis. 10) Cubyrus sapphirus. 11) Ischyrus quadripunctatus.

Figure 46-47. Iphiclus (Neoogaster) spp., dorsal habitus. 46) I. suturalis. 47) I. guadeloupensis.

Figure 48-51. Iphiclus (Neoogaster) spp., ventral habitus and male genitalia. 48, 50) I. suturalis. 49, 51) I. guadeloupensis. Genitalic scale line =

Figure 141-147. Holotypes, lectotypes, neotype, and labels. 141-143) Holotype Oocyanus brunnipes Kuhnt dorsal, ventral and labels. 144) Lectotype Galleruca guadeloupensis Fabricius (= Neotype Erotylus marginatus Olivier) [photo from A. Solodovnikov].145) Lectotype Brachysphaenus suturalis Lacordaire. 146-147) Holotype Notaepytus elateroides venter of head and thorax, and venter of abdomen.