Sesaspis ashei Foley and Ivie, 2008

Foley, Ian A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2008, A phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Zopherini with a review of the species and generic classification (Coleoptera: Zopheridae), Zootaxa 1928 (1), pp. 1-72 : 35

Sesaspis ashei Foley and Ivie NEW SPECIES

Fig. 18

Diagnosis: This species is closely related to S. doyeni , but can be distinguished from that species by the weakly serrate lateral elytral margin of the declivity, the weak elytral ridge in the 3 rd rather than 5 th interval, shallow dorsal elytral depressions medio-laterally, and a noticeably thicker body – visually the epipleuron is wider than the metepisternum for nearly the entire length.

DESCRIPTION (male): Length 17.5–22.5 mm. Black to dark brown; in natural state covered in greasy exudate and environmental debris; cleaned specimens have the cuticle uniformly dark red to black. Dorsal vestiture of very short bristle-like setae slightly expanded, secondary vestiture of short golden setae. Anterior clypeal margin weakly concave. Antennomere 3 approximately 1.25 X longer than 4; antennomeres 1–6 with short dense golden setae on apical margin. Labium with thin fringe of setae. Pronotum with weak arcuate lateral ridges; lateral margin smooth; hind angles obtusely rounded. Elytral sculpture with weak elevation running nearly entire length in interval 3, slightly more elevated at start of declivity; lateral margin of declivity weakly serrate. Femoral nodules large and distinct on all femora. Ventrites 1–3 flattened medially. Parameres emarginate at apex, sides not strongly projecting forward.

Distribution: Known only from the Mexican states of Hidalgo and Puebla.

Types: HOLOTYPE: ♂, MEXICO: Hidalgo; 4.4 km N Tlanchinol; Hwy. 105, 8 July 1992; 1420 m, J. S. Ashe #31; ex: misc. collecting/ red rectangle HOLOTYPE; Sesaspis ; ashei; ♂; Foley & Ivie 2007 ( SEMC) .

PARATYPES: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, MEXICO, Hgo. ,; La Mojonera,; 28.X.1992,; leg. J. Pál ( HNHM) . 1 ♂ - Vera Cruz ,; 2-IX-51 MEXICO; Ben A. Foote ( FMNH) . 1 ♂ - MEX., PUE., 6800’; 1 mi. S. Honey,; VII-6-71; A. Newton. 266 ( FMNH) . All paratypes with blue rectangle label PARATYPE; Sesaspis ; ashei; ♂; Foley & Ivie 2007.

ETYMOLOGY: This species is named in honor of our friend and colleague, the late Dr. James Stephen “Steve” Ashe, who was the collector of the holotype and a significant number of other Central American Zopherini .

Notes: This species is probably the sister species to S. doyeni which is restricted to higher elevations of Nuevo León. The two species are restricted to sky islands in the Sierra Madre Oriental, and are divided by a considerable distance of unsuitable habitat.

No biological information is present on the label data. Sesaspis doyeni , the most closely related species, has been reported under the loose bark of dead pine trees ( Pinus sp. ) ( García-París et al. 2001), and this species probably inhabits a similar high elevation pine-oak forest ecosystem.

Figures

FIGURES 16–19. Dorsal habiti. 16. Scoriaderma cordicolle, Tanzania; 17. Sesaspis denticulata, Mexico, Nuevo Leon; 18. Sesaspis ashei, Mexico, Hidalgo; 19. Sesaspis doyeni, Mexico, Nuevo Leon. Space bar = 5mm.