Cymatodera matehualacaligoides Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 519-552 : 531-533

Cymatodera matehualacaligoides Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs. 23–28 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: México, Quintana Roo, 12 km N F. Carillo Puerto, 19-x-1991, F. W. Skillman, Jr., beaten / slash. Holotype deposited in CSCA. Paratypes: MEXICO, QUINTANA ROO: 1, 22 km S.W. Cancun, 17-x-1991, F. W. Skillman, Jr., beaten / old slash; YUCATAN: 2, 3 mi. E. Chichen Itza, 23-x-1991, F. W. Skillman, Jr., beaten; 1, Uxmal at ruins, 22-x-1991, F. W. Skillman, Jr., on flowers; 1, 19 km S. W. Espita, 24-x-1991, F. W. Skillman, Jr., roadside veg.; 1, Libre Unión, 13 Oct., 1976, Cate & Clark; CAMPECHE: 1, 3.8 mi N Escarega [sic] [=Escárcega], 9 Oct., 1976, Cate & Clark. Paratypes are deposited in JNRC and TAMU.

Diagnosis. The male is readily separable from congeners by its uniquely shaped pygidium. Most similar in facies to C. grossa Gorham (known from the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, México), C. valida Gorham (a Guatemalan species), C. sinuosa Burke (from Honduras and El Salvador), and the recently described C. bellamyi Rifkind (from Oaxaca, México), C. matehualacaligoides is the only one among them with the 6th abdominal tergite elongated, pointed and upturned at its apex. Determination of females relies on association with male specimens, but unassociated female specimens from the Yucatan Peninsula with this facies are likely to be this species.

Description. (Holotype). Length: 11.90 mm. Form: elongate. Color: reddish brown; abdomen paler; antennae, mouthparts and legs testaceous; elytra with three sets of testaceous markings ( Fig. 23 ), the sinuate median fascia complete to lateral margins. Head: measured across eyes wider than the elytra at humeri; antennae moderately elongate; antennomeres subserrate; antennomere 3 a little longer than antennomere 2; antennomere 11 a little longer than antennomere 10, tapered posteriorly, narrowly, obliquely subtruncate at apex; surface densely punctulate and shallowly rugulose, thinly set with subrecumbent and erect, fine, pale setae. Pronotum: subflattened on disk; surface shining, inconspicuously punctate at anterior margin; shallowly, transversely rugulose throughout; vestiture as on head. Elytra: elongate (almost 3x as long as wide), sides subparallel, very gradually, arcuately convergent apically beginning at about posterior 3/10, apices feebly sinuate, slightly dehiscent; surface with coarse, densely set, rather deep punctures arranged in striae; punctures shallower posterior to middle, nearly obsolete at posterior 1/5; vestiture thin, inconspicuous, composed of mostly fine, rather short, erect pale setae intermingled with fewer longer, erect and suberect pale setae. Metaventrite: shining, very finely punctulate, moderately densely but inconspicuously clothed with fine, pale erect setae. Abdomen: shining, rather sparsely punctulate and shallowly roughened, thinly setose; ventrite 5 rather deeply, transversely concave before hind margin, hind margin broadly, arcuately emarginate; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 24 ) with sides weakly convergent to narrowly rounded, subacute hind angles, posterior margin rather deeply, arcuately emarginate at middle; tergite 6 ( Fig. 25 ) elongate, concave ventrally, sides subparallel to just posterior of middle, then obliquely convergent, with apex produced into an acute upturned spine ( Fig. 26 ). Aedeagus: lateral lobes produced apically into acute, upturned spines ( Figs. 27-28 ). Legs: all femora rather strongly developed.

Etymology. the specific epithet makes reference to the shape of the male 6th abdominal tergite, which is reminiscent of the famous pointy–toed boots worn by men in the Mexican town of Matehuala, San Luis Potosí (matehuala + caligoides (Latin “like a boot”)).

Variation. Length ranges from 9.80 to 14.75 mm. The female has the 6th abdominal ventrite with the hind margin broadly rounded, slightly surpassed by the slightly more narrowly arcuate hind margin of tergite 6.

Distribution. The Yucatan Peninsula of México.

Biology. This species has been taken beating slash and roadside vegetation, and on flowers. It appears to be active in fall (October).

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 28. 23. Habitus of Cymatodera matehualacaligoides Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 24. Pygidium (ventral view) of male Cymatodera matehualacaligoides. 25. Pygidium (dorsal view) of male Cymatodera matehualacaligoides. 26. Pygidium (lateral view) of male Cymatodera matehualacaligoides. 27. Aedeagus (dorsal view) of Cymatodera matehualacaligoides (holotype male). 28. Aedeagus (lateral view) of Cymatodera matehualacaligoides (holotype male).