Alarius OPITZ, 2019

Opitz, Weston, 2019, Descriptions of new genera and new species of Western Hemisphere checkered beetles (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 959-1076 : 1024

Alarius OPITZ nov.gen.

Type species: Alarius careoritus OPITZ. By present designation.

D i a g n o s i s: The subfamily Tarsosteninae was revised in 2012 ( OPITZ 2012). This work included a key to genera. Alarius careoritus specimens key to Neopylus nahuelbutensis SOLERVICENS from which A. careoritus specimens differ in characteristics of the pronotal and elytral discs, elytral shape, and tibial spur formula. In A. careoritus specimens the pronotal and elytral disc lacks white setal wisps, elytral shape is subovoid, and the tibial spur formula is 1-2-1. Specimens of N. nahuelbutensis show pronotal and elytral setal wisps, elytral shape is oblong rectangulate, and the tibial spur formula is 1-2-2. Also, Alarius careoritus specimens are apterous, which is not the case in specimens of N. nahuelbutensis.

Synapotypic characteristic: Apterous.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 5.0 mm; width 1.6 mm. Form: Oblong suboval, about 3 times longer than broad. Vestiture: Dorsum profusely vested with short pubescence, antennal funicle moderately setose, capitulum profusely vested with microsensilla, elytra abundantly vested with short light setae. Head: Cranium subquadrate, profusely indented with setiferous punctures; frons wider than eye; labrum shallow, deeply incised distally; mandible, body stout, anterior dens subacuminate; maxilla, terminal palpomere securiform; labium, terminal palpomere subsecuriform; eyes small, coarsely facetted, ocular notch not very deep; antenna capitate, comprised of 11 antennomeres, funicular antennomeres filiform, capitulum lax. Thorax: Pronotum transverse; dorsolateral carina extends to pronotal anterior angles, posteriorly carina extends to pronotal posterior angles where confluent with pronotal hem; disc convex; side margins with welldeveloped tubercle; prointercoxal process linear; pronotal projections acuminate approximating prointercoxal process; elytral disc sculptured by asetiferous punctures, epipleural fold prominent, narrowly extended to elytral apex, elytral anterior margin carinate; legs, profemora not swollen; tibial spur formula 1-2-1, tarsal pulvillar formula 3-3-3, unguis without basal denticle. Abdomen: Pygidium scutiform.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Known from Ecuador.

E t y m o l o g y: Alarius is a Latin name with a meaning of "of wings"; with reference to the lack of metathoracic wings in the type species of this genus. The gender is masculine.