Enoclerus reductesignatus Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2017, New species of Mutillid Mimicking Enoclerus Gahan (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae) from Mexico and Central America, Zootaxa 4231 (3), pp. 409-420 : 415-416

Enoclerus reductesignatus Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs 6–7)

Diagnosis. Separable from congeners based on a unique combination of setal color and patterning, shape of the elytral markings and surface sculpturing. From E. deletus , it may be distinguished by its reduced median elytral maculae ( Fig. 7 ), which are very broadly interrupted internally before the suture, and narrowly constricted laterally before the lateral margin. The two species also appear to be allopatric: E. deletus ranges from southern México to Costa Rica, while E. reductesignatus is apparently restricted to the mountains of central Panamá. Enoclerus reductesignatus is very similar to the Costa Rican species E. citrinifrons described directly below. They may, however, be readily separated by the color of the vestiture on the head (silvery in E. reductesignatus , rusty orange in E. citrinifrons ) and of the pronotal anterior margin (black in E. reductesignatus , rusty orange in E. citrinifrons ).

Description (holotype male). Length: 11.0 mm. Color: black; scape and pedicel (in part) and antennal club, brown; each elytron with a cream colored macula at middle; macula rounded internally, where it is broadly interrupted well before suture, constricted laterally before lateral margin, which it attains. Head: antennae moderately long, terminal 3 antennomeres rather abruptly expanded into a distinct club; frons rather distinctly bi– impressed; surface finely, densely, shallowly punctulate, rather sparsely set with mostly reclinate silvery setae of moderate length. Pronotum: about as broad as long, narrower than elytra at base; transverse impression distinct, broadly V–shaped at middle; integument lucent, densely, shallowly, finely granulate, rather densely clothed with short and moderately long, anteriorly directed suberect black setae, these imparting a somewhat velvety aspect, particularly on the anterior half; posterior surface, anterior to pre–basal depression, set with a triangular patch of mostly suberect whitish setae, whitish setae also thinly extended anteriorly at sides and covering pronotal collar. Scutellum: densely set with recumbent whitish setae. Elytra: elongate (about 2x as long as broad), subrectangulate; humeri well developed; sides slightly inflected at middle, arcuately rounded posteriorly to dehiscent, separately rounded apices; subbasal tumescences obsolete; disk subflattened above, slightly depressed at middle; apical slope rather gradual; surface shining, integument deeply densely, irregularly and coarsely rugose–punctate anteriorly, rather sparsely, finely punctate at middle, and very finely, shallowly arenose posteriorly; vestiture moderately densely arrayed; black vestiture rather inconspicuous, composed of mostly short, suberect and erect setae with fewer longer, erect, more robust setae interspersed; anterior margin with a bisinuate band ( Fig. 6) composed of short, reclinate, rather robust whitish setae, mixed with much longer, erect whitish setae; pale midelytral maculae moderately densely but inconspicuously set with mostly short, erect, pale yellow setae; elytral posterior with a conspicuous, rather broad, oblique band on each side, composed of moderately long, reclinate whitish setae, band attaining elytral suture internally, complete to margins laterally. Mesosternum: posterior median process slightly elevated, notched at middle. Metasternum and metepisternum: densely covered with rather long, mostly reclinate whitish setae. Abdomen: surface shining, finely, rather sparsely punctulate, punctures giving rise to fine, suberect silvery setae of moderate length; visible sternite 5 coarsely, shallowly punctate, posterior margin rather broad, feebly arcuately emarginate; visible sternite 6 with hind angles rounded, posterior margin rather broadly subtruncate. Legs: moderately long.

Variation. Length of available specimens ranges from 8.0 mm to 12.5 mm. The female has visible sternite 6 with the hind margin arcuate.

Type specimens. Holotype: Panamá, Coclé Pr., 5 km N El Cope, Cont. Divide, El 850 m, 17 June 1991, Windsor & Stockwell ( CSCA) . Paratypes: PANAMA: 1 ( JNRC), P[a]n[a]ma Prv., Cerro Campana , 1800’, 25–26 May 1996, Wappes , Huether & Morris; 1 ( WFBM), Panamá Pr., Cerro Campana, 850 m, 8°40’N, 79°56’W, 27– VI–1974, H. A. Hespenheide; 2 ( JNRC), Panama Pr., Cerro Campana, 2700’, May 17–19, 1987, E. Giesbert, coll. ; 1 ( CSCA), Panama Pr., Cerro Jefe , ca 2800’, May 21, 1987, E. Giesbert, coll. ; 1 ( CSCA), Panamá Pr., Cerro Campana , 850 m, 8°40’N, 79°56’ W, 12 Mar. [19]72, Stockwell; 1 ( WFBM), Panamá, Cerro Campana, 26-III – [19]67, Dressler, leg. ; 1 ( FSCA), Panama Pr., Cerro Campana , 2700’, June 3–5, 1981, E. Giesbert, coll. ; 1 ( WFBM), Panamá Pr., Cerro Campana , 850 m, 8°40’ N, 79°56’ W, 26–vi–1974, H. A. Hespenheide; 1 ( JNRC), Panamá Prov., 2883’, Cerro Azul, N 9°13.925’, W 79°24.438’, vi–29–2012, btng. melastome blossoms, G. Tirebiter, coll.

Distribution. Mountains of central Panamá.

Etymology. The specific epithet makes reference to the reduced state of the median elytral maculae in this species, as compared to similar species in the E. crabronarius complex.

Biology. Based on label data, this species appears to be restricted to montane forests. One specimen was collected from the blossoms of a melastomaceous tree at 879 m elevation. Specimens were encountered from March to June.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Paratype (living specimen) of Enoclerus reductesignatus, showing reduced median elytral markings.