Chileanthicus femineus, Kejval, 2009

Kejval, Zbyněk, 2009, Taxonomic revision of the genus Chileanthicus Werner (Coleoptera: Anthicidae) 2180, Zootaxa 2180 (1), pp. 1-82 : 18-19

Chileanthicus femineus sp. nov.

( Figs 21–26 , 44 )

Type locality. Chile, Coquimbo, Elqui Prov. , ca 35 km N of La Serena, S of Cuesta Buenos Aires.

Description (female, holotype). Head and pronotum dark brown, elytra brown, with vaguely outlined, transverse, yellowish band close behind mid-length, interrupted on suture, not touching lateral margins; legs, antennae and palpi brown, femora darkened apically.

Head 1.3 times as long as wide, somewhat unevenly rounded posteriorly in dorsal view; tempora subparallel closely behind eyes, posterior temporal angles rounded, indistinct. Dorsal surface glossy, smooth, distinctly punctured; punctation somewhat uneven, with some coarser punctures. Setation subdecumbent, with some distinctly longer, suberect to erect setae, especially near base. Eyes small, moderately convex. Antennae moderately enlarged in terminal third; antennomere III 2.6 times as long as wide, moderately longer than IV; antennomere X 1.4 times, XI 1.7 times as long as wide.

Pronotum 1.3 times s long as wide, moderately narrower than head including eyes, rounded anteriorly in dorsal view; pronotal disc moderately convex, dorso-lateral sides rounded, lateral outlines nearly straightly narrowing posteriad in dorsal view. Dorsal surface smooth, glossy; punctation and setation as on head.

Elytra 1.7 times as long as wide, subtruncate apically. Surface glossy; basal punctation moderately sparser than on head. Setation similar to that on head, generally somewhat more raised, long erect setae rather numerous, more conspicuous in posterior half.

Metafemora unidentate ( Fig. 44 ), subapical process less protruding and inconspicuous, facing outer side of tibia. Setation uniformly short and fine.

Abdominal sternum VII modified ( Fig. 21 ), its posterior margin with a pair of short, bluntly pointed median protrusions. Tergum VII subtriangular, slightly produced and evenly rounded apically.

Male. Abdominal sternum VII modified ( Fig. 22 ), its posterior margin narrowly and rather deeply emarginate medially, lateral sides of emargination each with 8–10 peg-like setae. Tergum VII widely rounded posteriorly. Sternite VIII ( Figs 23, 24 ); paired prongs simple, strongly curved ventrad, each with about five peg-like setae. Aedeagus (see Remarks); apical portion of tegmen with dorsal transverse edge only slightly indicated, distant from its base, barely protruding in lateral view ( Fig. 26 , marked by arrow); median lobe of aedeagus with a pair of slender, sclerotized projections apicall.

Body length (♂ ♀) 2.9–3.5 mm (holotype 3.5 mm).

Variation. The paratype differs by the longitudinal corrugation of the dorsal surface of the head and pronotum; with wrinkles of the head fine, feebly indicated mesally, those of the pronotum rather conspicuous, covering most of the dorsal side.

Type material. Holotype: ♀, S. Csta. B. AIRES Prov. Coquimbo 18-Nov.1972 Coll: L.E. Pena ( MNNC) . Paratype: ♂, same data as holotype, in addition: Chileanthicus penai ? WERNER Elgueta ’85 ( MNNC) .

Etymology. From Latin femineus (female, feminine); refering to unique modification of sternum VII in female.

Differential diagnosis. C. femineus sp. nov. shares the modified female sternum VII with C. lafertei , however it differs clearly in the character of this modification (cf. Figs 21 , 36 ), and by the apically rounded female tergum VII (rather bluntly pointed in the latter species).

Remarks. The male specimen examined lacks the apex of the tegmen, whose form is an important distinguishing character. For these reasons, another specimen, a female showing the unique morphology of sternum VII, is established as the holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 17–26: Chileanthicus elmorado sp. nov., male, holotype: 17, sternum VII; 18, sternite VIII (half), dorsal view; 19, sternite VIII, lateral view; 20, aedeagus in ventral (left) and its apical portion in lateral (right) view; 21, C. femineus sp. nov., female, holotype, sternum VII; C. femineus sp. nov., male, paratype: 22, sternum VII; 23, sternite VIII (half), dorsal view; 24, sternite VIII, lateral view; 25, tergite VIII; 26, aedeagus (lacking apical portion), lateral view. Scale (0.5 mm): A, 20, 26; B, 17, 22; C, 21, 25; D, 18, 19, 23, 24.

FIGURES 34–44: Chilenathicus lafertei (Solier), female, syntype (MNHN): 34, body form; 35, metafemur, lateral view; 36, sternum VII; 37, tergum VII; C. maritimus sp. nov., male, holotype: 38, sternum VII; 39, sternite VIII (half), dorsal view; 40, sternite VIII, lateral view; 41, aedeagus, ventral (right) and lateral (left) view; 42, apex of aedeagus, ventral view; Metafemur, lateral view: 43, C. elmorado sp. nov.; 44, C. femineus sp. nov. Scale (0.5 mm): A, 39, 40; B, 38; C, 41, 42; D, 35, 36, 38, 43, 44; (1 mm): E, 34.