Pentilia elena Gordon and González, 2019

Gordon, Robert D., F, Guillermo González & Hanley, Guy A., 2019, South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part XXI: systematic revision of South American Pentilia Mulsant (Cryptognathini), Insecta Mundi 729 (729), pp. 1-27 : 12-13

13. Pentilia elena Gordon and González , new species

Description. Male holotype. Length 2.4 mm, width 2.3 mm; dorsal surface shiny with faint trace of microsculpture except head densely alutaceous. Color yellow; pronotum with lateral 1/3 yellow, apex at middle with short trace of reddish yellow; elytron with dark brown vitta in lateral 1/2 not quite reaching suture at apex, sutural margin narrowly dark brown ( Fig. 67 ); venter yellow except meso-, metasternum black. Head punctures small, partially hidden in alutaceous sculpture, separated by less than a diameter; pronotal punctures as large as on head, separated by less than to twice a diameter; elytral punctures larger than on pronotum, separated by less than to 3 times a diameter, becoming larger, denser toward lateral margin; prosternum with small punctures separated by less than a diameter; mesosternum with punctures larger than on prosternum, separated by less than a diameter; metasternum with punctures as large as on mesosternum, separated by less than to twice a diameter in median 1/3, punctures becoming sparse or absent in lateral 2/3; abdominal ventrites 1, 2 with coarse punctures separated by less than to 3 or 4 times a diameter; ventrites 3–4 finely, densely punctured medially; ventrite 5 finely, densely punctured. Head with frons parallel sided, 1.2 times as wide as eye, clypeal apex widely emarginate, lateral angle abruptly curved ( Fig. 68 ); eye canthus long, about 3/4 width of eye. Prosternum with lateral carina on each side straight, extended from apex of intercoxal process to less than 1/2 distance to apex of prosternum. Epipleuron strongly descending externally. Postcoxal line on basal abdominal ventrite curved, extended to rear margin of ventrite. Genitalia with basal lobe as long as paramere, sides evenly narrowed from base to abruptly rounded apex; paramere slender, nearly straight, apex rounded ( Fig. 69, 70 ); penis with apical portion lost ( Fig. 71 ).

Female. Similar to male except head yellowish brown; spermathecal capsule long, ramus slender, cornu curved, medially widened, apex rounded ( Fig. 72 ).

Variation. Length 2.0 to. 2.4, width 1.8 to 2.4, elytron varies from described above to having brown lateral vitta nearly absent, usually with trace of base remaining.

Type material. Holotype male; Brasilien, Nova Tetonia , 27° 11′ B. 52° 23′ L, Fritz Plaumann, Brit. Mus. 1946-121. ( BMNH) . Paratypes 252, 2, same data as for holotype ; 114, Campinas Brazil, III.10.33, K.A. Bartlett, on Asterolecanium spp., P.R. #2241 ; 2, Campinas – Brazil, Sao Paulo, F. C. Camargo ; 10, Campinas, S. Paulo, Brazil, F.C. Camargo, on scale insects of citrus trees ; 3, nr Campinas.3, Sao Paulo Brazil, PA Berry ; 1, Campinas 1939, Sao Paulo, Brazil, PA Berry 3.23 ; 4, P. Alegre, Brazil, 1003.79 ; 9, Sao Paulo’42 Brazil, Parker Note No. 666.12B ; 5, Sao Paulo Braz, No. 666.5D, Jan. 14.42, Bamboo scale ; 2, Brazil, Sao Paulo, V 54, NLH Krauss ; 2, Sao Paulo, Bras. Mraz LGT, Mus. Pragense ; 2, Brazil, Nova Teutonia , lat. 27-11 S, lon. 52-23 W, VII-21-1948, F. Plaumann. ( BMNH) ( USNM) .

Remarks. Pentilia elena has basically the same dorsal color pattern as P. ernestine but the male genitalia differentiate them. Pentilia ernestine has a basal lobe widened toward the apex and a penis that has the dorsal and ventral margins divided before the apex. This species also has a Brazilian distribution and P. ernestine is known only from Colombia.

Figures

Figures 67–82. Pentilia spp. 67-72) Pentilia elena. 67) Habitus. 68) Frons. 69) Penis guide ventral. 70) Penis guide lateral. 71) Base of penis. 72) Spermathecal capsule. 73-76) Pentilia krystal. 73) Habitus. 74) Frons. 75) Penis guide ventral. 76) Penis guide lateral. 77-82) Pentilia lora. 77) Habitus. 78) Frons. 79) Penis guide ventral. 80) Penis guide lateral. 81) Apical 1/2 of penis. 82) Spermathecal capsule.