Chariessa Perty, 1832: 109

Opitz, Weston, 2017, Classification, natural history, and evolution of the subfamily Peloniinae Opitz (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Cleridae). Part VIII. Systematics of the checkered beetle genus Chariessa Perty, Insecta Mundi 2017 (574), pp. 1-42 : 6-8

Chariessa Perty, 1832: 109

Winkler 1961: 62. Ekis (now Opitz) and Gupta 1971: 62. Ekis (now Opitz) 1975: 52. Mawdsley 1994: 121. Opitz 2010: 100; 2014: 25. See Corporaal (1950: 275) for more historical citations.

Type species. Chariessa ramicornis Perty 1832: 109 . By original designation.

Junior synonym. Brachymorphus Chevrolat 1835 : fascicle 7, nr. 150.

Synapotypic characteristic. Asetiferous punc-

tations minute; phallus with subapical scleroti-

zation.

Diagnosis. Within Peloniinae , members of

Chariessa superficially resemble those of

Pelonium , from which they easily distinguished

by having smaller eyes, smaller ommatidia, and a

much wider frons (compare Fig. 19, 20). Also, in

Chariessa specimens, the posterior angle of the

elytra is more gradually rounded than it is in those

of Pelonium (compare Fig. 34, 35 ).

Redescription. Size: Length 10.0-14.0 mm;

width 3.2-5.3 mm. Form: Oblong oval to suboval,

body not deep, about 2.5 times longer than broad.

Vestiture: Dorsum profusely vested with very

short pubescence; antennal funicle moderately

setose; elytra abundantly vested with short dark

and pale setae, all setae emerge from small punc-

tures. Head: Cranium quadrate (Fig. 38), frons

wide, profusely indented with large setiferous

punctations; gula large (Fig. 41), triangular, su-

tures converge, gula with two well-developed se-

tose gular processes (Fig. 41); labrum very shal-

low, broadly incised distally, tormal processes not Figures 19-20. Heads. 19) Chariessa ramicornis . 20) discernible, epipharyngeal plate not discernible; Pelonium lampyroides .

mandible, body stout, anterior dens blunt, me-

dial and posterior dens well developed, penicillus well developed; maxilla, laterolacinia present, terminal palpomere securiform; labium (Fig. 40), ligula deeply incised, ligular lobes not narrowed, terminal palpomere securiform; eyes (Fig. 39) shallow, ommatidia slightly discernible, ocular notch deep; antenna ( Fig. 1-18 ) comprised of 11 antennomeres, capitate, capitulum sex dimorphic, capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 with collateral lobes, lobes longer and more narrow in males ( Fig. 3 ), antennomere 11 oblong. Thorax: Pronotum transverse (Fig. 42), subquadrate ( Fig. 24 ) to subspheroid ( Fig. 23 ), anterior limit of dorsolateral carina extends to pronotal anterior 3/4 th or less, posterior angle of pronotum not discernible, disc convex and finely punctate, side margins convex, lateral tubercle faintly developed or absent, prointercoxal process narrow, not expanded distally; pronotal projections short, acuminate, they do not approximate prointercoxal process; elytron profusely sculptured with small densely scattered setiferous punctuations (Fig. 43), asetiferous punctuations obscure, usually more clearly visible in elytral anterior half, epipleural fold not abruptly narrowed at elytral middle, slightly deflexed and narrowly extended to elytral apex, elytral anterior margin not carinate; metathoracic wing, wedge cell closed; metendosternite with furcal lamina, furcal anterior plate small, subrectangulate; legs, profemora not swollen, spinous along anterior margin (Fig. 37), tibial spur formula 0-1-1, tarsal pulvillar formula 3-3-3, unguis without basal denticle (Fig. 36). Abdomen: Aedeagus shorter than length of abdomen, distal region of phallobase bilobed, phallobasic lobes fimbriate, tegmen reduced ventrally, submembranous, phallobasic struts confluent with phallobasic apodeme, phallobasic rod present; phallus acuminate distally, phallic plates very narrow; spicular plates flared, spicular apodemes fused completely; ovipositor not as long as abdomen, laminae multilobed, laminal rod present, oblique and ventral bacculi well developed. Alimentary Canal: Proventriculus well developed, ventricular crypts poorly defined; 4 cryptonephridial Malpighian tubules; stomodeal valve comprised of 4 primary folds. Mesodermal Male Internal Reproductive Organs: Two pairs of accessory glands. Mesodermal Female Internal Reproductive Organs: Spermathecal capsule well defined; spermathecal gland attached to base of spermathecal capsule, bursa copulatrix saccular, with bursal sclerite.

Distribution. The distribution of this New World genus extends from Canada to Brazil.

Figures

Figures 30-35. Pronota and elytra. 30-31. Pronota. 30) Chariessa floridana. 31) C. pilosa. 32-35. Elytra. 32) C. ramicornis. 33) C. texana. 34) C. pilosa. 35) Pelonium lampyroides.

Figures 1-18. Antennae of Chariessa spp. 1) Chariessa duponti (male). 2) C. duponti (female). 3) C. floridana (male). 4) C. floridana (female). 5) C. catalina (male). 6) C. catalina (female). 7) C. elegans (male). 8) C. elegans (female). 9) C. texana (male). 10) C. dichroa (male). 11) C. dichroa (female). 12) C. pilosa (male). 13) C. pilosa (female). 14) C. ramicornis (male). 15) C. ramicornis (female). 16) C. vestita (male). 17) C. vestita (female). 18) C. texana (female).

Figures 21-29. Pronota of Chariessa spp. 21) Chariessa catalina. 22) C. elegans. 23) C. ramicornis. 24) C. duponti. 25) C. floridana. 26) C. texana. 27) C. dichroa. 28) C. pilosa. 29) C. vestita.