Phelister chicomendesi, Caterino & Tishechkin, 2020

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2020, Recognition and revision of the Phelister blairi group (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 1001, pp. 1-154 : 1

45. Phelister chicomendesi sp. nov. Figs 27E, F , 28I, J , Map 16

Type material.

Holotype male: " Brazil: Pará, Carajás (Serra Norte) 6°04'S, 50°12'W [-6.0667, -50.2], Piège d’interception. Iii.1989" / "Caterino/Tishechkin Exosternini Voucher EXO-00388" (CEMT). Paratypes (34): Brazil: Marajó-Breves (-0.8833, -50.5333), 11/18/87-12/5/87, FIT, EXO-02414 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Altamira - Marabá: km 18 (-3.15, -52.05), May 1986, FIT (CHND, 4ex.); Pará, Altamira - Marabá: km 18 (-3.15, -52.05), May 1985, FIT, EXO-03310 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Barcarena (-1.5, -48.6167), 6/13/91-6/25/91, FIT (CHND, 6ex.); Pará, Belém, Utinga (IPEAN) (-1.45, -48.4333), November 1984, FIT (CHND, 4ex.); Pará, Belém, Utinga (IPEAN) (-1.45, -48.4333), October, 1985, FIT, EXO-03308 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Carajás, Serra Norte (-6.0667, -50.2), 1/22/84-1/27/84, Ss. Cad. de Sarigue (CHND, 2ex.); Pará, Marajó-Breves (-0.8833, -50.5333), 11/18/87-12/5/87, FIT (CHND, 4ex.); Pará, Mcpio Jari, Pacanari (-0.65, -52.6667), 220 m, 3/21/11-4/2/11, Baited pitfalls, C.J. Marsh, EXO-03313 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Tucuruí (-3.75, -49.667), 6/19/86-7/7/86, FIT, EXO-03303 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Tucuruí (-3.75, -49.667), 6/19/86-7/7/86, FIT, EXO-03305 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Tucuruí (-3.75, -49.667), February 1986, FIT, EXO-03304 (CHND, 1ex.); Pará, Tucuruí (-3.75, -49.667), June 1985, FIT (CHND, 3ex.); Pará, Marituba (-1.4, -48.3), 6/10/61, EXO-03315 (CESP, 1ex.).

Other material.

Bolivia: Pando, nr. Villa Bella (-10.3667, -65.3667), 120 m, 2/25/96, pitfall human dung, primary forest, F. Guerra, EXO-03314 (USNM, 1ex.); Suriname: Sipaliwini, upper Palumeu River, CI-RAP Survey Camp 1, 2.4770°N, 55.6294°W, 275 m, flight intercept trap, 10-16.iii.2012, A. E. Z. Short (SEMC, 1ex.).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.62-1.73 mm (avg. 1.67 mm); width: 1.38-1.42 mm (avg. 1.41 mm). This species is very similar to the preceding, differing principally in the following characters: lateral submarginal pronotal stria obsolete from apical 2/3 or more, present only around anterior angle; outer subhumeral stria present in apical 1/3 to 1/2; 3rd dorsal stria nearly or fully complete (not abbreviated or scratch-like at base); propygidial punctures slightly smaller, but still dense; pygidial punctures more numerous; prosternal keel striae very fine, often nearly or fully obsolete. Male: S8 with dense, long setal fringe; aedeagus with basal piece broad almost 1/2 length of tegmen; tegmen short, with sides unevenly subparallel in basal 1/2, evenly narrowed to subacute apices, largely straight in lateral view, slightly ventrally curved at apex; medioventral process absent; median lobe ~ 2/3 tegmen length, basal apodemes evenly narrowed.

Etymology.

We name this species to honor Francisco Alves ( ‘Chico’) Mendes Filho, a Brazilian labor and environmental activist who was assassinated in 1988.

Distribution.

Most records of this species come from Pará, Brazil, but it is also known form northeastern Bolivia.

Remarks.

Among the species in this group, the very short lateral submarginal pronotal stria, the apically present outer subhumeral stria, the complete 3rd dorsal stria, and the very weak to obsolete prosternal keel striae will distinguish P. chicomendesi . One very disjunct specimen from Bolivia is similar in all these respects, although its protibiae are more quadrate and have more and denser marginal scalloping.

Figures

Map 16. Collecting records for Phelister chicomendesi (stars), P. microdens (white circles), and P. matatlantica (squares).

Figure 27. A, B Phelister umens: A dorsal habitus B ventral habitus C, D P. almeidae: C dorsal habitus D ventral habitus E, F P. chicomendesi: E dorsal habitus F ventral habitus.

Figure 28. Male genitalia A-F Phelister umens: A tergite 8 B sternite 8 C tergites 9 & 10 D sternite 9 E aedeagus, dorsal F aedeagus, lateral G, H P. almeidae: G aedeagus, dorsal H tegmen, lateral I, J P. chicomendesi: I aedeagus, dorsal J tegmen, lateral.