Toxotoma gonzalezi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 9F1082E3-5FFC-4A4D-9CD6-F5D7F93BB975

Figs 10D–F, 12

Diagnosis

The dorsal color pattern of T. gonzalezi sp. nov. is similar to that of numerous other species of Epilachnini inhabiting the Andes, like Epilachna zischkai Mader, 1950, E. manni Gordon, 1975 or E. bolivicola Mader, 1950, but the male genitalia place that species within the former Epilachna vittigera species group (as defined by Gordon 1975) and shows the greatest similarity to E. strictanotata Gordon, 1975 in having a pointed apex of the penis guide in inner view, and a small hook like projection at apex of the penis guide in lateral view; however, it can be distinguished from that species by having the preapical portion of the penis guide in lateral view almost parallel, while in E. strictanotata it is narrowed toward the apex. Apart from the shape of the male genitalia, T. gonzalezi sp. nov. has four large yellow maculae on elytra while E. strictanotata has one large orange-red macula across the elytra.

Etymology

This species is dedicated to our colleague, great expert of Neotropical Coccinellidae Guillermo González (Santiago, Chile).

Material examined

Holotype

ECUADOR • ♂; “ Napo prov., Cosanga vic., Yanayacu Biol. Station, 2000–2200m, 00°35′S / 77°53′W, 23 XI-17 XII 2009, leg. L. Borowiec ”; MNHW.

Paratypes

ECUADOR • 1 ♂; “ Napo prov., Cosanga vic., Yanayacu Biol. Station, 2000–2200m, 00°35′S / 77°53′W, 23 XI-17 XII 2009, leg. L. Borowiec ”; MNHW • 1 ♂; “ Cosanga vic., Yanayacu Station, Road to Las Caucheras, 26 XI 2009, leg. Rafał Ruta ”; MNHW • 1 ♂; “ Cosanga vic., Antisana trail to Yanayacu, 3 XII 2009, leg. R. Ruta”; MNHW • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; MIZ • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; “ Cosanga vic., Antisana trail, 3 XII 2009, leg. R. Ruta”; MNHW .

Description

BODY. Length 5.80 mm; TL/EW = 1.25; PL/PW = 0.40; EL/EW = 1.05. Body heart shaped (Fig. 10D), slightly acuminate apically, convex (Fig. 10E), winged; ventral side, head, legs, pronotum (except narrow border of anterior corners), and scutellar shield black; mouthparts brown; anterior corners of pronotum with narrow yellow margin (Fig. 10F); elytra black with two large yellow maculae on each elytron. Pronotum covered with punctures of single size, elytra with punctures in two sizes, irregularly arranged. Dorsum with short and uniform pubescence, not forming pattern on elytra.

HEAD. Head partially covered by pronotum (Fig. 10F); ventral antennal grooves short, indistinct. Eyes relatively small, convex, dorsally with inner orbits arcuate; without ocular canthus; interocular distance more than 0.6 × as wide as head across eyes; interfacetal setae absent. Antennae composed of 11 antennomeres; scape swollen; pedicel barrel-shaped; antennomere 3 longer than pedicel. Antennal club consisting of three terminal antennomeres; antennomeres 9–11 asymmetrical, terminal antennomere truncate apically. Anterior clypeal margin straight. Labrum truncate at apex. Maxillary palpomere 3 elongate, more than 2 × as long as terminal palpomere, terminal palpomere with sides almost parallel or at most slightly widened apically, obliquely truncate. Mentum transverse, widest at base, narrowing anteriorly; labial palps separated by distance narrower than width of palpiger; apical palpomere as long and as broad as penultimate one.

PROTHORAX. Pronotum with anterior corners rounded; anterior and posterior margins not bordered; lateral margins with entire border and broadly explanate laterally. Prothoracic hypomeron without cavities; notosternal suture distinct; prosternal process protuberant, lateral carinae separate, incomplete, short, reaching to anterior procoxal margin. Prosternum in front of coxa shorter than coxal longitudinal diameter at same position, with complete anterior border; procoxal cavity oval with lateral slit, with visible bordering line.

PTEROTHORAX. Mesoventrite with anterior edge slightly emarginated medially with complete raised border; mesoventral process with small tubercle near base in middle, at median width narrower than corresponding coxal diameter; meso-metaventral articulation with suture visible; junction straight. Elytra with sides rounded; with lateral margins distinctly flattened; humeral angles distinct; elytral epipleuron very broad, more than 3 × as wide as corresponding metaepisternum, incomplete apically only, inner margin with border line present only in posterior half. Metaventrite with metaventral postcoxal lines joined at middle, laterally complete, straight, not descending.

LEGS. Legs slender, with trochanters subtriangular; tibial apices with spurs present (1-2-2); tarsi with four tarsomeres; all tarsal claws in both sexes bifid with base swollen. Empodium absent.

ABDOMEN. Abdomen with six ventrites in males and five in females; abdominal postcoxal lines separate medially, recurved, almost reaching anterior margin of ventrite 1, posteriorly reaching more than half length of ventrite 1; hind margin of ventrite 5 in male truncate (Fig. 12A), ventrite 6 emarginate medially (Fig. 12D), tergite VIII broadly emarginate (Fig. 12C); hind margin of ventrite 5 in female rounded with small median projection (Fig. 12B), sternite VIII emarginated medially with translucent narrow median line (Fig. 12F), tergite VIII rounded apically (Fig. 12E).

MALE TERMINALIA AND GENITALIA. Sternite IX (Fig. 12K) with apodeme rod-like, long; tergite X short, transverse with emarginate apex. Tegmen in inner view (Fig. 12M) with penis guide distinctly pointed at apex, in lateral view (Fig. 12L) uniformly broad, pointed apically, with hook-like projection at tip; parameres shorter than penis guise, uniformly broad; tegminal strut broad, shorter than penis guide. Penis capsule (Fig. 12G) with inner arm narrow, outer arm broadened but short; penis narrow, simple, with penis tip slightly curved downwards (Fig. 12H), not membranous partially (Fig. 12I).

FEMALE GENITALIA. Coxites transverse oval (Fig. 12J), with styli reduced but visible.