Cymatodera brailovskyi Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 519-552 : 533-535

Cymatodera brailovskyi Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs. 29–30 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: México, Colima, Lago La Maria, 4100’, July 22, 1995, beating, J. Rifkind, A. Reifschneider, colls. Holotype deposited in CSCA. Paratypes: 1, same data as holotype; 1, México, Colima, Confradía de Suchitlán, 4000’, July 21, 1995, J. Rifkind, A. Reifschneider, colls., beating viny tangle. Paratypes deposited in CNIN and JNRC.

Diagnosis. The new species’ large size (> 10 mm), rather massive head, dark integumental ground color, unique elytral patterning, and pygidial shape will in combination serve to distinguish it from its brachypterous and apterous congeners.

Description. (Holotype). Length: 12.40 mm. Apparently flightless. Color: piceus; mouthparts pale (in part); antennomeres 8–11 gradually shading to testaceous distally; elytra with two sets of testaceous markings as in Fig. 29 . Head: large, broad (measured across eyes, wider than pronotum); surface closely, deeply punctate and scabrous, thinly vested with whitish setae; antennae elongate, antennomeres subserrate; antennomere 2 threefourths as long as antennomere 3; antennomeres 10 and 11 subequal; antennomere 11 narrowed apically. Pronotum: elongate, not less than 1/4 the length of elytra; anterior margin arcuate; disk subflattened above at middle; surface shining, more finely and significantly less densely punctate than head, shallowly, transversely rugulose, inconspicuously and rather sparsely vested with short, reclinate and longer, erect, whitish setae. Elytra: elongate (more than 2x as long as broad), dorsoventrally compressed, subflattened above; humeri obsolete and anterior margin no broader than posterior margin of pronotum (= typical brachypterous or apterous condition); sides expanded posteriorly, widest at approximately posterior 1/3, then arcuately convergent to separately rounded, dehiscent apices; surface shining, moderately densely but irregularly set on anterior 1/2 with rather deep punctures; punctures coarse but not uniform, growing intermittent posteriorly where the integument is shallowly roughened; vestiture as on pronotum. Metaventrite: shortened, deeply sulcate posteriorly at middle, subconical and subspinose laterally. Abdomen: shining; finely, shallowly punctulate and sparsely, inconspicuously pubescent; ventrite 5 with sides arcuate, hind margin semicircularly emarginate; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 30 ) with sides slightly tapered, hind angles prolonged posteriorly, bevelled on their inner face and triangularly pointed at their apices, hind margin rather deeply, arcuately emarginate; tergite 5 with hind angles broadly rounded, posterior margin broadly, shallowly, subtriangularly emarginate; tergite 6 with sides tapering posteriorly, hind margin rather broadly subtruncate.

Variation. The two paratypes, both males, are very similar to the holotype.

Etymology. I take pleasure in naming this distinctive beetle for Harry Urad Brailovsky Alperowitz, one of Mexico’s most distinguished entomologists.

Distribution. Known from the western Mexican state of Colima.

Biology. Specimens were collected during daylight hours on vegetation, one by beating a viny tangle. The elevation at the type locality is approximately 1250 m.

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 30. 29. Habitus of Cymatodera brailovskyi Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 30. Pygidium (ventral view) of male Cymatodera brailovskyi.