Enoclerus hefferni Rifkind, 2021

Rifkind, Jacques, 2021, Enoclerus hefferni, a new species of checkered beetle (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae) from Honduras, with additions to the Honduran Enoclerus Gahan fauna, Insecta Mundi 2021 (847), pp. 1-4 : 3

Enoclerus hefferni Rifkind , new species

Fig. 1–2

Specimen examined. Holotype female: Honduras, F. Morazán, vicinity Res. Biol. Uyuca, VI-8/ 9-2018, 1535 m, ~ 14.039° N, 87.073° W, D. Heffern, E. van den Berghe, colls. (TAMU).

Description. Length: 6.0 mm. Color: black. Pronotum with dorsal anterior 1/4 and sides rather broadly reddish; elytra with an uninterrupted reddish line extending along lateral margins from umbone to umbone, merging at midelytra into a narrow, feebly arcuate transverse fascia ( Fig. 1–2 ). Head: surface finely, densely punctulate, moderately densely covered with short and medium length suberect silvery setae, and a few long, more robust, black setae; antennae medium length; club distinct, composed of terminal 3 antennomeres. Pronotum: broader than long, subflattened on disk above; anterior depression rather shallow; surface shining, densely, shallowly, granulate punctate, moderately densely but inconspicuously vested with short, suberect, silvery setae, intermixed with longer, more robust, erect, black setae, and posteriorly with long, erect, silvery setae. Elytra: less than 2× as long as broad, humeri prominent, umbones distinct; subbasal tumescences shallow, indistinct; sides subparallel, arcuately convergent posteriorly to conjointly rounded apices; dorsum subflattened; integument densely, shallowly granulate, rather sparsely but uniformly set with fine punctures; vestiture rather dense, composed as follows: anterior 1/2 with a broad scutiform patch comprised of short, fine, adpressed, silvery setae, intermixed with fewer longer, more robust, suberect, black setae; a narrow zone on either side of midelytral fascia composed of short, reclinate, black setae; elytral posterior 1/2 uniformly set with short, fine, adpressed, silvery setae, intermixed with fewer longer, more robust, suberect, black setae. Mesosternum: posterior process shallow. Metasternum: shallowly, finely roughened; sides clothed with medium length, fine, silvery setae. Abdomen: ventrites shining, shallowly dimpled, sparsely clothed with fine, silvery setae; ventrite 5 with hind margin broad, broadly, feebly emarginate; ventrite 6 small, hind margin arcuate; tergite 6 with hind margin conjointly rounded with ventrite 6.

Variation. Only the holotype is known.

Etymology. The specific epithet is patronymic, honoring Daniel Heffern, collector of the holotype.

Distribution. The new species is known only from the holotype locality in Francisco Morazán Province, Honduras. It was collected in June.

Natural history. According to Dan Heffern and Eric van den Berghe (personal communication), co-collectors of the holotype, the specimen was captured with an aerial tropics net by sweeping yellow flowers of a leguminaceous tree ( Fabaceae ).

Diagnosis. Enoclerus hefferni can be distinguished from congeners by its unique pronotal and elytral color pattern, and details of its elytral vestiture. It resembles no other described species of Middle American Enoclerus , and its affinities are not apparent.

Figures

Figures 1–2. Enoclerus hefferni new species, holotype. 1) Habitus. 2) Lateral aspect.