Pelecium chrissquirei, Orsetti & Lopes-Andrade, 2024

Orsetti, Artur & Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano, 2024, A contribution to the taxonomy of the genus Pelecium Kirby (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Peleciini), European Journal of Taxonomy 922, pp. 1-61 : 17-18

Pelecium chrissquirei sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:01D54246-34A9-4789-9AF0-A47C57560EFD

Figs 4A–G , 25

Diagnosis

A small-sized species (7 mm) distinguishable among other congeners by the combination of the following features. Head with frontal fovea punctiform, surrounded by short excavations ( Fig. 4B ). Pronotum median line shallow; posterior impression shallow, curving toward centre. Elytral striae 1–5 deeply impressed and stria 6 shallow. Adults of P. chrissquirei sp. nov. and P. helenae are quite similar, but in the former the pronotal posterior impression is shallow, elongate toward centre and the male maxillary palpomere 4 is broadly ovate with the apex obliquely truncated, while in the latter the pronotal posterior impression is short, shallow, almost indiscernible, and the maxillary palpomere 4 is triangular.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ chrissquirei ’ is an eponym in honor of the British musician Christopher Russell Edward Squire (1948–2015), known as Chris Squire, who was one of the founding members and bass player of the progressive rock band “Yes”.

Type material

Holotype

BRAZIL • ♂; Minas Gerais, Alto Caparaó, PARNA Caparaó ; 14 Nov. 2016; A. Orsetti and S. Aloquio leg.; pitfall; “\\ Pelecium chrissquirei Orsetti & Lopes-Andrade HOLOTYPUS ” [printed on red paper]; CELC.

Description

Male (holotype, fully pigmented adult)

MEASUREMENTS (in mm). AL1 0.5, AL2 0.3, EL 4.0, EW 2.9, PL 2.2, PW 2.3, HL 1.1, HW 1.6, TL 7.3, TL/EW 2.5, lp2L 0.3, lp3L 0.4, lp3 W 0.2, mp3L 0.2, mp4L 0.4, mp4 W 0.2.

BODY. Ovate, flat; disc of head, pronotum and elytra black, with light metallic green reflections alongside in dorsal view; glabrous ( Fig. 4A ). Ventral surface shiny black.

HEAD. Microreticulate, frontal foveae punctiform, with short excavation around foveae ( Fig. 4B ). Antennae reddish brown, moderately long, almost reaching posterior portion of pronotum; antennomeres 1–3 with few long, sparse yellowish setae at apical portion; antennomere 4 with apical half covered with both short and long yellowish setae; antennomeres 5–11 fully covered with both short and long yellowish setae. Apical labial and maxillary palpomeres with long, sparse yellowish setae; broadly ovate with apex obliquely truncated; reddish brown; apicalmost portion lighter.

PRONOTUM. Wider than long, sub-quadrate; sides arcuate, each with pair of long setae; posterolateral angles obtuse; median line narrow, shallow, deeper on disc; posterior impressions shallow, curving toward centre.

ELYTRA. Ovate; striae 1–5 deeply impressed; stria 6 shallowly impressed; in between striae shiny, impunctate.

LEGS. Reddish brown; protarsomeres 1–4 expanded, ventrally with vestiture of adhesive setae; protibiae expanded at apex, with few long yellowish setae ventrally and around antennal cleaner; mesotibiae slender, with few long yellowish setae laterally throughout their lengths; metatibiae slender, with few long yellowish setae ventrally on apical half.

ABDOMINAL TERGITE IX ( Fig. 4E ). Oval, elongate, asymmetrical; anterior portion tapered in an acute projection; right side more arcuate than left side; inner anterior angle rounded; posterior portion rounded; apical sides subsinuous.

AEDEAGUS ( Fig. 4C–D, F–G ). With median lobe ( Fig. 4C–D ) cylindrical, elongate, asymmetrical, bent over smoothly, broadening apically; ostium very short, confined to apical fourth; apical lamella very short, indiscernible, apical edges steep; basal bulb thin; parameres ( Fig. 4F–G ) asymmetrical, left paramere ( Fig. 4F ) longer and thinner than right paramere ( Fig. 4G ).

Female

Unknown.

Remarks

We include P. chrissquirei sp. nov. in the P. rotundipenne species group due to the following features: head frontal impressions punctiform, each elytron with at least five deeply impressed striae and fifth tarsomere without ventro-lateral setae.

Figures

Fig. 4. Habitus and dissected parts of some new species of Pelecium Kirby, 1817. A–H. Pelecium fistulosus sp. nov., male holotype from Novo Mundo, Mato Grosso, Brazil (A–G) (CEMT) and female paratype from Novo Mundo, Mato Grosso, Brazil (H) (CEMT). A. Dorsal view. B. Detail of head. C–D. Median lobe. E. Tergite IX. F. Left paramere. G. Right paramere. H. Genitalia. – I–P. Pelecium grossii sp. nov., male holotype from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil (I–O) (FZBRS) and female paratype from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil (P) (FZBRS). I. Dorsal view. J. Detail of head. K–L. Median lobe. M. Tergite IX. N. Left paramere. O. Right paramere. P. Genitalia. Scale bars: A–B, I–J = 1 mm; C–H, K–P = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 25. Map of Brazil highlighting the Southeast and South Region and part of the Central-West Region, showing the type localities of Pelecium balli sp. nov., P. belloi sp. nov., P. buckupi sp. nov., P. chrissquirei sp. nov., P. fistulosus sp. nov., P. grossii sp. nov., P. straneoi sp. nov., P. zaguryi sp. nov. and P. zophos sp. nov.