Neaporia argentifrons Gorham

Gordon, Robert D. & Hanley, Guy A., 2017, South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part XVII: systematic revision of Western Hemisphere Cephaloscymnini (Coccinellinae) with description of a cryptic new genus and species of Coccidulini (Coccinellinae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (601), pp. 1-158 : 16-17

4. Neaporia argentifrons Gorham

Neaporia argentifrons Gorham 1897: 220 .

Prodilis argentifrons: Korschefsky 1931: 109 ; Blackwelder 1945: 444.

Description. Male. Length 2.3 mm, width 1.7 mm; body oval, elytron with side rounded, wider than pronotal base, widest at middle of elytra. Dorsal surface entirely shiny, lacking microsculpture. Color yellow; head, pronotum greenish black, head with anterior 2/3 maculate, macula yellow, divided into 3 parts by narrow brown vittae ( Fig. 66 ), pronotum with reflexed lateral margin reddish brown; elytron reddish yellow ( Fig. 65 ); antenna, legs, entire ventral surface yellow; mouthparts yellow except maxilla dark brown. Head punctures small, separated by a diameter or less; pronotal punctures as large as on head, separated by less than twice a diameter; elytral punctures slightly larger than on pronotum, separated by 1 to 3 times a diameter; prosternal, mesosternal punctures large, separated by less than twice a diameter; metasternum with large punctures along anterior and lateral borders, punctures on remaining surface absent or small, sparse; punctures on abdominal ventrites 1, 2 small, separated by 2– 4 times a diameter, punctures on remaining ventrites small, separated by about a diameter. Head with frons widened from vertex to clypeus, slightly wider than eye measured at vertex; eye canthus short; apical maxillary palpomere long, slender, parallel sided. Pronotum widest at middle, reflexed lateral margin wide, equal in width from base to apex. Epipleuron flat, wide in basal ½, as wide as pronotal hypomeron. Prosternum slightly wider than long, longer than mesosternum, apical margin arcuate, without anterolateral projection. Postcoxal line on ventrite 1 long, extended slightly more than ½ distance to apical margin of ventrite. Apex of ventrite 5 emarginate medially. Genitalia with basal lobe longer than paramere, wide in basal 2/3, apical 2/3 slightly narrowed to deeply emarginate apex; paramere short, wide in basal 2/3, narrowed to rounded apex in apical 2/3, dorsal margin without serrations ( Fig. 67, 68 ); sipho slender, slightly narrowed to apex, apex extended, filamentous ( Fig. 69 ).

Female. Unknown.

Variation. Unknown.

Type locality. Mexico, Topaz. Lectotype here designated.

Type depository. BMNH.

Geographical distribution. Guatemala, Mexico.

Specimens examined. 3. MEXICO. 1, Veracruz, est. Biol. de Los Tuxtlas , 18 o 35'N 95 o 05'W, 8.V.1991, H.A. Hespenheide ( USNM) ; 1, (lectotype) Toxpam ( BMNH) ; 1, GUATEMALA. Zapote. (see remarks below) .

Remarks. This species is similar to N. irma in external appearance, but is distinguished from it by slightly smaller size, dissimilar median prosternal process, and differing structure of male genitalia. The BMNH type specimen here designated as the lectotype is labeled “Toxpam/ Mexico. Salle Coll./ Neaporia argentifrons gorh. (handwritten)/Type (orange bordered disc)/B.C. A.,Col.,VII/ Lectotype Neaporia argentifrons Gordon (handwritten) Gordon 1970.” Gorham (1897) stated that he had another specimen of this species also from Toxpam, but that specimen is no longer extant. Gorham mentioned a specimen from Guatemala as a variety. That specimen here designated as a paralectotype is labeled “Zapote, Guatemala, G. C. Champion/ Neaporia argentifrons Gorh. (handwritten) Var.?/B.C.A. Col,, / VIII./? Syntype (blue bordered disc).” The paralectotype differs from the lectotype by having the posterior ½ of the elytra more or less black. In all other characteristics such as male genitalia and prosternum it is identical to the lectotype.

Figures

Figures 65–81. Neaporia spp. 65–69) Neaporia argentifrons 65) Habitus. 66) Frons. 67) Phallobase ventral. 68) Phallobase lateral. 69) Sipho. 70–74) Neaporia jennie. 70) Habitus. 71) Frons). 72) Phallobase ventral. 73) Phallobase lateral. 74) Sipho. 75–81) Neaporia deanna. 75) Habitus. 76) Abdomen. 77) Frons. 78) Pro and mesosternum. 79) Phallobase ventral. 80) Phallobase lateral. 81) Sipho.