Prodilis chiriquensis (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 : 59-60

3. Prodilis chiriquensis (Gorham)

Neaporia chiriquensis Gorham 1897: 222 .

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

Description. Male. Length 2.3 mm, width 1.8 mm; body broadly oval, elytron with side rounded, wider than pronotal base, widest at middle of elytra. Dorsal surface entirely shiny without trace of microsculpture. Color black; head black with 3 narrowly separated yellow vittae on frons (Fig. 329); pronotum bluish black except reflexed lateral margin reddish yellow; elytron reddish yellow except apical ½ bluish black, emarginated at suture; apex of black area widely projected in lateral ½ (Fig. 327); antenna, epipleuron, legs yellow; mouthparts yellow except apical maxillary palpomere brown; venter yellowish red; abdomen brownish yellow. Head punctures small, separated by less than twice a diameter; pronotal punctures larger than on head, separated by a diameter or less; elytral punctures larger than on pronotum, separated by less than twice a diameter; prosternal punctures large, widely separated, mesosternal punctures large, separated by less than a diameter, metasternal punctures large, separated by a diameter or less anteriorly and laterally, smaller and separated by 1 to 3 times a diameter medially; abdomen with punctures on ventrites 1–3 large, separated by 1 to 3 times a diameter, punctures on remaining ventrites smaller, separated by about a diameter. Head with frons wide, slightly widened from vertex to clypeus, 1.5 times as wide as eye measured at vertex; eye canthus short; apical maxillary palpomere long, slightly widened from base to apex, nearly parallel sided. Pronotum widest at middle, reflexed lateral margin narrow, equal in width from base to apex. Epipleuron flat, wide, as wide as pronotal hypomeron. Prosternum longer than wide, longer than mesosternum, base strongly arcuate, lateral carina wide, short, extended to apex of procoxa. Postcoxal line on ventrite 1 long, rounded, extended 4/5 distance to ventrite apex (Fig. 328). Apex of ventrite 5 broadly, shallowly emarginate. Genitalia with basal lobe longer than paramere, wide, parallel sided in basal 3/4, narrowed to narrowly, deeply emarginate apex; paramere wide, equal in width to broadly rounded apex, without marginal serrations (Fig. 330, 331); sipho slender, unmodified (Fig. 332).

Female. Description as for male except head entirely bluish black. Genitalia with ramus of spermathecal capsule enlarged, anterior 2/3 slender, apex of cornu rounded.

Variation. Length 2.1–2.6 mm, width 1.6–2.0 mm. Dorsal color highly variable from typical to atypical with apical dark area reduced to apical 1/8, or with dorsum nearly entirely yellowish red, all intergrades occur between pale and typical.

Type locality. PANAMA: V. de Chiriqui, 3–4000 ft.

Type depository. BMNH.

Geographical distribution. 20. COSTA RICA: Heredia, Est. Biol., La Selva . PANAMA: Canal Zone , Gamboa ; Canal Zone , Tabernilla ; Volcan de Chiriqui. ( BMNH) ( USNM) .

Remarks. This distinctive little species is characterized by black color essentially relieved only by the largely pale elytron, a pale anterolateral pronotal angle, and wide, short prosternal carina.

It is difficult to separate from similar appearing species because of the extreme variation in dorsal color pattern. Typical specimens are nearly identical to some Neaporia such as N. irma , but generic characters are distinguishing here. Male genitalia are highly distinctive and certainly must be used to identify specimens of P. chiriquensis . The BMNH female holotype is labeled “V. de Chiriqui, 3–400 ft., Champion/ Neaporia chiriquensis Gorh. (handwritten)/ Holotype (disc with orange border)/B.C.A.,Col., VII/ Holotype Neaporia chiriquensis Gorh. , det. R.G. Booth 2015.”