Sceloenopla bidentata Staines

Staines, C. L., 2002, Nomenclatural notes and new species of Sceloenoplini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 89, pp. 1-32 : 18-19

Sceloenopla bidentata Staines , new species

Figure 9

Type material. Holotype (): Costa Rica: Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 50­150 m, 10°26'N, 84°01'W, 0 9 August 1996, INBio­OET// C. L. & S. L. Staines, along CES & SUR// 22284869 ( INBio). Paratypes (7): 1 with same label data as holotype; 6 collected at same location with dates of 1 abril 1996, 31 mayo 1996, 17 julio 1995, 14 septiembre 1995, 15 noviembre 1995, 1 diciembre 1993 ( INBio).

Derivation of name. From bi (Latin= two) plus denta (Latin= tooth) for the two teeth on the apical margins of the elytra.

Diagnosis. This species is in group 8 ( Uhmann 1937). It can be distinguished from all other members of species group 8 by the non­angulate frons, the medial sulcus on the vertex of the head, the striate­sulcate punctation on the vertex of the head, and the two teeth on the apical margin of the elytra.

Description. Head black; antennomeres I­VIII black, IX­XI yellowish­orange; pronotum orangish with wide longitudinal medial vitta and lateral vittae black; elytra orangish, with apical 1/4 black. Head: deep medial sulcus becoming a carina before base of antennae; vertex striate­punctate; frons yellow, smooth. Antenna: antennomeres I­II cylindrical; III­VII laterally compressed, III longest; VIII­X cylindrical; XI pointed at apex; last four antennomeres shorter than preceding four. Pronotum: lateral margin bisinuate; constricted behind head; tooth present in each anterior angle; disc convex, densely punctate; slight basal impression present; pronotal length 1.0 mm; pronotal width 1.4 mm. Scutellum: quadrate; alutaceous. Elytron: lateral margin smooth; apical margin bidentate, emarginate at suture; two costae present (intervals 2 and 4), 2nd costa most pronounced; with 10 complete rows of punctures; elytral length 5.5 mm; elytral width 2.4 mm. Venter: prosternum dark yellowish­brown and alutaceous medially; black and punctate laterally; meso­ and metasterna dark yellowish­brown and smooth medially, black and alutaceous laterally; abdominal sterna dark yellowish­brown; suture between sterna 1 and 2 obsolete in middle. Leg: dark; base of femur and tarsi pale; mesotibia curved. Total length: 7.1 mm.

Variation. Specimens vary in pronotal length from 0.9­1.0 mm, in pronotal width from 1.3­1.4 mm, in elytral length from 5.1­5.6 mm, in elytral width from 2.1­2.6 mm, and in total length from 6.7­7.3 mm. The color and sculpture is very similar to that of the holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 7 - 12. Habitus. 7. Sceloenopla apicispina. 8. Sceloenopla bicolorata. 9. Sceloenopla bidentata. 10. Sceloenopla expanda. 11. Sceloenopla flava. 12. Sceloenopla lampyridiformis.