Odontocheila potosiana, Moravec, Jiří, Brzoska, David & Huber, Ronald, 2017

Moravec, Jiří, Brzoska, David & Huber, Ronald, 2017, Taxonomic and nomenclatorial revision within the Neotropical genera of the subtribe Odontocheilina W. Horn in a new sense — 18. Six Mexican and Central American species related to Odontocheila mexicana Laporte de Castelnau and O. ignita Chaudoir, with a description of O. potosiana sp. nov., Zootaxa 4231 (4), pp. 451-499 : 466-468

Odontocheila potosiana sp. nov.

( Figs 54–71 , 208 ).

Type locality. Mexico: Las Pozas near Xilitla, state of San Luis Potosí .

Type material. Holotype ♂ in UNAM, labelled: “ Mexico, S. L . Potosi / Xilitla—Las Pozas 575 m / 21°23.7´N ; 98°59.8´W / 11-VI-2009, D. Brzoska”. Allotype. ♀ in DBCN with same labels as in holotype. Paratypes. 2 ♂♂ in DBCN, 3 ♂♂ in CCJM, 1 ♂ in MNHN, 1 ♂ in BMNH, 1 ♂ in SDEI, 1 ♂ in MFNB with same label data. 8 ♂♂, 1 ♀ in DBCN, 1 ♂ in CCJM, 2 ♂♂ in CJVB, 1 ♀ in RLHC: ibid., except for: “D. Brzoska “ 4- VII-2006 ”. 14 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ in DBCN, 6 ♂♂, 1 ♀ in CCJM: ibid., except for: “D. Brzoska 26-VI-2010 ”. 4 ♂♂, 3 ♂♂ in JSCC: ibid., except for: “leg. J. Shetterly”. 8 ♂♂, 1 ♀ in DBCN, 4 ♂♂ in CCJM, 1 ♀ in CMNH, 1 ♂ in FSCA, 1 ♂ in RLHC: ibid.., except for: “D. Brzoska 21.VII.1991 ”. 4 ♂♂ in JSCC: ibid., except for: “leg. J. Shetterly”. 1 ♂ in JSCA: ibid., except for: “leg. J. Stamatov”.. 4 ♂♂ in DBCN: ibid., except for: “D. Brzoska 18-VII-2002 ”. 4 ♂♂ in JSCC: ibid., except for: “leg. J. Shetterly”. 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀ in WJCM, 1 ♀ in FCCR: “ June 15, 1993 / Mexico, San Luis Potosi / 1 mile ne. of Xilitla / Walter N. Johnson coll.” // “ Odontocheila new sp. / Det. W. Johnson” [printed] . 21 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ in CSRC: ibid. except for “leg. Steve Roman”. 1 ♀ in DBCN: “ Mexico, S. L . Potosi / Hy. 120– 1 km W– Xilitla , 770 m / 21°22.7’N, 99°00.2’W / D. Brzoska 3-VII-2006 ”. 21 ♂♂ , 7 ♀♀ in FSCA: “Mexico- San Luis Potosi: Xilitla / 6-15-1993 / M. Hrabovsky leg.” . 1 ♀ in RLHC, 1 ♀ in JSCA: “ MX: Sn Luis Potosi / Xilitla SW / Hwy 120, KM260 / 26 June 2010 / John Stamatov ” // “ 21°22.8’N, 99°00.2’W / elev. 705m ” [printed] . 1 ♂ in WJCM: “ Tamazunchale / SLP Mex / 8.V.2002 / WEC—Coll.” [printed].

Other material examined. 1 ♂ in MNHN: “Misantla / Vera Cruz / Höge” // “Muséum Paris / 1952 / Coll. R. Oberthür”. 1 ♂, 1 ♀ in BMNH with same locality labels [originally identified as O. quadrina ].

Differential diagnosis. O. potosiana sp. nov. can be immediately distinguished from O. mexicana by its narrower pronotal disc which is on its whole surface, up to the notopleural sutures, covered with fine, but clearly carved rugae (in contrast to the subglobose, almost smooth and conspicuously polished pronotal disc in O. mexicana ); the punctures on the elytra of this new species are more spaced, isolated, very rarely anastomosing and only on the elytral disc. In addition, the male labrum of the new species is slightly but notably longer than that in O. mexicana , and its anterior margin in all examined males always possesses median tooth. The legs, particularly in males, are notably darker than in of O. mexicana . Moreover, the penultimate palpomeres of maxillary palpi in males are always ivory-yellow or yellow-ochre (black-brown-darkened only in female). The pattern of the fine sculpture on the pronotal disc and of the elytral punctation also differentiate O. potosiana sp. nov. from O. iodopleura , O. tawahka , O. ignita and O. exilis , in which the commonly anastomosing elytral punctures form almost reticulate to cristulate sculpture, particularly on their elytral discs. Males of O. ignita and O. exilis are immediately distinguished from O. potosiana sp. nov. and all other species treated here by their very different aedeagi.

Description. Body ( Figs 54–55 ) medium-sized, 9.30–11.8 (HT 10.0, AT 10.1) mm long, 2.80–3.50 (HT 3.00, AT 3.10) mm wide, females mostly of the same size as males.

Head ( Fig. 56 ) notably large with pronounced eyes, slightly narrower than body, 2.55–3.10 mm wide, all head portions glabrous.

Frons steeply sloped towards clypeus, with distinctly convex median area, dorsally bluntly triangular, metallic black with strong green or green-blue lustre on lateral areas, reddish-cupreous to purple in middle, rarely contrarily purple on lateral areas and green in middle, sharply delimited from clypeus and confluent with vertex over rounded frons-vertex fold and with rather indistinct lateral edges formed by deep impressions above supraantennal plates which are flat and shiny metallic green; frons surface on basal area smooth and with only few shallow wrinkles on lateral areas, median area on frons-vertex fold ornamented with mostly transverse-wavy rugae which are usually surrounded by arcuate arranged wavy rugae forming a distinct ornament passing on anteromedian area of vertex;

Vertex with only one juxtaorbital sensory seta (on each side), with shallow, but well obvious anteromedian impression, black copper to brighter reddish cupreous and with strong green-blue lustre on sublateral or also lateral areas, more usually reddish-cupreous in the middle; anteromedian area including the frons-vertex fold irregularly transversely wavy and arcuate rugulose (sculpture passing from frons), and usually with another ornament in middle behind the anteromedian impression, formed by longitudinal, slightly arcuate striae running posteriad on the limited median area; lateral areas including large juxtaorbital areas distinctly longitudinally parallel-striate (striae somewhat finer than in O. mexicana ), striae often irregular on sublateral-anterior area and again when divergent posteriad when passing on temples; posterior area with very irregularly wavy rugae, and moderately convex occipital area finely irregularly asperate to wavy to vermicular rugulose.

Clypeus metallic copper, sometimes with gold-bronze iridescence, or iridescent reddish cupreous and usually with limited iridescent green border, surface almost smooth, coriaceous, or with few indistinct wrinkles.

Genae as in O. mexicana .

Labrum 4-setose, in both sexes distinctly bicolored, ochre-testaceous with black basomedian or whole basal area; male labrum ( Figs 57–58 ), rather long, length 0.70–0.75 mm, width 1.15–1.25 mm; shape of lateral and anterolateral teeth basically as in O. mexicana , but the anterior margin in examined specimens with always present median tooth; female labrum ( Fig. 59 ) much longer, length 1.05–1.15 mm, width 1.25–1.35 mm, with prominent, acutely tridentate median lobe with protruding median tooth.

Mandibles ( Figs 56 ) black-brown to almost black except for distinct, ivory-yellow lateral stripe, normally shaped with arcuate lateral margins, subsymmetrical, each mandible with four teeth (and basal molar), the three inner teeth gradually smaller towards the basal molar.

Palpi ( Fig. 56 ) with normal (elongate) shape of terminal palpomeres, ivory-yellow to ochre-testaceous except for black-brown to black terminal palpomeres in both labial and maxillary palpi; penultimate palpomeres of maxillary palpi in male constantly ivory-yellow to ochre, in female often brownish-darkened to blackened; penultimate (longest) palpomeres of labial palpi rather narrow with subparallel lateral margins, only gradually dilated towards apex (width up to 0.25 mm).

Antennae ( Figs 54–56 ) rather long, in male reaching elytral half, in female shorter, reaching only elytral third; scape with only apical seta, metallic black with strong, prevailing green lustre; pedicel mostly concolorous with scape, its narrower base reddish; antennomeres 3–4 ( Fig. 56 ) almost uniformly metallic-black, usually with purple or violaceous reflections, very rarely only limited apical areas purple, with indistinct, sparse microsetae; antennomeres 5–11 smoky black with usual micropubescence.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figs 60–61 ) glabrous, metallic iridescent green-blue with reddish-cupreous median area which is prevailing on disc, slightly longer than wide, length 1.80–2.10 mm, width 1.70–2.00 mm; sulci well pronounced; anterior lobe slightly or more distinctly wider than posterior lobe, surface of anterior lobe finely, mostly transversely and very irregularly wrinkled to finely rugulose; disc normally shaped with only moderately convex lateral margins of dorsally visible proepisterna, while thin but dorsally visible notopleural sutures are mutually subparallel; medial line thin but clearly marked; whole discal surface up to the notopleural sutures covered with very fine but clearly carved rugae which are very irregularly arranged, more stria-like and subparallel only along the median line; posterior lobe with distinct dorsolateral bulges, shiny metallic green or blue except for reddish-cupreous, distinct basal rim, its surface almost smooth with irregular, fine wrinkles; all ventral and lateral sterna glabrous; proepisterna large, shiny metallic black-blue; mesepisterna and metepisterna metallic black with diffuse green or blue lustre, female mesepisternal coupling sulci indistinct, in form of a sinuous longitudinal furrow which is only somewhat more distinctly carved than the shallower furrow in male, lacking any pit; metepisterna almost smooth, coriaceous or indistinctly wrinkled; prosternum, mesosternum and metasternum smooth and polished, metallic black with chatoyant, predominantly strong green lustre.

Elytra ( Figs 62–64 ) elongate, length 5.90–6.80 mm, with rounded or subquadrate humeri, lateral margins in male subparallel, outer margin in female slightly dilated in middle, in both sexes with moderately arched posthumeral epipleural crease, anteapical angles arcuate, then obliquely running towards apices which are in both sexes rather narrow, but rounded towards short but distinct sutural spine; microserrulation very indistinct and irregular; elytral dorsal surface almost even, convex on posterior half of elytral disc, humeral impression rather distinct, discal impression shallow or more distinct, clearly delimiting moderate basodiscal convexity; anteapicalapical impression rather distinct; whole elytral surface distinctly punctate: punctures larger and isolated on whole lateral area and mostly also on basodiscal convexity, with two short rows of 3–5 larger fovea-like punctures running within and below the humeral impression; punctures rarely anastomosing and only on elytral disc, but irregular and denser on juxtasutural area (shape of punctures, particularly of the smaller ones on posterior elytral half, may appear different depending on angle of illumination); elytral surface glabrous except for several, but distinctly long, white hairlike sensory setae scattered mostly on basal area, and a few others adjacent to epipleura; elytral coloration notably metallic shiny, with conspicuous, iridescent reddish-cupreous area on elytral disc, which is usually only diffusely delineated by gold-bronze iridescence from usually wide, blue-green sublateral and apical areas; juxtaepipleural area deep violaceous or purple-violet; whitish elytral maculation in both sexes consisting of three maculae: humeral macula in male distinct, notably large and clearly visible in dorsal view ( Figs 62–63 ), in female barely visible from above or only partly as a thin falciform stripe ( Fig. 64 ); lateromedian macula notably large, irregularly rounded; anteapical macula rather large in both sexes, slightly elongated.

Abdomen basically as in O. mexicana .

Legs as in O. mexicana , but femora markedly darker, in both sexes almost black with only ochre testaceous inner basal area.

Aedeagus ( Figs 65–71 ) as in O. mexicana , but the apex is generally wider; internal sac ( Fig. 69 ) as in O. mexicana and others of this species-complex.

Variability. O. potosiana sp. nov. possesses only insignificant variability that is stressed in the description.

Biology and distribution (map Fig. 208 ). Odontocheila potosiana sp. nov. represents the northernmost occurrence of the genus and of the subtribe Odontocheilina. The type locality near Las Pozas (known as a tourist place “Sculpture Garden”) is situated near the village of Xilitla, 575 m a.s.l., 21°23.7´N, 98°59.8´W, in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The place lies in a mesophillous mountain forest predominantly formed by “shaving brush trees” ( Pseudobombax ellipticum ), “rosewood trees” ( Dalbergia stevensonii ), also with introduced flamboyant trees ( Delonix regia ) and ferns.

The adults were found in shaded spots caused by plant growth on a clay embankment (1–1.2 m high, slope 70– 80°) and forest trails; mating, as well as egg-laying by females also was observed on the embankment.

Tamazunchale, where one male was caught, lies about 50 km southeast of Xilitla.

The specimens in MNHN and BMNH labelled Misantla / Vera Cruz / Höge” were either mislabelled as they come from the insect dealer Karl Friedrich Höge, or the new species spreads towards Misantla. However, there is no record of Odontocheila in the area between Tamazunchale and Misantla (distance about 340 km by air), despite the long and intense exploration of Mexico especially directed on tiger beetles, particularly by the second author and his colleagues.

Etymology. Named after the Mexican State of San Luis Potosí in which the type locality of this new species is found.

Figures

FIGURE 208. Map of distribution.

FIGURES 54 – 59. Odontocheila potosiana sp. nov. (Mexico: San Luis Potosí, Las Pozas near Xilitla). 54 — habitus, ♂, 10 mm, HT (UNAM); 55 — habitus, ♂, 9.8 mm, PT (CCJM ex DBCN); 56 — head, ♂, HT (UNAM); 57 – 59 — labrum: 57 — ♂, HT (UNAM); 58 — ♂, PT (CCJM ex DBCN); 59 — ♀, AT (DBCN). Bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 60 – 71. Odontocheila potosiana sp. nov. (Mexico: San Luis Potosí, Las Pozas near Xilitla). 60 – 61 — pronotum: 60 — ♂, HT (UNAM); 61 — ♀, AT (DBCN); 62 – 64 — elytron: 62 — ♂, HT (UNAM); 63 — ♂, PT (CCJM ex DBCN); 64 — ♀, AT (DBCN); 65 – 71 — aedeagus or its apex: 65 — PT (CCJM ex DBCN); 66 — HT (UNAM); 67 – 71 — PT (CCJM ex DBCN (69 — internal sac). Bars = 1 mm.