Aspasiola ignea Bates

Erwin, Terry L., 2004, The beetle family Carabidae of Costa Rica: The genera of the Cryptobatida group of subtribe Agrina, tribe Lebiini, with new species and notes on their way of life (Insecta: Coleoptera), Zootaxa 662, pp. 1-54 : 11-12

Aspasiola ignea Bates , new status

(Figs. 3, 4, 33)

Aspasiola rutilans ignea Bates 1883:201 . Lectotype female labeled by me in BMNH (The Natural History Museum, London). Type locality: PANAMÁ, Volcan de Chiriqui.

Common name. Flaming colorful fungus dweller.

Diagnosis. With the attributes of the genus as described above and legs and tarsomeres concolorous, testaceous; distal antennomeres (5–11) black. Eyes normal, moderately produced, not appearing stalked from posterior aspect. Pronotum with hind angle acute, margin markedly constricted anterior to hind angle. Elytron with punctulae of interneurs moderately coarse in basal half, finer posteriorly.

Description. (Fig. 3). Size small: ABL = 4.58 to 5.16 mm, SBL = 4.42 to 5.08 mm, TW = 2.0 to 2.32 mm. Color: Dorsum and venter rufescent; mouthparts, antennomeres 1– 4 and legs testaceous; antennomeres 5–11 infuscated­black. Elytron with yellowish patch proximal to scutellum. Metathorasic wings smoky grey. Luster: Ver y s h in y. Microsculpture: Effaced. Head: Slightly broader across eyes than pronotum; frontal furrows shallowly impressed, very short; eyes large, produced; frons slightly convex, vertex moderately convex; ultimate labial palpomere slightly securiform; antennae of moderate length, reaching just posterior of humerus. Prothorax: Pronotum cordiform, moderately convex, side margin narrowly explanate, moderately sinuate anterior to slightly obtuse hind angle. Base slightly lobed posteriorly. Pterothorax: Sterna normal for Agrina, fully winged. Legs: Normal for Agrina. Abdomen: Sterna normal for Agrina, mostly glabrous, except normal paired ambulatory setae on sterna 3–5; males and females with two pairs long setae on sternum 6. Male genitalia: Phallus ( Fig. 4 ) with ostium 1/6 its length, catopic, not constricted at basal third, basal third arched, apex markedly elongate, evenly rounded; endophallus with long flagellum, flagellum apex not barbed. Parameres asymmetric, left larger that right, right small.

Dispersal potential. These beetles have been fogged from the canopy and are fully winged, thus they are likely good dispersers, as are most arboreal beetles.

Way of life. As can be seen in Figure 33 , this is an upland species. It has been collected in Malaise traps, and in the months February, March, April, and November which are dry season months and one specimen in July, the wet season, thus perhaps this is a predominately dry season specialist occurring between 700 and 1150 meters above sea level.

Other specimens examined. COSTA RICA. 1 female, 2 males, GUANACASTE, 9.0 km S Santa Cecilia, Estación Pitilla, 700 m, 10° 59' 33” N, 085° 25' 46” W, LN330200,380200, November (C. Moraga, P. Rios)( INBIO: female CRI 000142029, male CRI 000112821), February (C. Moraga)(male CRI 001806263, ADP006026); 3 males, 1050 m, 10° 55' 38” N, 085° 27' 07”' W, July (J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin)( KUNHM: ADP106305, 106307, 106309); 1 male, HEREDIA, 16.0 km SSE La Virgen, 1050–1150 m, 10° 16' 0 N, 085° 05' 0 W, LN527381,257085, April (INBio­OET: INB0003202145), 11.0 km SE La Virgen, 550 m, 10° 20' 0 N, 084° 04' 0 W, 1 female, February (INBio­OET: INB0003237612), 1 male, March (INBio­OET: INB0003239293), 1 female, April (INBio­ OET: INB0003238541).

Geographic distribution. ( Fig. 33 ). Known only from lower Central America in Costa Rica and Panamá.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Phallus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects of Aspasiola ignea Bates, specimen # ADP 006026.

FIGURE 33. Geographical distribution map of the species of Aspasiola in Costa Rica: A. bonita Erwin n. sp. (solid circle,