Notaepytus elateroides, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 65-66

Notaepytus elateroides Skelley, new species

Figure 1b , 104 , 108 , 125 , 146-147

Diagnosis. The species is delimited by: an elongate parallel-sided body, quadrate pronotum ( Fig. 104 , 125 ), strong cuticular microreticulation, and uniform body color.

Description. Length: 8.5 mm; width: 3.7 mm. Body elongate, parallel-sided, somewhat flattened; surface strongly microreticulate. Color dark brown, with red-brown appendages and elytral apex.

Head interocular width = 3 x ocular width; vertex and epistome puncture size = 0.3-0.5 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 3-4 x their diameter; epistome anterior margin truncate. Eyes large, coarsely faceted. Antenna approach pronotal base; antennomere II length = width; antennomere III length = 3 x width, antennomere III length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length, each with length = 2 x width; antennomere VIII not wider than VII, not part of club; antennomere IX triangular, length = 1.2 x width; antennomere XI narrower than X, subcircular. Terminal maxillary palpomere triangular, symmetrical, length = 0.8 x width. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, asymmetrical, width = 2 x length, expanded medially, width = terminal maxillary palpomere.

Pronotum quadrate; puncture size as those on vertex, dense, separated by 2-3 x their diameter; small group of large punctures at each side of base, puncture size = an ocular facet diameter; base sinuate, lacking marginal bead; hind angle produced posteriorly, partially covering elytral humerus. Scutellum transverse, length = 0.5 x width. Elytra with narrowly rounded apex; striae not impressed, punctures fine, puncture size = 0.5 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 2-3 x their diameter; interval punctures fine, obscured in microreticulation; base with faint marginal bead each side of scutellum, possibly due to indentation for pronotal hind angle reception. Wings not found.

Prosternum length = 3 x basal width; sternal plate flat, rugose; base strongly concave. Mesosternal lines parallel, continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum short, distance between meso- and metacoxae = 1.1 x intermesocoxal width; anterior lines absent medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity; coarsely punctate at anterolateral angles, fine scattered punctures medially and posteriorly. Abdomen with coxal lines not connecting medially; continuous around metacoxal cavity, short; punctures coarse anterolaterally on first ventrite, fine scattered punctures on remaining sterna. Male genitalia with flagellum thickened, weakly enlarged at apex ( Fig. 108 ).

Distribution. Found in Jamaica.

Type Material. The male holotype of Notaepytus elateroides ( Fig. 125 , 146-147 ) has the following label data: “/[white circle, hand written] Jamaica [underside] 45 110/ [red paper] HOLOTYPE Notaepytus elateroides P. E. Skelley /” ( NHML).

Etymology. The specific epithet reflects the species overall similarity to a click beetle ( Elateridae ).

Remarks. The unique holotype was in poor condition when first studied. The specimen was removed from the pin and placed on a card mount for protection. Based on the metasternal shortening, the species is suspected to be flightless. When the previously damaged holotype was relaxed for examination, no flight wings were found. These wings may have been lost when the damage occurred. This species lacks the diagnostic body shape and apical elytral color patterning of the fulvitarsis species group. For now, N. elateroides is considered the only flightless Notaepytus that is not a member of the fulvitarsis species group. More specimens are needed to reevaluate this relationship.

Figures

Figure 1. West Indian maps. 1a) Map of West Indian countries mentioned in the text. 1b) Map indicating species occurring on specific islands with distribution of Notaepytus flavitarsis (Lacordaire) indicated by the white triangles.

Figure 89-104. Notaepytus spp., habitus drawings. 89) N. flavitarsis. 90) N. tarsatus. 91) N. cubanacan. 92) N. modestus. 93) N. cyclosignatus. 94) N. elongatus. 95) N. fulvitarsis. 96) N. decoregens. 97) N. ignotensis. 98) N. haitensis. 99) N. inversus. 100) N. baorucoensis. 101) N. neibaensis. 102) N. lavegaensis. 103) N. cyanoros. 104) N. elateroides.

Figure 105-120. Notaepytus spp., male genital flagella. 105) N. flavitarsis. 106) N. tarsatus. 107) N. modestus. 108) N. elateroides. 109) N. cyanoros. 110) N. cyclosignatus. 111) N. inversus. 112) N. neibaensis. 113) N. haitensis.114) N. ignotensis. 115) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Hato Mayor). 116) N. fulvitarsis (DR: La Vega). 117) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Barahona). 118) N. decoregens. 119) N. baorucoensis. 120) N. lavegaensis. All reproduced to same scale, scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 124-125. Notaepytus spp. occurring on Jamaica. 124) N. cyanoros, holotype. 125) N. elateroides, holotype.

Figure 141-147. Holotypes, lectotypes, neotype, and labels. 141-143) Holotype Oocyanus brunnipes Kuhnt dorsal, ventral and labels. 144) Lectotype Galleruca guadeloupensis Fabricius (= Neotype Erotylus marginatus Olivier) [photo from A. Solodovnikov].145) Lectotype Brachysphaenus suturalis Lacordaire. 146-147) Holotype Notaepytus elateroides venter of head and thorax, and venter of abdomen.