Pyticeroides latisentis Opitz, 2010

Opitz, Weston, 2010, New taxa of Epiphloeinae Kuwert (Cleridae) and Chaetosomatidae Crowson (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Insecta Mundi 2010 (123), pp. 1-28 : 19-20

Pyticeroides latisentis Opitz , new species

Figure 16, 35, 39, 59.

Holotype. Female. ECUADOR: Orellana: Tiputini Biodiversity Station , 00 o 37’S 76 o 08’W, 23-X-1998, 220- 250 m, T.L. Erwin; a second label reads-Fogging leaves in terre firme forest ( USNM). (Specimen point mounted, gender label affixed to paper point; support card; locality label; Natural History label; USNM acronymic label; Holotype label.)

Paratypes. Two specimens. Ecuador: Orellana: Tiputini Biodiversity Station , 00 o 37’S 76 o 08’W, 21-X- 1998, 220- 250 m, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 1) ; idem, 1-VII-1994, T. L. Erwin ( WOPC, 1) .

Diagnosis (Fig. 59): Pyticeroides latisentis is most closely related to P. inexilis Opitz. Specimens of these two species are readily separated by the width of the funicular antennomeres, which are very broad in P. latisentis specimens. They are narrower in P. inexilis specimens (compare Figure 16, 17). Also, in P. inexilis specimens the elytral disc shows a broad yellow fascia that is narrowly connected to the yellow humerus by a yellow epipleural streak. The elytra are uniformly piceous in specimens of P. inexilis .

Description. Size: Length 4.5 mm; width 1.8 mm. Integument: Cranium mostly flavotestaceous, frons piceous, piceous postocular streaks prominent; pronotal sides yellow, discal piceous line broad; elytra bicolorous, with a broad yellow fascia that connects via yellow narrow band to yellow humerus, remainder of elytral disc piceous; legs light brown, femora increasingly more yellow at base from profemur to metafemur. Head: Slightly wider than width of pronotum (47:44), ratio of eye width to width of vertex (20:9); eyes not very bulged; antenna (Fig. 16), funicular antennomeres very expanded, antennomere 7 distinctly rectangulate. Thorax: Pronotum subquadrate (44:40); side margins subparallel; elytral punctations seriate, interstitial spaces smooth, shiny; elytral epipleural margin minutely serrulated in posterior half; elytra about 5 x longer than pronotum; elytra length to width ration about 6:2; anterior margin of protibia with 5 spines. Abdomen: Male pygidium not emarginate; aedeagus ( Fig. 35 ) lanceolate, aedeagal phallobasic apodeme and phallic struts not broadened at extremities. Mesodermal Male Reproductive Organs: Two pairs of uniramous accessory glands, medial pair considerably narrower than lateral pair ( Fig. 39 ).

Variation. Size: Length 4.5-5.0 mm; width 1.6-1.8 mm. The pronotum of the paratype is nearly completely piceous; only the anterior angles are slightly flavotestaceous.

Natural History. Specimens have been collected in July and October at altitudes ranging from 220- 250 m.

Distribution. This species is known only from northeastern Ecuador.

Etymology. The genus name Pyticeroides Kuwert is masculine. The specific epithet latisentis is a Latin compound name formed from the adjective latus (= broad) and the verb sentio (= feel). I refer to the broadened funicular antennomeres in these beetles.

Taxonomic Notes. Of the known species of Pyticeroides , P. latisentis specimens are most closely allied to P. inexilis . The key to species as presented in Opitz (2007: 101) should be modified as follows:

2(1). First antennomere of antennal club rectangular ........................................................................ 3 – First antennomere of antennal club somewhat triangular ......................................................... 4

3(2). Elytral disc with broad medial yellow fascia; funicular antennomeres very broad (Fig.16) ( Ecuador: Orellana) ....................................................................... Pyticeroides latisentis Opitz , n.sp.

– Elytral disc without broad yellow fascia; funicular antennomeres not very broad (Fig. 17) (Prazil: Paran, Sao Paulo) ........................................................................ Pyticeroides inexilis Opitz

Figures

Figure 25-38. Aedeagi. 25) Amboakis ampla. 26) A. antegalba. 27) Amboakis demagna. 28) Amboakis capitata. 29) A. diffusa. 30) A. waodani. 31) Epiphloeus erwini. 32) Epiphloeus pulcherrimus. 33) Madoniella divida. 34) Plocamocera lena. 35) Pyticeroides latisentis. 36) P. moraguesi. 37) P. turbosiris. 38) P. ustulatis.

Figure 39-46. Various organs. 39-42. Mesodermal male internal organs. 39) Pyticeroides latisentis. 40) P. pinnacerinis. 41) P. ustulatis. 42) A. waodani. 43-45. Aedeagi. 43) P. pinnacerinis. 44) P. parvoporis. 45) P. pullis. 46) Epiphloeus erwini male pygidium.