Epiphloeus erwini Opitz, 2010

Opitz, Weston, 2010, New taxa of Epiphloeinae Kuwert (Cleridae) and Chaetosomatidae Crowson (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Insecta Mundi 2010 (123), pp. 1-28 : 11-14

Epiphloeus erwini Opitz , new species

Figure 13 , 31 , 46 , 52 .

Holotype. Male. ECUADOR: Orellana: 1 km S Onkone Gare Camp , 00 o 39’S 76 o 26’W, 6-VII-1995, 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. Three specimens. Ecuador: Orellana: 1km S Onkone Gare Camp, 00 o 39’S 76 o 26’W, 7-VII- 1995, fogging leaves in terre firme forest T.L. Erwin ( WOPC, 1) ; idem, 2-VII-1995, fogging leaves in terre firme forest, 220 m, T.L.Erwin ( WOPC, 1) ; Tiputini Biodiversity Station , 00 o 39’S 76 o 08’W, 5-II-1999, fogging leaves in terre firme forest, 220-250 m, T.L. Erwin ( USNM, 1) ;

Diagnosis ( Fig. 52 ): From the superficially similar specimens of Epiphloeus pulcherrimus Gorham , E. erwini specimens may be distinguished by the entirely reddish pronotum, minimally setose pronotal disc, absence of stout recumbent white setae along the sutural margin, well formed inverted T stemming from a broad yellow line at the humeral margin, and by the very large spheroid yellow macula behind the middle of the elytral disc, which extends from the epipleural margin to the sutural margin. Male specimens of these two species differ considerably in the shape of the tegmen, which is much shorter in E.

Figure 59-66. Habiti. 59) Pyticeroides latisentis . 60) P. moraquesi . 61) P. parvoporis . 62) P. pinnacerinis . 63) P. pullis . 64) P. turbosiris . 65) Pyticeroides ustulatis . 66) Chaetosoma colossa .

erwini specimens. Also, the tegmen is incised distally and the phallobasic rod is much longer in specimens of E. erwini (compare Figure 31, 32 ).

Description. Size: Length mm 7.2 mm; width 2.4 mm. Integumental Color: Cranium light brown, scape and pedicel yellow, remainder of antenna brown; pronotum reddish-brown; elytron broadly yellow along humeral margin, well-developed inverted T extended posteriorly from humeral margin, large yellow spheroid macula extended from epipleural margin to sutural margin behind middle of elytral disc, remainder of elytral disc brown; legs mostly yellow, dorsal margins of femora infuscated, metafemora also infuscated ventrally, tarsi yellow; metathoracic venter and abdomen dark brown. Vestiture: Pronotum at sides and near base loosely matted with pale decumbent setae; elytral apex with patches of short decumbent white setae. Head: Eyes boldly convex, EW/VW 2.0; vertex with inconspicuous vertical crease; antenna as in figure 13. Thorax: Pronotal disc very wrinkled transversally, particularly along pronotal arch; PW/PL 1.3; elytral punctations large in elytral basal half where punctations are much wider than interstitial spaces, punctations very small in elytral distal half; anterior margin of protibia with 8 spines. Abdomen: Male pygidium large ( Fig. 46 ), female pygidium smaller; tegmen ( Fig. 31 ) slightly lobate distally; phallobasic rod very long.

Variation. Size: Length 7.2-7.5mm; width 2.3-2.4 mm. Other than body size, the specimens before me do not vary appreciably.

Natural History. The type series was collected by fogging leaves in terre firme forest; two in February and two in July, at altitudes ranging from 220-250 m.

Distribution. This species is known from northeastern Ecuador.

Etymology. The generic name Epiphloeus Spinola is masculine and the patronymic is dedicated to Terry L. Erwin. His contributions to insect systematics, insect biogeography, and insect Natural History are copiously documented, and his input into my ascent to systematic entomology is most gratefully acknowledged.

Taxonomic Notes. To incorporate E. erwini into a recently published key of known Epiphloeus Spinola ( Opitz 2008: 10) , the following key-couplet changes to the published key are in order:

6(3’). Basal third of elytron not red ...................................................................................................... 7 – Basal third of elytron red ............................................................................................................. 8

7(6). Post medial yellow fascia extended to epipleural and sutural margin; humeral region with distinct inverted T; tegmen ( Fig. 31 ) short ( Ecuador: Orellana) .... Epiphloeus erwini Opitz , n. sp.

– Postmedial yellow fascia not extended to epipleural and sutural margin; humeral region without inverted T; tegmen ( Fig. 32 ) long ( Brazil: Amazonas) ................................................................ ...................................................................................... Epiphloeus pulcherrimus Gorham

Figures

Figure 1-15. Antennae. 1) Amboakis ampla. 2) Amboakis capitata. 3) A. stenosis. 4) A. waodani. 5) Madoniella aspera. 6) M. divida. 7) Plocamocera quadrula. 8) P. clinata. 9) Amboakis antegalba. 10) A. diffusa. 11) Madoniella spilota. 12) Amboakis demagna. 13) Epiphloeus erwini. 14) Madoniella darlingtoni. 15) Plocamocera lena.

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.

Figure 47-58. Habiti. 47) Amboakis ampla. 48) A. antegalba. 49) A. diffusa. 50) Amboakis demagna. 51) A. waodani. 52) Epiphloeus erwini. 53) Madoniella aspera. 54) Madoniella darlingtoni. 55). Madoniella divida. 56) Madoniella spilota. 57) Plocamocera clinata. 58) P. lena.