Operclipygus nubosus, Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Operclipygus Marseul (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 271, pp. 1-401 : 222-224

Operclipygus nubosus sp. n. Fig. 59AMap 21

Type locality.

COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Monteverde Reserve [10°13.5'N, 84°49.5'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Monte Verde, 1520m, 21 May 1989, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Leschen, ex., flight intercept trap" /"Snow Entomol. Mus. Costa Rica Exped. #316" / "SEMC0903669 KUNHM-ENT" (SEMC). Paratypes (82): COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: 30: Monte Verde, 1520m, 21.v.1989, FIT, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Leschen (SEMC, FMNH, MSCC, AKTC, CHND, INBIO), 2: 1520m, 9.v.1989 (SEMC), 2: 1400m, 21.v.1989 (CHSM), 5: 1520m, 11.v.1989 (SEMC), 1: 1400m, 13.v.1989 (SEMC), 9: 1520m, 14.v.1989 (SEMC), 1: 1400m, 14.v.1989 (SEMC), 4: 1570m, 14.v.1989 (SEMC), 1: 1400m, 24.v.1989 (SEMC), 3: 1520m, 24.v.1989 (SEMC), 1: 1400-1540m, 10.v.1989, pitfall (SEMC), 1: 1520-1570m, 11.v.1989, pitfall (SEMC), 2: 1500m, 21.ii-1.iii.1983, FIT, D.H. Lindeman (CHSM), 1: 1520m, 11-18.vi.1983 (CHSM), 3: 1520m, 2-9.vii.1983 (CHSM), 2: 1520m, 15-23.vii.1983 (CHSM), 1: 1630m, 8.vii.1989, FIT, S.E. Roberts (SEMC), 3: 1630m, 6.vii.1990, FIT, S.E. Roberts (SEMC), 1: 1030m, 27.vi.1990, FIT, S.E. Roberts (SEMC), 3: 1610m, 28.vi.1990, FIT, S.E. Roberts (SEMC), 2: 1610m, 29.vi.1990, FIT, S.E. Roberts (SEMC), 1: 1-2.vi.1993, FIT, C. Michalski (SEMC); 1: Monteverde, Campbell's Woods, 1570m, 11.v.1989, FIT, J. Ashe, R. Leschen, R. Brooks (SEMC); 1: Monteverde, Campbells Bull Pen, 19-29.v.1993, FIT, S. Lingafelter (SEMC); 1: San Luis, Monteverde, 1040m, xi.1993, Z. Fuentes, (INBIO); 1: Res. Biol. Monteverde, San Luis, 1040m, 24. viii– 15.ix.1992, F.A. Quesada, (INBIO); 1: Res. Biol. Monteverde, Estacion La Casona, A.C. Arenal, 1520m, vi.1993, N.G. Obando, (INBIO); 18: Est. La Casona, 1520m, 15-23.viii.1994, K.L. Martinez, (INBIO), 6: 3-17.ix.1994, K.L. Martinez, (INBIO); 2: Res. Biol. Monteverde, Est. La Casona, 1520m, 6-25.vi.1994, K.L. Martinez, (INBIO), 1: 5-10.x.1994, K. Martinez, (INBIO).

Other material.

COSTA RICA: Guanacaste: 3: Parque Nac. Guanacaste, Lado SO Vol. Cacao, 1000-1400m, 21-29.v.1992, M. Ortiz, (INBIO); Puntarenas: 4: Est. Pittier, 4.2km SW del Gemelo, 1660m, 8.ix.1999, FIT, R. Gutierrez (INBIO); 1: Est. Pittier, Coto Brus, Send Cerro Pittier, 1670m, 9.ix.1999, FIT, R. Gonzales (INBIO), 1: 30. x– 3.xi.1999, FIT, R. Gonzales (INBIO); 2: Est. Biol. Las Cruces, San Vito, 1-30.vii.1982, FIT, B.D. Gill, 1: 17. viii– 12.ix.1982, FIT, B.D. Gill (CHSM); 1: Est. Biol. Las Cruces, Wilson Botanical Garden, 1200m, 27.v.1993, FIT, J.S. & A.K. Ashe (SEMC); 2: Est. Biol. Las Cruces, Coto Brus, 8°47'N, 82°57'W, 1100m, 25-30.iii.2002, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (LSAM); 2: Est. Biol. Las Alturas, Coto Brus, 8°57'N, 82°52'W, 1550m, 3-4.iv.2002, FIT, A. Cline & A. Tishechkin (LSAM); 1: 1600m, 5-7.iv.2002, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (LSAM); 11: Las Alturas Biol. Sta., 08°56.17'N, 82°50.01'W, 1660m, 31. v– 3.vi.2004, FIT, J.S. Ashe, Z. Falin, I. Hinojosa (SEMC); PANAMA: Chiriquí: 2: 27.7km W. Volcan, Hartmann's Finca, 8°51'42"N, 82°44'48"W, 1650m, 17-18.vi.1996, FIT, J. Ashe, R. Brooks (SEMC); 6: 27.7km W. Volcan, Hartmann's Finca, 08°45'N, 82°48'W, 1450m, 14-17.vi.1982, FIT, J. Ashe & R. Brooks (SEMC); 19: 4km N Sta. Clara Hartmann's Finca, 1500m, 30. vi– 13.vii.1982, FIT, B.D. Gill (AKTC, BDGC).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.87-2.22 mm, width: 1.56-1.84 mm; body rufescent, ovoid, with outline interrupted at elytral-pronotal corner, prothorax dis tinctly narrower and more parallel-sided than posterior portion of body; head large, with labrum especially broad, emarginate at apex; frons depressed at middle, frequently with rudimentary fine microsculpture in depression, with sides of frontal stria rounded, variably interrupted at middle; pronotum with lateral margins sinuate near base, subparallel to apex, curving inward near apex, sometimes abruptly so, with discal ground punctation rather conspicuous, especially toward sides, with ~12 coarser punctures at sides; lateral marginal pronotal stria not descending to hypomeron, but frequently effaced for short distance at middle; lateral submarginal pronotal stria complete, close to side, barely curved inward at front; anterior submarginal pronotal stria recurved almost directly posterad at sides, for about one-fifth pronotal length; elytra with outer subhumeral stria present in apical half or less, inner subhumeral stria absent, striae 1-4 complete, 5th stria present in apical third, sutural stria present in apical half; venter with faint microsculpture on prosternum, mesoventrite, and anterolateral corners of metaventrite; prosternum, mesoventrite, and anterior half of metaventrite depressed, posterior half of metaventrite weakly convex; prosternal keel weakly emarginate at base, carinal striae complete, rather widely separated to near apex; prosternal lobe with weak swelling at center of base; mesoventrite very weakly projecting at middle, marginal stria complete to narrowly interrupted; mesometaventral stria strongly arched forward to near mesoventral margin; lateral metaventral stria extending toward middle of metacoxa; 1st abdominal ventrite with two strongly abbreviated lateral striae; propygidium and pygidium both with conspicuous transverse microsculpture; propygidium with small punctures separated by 3 –4× their diameters; pygidium with fine ground punctation conspicuous, but few coarser punctures; fine apical marginal stria present only in apical half. Male genitalia essentially indistinguishable from those of Operclipygus rufescens (see Figs 57 A–D, L).

Remarks.

This species is very similar to both Operclipygus rufescens and Operclipygus arquus , but can be distinguished by the combination of a relatively parallel-sided, basally sinuate pronotum, presence of relatively coarser pronotal ground punctation toward the sides (Fig. 59C), in addition to ~12 distinct punctures, a detached and directly posteriorly recurved anterior submarginal pronotal stria, only briefly anteriorly inturned lateral submarginal pronotal stria, and broad head with large, distinctly emarginate labrum (Fig. 4D). Populations that we assign to this species from Panama are distinctly larger in size, especially head and labrum breadth, have the pronotal ground punctation more conspicuous, and have the aedeagus a little larger, not as distinctly widest near base, more nearly parallel-sided in basal two-thirds. However, all populations show considerable variability in most of these characters, and we chose to unite them under one name for the present.

Etymology.

This species’ name refers to the fact that most specimens have been found in cloud-forested areas.