Epikastea biolat Erwin

Erwin, Terry L., 2004, The beetle family Carabidae of Costa Rica: The genus Epikastea Liebke of the Plochonida Group, with new Neotropical species and notes on their way of life (Insecta: Coleoptera, Lebiini, Agrina), Zootaxa 790, pp. 1-20 : 7-8

Epikastea biolat Erwin , new species

( Figs. 1 , 12 )

Holotype. Male. PERÚ, MADRE DE DIOS, Rio Manu, BIOLAT Biodiversity Station, Pakitza Guard Station, 356m, 11º 56’ 47” S, 071º 17’ 00” W, September (T.L. Erwin & M.G. Pogue)( MUSM: ADP 100400).

Derivation of specific name. The specific epithet, biolat , is used as a noun in apposition based on the acronym of the Smithsonian Institution’s past Program “Biodiversity in Latin America ” ( BIOLAT ) which sought to field­train young Latin American biology students in biodiversity techniques and did so for over 200 of them between 1987 and 1991 in Perú and Bolivia. These beetles were collected under the auspices of the BIOLAT Program.

Common name. Biolat big­headed carabid beetle.

Diagnosis. With the attributes of the genus as described above and pronotum unicolorous, rufous; elytron with preapical spot. Head with fine isodiametric microscupture; elytron with slightly transverse sculpticells; dorsal surface shiny. Size moderately small.

Description. ( Fig. 1 ). Size small: ABL = 6.2 to 6.6 mm, SBL = 5.7 to 6.5 mm, TW = 2.6 to 2.8 mm. Color: Dorsum of head, prothorax and entire venter rufescent; mouthparts, antennomeres 1–4 and legs rufotestaceous; antennomeres testaceous. Metathorasic wings clear. Luster: Shiny. Microsculpture: Isodiametric meshes throughout, these slightly transverse on elytra. Head: Slightly broader across eyes than pronotum; frontal furrows very short, shallowly impressed proximal to clypeus, margined laterally by well developed carina, surface near carina slightly rugose; eyes large, produced, gena absent; frons and occiput slightly convex; labrum slightly emarginate; labial palpomere 4 depressed, subequal in size to maxillary palpomere 4. Prothorax: Pronotum cordiform, moderately convex, depressed along midline, side margins broadly explanate, markedly sinuate anterior to slightly obtuse hind angle, base slightly rounded, not lobed posteriorly. Pterothorax: Normal for Agrina, fully winged. Legs: Normal for Agrina. Abdomen: Sterna normal for Agrina, glabrous, except normal paired ambulatory setae on sterna III–V; males with two and females with 3 pairs long setae on sternum VI. Male genitalia: Phallus ( Fig. 12 ) with ostium of 1/4 its length, slightly catopic, apex short, broad and rounded; endophallus without sclerotized attributes, with many trichae. Parameres asymmetric, right very small, left larger.

Dispersal potential. These fully winged beetles have been repeatedly fogged from the rainforest canopy and probably are good dispersers like most arboreal beetles.

Way of life. See under genus. Two adults of this species were fogged from a tree in the genus Rinorea , others from suspended dead leaf clumps, dry leaves suspended in bamboo stands, dry Cecropia sp. leaves suspended in the canopy, dry Swartzia sp. leaves suspended in bamboo stands, and from beating leaves of shrubs along the trails at Pakitza, Perú. The known altitudinal range of this species is 350 m above sea level. Adults have been obtained in June, July, September, and October; hence there is activity by them in both the dry and rainy seasons.

Other specimens examined. Paratypes: 14, PERÚ. MADRE DE DIOS, Rio Manu, BIOLAT Biodiversity Station, Pakitza Guard Station, 356m, 11º 56’ 47” S, 071º 17’ 00” W, September (T.L. Erwin)( NMNH: male, ADP 100410), September (T.L. Erwin & B.D. Farrell)( NMNH: female, ADP 100408), September (T.L. Erwin & M.G. Pogue)( NMNH: male, ADP 100420, male, ADP 100402, male, ADP 100404, male ADP 100418, female ADP 100416, male ADP 100400, male ADP 100406), June (T.L. Erwin & F. Pfuno)( NMNH: ADP 100373), October (T.L. Erwin & M.G. Pogue)( NMNH: male, ADP 100412), July (T.L. Erwin & E. & F. Pfuno)( NMNH: female, ADP 100371, female ADP 100432, female, ADP 100414).

Geographic distribution. Known only from the Manu River watershed, Perú.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Epikastea biolat Erwin n. sp., FIGURE 2. Epikastea grace Erwin n. sp., male, dorsal aspect, specimen # ADP 100400. female, dorsal aspect, specimen # ADP 0093805.

FIGURE 12. Phallus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects of Epikastea biolat Erwin n. sp., specimen # ADP 100400.