Trigonopeltastes warneri, Smith, Andrew B. T., 2016

Smith, Andrew B. T., 2016, Five new species of Trigonopeltastes Burmeister and Schaum from Central America with new country records for other New World Trichiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), ZooKeys 617, pp. 91-127 : 101-103

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Scarabaeidae

Trigonopeltastes warneri sp. n.

Type locality.

Las Cuevas Research Station, Chiquibul National Forest, Cayo District, Belize.

Type series.

Holotype male, allotype female, and 1 male paratype. Holotype male and allotype female at FSCA labeled "BELIZE: Cayo District / Chiquibul N. F. / Las Cuevas Research Sta. / 16° 43'59"N, 88°59'11"W / 29.V.2003; J.A. Shuey" (typeset). One male paratype at CMNC labeled "GUATEMALA: Petén / Cerro Cahuí / 16.99876 -89.71038 ± 206m / 150m, 24.V.2009 / LLAMA #Go-B-05-3-01 / tropical moist forest, beating veg" (typeset). The types listed above bear my red holotype or allotype label or yellow paratype label.

Description of holotype

(Figs 38-42). Male. Length 9.5 mm, width 3.5 mm. Color: dorsal surface black with orange markings on elytra and yellow cretaceous markings on head, pronotum, scutellum, elytra, and pygidium (Figs 38-39, 40). Femora tan, protibia and mesotibia half tan and half black longitudinally, metatibia and tarsi black. Head: Surface densely setose with short setae medially on disc (ex cept along midline), frons with paired cretaceous markings between eyes (Fig. 41), clypeus with longitudinally elongate punctures. Clypeus about as long as wide with midline distinctly elevated, apex emarginate. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club length approximately equal to length of antennomeres 2-7. Maxilla with long, thin brush protruding beyond clypeus in dorsal view. Mentum densely setose, setae obscuring surface. Pronotum: Surface of disc dull-black with shiny micropunctures (Fig. 41). Marginal bead complete; with complete ring of setose, cretaceous markings inside marginal bead. Pronotal disc with more-or-less complete inverted triangle indented into the surface with cretaceous markings, cretaceous markings of triangle without setae (Fig. 41). Scutellum: Surface with cretaceous patches in basal corners. Elytra: Surface glabrous, matt. Transverse cretaceous band (1 on each side) short, located on basal half of elytral suture. Cretaceous bands (1 on each side) adjacent to lateral edge approximately halfway between base and apex, length approximately ¼ width of elytron (Figs 38-39). Elytral striae weakly defined with rows of punctures not indented into surface. Orange markings consisting of transverse, basal band and continuous, oblique T-shaped pattern on each elytron (Figs 38-39). Pygidium: Surface mostly covered with cretaceous makings except for apex and apical 2/3 of medial line (Fig. 40). Disc strongly, evenly convex with apex deflexed, flat. Venter: Sternum mostly covered with cretaceous markings and setae. Visible abdominal sternites 1-5 almost entirely covered with cretaceous markings, with erect setae scattered throughout. Legs: Protibia with 2 teeth near apex (Fig. 39). Mesotibia robust with outer edge weakly bowed outward medially. Tibial spurs acute, unmodified. Holotype with 1 protarsus and 1 metatarsus missing. Parameres: Strongly curved, roughly forming a circle; apex strongly curved inward, enlarged, dorsoventrally flattened (Fig. 42).

Variation.

Female allotype (Figs 43-45): length 9.0 mm, width 4.0 mm. The female allotype differs in the following characters: Color: Legs tan to brown. Head: Surface moderately setose with short, obscure setae, head without cretaceous markings (Fig. 45). Pygidium: Surface with thick, inverted U-shaped, cretaceous markings along lateral margins and base; apically and medially without cretaceous markings (Fig. 44). Disc evenly convex without deflexed apex. Venter: Sternum only partially covered with cretaceous markings. Visible abdominal sternites 1-5 without cretaceous markings medially. Legs: Protibia with 3 teeth, 2 near apex and 1 medial. Mesotibia without outer edge bowed outward. Male paratype: length 9.0 mm. Femora and mesotibia orange, protibia half orange and half black longitudinally, metatibia and tarsi black with some dark red. Head: Frons with single cretaceous marking extending between eyes. Clypeus with midline setose, not distinctly elevated. The male paratype is similar in all characters to the holotype.

Etymology.

This species is named after Bill Warner (Chandler, Arizona) as thanks for bringing the holotype and allotype specimens to my attention.

Distribution

(Fig. 57). BELIZE - Cayo (2): Las Cuevas Research Station, Chiquibul National Forest. GUATEMALA - Petén (1): Cerro Cahuí (16.99876°N, 89.71038°W).

Temporal data.

May (3).

Remark.

This species is similar externally to Trigonopeltastes sallaei sallaei and Trigonopeltastes intermedius but has differences in the elytral coloration pattern. Trigonopeltastes warneri has distinct male parameres (Fig. 42) and is found in the lowlands of eastern Guatemala and Belize, while Trigonopeltastes sallaei sallaei and Trigonopeltastes intermedius are typically found at mid to high elevation localities.