Operclipygus rileyi, 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 : 161-163

Operclipygus rileyi sp. n. Figs 42E43 E–H, KMap 16

Type locality.

ECUADOR: Orellana: Yasuní Research Station [0°40.5'S, 76°24'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "ECUADOR: Napo Prov. Estacion Cientifica Yasuní, 00°40'28"S, 76°38'50"W, IX-5-10-1999. 215m"/ "Coll. E. G. Riley, flight intercept trap primary forest" / "LSAM 0013297 (TAMU). Paratypes (2): same data as type (TAMU, FMNH).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.56-1.65 mm, width: 1.22-1.28 mm; this species is externally nearly identical to Operclipygus gratus , lacking a pygidial sulcus and having subcarinate frontal and epistomal margins. It differs slightly in having the lateral striae of the 1st abdominal ventrite both complete and closer together, as well as in male genitalic characters (Figs 43 E–H, K): accessory sclerites present, small; T8 rather short, with sides evenly rounded to apex, basal emargination narrow, deep, rounded, nearly reaching basal membrane attachment line, ventrolateral apodemes most strongly developed near base, diverging to apex; S8 with sides parallel in basal half, strongly divergent and downturned apically, halves divergent from base; T9 with sides rounded to subacute apices, ventrolateral apodemes displaced to near apex; T10 halves separate; S9 short, broad, with wide truncate base; lateral flanges minimally differentiated from apical expansion, apex with very narrow median emargination, apical flanges short, separate; tegmen widest at midpoint, evenly narrowed to base and apex, medioventral process long, apically acute, weakly sclerotized, not projecting beneath; basal piece about one-fourth length of tegmen; median lobe about one-third length of tegmen, with proximal apodemes strongly differentiated, but with narrow portions still well sclerotized, not filamentous.

Remarks.

Aside from their allopatric distributions, this species can only be reliably separated from Operclipygus gratus by its male genitalia, which differs in several characters, most significantly the very divergent apices of S8 (Fig. 43F) and rounded sides of the tegmen (Fig. 43K).

Etymology.

We name this species for chrysomelid specialist Edward Riley, in recognition of his numerous contributions to this study.