Nesocyrtosoma altagracia Hopp and Ivie

Hopp, Katie J. & Ivie, Michael A., 2009, A Revision Of The West Indian Genus Nesocyrtosoma Marcuzzi (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 8) 63, pp. 1-138 : 40-41

Nesocyrtosoma altagracia Hopp and Ivie , New Species ( Figs. 136–139 , 262 )

Type Material. HOLOTYPE: Female. DOM. REP.: Prov. LaAltagracia; Boca de Yuma entr. to Par.; Nac, delEste, 12m, 06AUG1999; 18u 21.9049N, 68u 37.0949W; M. A. Ivie, beating at night. (from WIBF, deposited NMNH) . PARATYPES (2 specimens): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; La Altagracia Province; El Veron, Hoyo Azul ; 18u 33.6109N, 68u 26.8819W; 25–40 m. blacklight 22 July; 2004- S. W. Lingafelter. (1 NMNH). DOMINICAN . REP:; Prov. Altagracia; Punta Cana , 24–29 July 2001; M. A. and L. L. Ivie. (1 WIBF) .

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished by the acute anterior angles of the pronotum ( Fig. 138 ), lateral edges of the pronotum weakly sinuate, and the smooth prosternal process ( Fig. 139 ). It is similar to Nesocyrtosoma darlingtoni Hopp and Ivie , but can be distinguished from that species by the shallowly excavate mesoventrite ( Fig. 139 ). It is also similar to Nesocyrtosoma mutabile Hopp and Ivie , but can be distinguished from that species by the more elongate pronotum with the anterior angles more acute, produced and narrowly rounded ( Fig. 138 ). Finally, it also closely resembles Nesocyrtosoma dolosum Hopp and Ivie , but can be distinguished from that species by the prosternal process declivous behind ( Fig. 139 ) and antennomeres 7–10 weakly widened apically.

Description (female). 8.0– 8.5 mm long, 4.5–5.5 mm wide. Body elongate, moderately convex, broad, weakly tapering at apex ( Figs. 136, 137 ). Purple to black; antennae, mouthparts and tarsi darkly ferrugineous. Head densely punctate dorsally, punctures smaller than a single eye facet, lightly impressed; extremely short golden seta emerging from each puncture. Antenna weakly clavate, nearly filiform; antennomeres 7–10 weakly widened apically, forming a loose, elongate club; apical antennomere longitudinally ovate; antennomeres 7–11 with stellate sensoria. Mentum with acute median keel raised anteriorly to a point ( Figs. 10, 12 ). Ventral portion of eye reaching subgenal sulcus ( Fig. 9 ); postgena without distinct punctures. Dorsal surface of pronotum densely punctate; punctures separated by 1.0–2.0 diameters; shagreened. Pronotal marginal bead complete laterally, anterior marginal bead effaced medially, posterior margin lacking marginal bead; anterior angles of pronotum acute, moderately produced and apically narrowly rounded; lateral edge of pronotum weakly sinuate at base; pronotum evenly convex ( Fig. 138 ). Hypomeron without distinct punctures. Prosternal process apically rounded; indistinct marginal grooves opposite coxae joined apically ( Fig. 139 ). Elytral striae weakly impressed, present as small discontinuous punctures; punctures separated by 0.5–1.0 diameters creating fine striae; elytral interstriae flat, impunctate, shagreened; scutellary striae long; 6–10 punctures long, nearly reaching the suture; scutellum triangular, normal ( Figs. 136, 138 ). Mesoventrite thin antero-posteriorly, shallowly excavate, widely V-shaped, receiving prosternal process; metaventrite subequal in antero-postero length of mesocoxa ( Fig. 139 ). Metathoracic wing fully developed. Legs long, slender, punctate; apical portion of femur reaching beyond elytron; tibiae straight Abdominal depressions on 4th and 5th ventrites reduced to indistinct slits ( Fig. 74 ); intercoxal process of first ventrite apically rounded; ventral surface densely punctate, punctures weakly impressed ( Fig. 139 ).

Male. No males were available for study.

Biology. This species has been collected at night in dry forest and at blacklight.

Distribution. This species is endemic to Hispaniola and appears to only occur in La Altagracia Province of the Dominican Republic ( Figs. 260 , 262 ).

Etymology. This species is named for the Dominican Republic province La Altagracia, from which this species is known. Altagracia is used as a noun in apposition.

Figures

Figs. 136–143. 136–139: Nesocyrtosoma altagracia. 136) Habitus, dorsal; 137) Habitus, lateral; 138) Pronotum; 139) Thoracic sterna. 140–143: Nesocyrtosoma basilense. 140) Habitus, dorsal; 141) Habitus, lateral; 142) Pronotum; 143) Thoracic sterna.

Figs. 262–264. Nesocyrtosoma species distribution maps. 262) Distributions of N. bestiola, N. ferruginea, N. merkli, N. altagracia, N. basilense, N. dolosum, N. darlingtoni, N. cristalense, and N. dentatum; 263) Distributions of N. virens, N. purpureum, N. crenulatum, N. otus, and N. elongatum; 264) Distributions of N. tumefactum, N. turquinense, N. scabrosum, N. simplex, N. parallelum, N. fernandoi, N. serratum, N. teresitae, and N. productum.

Figs. 10–18. 10–13: Ventral portion of head. 10) Nesocyrtosoma guerreroi ocular depression; 11) Nesocyrtosoma bankense ocular depression; 12) Nesocyrtosoma virens distinct postgenal punctures; 13) Nesocyrtosoma otus median keel of mentum broad. 14–18: Antenna. 14) Nesocyrtosoma crenulatum with antennomeres 10 and 11 with stellate sensoria; 15) Nesocyrtosoma guerreroi with antenna clavate, apical six antennomeres enlarged to form club; 16) Nesocyrtosoma crenulatum with antenna moderately clavate, apical six antennomeres enlarged to form club; 17) Nesocyrtosoma inflatum with antenna weakly clavate, nearly filiform, apical six antennomeres enlarged to form club; 18) Strongylium atrum with filiform antenna.

Figs. 5–9. 5–7: Mandible of Nesocyrtosoma hispaniolae. 5) View from back; 6) View from side; 7) View from front. 8–9: Ventral portion of eye. 8) Nesocyrtosoma lacrima with ventral portion of eye not reaching the subgenal sulcus; 9) Nesocyrtosoma darlingtoni with ventral portion of eye reaching the subgenal sulcus.

Figs. 74–76. Abdominal characters. 74) Nesocyrtosoma inflatum with abdominal depressions on 4th and 5th ventrites reduced to indistinct slits (AbS 5 abdominal slits); 75) Nesocyrtosoma otus with abdominal depressions on 4th and 5th ventrites present as impressed pits (AbP 5 abdominal pits); 76) Nesocyrtosoma skelleyi with first visible abdominal ventrite with a nipple at the apex.

Fig. 260. Map of the provinces of the Dominican Republic.