Cryptocephalus paulotigrinus, Clark & Lillrose & Belo Neto, 2013

Clark, Shawn M., Lillrose, Tiffany & Belo Neto, Luiz A., 2013, Leaf Beetles of the Cayman Islands (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Insecta Mundi 2013 (279), pp. 1-41 : 34-35

Cryptocephalus paulotigrinus , new species

( Figures 28, 29, 50)

Diagnosis. This species exhibits characters of the genus Cryptocephalus (hind femora not greatly enlarged in comparison to those of front and middle legs, base of pronotum not margined by distinct bead, apical abdominal tergite largely exposed beyond elytra, tarsal claws simple). Additionally, an oblique impression is present in the basolateral quadrant of the pronotum, and the elytral punctures are mostly arranged in regular striae. This combination of characters is not found in any other chrysomelid species known to occur in the Cayman Islands. The color varies dramatically. Paler specimens are dark brown with yellowish pronotal and elytral markings ( Fig. 28). The pronotal color pattern is quite distinctive among West Indian species of Cryptocephalus (dark brown with pale anterior margin, behind this in anterior half with row of four transverse pale markings, the most lateral of these nearly attaining lateral margin, behind this in posterior half with transverse row of four pale markings, the most lateral of these nearly attaining posterolateral corners). Darker specimens are nearly uniformly dark reddish brown ( Fig. 29). In some ways, these resemble C. splendidus Suffrian , a species from Jamaica. However, adults of that species are smaller and less elongate, and they have less deeply impressed elytral striae.

Male. Unknown.

Description of female. Body elongate oval, subcylindrical, glabrous, shiny. Color variable, in lighter specimens brown with yellow maculae on pronotum and with yellow vittae on elytra, in darker specimens nearly entirely dark brown; dark color of darker specimens more reddish than dark markings in paler specimens. Elytral punctation largely striate, deeply impressed to apex. Length 4.7-5.0 mm; width across humeri 2.6-2.9 mm.

Head variable in color; paler specimens yellow with darker brown in median longitudinal groove between eyes; head of darker specimens brown, paler than pronotum, darker than antennae, slightly darker in posterior half. Surface polished; occipital area very finely punctate, with punctures separated by a distance several times as great as their diameters; deep median longitudinal groove present between eyes; frons and clypeus elevated beyond level of neighboring areas, with punctures similar in size to those of vertex but separated on average by a distance subequal to their diameters. Eyes deeply emarginate, reniform, dorsally separated by 0.3-0.4 times width of head. Antennae filiform, pale yellow-brown, distally darker; antennomere 1 elongate, with a few scattered setae; antennomere 2 globular, about one third as long as antennomere 1, armed with several apical setae; antennomeres 3-4 slender, each with several apical setae; antennomeres 5-11 slender, densely pubescent. Labrum pale yellow-brown, alutaceous, with transverse row of setae; mandibles piceous; palpi pale yellow-brown.

Pronotum 1.5-1.8 times as wide as long, 0.9 times as wide as elytra across humeri. Anterior margin with well-developed bead; lateral margins each with strong, carinate bead; posterior margin without bead, nearly smooth, with crenulations very poorly developed. Distinct oblique lateral depression present near basal third. Discal punctures fine to moderate in size, larger than those of head, much smaller than those on elytra, mostly separated by a distance greater than their diameters; surface between punctures polished, upon close examination very finely punctulate. Color of darker specimens reddish brown, similar to or slightly paler than elytra, with base slightly darker than disc, with vaguely darker transverse line slightly behind anterior margin; color of lighter specimens dark brown, with anterior margin behind bead yellow and with eight yellow maculae, four of them transversely placed in anterior half, four of them transversely placed in posterior half, with lateral-most maculae positioned adjacent to lateral bead and sometimes narrowly connected with each other and with yellow anterior margin. Scutellum subtriangular, distinctly longer than wide, slightly elevated posteriorly, reddish brown.

Elytra together 1.3-1.8 times as long as width across humeri, 3.2-3.3 times as long as pronotum. Darker specimens dark reddish brown, marked with lighter reddish brown streaks on some interstrial areas; lighter specimens with alternating dark reddish brown and yellow stripes along striae and interstriae, with posthumeral stripes broken up into small spots. Punctation largely striate, with striae in distal areas located in deep grooves; punctures moderately coarse, deeply impressed, those within each row normally separated by a distance less than their diameters, with some punctures nearly confluent; interstriae normally wider than striae in basal half, more distantly separated in distal half; 7 striae present at base, including subscutellar stria, additional striae present behind humerus; stria 2 regular, uniting with stria 7 near elytra apex; stria 3 regular, paralleling stria 2, uniting with stria 4 on apical declivity; stria 4 regular, but narrowly devoid of punctures near basal third; stria 5 at base regular and defining inner margin of humerus, behind humerus much confused, intermingled with stria 6, thereafter again regular and uniting with stria 6 on apical declivity; stria 7 regular; stria 8 regular, adjacent to epipleuron; epipleuron with marginal row of punctures smaller than those of elytral disc. Humeral area impunctate. Interpunctural areas polished, on close examination finely punctulate.

Ventral areas of thorax and abdomen varying in color from almost entirely dark reddish brown to largely yellow, marked with comparatively small brown areas; brown color of darkest specimens more reddish than in paler specimens; metepisterna always dark. Prothoracic hypomera polished, glabrous, nearly impunctate; prosternum impunctate, glabrous, polished; anterior margin of prosternum evenly arcuate, without mesal angulation or spine, slightly reflexed ventrally beyond level of more posterior area; prosternum between coxae about as wide as each coxa. Mesothorax laterally alutaceous, mesally polished. Metasternum mesally polished, glabrous to finely, sparsely punctate; lateral areas of metasternum alutaceous, punctate, with punctures similar in size to those of pronotum; metepisterna densely pubescent. Ventral areas of abdomen alutaceous, pubescent, finely punctate; terminal ventrite with deep fovea. Pygidium coarsely, closely punctate, with punctures coalescent, nearly as large as those at apex of elytra. Tarsal claws simple. Spermatheca as in Figure 50.

Material examined. Holotype: “CAYMAN: Grand Cayman, Mastic Trail, 28 May 2009, R. Turnbow” (female, FSCA) . Paratypes: Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman , mangrove area 4 km NE Savannah, 19°182N, 81°l72W, 20-II-1993, F. J. Burton, W. E. Steiner, J. M. Swearingen (2 females, USNM) ; Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman , Mastic Trail, 28-V-2009, R. Turnbow (1 female, BYUC; 1 female, RHTC) .

Plant associations. Unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet of this taxon is derived from Latin and refers to the color pattern of paler specimens that somewhat resembles that of a little tiger.

Comments. The color variation in this species is striking, enough so to suggest that there are actually two species involved, rather than just one. However, we find no significant differences other than just color, and some specimens are quite intermediate between the two extremes. The oblique pronotal impressions are distinctive, but we don’t believe this species to belong to the genus Aulacothoracicus Watts that is defined by even more pronounced impressions.