Phellinocis romualdoi, Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano & Lawrence, John F., 2005

Lopes-Andrade, Cristiano & Lawrence, John F., 2005, Phellinocis, a new genus of Neotropical Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea), Zootaxa 1034, pp. 43-60 : 52-55

Phellinocis romualdoi , sp. n.

( Figs 6–16 )

Diagnosis

This species differs from P. e r w i n i in having a distinct elytral declivity, coarser and denser pronotal punctation, seriate elytral punctation, and pronotal horns in the male joined at base. From P. thayerae , it may be distinguished by larger size, 4 frontoclypeal teeth in the male, no pronotal or frontoclypeal modifications in the female, and a larger abdominal setal patch, which is elevated and posteriorly directed.

Description

Male. Length 1.35–1.85 mm. Body about 2.08 times as long as wide ( Fig. 6 ). Upper surfaces black to dark reddish­brown; undersurfaces and legs mostly reddish­brown; labrum, ventral mothparts and antennae yellow to yellowish­brown. Head more or less impunctate above, with transversely curved concavity; frontoclypeal region produced and slightly elevated laterally to form pair of weak, frontal plates and more strongly elevated mesally to form pair of approximate tubercles ( Fig. 7 ). Antennae 8­ or 9­segmented ( Fig. 9 , A–B); ratio of antennomere lengths (in 8­segmented antenna): 4.8: 3.6: 3.2: 1.2: 1.0: 4: 3.6: 5.6; length/width ratios: 1.2, 1.33, 2.33, 1.0, 0.75, 0.91, 0.83, 1.16. Pronotum about 0.75 times as long as wide, evenly convex and relatively coarsely and densely punctate with weakly granulate, shiny interspaces, except for anterior seventh, which is concave and more strongly granulate; anterior edge produced, elevated and slightly emarginate forming pair of rounded tubercles. Elytra about 1.35 times as long as wide and 2 times as long as pronotum; apically with pair of weak, posterolateral, oblique ridges and slightly fluted edge forming weak, slightly concave declivity ( Fig. 12 , arrow); megapunctures distinctly seriate. Setal patch on male abdomen about one­fourth median length of first ventrite (without intercoxal process), located at about middle, slightly elevated but not facing posteriorly ( Fig. 13 , arrow). Aedeagus about 0.8 times as long as last two ventrites combined; tegmen widest at apical third, broadly rounded at apex ( Fig. 16 ).

Va r i a t i o n

Measurements in mm (15 ɗɗ, 16 ΨΨ): TLɗ 1.35–1.85 (1.58 ± 0.15), TLΨ 1.3–1.8 (1.55 ± 0.13); PLɗ 0.45–0.6 (0.53 ± 0.05), PLΨ 0.5–0.7 (0.61 ± 0.05); PWɗ 0.6–0.8 (0.73 ± 0.07), PWΨ 0.6–0.8 (0.73 ± 0.07); ELɗ 0.85–1.02 (1.01 ± 0.01), ELΨ 0.9–1.2 (1.05 ± 0.08); EWɗ 0.6–0.85 (0.75 ± 0.08); EWΨ 0.65–0.85 (0.78 ± 0.05). Ratios: BL/EWɗ 1.87– 2.31 (2.06), BL/EWΨ 2.0–2.27 (2.10); PL/PWɗ 0.67–0.79 (0.72); PL/PWΨ 0.75–0.92 (0.78); EL/EWɗ 1.20–1.54 (1.35); EL/EWΨ 1.24–1.47 (1.36); EL/PLɗ 1.73–2.09 (1.92); EL/PLΨ 1.43–2.0 (2.10). Color varies from yellow or yellowish­brown to black. Antennal segmentation varies among specimens; and antennae of both male and female may be either 8­ or 9­segmented ( Fig. 9 , A–B). This variation was observed in specimens from the five known localities of this species; such intraspecific variation was never observed in any other described Ciidae . Smaller males with raised, emarginate pronotal plate, the sides of which are subparallel, and with more weakly developed frontoclypeal plates. Female specimens with anterior edge of pronotum slightly elevated, usually forming paired tubercles, frontoclypeal region with pair of small, widely separated tubercles, and first ventrite bearing a setal patch ( Fig. 15 , arrow) with half the diameter of the one found in male ( Fig. 14 , arrow).

the ninth segment (arrows). Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Type series

Holotype. ɗ, Brazil: “ BRASIL: MG / Lavras “Parque Ecológico Quedas do Rio Bonito” / vi. 2003 / leg. F. Z. Vaz­de­Mello” ( MZSP). Paratypes (20 ɗɗ, 32 ΨΨ). Brazil: 3ɗɗ, 2ΨΨ, Espírito Santo, Domingos Martins, Parque Estadual da Pedra Azul, 17– 18.i.2000, C. Lopes­Andrade ( LAPC); 2ɗɗ, 1Ψ, same data ( ANIC); 1Ψ, Espírito Santo, Venda Nova do Imigrante, 31.v.2002, R. Falqueto ( LAPC); 7ɗɗ, 12ΨΨ, same locality, 08.viii.2003, R. Falqueto & S. A. Falqueto ( LAPC, MZSP, MUFV); 1ɗ, 1Ψ, Espírito Santo, Santa Teresa, Reserva Biológica de Santa Lúcia, 25.i.2002, C.R. Ribas & J.H. Schoereder ( LAPC); 2ɗɗ, 5ΨΨ, Minas Gerais, Lavras, Parque Ecológico Quedas do Rio Bonito, vi.2003, F.Z. Vaz­de­Mello ( LAPC); 3ɗɗ, 3ΨΨ, same data ( ANIC); 2Ψ, Minas Gerais, Viçosa, Mata da Biologia, 20.i.2002, C. Lopes­Andrade ( LAPC); 1ɗ, 1Ψ, same data ( ANIC); 1ɗ, 4Ψ, same locality, 26.i.2002, C. Lopes­Andrade ( LAPC).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. nov., male genitalia showing eighth sternite (viii­S), ninth segment (ix), basal piece (bp), tegmen (teg) and median lobe (ml). Note enlarged, hooked apices of

FIGURES 6 – 11. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. nov., male (if not specified). 6. Body, dorsal view. 7. Anterior part of pronotum and head, dorsal view. 8. Female antenna (arrow pointing to sensillifer on apical antennomere). 9. Antennae of male (A) and female (antennomeres 7 and 8 missing) (B). 10. Prosternum, showing the laminate prosternal process (arrow). 11. Protibia, showing two teeth at outer apex (arrow). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (Fig. 6); 0.1 mm (Fig. 7 – 11).

FIGURES 12 – 15. Phellinocis romualdoi sp. nov., male (if not specified). 12. Part of elytra (arrow) and abdomen, ventral view. 13. Base of abdomen, ventral view, showing setal patch (arrow). 14. Male setal patch (arrow). 15. Female setal patch (arrow). Scale bars: 0.3 mm (Fig. 12); 0.1 mm (Fig. 13); 0.5 mm (Figs. 14 – 15).