Operclipygus cephalicus, 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 : 238-239

Operclipygus cephalicus sp. n. Figs 62 C–D, F63FMap 23

Type locality.

COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Las Cruces Biological Station [8°47'N, 82°57'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Prov., Coto Brus, Est. Biol Las Cruces. 8°47'N, 82°57'W 1,100m. F.I.T. # 2. 10-11 Apr 2002, A. Tishechkin"/ "Caterino/Tishechkin Exosternini Voucher EXO-00308" (FMNH). Paratypes (17): COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: 1: Est. Biol. Las Cruces, Coto Brus, 8°47'N, 82°57'W, 1000m, 22-23.iii.2002, FIT, A. Cline & A. Tishechkin (LSAM); 1: P.N. Manuel Antonio, Quepos, 80m, vii.1991, R. Zuniga (INBIO); 1: Limón: Area Cons. Tortuguero, Sector Cerro Cocori, Fca. De E. Rojas, 150m, i.1992, E. Rojas, (INBIO). PANAMA: Colón: 1: San Lorenzo Forest, 9°17'N, 79°58'W, 27-28.ix.2003, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (GBFM), 1: 6-8.x.2003 (GBFM), 1: 8-9.x.2003 (AKTC), 1: 19-21.x.2003 (AKTC), 2: 12-13.v.2004, DNA Extract MSC- 2225 (MSCC), 1: 15-17.v.2004 (GBFM), 2: 17-18.v.2004 (AKTC), 1: 20-21.v.2004 (AKTC), 1: 21-24.v.2004 (AKTC), 3: 24.v.2004, 25.v.2004 (AKTC, MSCC, FMNH).

Diagnostic description.

This species is very similar to Operclipygus plicicollis , differing mainly in the following characters: length: 1.22-1.53 mm, width: 0.97-1.25 mm; epistoma not strongly convex; labrum short, transverse, truncate to slightly emarginate apically; left mandible with only weakly developed basal tooth; pronotal disk basally flattened, but without well-developed plicae, disk lacking coarse lateral punctures; anterior submarginal pronotal stria recurved, but broadly arcuate, with ends oblique, to nearly pronotal midpoint; median pronotal gland openings alongside recurved arms of anterior stria, about one-fourth pronotal length from anterior margin; elytra with 5th stria present only in apical third, generally fragmented, sutural stria present in just less than apical half; marginal mesoventral stria interrupted at middle; mesometaventral stria narrowly arched forward, angulate near mesocoxa; 1st abdominal ventrite with only very short inner lateral stria or lacking lateral striae entirely. Male: segments 8-10 identical to those of Operclipygus plicicollis (see Figs 63 A–D); tegmen (Fig. 63F) broader, with very weak medioventral process, strongly and evenly dorsoventrally curved to apex.

Remarks.

This species is easy to distinguish from Operclipygus plicicollis by its broadly arcuate anterior submarginal pronotal stria (Fig. 62D), as well as the shape of the labrum (Fig. 62F), and other characters as described.

Etymology.

The name of this species refers to the disproportionately large head, common to this small species group.