Operclipygus bicolor, 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 : 56-58

Operclipygus bicolor sp. n. Figs 13 B–C 14EMap 4

Type locality.

FRENCH GUIANA: Itoupé Table Mountain [3°1.38'N, 53°5.73'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "GUYANE FR., Mont tabulaire Itoupé. 3°1.38'N, 53°5.73'W. 570 m. Piège d’interception, 17 Mar 2010. SEAG leg." / "Caterino/Tishechkin Exosternini Voucher EXO-00548" (MNHN). Paratypes (14): FRENCH GUIANA: 8: same data as type (CHND, FMNH, MSCC, AKTC). 4: same locality as type, 24.iii.2010, FIT, SEAG (CHND), 1: 31.iii.2010, FIT, SEAG (CHND). 1: Route de l’est, après la riviere Comté, 4°39'N, 52°20'W, 7.i.1978, G. Nazaret (CHND).

Diagnostic description.

This species is very similar in many respects to Operclipygus conquisitus , especially in the presence over much of the body of dense ground punctation. It is described only to the extent that it differs here: length: 1.97-2.18 mm, width: 1.65-1.87 mm; frons with central part of frontal stria present; pronotum lacking dense ground punctation, median pronotal gland openings just beyond apices of weakly recurved anterior submarginal stria, only about 8 puncture widths from anterior margin; elytra distinctly reddish, darkened slightly along suture; base of prosternal keel weakly emarginate; mesoventrite weakly projecting; marginal mesoventral stria complete; metaventrite with secondary anterior stria, parallel to mesometaventral stria, but just reaching to mesometaventral suture; pygidium with coarse, secondary punctures slightly denser than in Operclipygus conquisitus . Male genitalia (Fig. 14E): accessory sclerites present, not unusually small; T8 with sides weakly convergent in basal two-thirds, angulate to narrow apex, apical emargination narrow, basal emargination broadly rounded, basal membrane attachment line distad by about one-half emargination depth from its apex, ventrolateral apodemes symmetrical anteriorly and posteriorly, nearly meeting at midline; S8 with sides parallel, apical guides narrow, widended to apex, apices subtruncate, ventral halves approximate in basal fourth, weakly diverging to near apex; T9 with apices subacute, slightly convergent; T10 with halves separate; S9 with stem narrowed at middle, widened to basal fourth, basal sides subparallel to truncate base, head with lateral flanges rather broad, apex lacking median emargination, apical flanges narrowed at middle, but continuous; tegmen narrow, parallel-sided in basal half, strongly narrowed to subacute apex, apical third bent ventrad, with thin ‘U’ -shaped medioventral process projecting beneath about one-fourth from base; basal piece nearly one-half tegmen length; median lobe slightly over one-half tegmen length, proximal apodemes undifferentiated, thin and separate.

Remarks.

The red coloration of the elytra (Fig. 13B) of Operclipygus bicolor is practically sufficient for identification. There are very few bicolored histerids in the Neotropics, and even fewer Exosternini . This character, in addition to the dense ground punctation of the head and sterna allow confident identification of this species.

Etymology.

This species’ name refers to its bicolored appearance.