Paramaronius serranus, Biffi, Gabriel, 2015

Biffi, Gabriel, 2015, Three new species and distributional records for Paramaronius Wittmer (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Chauliognathinae), ZooKeys 516, pp. 49-69 : 51

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Cantharidae

Paramaronius serranus sp. n. Figs 1-5, 14, 18, 19, 22, 26, 30

Type material.

HOLOTYPE ♂: BRAZIL: São Paulo, Jundiaí (Reserva Biológica Serra do Japi), 23°14'20"S; 46°57'27"W, 8.xi.2011, Biffi, G. & Nascimento E.A. cols. (MZSP). PARATYPES: BRAZIL: São Paulo, Jundiaí (Reserva Biológica Serra do Japi), 23°14'20"S; 46°57'27"W, 8.xi.2011, Biffi, G. & Nascimento E.A. cols. (2♂, 3♀) (MZSP); same locality, 23-25.i.2012, Nascimento, E.A., Biffi, G. & Fernandes, F.R. (1♀ pined; 1♂, 1♀ in alcohol) (MZSP); São Paulo, Bocaina [Serra da Bocaina], 27.x.1963, H.S. Lopes col. (1♂) (CEIOC); same locality, 27.x.1963, P. Ildo col. (1♀) (CEIOC); Minas Gerais (Serra do Caraça), 1380 m, xi.1961, Kloss, Lenko, Martins & Silva col. (1♂, 1♀) (MZSP).

Description.

Holotype (Figs 4, 5): Head with the occipital region, vertex and apex of mandibles dark brown; frons, clypeus, genae and base of mandibles pale yellow. Frons presents a small and barely defined brown spot between the antennae. Antennomeres 1-3 dark brown dorsally and pale yellow ventrally; antennomeres 4-11 dark brown on the apex and lighter on the base. Labial and maxillary palpi pale yellow, and last palpomeres, light brown dorsally. Pronotum dark brown, with two medial yellow spots: one round anteriorly and another sub-rectangular posteriorly, reaching the posterior margins; posterior margin, anterior angles and hypomera pale yellow. Scutellum yellow with translucent apex. Elytra dark brown with yellow apices. Hind wings dark brown. Thorax pale yellow ventrally, with anterior margins of meso- and metanepisterna brown. Legs pale yellow, with the base of coxae, dorsal face of femora, apical and dorsal faces of tibiae and tarsi, brown. Abdominal tergites dark brown, with yellow borders; posterior borders of tergites VI and VII yellow; ventrites yellow with brown spots laterally; two last ventrites brown.

Male (Fig. 1): Head covered with fine and dense pubescence; vertex and occipital region flat; lateral margin of head arcuated behind the eyes. Eyes prominent. Antennae long, last two antennomeres exceeding the apex of elytra; antennomere 1 slender, 3.6 times longer than wide; antennomere 2 short, third antennomere 2 times shorter than antennomere 1, fourth to sixth subequal in length, as long as the antennomere 1, seventh antennomere is the longest, slightly longer than the antennomere 1, eighth to eleventh antennomeres progressively shorter than the seventh. Pronotum 1.15 times wider than long, longer at middle; anterior and posterior margins arcuated; lateral margins slightly sinuate; posterior angles directed upwards. Scutellum wide, triangular, with truncate apex. Elytra short, 1.5 times longer than wide; pubescence short, fine and dense; sutures dehiscent from apical half; apical half modified into a shallow impression forming glabrous slopes; truncate apex. Epipleura with a row of thin and longer setae born on a shallow groove directed backwards to meet a slight fold on dorsal face (Fig. 2). Legs slender, hind tibia longer than hind femur; tarsomeres gradually increasing in size from fore to hind legs; first metatarsomere 1.9 times longer than second and 2.6 times longer than third. Abdominal glandular pores slightly prominent. Seventh abdominal ventrite (Fig. 14) wider than long, deeply emarginated forming two sharpened lobes with membranous apices. Aedeagus (Fig. 22) with right prolongation of tegmen large and slightly sinuous on the posterior margin, covered by long setae. Dorsal surface with a short apophysis. Left setiferous prolongation very long and curved, not clubbed, with few setae at apex. Right paramere (Fig. 26) short, narrow at base and very wide at apex, directed backwards, meeting dorsal apophysis of tegmen. Left paramere flat, short and wide, divided apically and partially covering the dorsal surface of median lobe. Median lobe (Fig. 30) long and curved to the right. Ventral and lateral surfaces of tegmen smooth.

Female (Fig. 3) slightly bigger than male; eyes smaller and less prominent; pronotum longer than of male with anterior margin more arched and lateral margins almost straight; dorsal surface of elytra without sculptural modifications; sutures gradually dehiscent from apical half. Seventh abdominal ventrite (Fig. 18) trapezoidal, with distal margin sinuate and emarginated at middle. Coxites elongated, narrow basally and more sclerotised at distal margins. Styles (Fig. 20) long and straight.

Color variations.

Other specimens from the type locality are much more pigmented. In these cases the frons, clypeus, palpi, thorax and legs vary from dark brown to black; the yellow pronotal spots may be indistinct. On less pigmented specimens, the head is pale with a posterior V-shaped mark; pronotum broadly pale, the sides light brown; elytra light brown, with the apex yellow.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a derivative of the Portuguese word “serra” (mountain ranges), referring to the regions where the specimens were collected.

Distribution.

Brazil (Minas Gerais and São Paulo) (Figs 44, 45).

Biological data.

The specimens from Serra do Japi were collected on shrub vegetation across the most humid part of the trail near the Paraíso stream. The local vegetation is composed of a highland mesophyllous semideciduous forest ( Leitão-Filho 1992).