Giesbertiolus curoei Ramírez-Ponce, 2014

Ramírez-Ponce, Andrés, 2014, Giesbertiolus curoei, a new species of flower chafer from Panama with transitional characters (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Trichiini), Zootaxa 3795 (5), pp. 557-563 : 558-561

Giesbertiolus curoei Ramírez-Ponce , new species

( Figs. 2, 5, 8, 10 , 12, 16, 18, 20 )

Type material. Holotype, female labeled: PANAMA Comarca Ngobe-Buglé / 8 Km. NW Hato Chami, 1450 msnm / 1-4.ix.2008 / Curoe col. Holotype deposited in CNIN.

Diagnosis. This species can be easily distinguished from the other species of Giesbertiolus and from the genus Dialithus by the following combination of characters: clypeus deeply emarginate with only two iridescent blotches (not bands) on the base; pronotal disc with one (not three) indented, iridescent, longitudinal band and very fine, shallow punctures; elytra with six small, indented, iridescent blotches; mesosternum concave (not straight) in lateral view; mesometasternal process reaching anterior edge of mesocoxae; apex of metatibiae notably sinuate and without conspicuous spines; metatibial spurs longer than first metatarsomere, and length of metatarsus equals 1.35 times that of metatibia.

Description of holotype. Female. Length 21.5 mm, width 9.5 mm. Color: primarily black with red tone on protibia. Body with green, indented, iridescent markings as follows (except those on pygidium which are reddish green): Head: clypeus basally with 1 latero-longitudinal blotch on each side. Pronotum: 1 slender band on midline not reaching anterior and posterior margins; lateral margins broadly lined with complete band, extending to lateral thirds along posterior margin. Elytra: 7 irregular, mainly small, depressed spots present. Prepygidium: 1 slender band on each side of midline, near distal border. Pygidium: two medium size spots on each side of midline. Venter: 1 irregular spot on anterior part of each propleuron, procoxa, and profemur; 1 small irregular spot on posterior part of mesofemora and metafemora; 1 small spot on inner side of basisternum; mesepimerum, metepisternum, and external third of metacoxa mostly iridescent; abdominal sternites except last each with transverse band on basal half, widely interrupted at middle. Clypeus: form slightly wider than long, apex deeply emarginate; sides arcuate and with longitudinal groove extending from base to basal two thirds; surface with punctures shallow, minute, sparse on disc, punctures becoming slightly deeper towards apex. Pronotum: form wider than long (width/ length ratio 1:1.23); disc with scattered, minute, shallow punctures; posterior angles prominent, rounded; sides arcuate; margins beaded except in front of scutellum, lateral margins distinctly so. Elytra: 8 slender striae indicated with shallow rows of small punctures; surface of intervals with punctation sparse; punctures shallow, small; punctures behind apical umbones sparse, setigerous; surface rugose only near apex. Scutellum: apex broadly rounded; punctation sparse, small. Venter: mesometasternal transition convex in lateral view, with process reaching past apex of mesocoxae. Abdomen: first abdominal sternite completely glabrous, smooth; last abdominal sternite with an abrupt, setose, transverse carina near distal margin. Pygidium: deeply notched in outer margins, surface nearly straight in lateral view, almost smooth, with small, shallow, transverse, setigerous punctures; a setose, transverse, widely sinuate carina at apex near distal margin, preceded by a wide, shallow depression. Legs: protibia apically with 2 close teeth; edge between teeth sharply notched (not curved); mesotibial apex conspicuously tri-lobed; mesotarsomeres short, not longer than mesotibia; metatibial apex deeply sinuate, with 1–3 tiny spinules; metatarsomeres elongate but clearly shorter than 1.5 times length of metatibia; tarsomeres with discrete rows of setae on inner sides, and small apical setae on outer side. Genital plates: composed of two lobes, the distal lobe with long, dense setae. Vestiture: pale yellow, mainly on venter; relatively abundant on mentum, prosternum, mesosternum, and metasternum, coxae, trochanters, and femorae, and sparse on abdomen.

Variation. Unknown, the holotype is the only known specimen.

Etymology. I am pleased to name this species in honor of Daniel Curoe, in recognition of his work on Neotropical scarabs.

Natural history. The specimen was collected in September from flowers of an unidentified tree in cloud forest habitat.

Distribution. Known only from the Comarca Ngobe-Buglé in Panama at 8 km NW of Hato Chami at 1450 m elevation.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 11. Photographs of diagnostic structures of the genera Giesbertiolus and Dialithus. 1 – 3) Dorsal habitus of: 1) G. ornatus, 2) G. curoei, 3) D. magnificus. 4 – 6) pygidial and anal plate of: 4) G. ornatus, 5) G. curoei, 6) D. magnificus. 7 – 9) Head of: 7) G. ornatus, 8) G. c u ro e i, 9) D. magnificus. 10 – 11) Lateral view of: 10) G. curoei, 11) D. magnificus. Scale line 2 mm.

FIGURES 12 – 21. Drawings of diagnostic structures of the genera Giesbertiolus and Dialithus. 12 – 14) Pronotum of: 12) G. curoei, 13) G. ornatus, 14) D. magnificus. 15 – 17) Metatibia and metatarsi of: 15) D. magnificus, 16) G. curoei, 17) G. ornatus. 18 – 19) Protibia and protarsus of: 18) G. curoei, 19) D. magnificus. 20 – 21) Metasternum and mesometasternal process of: 20) G. curoei, 21) D. magnificus. Scale line 2 mm.