Zapotecotoma sumichrasti, Engel, Michael S., Falin, Zachary H. & Batelka, Jan, 2019

Engel, Michael S., Falin, Zachary H. & Batelka, Jan, 2019, A new genus of Pelecotominae from Mexico, with notes on the genera Clinops and Scotoscopus and the description of new species (Coleoptera, Ripiphoridae), ZooKeys 857, pp. 59-84 : 59

Zapotecotoma sumichrasti sp. nov. Figs 1-2, 3

Pelecotominae new genus 1 gen. nov.: Falin 2003: 184.

Diagnosis.

As for the genus (vide supra).

Description.

♂: General size and appearance typical of Pelecotominae. Size 7.38 mm from tip of abdomen to base of antennae, 2.15 mm wide at base of pronotum. Body bicolorous; head, prothorax, mesoscutellum, and majority of elytra orange testaceous; remainder of body dull, dark reddish brown, including patches at apexes of elytra (Figs 1-2).

Head ovoid, approximately 1.1 × longer than wide in facial view, medial length 1.67 mm, maximum width (across compound eyes) 1.54 mm. Vertex convex dorsally and posteriorly, as wide as lower face (below compound eyes), rising high above compound eyes in facial view, sloping uniformly to meet and slightly overlap pronotal anterior margin (Fig. 1), with weak medially impressed line, disappearing posteriorly. Dorsal, lateral, and facial aspects of head with fine, semi-decumbent, orange setae, particularly numerous on face between compound eyes and vertex, sparse on genae (Fig. 3); integument dull, with minute, weak, nearly contiguous punctures separated by apparently smooth or faintly imbricate integument (where evident). Compound eye small on middle third of lateral surface of head, finely faceted, emarginate in upper third. Postocular gena expanded into lobe. Frons broad, with antennal torulus laterally directed, antennal toruli separated by distance greater than length of scape, compound eyes separated by distance greater than compound eye length. Malar space elongate, more than one-half length of scape, slightly less than basal mandibular width. Mandible short, slightly curved, with short, acute subapical tooth. Maxillary palpus long, tetramerous, apical palpomere largest, cylindrical, its apical width approximately one third its maximum length, with acutely rounded apex, not flattened or grossly enlarged (greatly enlarged and flattened in Ancholaemus Gerstaecker and Micholaemus Viana), distal sensory duct point-like.

Antenna consisting of eleven antennomeres; antennomere I longer than wide, slightly curved to approximate compound eye; antennomere II short, slightly wider than long; antennomere III longer than antennomere II, about as long as apically wide, triangular, apical margin oblique so as to receive base of following antennomere. Antennomeres IV–XI greatly dissimilar from preceding antennomeres; antennomeres IV–X with internally facing, compressed rami; bases of antennomeres IV–X short and of similar lengths; rami IX and X elongate, extending to apex of antennomere XI (apexes of rami IV–VIII damaged and missing and left antenna completely missing so precise structure of all rami uncertain). Antennomere XI expanded, similar in shape to rami of preceding antennomeres. Total length of antennomere XI nearly 1.6 × length of bases of antennomeres IV–X combined.

Pronotum with suberect to semi-decumbent, fine, orange setae, integument dull, and weakly, indistinctly, and contiguously punctate, with punctures more indistinct posteriorly and integument becoming imbricate. Pronotum triangular in shape, narrowed anteriorly; anterior margin broadly rounded; posterior margin sinuate and generally trilobed, with medial lobe as broad as mesoscutellum and narrowly emarginate, acutely rounded on either side of emargination; lateral margins generally straight, converging apically, convex ventrally to propleurae; propleuron well developed. Pronotal disc without mediolongitudinal carina or impression but with a weak transverse impression near apex and a pair of weak oblique impressions on either side of midline near base; lateral aspect with a ventrally bowed sulcus. Mesonotum obscured by elytra. Mesoscutellum short, flat, parallel-sided, with broadly rounded apex; integumental sculpturing and setation as on pronotal disc. Metanotum obscured by elytra.

Lateral and ventral aspects of pterothorax typical of subfamily. Mesepisternum weakly imbricate, fused with mesosternum, with scattered semi-decumbent setae. Mesepimeron forming prominent, rectangular sclerite separated from mesepisternum by deep sulcus; sculptured and setation as on mesepisternum. Metepisternum an elongate, narrow rectangular sclerite, with sculpturing and setation as on mesepisternum; metasternum massive, weakly imbricate and with semi-decumbent setae more numerous than on metepisternum. Metepimeron approximately parallel-sided except apically upper margin arching ventrally, extending anteriorly to wing base as narrow (slightly more narrow than metepisternum), sclerotized band; weakly imbricate with scattered fine setae.

Legs typical for subfamily; coxae, trochanters, and femora weakly, irregularly, almost indistinctly punctate on otherwise smooth and shining integument with semi-decumbent to suberect lightly fuscous setae; metacoxa with strongly developed posterior flange; femora without densely setose patches ventrally; tibiae straight, cylindrical, broadened slightly apically, with apex terminated by dense row of regular, thin, spiniform setae; tibial spur formula 0-1-1. Tarsi 5-5-4, all tarsomeres cylindrical, slightly tapered basally, truncate apically, progressively reducing in diameter; integument and setae similar to tibiae; protarsus longer than protibia. Protarsomere I slightly shorter than combined length of protarsomeres II and III, protarsomere IV slightly shorter than protarsomere V; relative ratios of mesotarsomeres similar except mesotarsomere I subequal to combined length of mesotarsomeres II and III; ratios of metatarsomeres similar. Pretarsal claws bifid, apical ramus sickle-shaped, inner ramus broadly rounded apically.

Elytra elongate, completely covering abdomen, surface imbricate; elytron basal width 1.08 mm, length 6.83 mm; each elytron with four indistinct costae; lateral margins parallel-sided, lateral margin comparatively straight until tapering inward in apical third, medial margin nearly straight until rounding at apex (Fig. 2); apex weakly acuminate.

Abdomen weakly imbricate, with scattered semi-decumbent to semi-erect setae.

♀: Latet .

Holotype.

♂, [Mexico:] F. Sumichrast [Francis E. Sumichrast (1828-1882), a famous Mexican collector who supplied biological specimens to many researchers and institutions during the 19th Century] / Isth. [Isthmus] of Tehuantepec // F.C. Bowditch / coll. [Frederick Channing Bowditch (1854-1925) Collection, a wealthy amateur collector of Coleoptera ] (MCZ). Unfortunately, the label data are no more specific than referencing the entire isthmus, which encompasses at its narrowest some 124 miles and varied terrain and habitats (e.g., centrally the Selva Zoque, a famous tropical forest region, ranging to dense jungle swamps in the North). It is therefore unclear as to precisely what environment in which to expect the present species. The specimen was likely collected during the same period in which Sumichrast collected birds from Tehuantepec for the United States National Museum (1868-1871) ( Lawrence 1875).

Etymology.

The specific epithet honors Francis E. Sumichrast (1828-1882), collector of the holotype and many other fascinating species from southern Mexico during the mid-19th Century.