Dyscolotaxia chiriquiensis Otto, 2023

Otto, Robert L., 2023, A revision of Dyscolotaxia Horn, 1890 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Macraulacini), with the description of Amazotaxia new genus from South America, Insecta Mundi 2023 (21), pp. 1-15 : 6-8

Dyscolotaxia chiriquiensis Otto , new species

Fig. 10–13

Differential diagnosis. The rounded last abdominal ventrite will distinguish D. chiriquiensis new species from D. hispaniolensis new species. Longer than wide antennal flagellomeres IV and V each in relation to antennal flagellomere III will distinguish the new eucnemid species from D. championi . Antennal flagellomere VI being shorter than the combined lengths of III–V will distinguish D. chiriquiensis new species from D. picea new species.

Type material. Male holotype: “ PANAMA: Chiriqui Prov.; La Fortuna, “Hydrolog.; Trail”, 08°42′N, 82°14′W; 1200 m, 9–12 VI 1996; J. Ashe & R. Brooks #187; ex: flight intercept trap” / “ Dyscolotaxia ; championi ; Horn; Det. R.L. Otto; 2014” (folded) / “ HOLOTYPE:; Dyscolotaxia ; chiriquiensis ♂; Otto; Det. R.L. Otto; 2020” (red printed label). The holotype is deposited in SEMC.

Paratypes. 4 ♂♂: PANAMA: 1 ♂, “ PANAMA: Chiriqui Prov. ; La Fortuna, “Cont. Divide; Trail”, 08°46′N, 82°12′W; 1150 m, 23-V–9-VI-1995; J. Ashe, R. Brooks #155; ex: flight intercept trap ” / “Collection of the Global; Eucnemid Research Project; (Robert L. Otto)” (green framed white label) / “ PARATYPE:; Dyscolotaxia ; chiriquiensis ♂; Otto; Det. R.L. Otto; 2020” (yellow printed label) ( GERP); 1 ♂, “ PANAMA: Chiriqui Prov. ; La Fortuna , “Hydro. Trail”; 08°42′N, 82°14′W; 1150 m, 23-V–9-VI-1996; J. Ashe, R. Brooks #156; ex: flight intercept trap ” / “ Dyscolotaxia ; championi ; Horn; Det. R.L. Otto; 2014” (folded) / “ PARATYPE:; Dyscolotaxia ; chiriquiensis ♂; Otto ; Det. R.L. Otto; 2020” (yellow printed label) ( SEMC); 1 ♂, “ PANAMA: Chiriqui; 5.6 km N Boquete; La Culebra Trail , 1650 m; 8 ° 49′23″N, 82 ° 25′18″W; 15 – 19 Jun 1996, J. Ashe; R. Brooks PAN1AB96 177B; ex: flight intercept trap ” / “ Dyscolotaxia ; championi ; Horn; Det. R.L. Otto; 2014” (folded) / “ PARATYPE:; Dyscolotaxia ; chiriquiensis ♂; Otto; Det. R.L. Otto; 2020” (yellow printed label) ( SEMC); 1 ♂, “ PANAMA: Chiriqui Prov.; 4 km E. Boquete; Valle Palo Alto ; 08 ° 48′33″N, 82 ° 23′59″W; 29-vii-1999; J.B. Woodley 99/065” / “Collection of the Global; Eucnemid Research Project; (Robert L. Otto)” (green framed white label) / “ PARATYPE:; Dyscolotaxia ; chiriquiensis ♂; Otto; Det. R.L. Otto; 2020” (yellow printed label) ( GERP). Paratypes are deposited in GERP and SEMC.

Description. Male holotype: Length, 6.0 mm. Width, 1.5 mm. Body elongate; uniformly black; scape black, pedicel dark reddish, antennal flagellum dark brown; femur and tibiae black; tarsi dark brown; head, pronotum, and elytra clothed with short, recumbent, yellowish setae ( Fig. 10 ). Head: Subspherical, with a faint indication of median carina present on frons above antennal insertions; surface shiny, punctures somewhat deep, closely dispersed; apical margin of frontoclypeal region feebly trilobed, more than 2 times wider than base; interantennal carina present at base of frontoclypeal region; mandibles stout, bidentate, densely punctate. Antennae ( Fig. 11 ): Capitate with flagellomeres VI–IX forming an elongate club, reaching 2/3 the length of its body; with last 3 segments extending beyond pronotal hind angles; flagellomere I elongate, almost twice as long as II; flagellomeres II and III subequal, each longer than wide and shorter than IV; flagellomeres IV and V subequal, each longer than wide; flagellomeres VI–VIII subequal, each longer than wide and as long as flagellomeres IV–V combined; flagellomere IX longer than VIII. Pronotum: Surfaces shiny; punctures somewhat deep, closely spaced; slightly longer than wide, with well developed hind angles; lateral sides weakly arcuate and narrowed craniad; disc convex without depressions or carinae; base sinuous. Scutellar shield: Triangular shaped, longer than wide, punctate, setose, and distally rounded. Elytra: Striae indicated as solid lines; interstices flattened; surface shiny, transversely rugose at basal 1/2, very closely and shallowly punctate at apical 1/2. Legs: First tarsomere as long as the combined length of remaining four on mesothoracic and metathoracic tarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; lateral surface of mesothoracic and metathoracic tibiae with setae and transverse rows of spine combs; metathoracic tarsomeres I–III simple; metathoracic tarsomere IV excavate, as wide as III; metathoracic tarsomere V elongate; pretarsal claws simple. Venter ( Fig. 12 ): Punctures somewhat deep, very closely dispersed; surface with recumbent, yellowish setae; hypomeron with basally-opened, lateral antennal grooves; metathoracic episterna parallel sided; elytral epipleura simple, punctate; metathoracic coxal plates medially 3.0–6.0 times wider than laterally; last abdominal ventrite apically rounded.

Sexual dimorphism. Females are unknown.

Aedeagus (paratype) ( Fig. 13 ). Basal piece longer than wide, laterally parallel sided, dorsally opened, apically rounded; remaining parts elongate, narrow, constricted laterally just above the basal piece, laterally sinuous; parameres short, apically rounded, laterally unsclerotized, with lateral tooth present at midway; median lobe elongate and basally broad, apically pointed, bifid, and much longer than the parameres.

Variations. Four male paratypes examined. Paratypes measured 5.0–6.0 mm long and 1.0– 1.5 mm wide. Two paratypes as long as and as wide as the holotype. Two other paratypes shorter and narrower than the holotype. Antennae and legs more infuscate reddish in two paratypes. Antennae and legs as dark as the holotype in two other paratypes. Median carina on the frons poorly developed in two paratypes, strongly indicated in two other paratypes. No other exoskeletal differences observed between these paratypes and the holotype.

Distribution. This newly described eucnemid is an apparently endemic species in Panama, taken from a number of locales in a single province.

Biology. Four adults were taken from a flight intercept trap. These eucnemids have been taken from a Talamancan premontane forest, which is a moist broadleaf forest. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from a combination of two words, ‘Chiriquí’, the name of the province in Panama and ‘-ensis’, a Latin adjectival suffix meaning “pertaining to”, from which the new species has been taken.

Figures

Figures 10–13. Dyscolotaxia chiriquiensis Otto sp. nov., holotype (SEMC). 10) Male, dorsal habitus. 11) Male, antenna. 12) Male, ventral habitus. 13) Male paratype (SEMC), aedeagus, dorsal view. (Scale: 10–13 = 1.0 mm)