Priocera lustruata OPITZ, 2021

Opitz, Weston, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Western Hemisphere checkered beetle genus Priocera KIRBY (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (2), pp. 1145-1255 : 1184-1185

Priocera lustruata OPITZ nov.sp. (Figs 56, 92, 144)

HOLOTYPE: ♂. Type locality: BOLIVIA, S. Cruz Dept., 4 kl N Bermejo , 11-17 December 2012, Wappes & Skillman ( FSCA) . PARATYPES: 10 specimens. Bolivia : Departamento de Santa Cruz, 4 km N Bermejo, 11-17-XII-2012, Wappes & Skillman ( ACMT, 1) ; idem, Refugio Los Volcanes , 18°06'S 63°36'W, 4-9-XII-2013, Wappes & Skillman ( WOPC, 1) ; idem, 7-II-2012, J. Wappes & A. Bonaso ( ACMT, 1) ; idem, Refugio Los Volcanes , 18°06'S 63°36'W, 8-XI-2011, 1,350 m, Wappes, Lingafelter & Woodley ( ACMT, 1) ; Florida Province, Vicoquin area above Achira , road to Amboro , 18°07'S 63°47'W, 1,730 m, 22-25-I-2007, J. Prena ( ACMT, 1) ; Achira area , 5-6-II-2013, Wappes & Bonaso ( ACMT, 1) ; 4-5 km S Pampa Grande, Oleoducto Road , 18- 20-X-2003, Morris, Nearns, Wappes ( RFMC, 1) ; N Achira, 17-XI-2003, 5,400 -5,800 feet, Wappes, Morris & Nearns ( ACMT, 1) ; Hotel Fauna & Flora, 12-V-2004, Wappes ( WOPC, 1) ; Departamento de La Paz, Plazuela to Inquisivi ,?- XII-1984, collector not noted ( JNRC, 1) .

D i a g n o s i s: Cranium bicolorous, upper frons testaceous, remainder castaneous; antennae testaceous; prothoracic venter black; pronotum variegated testaceous and black; elytra tricolorous, mostly testaceous with dark brown variegations, each disc with three spots, anterior spot near anterior margin white, posterior 2 spots yellow; legs bicolorous, femora infuscated distally, prothoracic tibiae mostly testaceous, infuscated distally, mesothoracic and metathoracic tibiae mostly dark brown; abdomen light brown.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 7.0 mm; width 1.8 mm. Form: As in Fig. 144 . Head: Frons slightly wider than length antennal pedicel, EW/FW 40/12. Thorax: Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescenses ( PW /PL 80/120); elytral disc slightly depressed at middle, sculptured with striate asetiferous punctures in basal 1/2, elytral apex rounded ( EL /EW 300/55); metathoracic femur gradually increasing in diameter to femoral apex. Abdomen: Aedeagus as in Fig. 56.

V a r i a t i o n: Size: Length 6.5-8.0 mm; width 1.5-2.0 mm. The 3 yellow spots on the elytral disc may be white.

N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Specimens were collected during February, October, November, and December, at altitudes that range from 1,350 to 1,768 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n ( Fig. 92 ): This species is known from Bolivia.

E t y m o l o g y: Thetrivialname, lustruata, is a Latin name that stems from lustro (= luster). I refer to the sparkle emitted from the yellow spots of the elytral disc.

Figures

Figs 92. Approximate distribution of species as noted.

Figs 144-147. Habitus. Priocera lustruata nov.sp. (144), P. magdalena nov.sp. (145), P. marajoara nov.sp. (146), P. marginicollis (147).