Priocera pustulata SPINOLA , 1844

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 : 1192-1194

Priocera pustulata SPINOLA, 1844 (Figs 69, 98, 158)

Priocera pustulata SPINOLA, 1844: 118 .

Priocera flavoguttata CHEVROLAT, 1874: 283.

Priocera salamandra SCHENKLING, 1906: 255. nov.syn.

Priocera lecontei WOLCOTT, 1910: 356. nov.syn.

HOLOTYPE: ♀. Type locality: México ( MRSN). CORPORAAL 1950 : 100. EKIS (now OPITZ) 1975: 20.

A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d ( Fig.98 ): Inadditiontothetypes, I examined 165 specimens from: México: Estado de Yucatán, Uxmal , Hacienda Uxmal , 11- VIII- 1990, R. W. Flowers ; 1 km S Xcalacoop , 26-V-1984, R. Turnbow ; Estado de Veracruz, San Andres Tuxtla , 27- IV-1973, Ginter Elis ; Cordoba, 11-VII-1941, H. S. Dybas ; 20 km N Catemaco , 24-IV-1991, on Quercus, F. Hovore ; Tlapacoyan , 8-IV-1947, Bolivar ; Fortin de Las Flores , 20-31-VII-1976, E. Giesbert ; Estación de Biologia Los Tuxtlas , 28-IV-1991, H. A. Hespenheide ; Rio Metleo Canyon, NW of Fortin de las Flores , 6-VII-1974, J. A. Chemsak, E. & J. Linsley, & J. Powell ; Cordoba, A. Fenyes ; idem, 6-VII-1966, J. S. Buckett, M. R. & R. C. Garner ; Cotaxtla Experiment Station, Cotaxtla , 23-VI-1962, D. H. Jansen ; Estado de Jalisco, Estación Biologia Chamela , 8-16-VII-1985, at light, J. Chemsak, H. Katsura, A. & E. Mitchelbacher ; Los Mazos , 12 km S Autlán, 10-X-2001, F. Hovore ; Estado de San Luis Potosí , 12 miles S Mante, 21-VI-1975, L. E. Watrous ; Tamazunchale , 20-V-1952, M. Cazier, W. Gertsch, R. Schrammel ; Estado de Tamaulipas, Bocatoma, 7 km SSE, Gomes Farias , 25-30-III-1978, E. G. Riley ; Estado de Quintana Roo, 18-24 km, N San Felipe , 27-V-1-VI-1984, J. E. Wappes ; 20 km N Felipe Carrillo Puerto , 12-14-VI-1983, E. Giesbert ; 18 km N. Carillo Puerto, 29-V-1984, R. Turnbow; Estado de Oaxaca , 23 miles S Matias Romero, 22-IV-1962, F. D. Parker & L. A. Stange ; Oaxaca , collection date not noted, Salle ; 12 km W Palomares , 8- VIII- 1980, E. Giesbert ; 3 km S Temascal , 25-31-VII-1976, E. Giesbert ; Estado do Puebla, Puebla , no other information available ; Estado de Nayarit, San Blas, 22-III- 1962, L. A. Stange ; Estado de Chiapas , 3 km S Motozintla, 23-VII-1994, pine log, R. L. Aalbu ; San Cristobal de Las Casas , 12-IV-1962, F. D. Parker ; El Chorreadero, 26-VI-1990, mercury vapor & black light, R. Turnbow ; 7 km N Pueblo Nuevo, 26-IX-1989, R. L. Penrose. Guatemala: Departamento de Guatemala, Tikal Mayan Ruins, 18-X- 1976, 183 m, E. R. Ross. Belize: Distrito de Stann Creek, Mayflower, Bocawina National Park , 16 km W of Dangriga, 17-19-VI-2016, L. G. Bezark. Honduras: Departamento de Francisco Morazán , Estación Biologica Uyuca, 5-7-VI- 2015, Morris & Wappes ; Departamento de Olancho, Parque Nacional La Muralla , 1-VI-1995, R. Turnbow ; Departamento de Yo r o, Parque Nacional Pico Pijol , 3-VI-2003, R. Turnbow ; 40 km S Tela, 26-V-1979, E. Giesbert. Nicaragua: Departamento de Chontales , Chontales, collection date not noted, Janson ; Departamento de Estelí , 5 miles N Estelí, 22-VII-1965, A. Raske ; Departamento de Matagalpa, Selva Negra, 20-V-2006, 1,280 m, Weston Opitz. Costa Rica: Provincia de Alajuela , 20 km S Upsala, 8-I-1991, F. D. Parker, Provincia de Cartago , 3 km SE Turrialba, 9-10-VI-1988, blacklight, Brown & Powell ; 18 km NE Turrialba , 4-10-II-1978, E. Giesbert ; Provincia de San Jose, Escazu , 21-26-V-1989, F. D. Parker ; Provincia de Heredia , 11 km SE La Virgen, 16-II-2003, 450- 550 m, collector not noted ; El Ceibo, 16-II- 1990, 500 m, collectors name not legible ; Estación Biologia La Selva , 11- VIII- 1998, 50- 150 m, collector not noted ; Provincia de Puntarenas, Monteverde , 27-II-1987, E. Giesbert ; idem, 1-2-V-1974, under bark, P. Opler ; idem, 24-XII-1985, E. Giesbert ; idem, 14-I-1984, R. L. Penrose ; 5 miles N San Vito , 25-V-1983, Dan Heffern ; Monteverde , 1,500 m, 21-30-VII-1989, at light, D. Haber ; Las Mellizas, Parque Internacional La Amistad ,?- VI-1991, M. Ramirez ; Reserva Biologica San Luis, 13-16-IV- 2000, 1,100 m, J. & A. Rifkind, P. Gum ; Provincia de Guanacaste, Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve , 15-VII-2000, on and under bark, 17 m, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, Z. Falin ; Santa Rosa National Park ,?- III-1984, G. C. Stevens ; 9 km S de Santa Cecilia ,?- X- 1996, 700 m, C. Moraga ; 3 km SE Naranjo , 22-30-IV-1992, F. D. Parker ; Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja , 19-25-VII- 1993, 800 m, D. Garcia ; Parque Nacional Guanacaste , Lado SO Volcán Cacao, 21-29-V-1992, 1,000 -1,400 m, K. Taylor ; Estación Pititla, 8 km SE Santa Cecilia, 5-VII-2005, F. T. Hovore. Panamá: Provincia de Chiriquí, Hartman’s Finca , 5-VII-1997, R. Turnbow ; Provincia de Colón, Fort Sherman , 2-VI- 2001, on Clusia minor, F. Ødegaard ; idem, 13-III-2001, on Simarouba amara, F. Ødegaard ; idem, 18-V-2001, on Clusia minor, F. Ødegaard ; Provincia de Coclé, El Valle, 16-22-V-1981, J. E. Wappes ; Provincia de Panamá, Parque Nacional Metropolitano , 1-V-1995, on Pseudobombax septenatum ; F. Ødegaard; Cerro Azul , 18-19-V-1990, F. Hovore ; Cerro Campana , 4-XII-1958, W. J. Hanson ; 8-10 km E El Llano , 26-IV-4-V-1992, E. Giesbert ; Canal Zone, Barro Colorado Island , 26-VI-2-VII-1985, blacklight, Henk Wolda ; Provincia de Darien, Cana Biological Station, Serrania de Pirre , 7-VI-1996, ex. Xylariaceae , 1,100 m, J. Ashe & R. Brooks. Colombia, no other information available. Ecuador: Provincia de Bolívar , Balsapamba , collection date not noted, R. Haensch S. Specimens are deposited in: ACMT, AMNH, CASC, CMNC, CNCI, CSUC, EMUS, FSCA, OXUM, RFMC, RHTC, SEMC, TAMU, UCDC, USNM, WFBM, WOPC .

D i a g n o s i s: Forebody, pterothorax, and legs black; antenna and abdomen brown; elytra mostly black, each elytron with 3 yellow markings, one very small at elytral base near mesoscutellum, one in front of middle near epipleural margin, one behind middle near sutural margin, apex testaceous.

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 9.0 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 158 . Head: Frons wider than length of antennal pedicel ( EW /FW 45/25). Thorax: Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescenses ( PW /PL 70/107); elytra narrow, oblong, disc sculptured with striate, asetiferous punctures in basal 1/2, elytral apex rounded ( EL /EW 315/60); metathoracic femur capitate. Abdomen: Aedeagus as in Fig. 69.

V a r i a t i o n: Size: Length 4.0-10.0 mm; width 1.2-3.0 mm. The ground color of the body varies from black to dark brown and the yellow spots on the elytral disc vary in size.

N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Specimens were collected throughout the year at altitudes that range from 17 to 1.500 m. One specimen was collected on a species of oak [ Quercus LINNAEUS (Fagaceae) ], another from a fungus species of the family Xylariaceae TUL. & C. TUL. Frode Ødegaard captured these beetles on Clusia minor LINNAEUS (Clusiaceae) , Simarouba amara AUBLET (Simaroubaceae) , and on Pseudobombax septenatum (JACQ.) Malvaceae .

N o t e s: I examined the Spinola type during my visit to the Tassarolo Castle in 1974. The specimen is not available to me now, therefore, the description is based on a non-type specimen.

Figures

Figs 98. Approximate distribution of species as noted.

Figs 156-159. Habitus. Priocera penna nov.sp. (156), P. petalosa nov.sp. (157), P. pustulata (158), Stengyrahistrio SERVILLE (159).