Operclipygus selvorum sp. n.

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Operclipygus Marseul (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 271, pp. 1-401 : 311-312

Operclipygus selvorum sp. n. Figs 83F, H–K84A–DMap 30

Type locality.

COSTA RICA: Heredia: La SelvaBiological Station [10°26'N, 84°01'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "COSTA RICA: Heredia, Est. Biol. LaSelva. 10.26'[sic]N 84.01'W. F.I.T.22June 1998 C.Carlton & A. Tishechkin" / "LSAM 0046258" (FMNH). Paratypes (17): 4: same data as type, except as noted: 1: 19.vi.1998 (LSAM), 1: 26.vi.1998 (LSAM), 2: vii-viii.1998, N. Franz (AKTC, MSCC); Puntarenas: 1: Las Cruces Biol. Sta. 1330m, 08°47.14'N, 82°57.58'W, 28-31.v.2004, FIT, J.S. Ashe, Z.Falin, I.Hinojosa. (SEMC); 1: Rancho Quemado, Peninsula de Osa, 200m, v.1991, F. Quesada, (INBIO), 1: v.1992 (INBIO), 1: vii.1992 (INBIO); 1: Res. Biol. Carara, Est. Quebrada Bonita, 50m, iv.1994, J. Saborio, (INBIO), 1: v.1994, J. Saborio (INBIO); Limón: 1: Area Cons. Tortuguero, Sector Cerro Cocori, Fca. de E. Rojas, 150m, vi.1993, E. Rojas, (INBIO), 1: 12-31.viii.1994 (INBIO), 1: iii.1993 (INBIO), 1: ix.1991 (INBIO); Alajuela: 1: Peñas Blancas, 880m, 19.v.1989, FIT, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, R. Leschen. PANAMA: Chiriquí: 1: Cerro Hornio, 15 km NE Gualaca, viii.1982, 1200m, FIT, B.Gill (BDGC). GUATEMALA: Suchitepéquez: 1: 4km S Volcan Atitlan, 14.55103°N, 91.19350°W, 1750m, 15.vi.2009, LLAMA, DNA Extract MSC-2156 (SBMNH).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.62-2.00 mm, width: 1.40-1.75 mm; body rufobrunneus, smooth, dully shining, elongate oval, moderately depressed; frons and epistoma broad, depressed between strongly carinate frontal striae which descend onto the epistoma, not crossing the anterior frontal margin; labrum about three times as wide as long, weakly emarginate apically; left mandible with large, blunt basal tooth, right with much smaller, subacute tooth; pronotum lacking prescutellar impression, disk broadly depressed in posterolateral corners, with very fine ground punctation, lacking coarse lateral punctures; marginal pronotal stria complete along lateral and anterior margins; lateral submarginal pronotal stria subcarinate, more or less complete along side, very close to marginal stria, merging with it in anterior one-fifth, pronotal disk narrowly depressed along inner edge of stria; anterior submarginal stria weak, present for short distance behind middle third of head, parallel and/or connected to anterior marginal stria at ends; median pronotal gland openings faintly annulate, located about two-thirds pronotal length from anterior pronotal margin; elytron with two complete epipleural striae, the uppermost distinctly carinate; outer subhumeral stria complete, strongly carinate, forming lateral elytral marginal carina; inner subhumeral stria absent, dorsal stria 1 very fine, scratch-like, present in apical two-thirds, dorsal striae 2-3 very fine, scratch-like, variably present in basal half, striae 4-5 absent, sutural stria fine, present in apical half; elytral disk depressed in anterolateral corner, in common with pronotal depression; elytron lacking apical marginal punctures; prosternal keel truncate to weakly emarginate at base, carinal striae complete, divergent and separate basally and apically; most of venter with conspicuous waves of microsculpture; prosternal lobe short, wide, subtruncate apically, lacking marginal stria; anterior margin of mesoventrite weakly outwardly produced, marginal stria complete; mesometaventral stria present as a broad, more or less transverse arch between mesocoxae, mesometaventral suture depressed near coxa; metaventral stria extending posterad from mesocoxal depression curving laterad toward metepisternum, continuous with short recurrent stria along metaventral-metepisternal suture; 1st abdominal ventrite with inner lateral stria more or less complete, outer stria rudimentary; all tibiae weakly expanded, submarginal ridge of the meso- and metatibiae forming a weak, continuous carina parallel to margin; ground punctation of propygidium and pygidium very fine, inconspicuous, both lacking secondary punctures; propygidium with lateral striae; marginal pygidial sulcus fine, complete. Male genitalia (Figs 83F, H–K): accessory sclerites present; T8 with sides weakly convergent in basal two-thirds, strongly convergent in apical third, apical emargination narrow, basal emargination broad, deep, basal membrane attachment line distad emargination by about one-third its depth, ventrolateral apodemes most strongly developed near middle, present only along middle of segment; S8 with sides subparallel, apical guides well developed throughout length, gradually wider toward apex, ventral edges subparallel, but well separated; T9, S9 and T10 indistinguishable from those of Operclipygus marginellus ; tegmen with shape as in Operclipygus marginellus , but with medioventral process extremely weak, hardly evident, not projecting beneath.

Remarks.

This species and the following two represent a very closely related trio, united by their unique posterolateral pronotal depressions (Fig. 84D). Among the three, Operclipygus selvorum is unique in its almost completely obsolete elytral striae (Fig. 84A).

Etymology.

This species is named for its type locality, the popular and incredibly diverse Estación Biológica La Selva, in Herédia, Costa Rica.