Operclipygus ashei, Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Operclipygus Marseul (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 271, pp. 1-401 : 314-315

Operclipygus ashei sp. n. Figs 83G84GMap 30

Type locality.

COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Las Cruces Biological Station [8°47'N, 82°57'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Prov. Las Cruces Biol. Sta. 1330m, 08°47.14'N, 82°57.58'W, 28-31-V-2004. J.S. Ashe, Z.Falin, I.Hinojosa. Ex: flight intercept trap. CR1AFH04 060"/ "SM0621562 KUNHM-ENT" (INBIO). Paratype (1): COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Coto Brus, Est. Biol. Las Cruces, 8°17'N, 82°57'W, 1100m, 8-20.vi.2005, FIT, M. Ferro (LSAM).

Diagnostic description.

This species is very similar to Operclipygus selvorum , differing mainly in the following characters: length: 2.31-2.50 mm, width: 1.97-2.06 mm; body slightly broader, subquadrate; frons and epistoma depressed at middle; frontal stria carinate at sides, continued onto epistoma as lateral carinae, but also complete across the anterior margin of the frons as a simple stria; all dorsal elytral striae fine but distinct, striae 1-3 complete, 4th barely abbreviated at base, 5th present in apical half, sutural present in apical two-thirds; prosternal lobe larger, more broadly rounded, with fine marginal stria which is obsolete at sides; propygidium with a few secondary punctures along basal margin. Male genitalia: segments 8-10 very similar to those of Operclipygus selvorum , and indistinguishable from that of Operclipygus dentatus (see Figs 83F, H–K and preceding description); tegmen (Fig. 83G) longer, with slightly more arcuate sides.

Remarks.

This species falls right between the preceding two morphologically, having the strong frontal carina of Operclipygus selvorum (Fig. 84G), but the fine, more or less complete elytral striae of Operclipygus dentatus (see Fig. 84E). The combination of frontal carinae that descend onto the epistoma along with a fine frontal stria on the frons is unique in this species.

Etymology.

We name this species in honor of the late James ʽsteve’ Ashe (1947-2005), formerly of the University of Kansas, in recognition of his exceptionally productive fieldwork in Central America.

Operclipygus , incertae sedis

The following 27 species are not assigned to any species group. Most are rather generalized, but lack obvious similarities to species in other recognized groups. The majority of these have a detached anterior submarginal pronotal stria, and median pronotal gland openings only slightly displaced posterad the anterior pronotal margin. These characters might appear to ally them with species in the Operclipygus panamensis , Operclipygus kerga , Operclipygus sejunctus , Operclipygus impuncticollis , Operclipygus hospes , or Operclipygus dubius groups. But this condition is likely to be a symplesiomorphy shared by all of these, and it seems more likely that these incertae sedis species form a grade out of which some of the more distinctive groups have arisen. More detailed phylogenetic analyses focusing on the species of Operclipygus should be able to resolve some of these relationships more satisfactorily.

The last two species treated in this section, Operclipygus angustisternus and Operclipygus shorti , do not fit this picture. In fact, based on external characters they might have been assigned to the Operclipygus fossipygus group, as they are both relatively large, convex species with well developed pygidial sulci and strongly displaced median pronotal gland openings. However, both lack the highly specialized and distinctive male genitalia of members of the Operclipygus fossipygus group. It is possible that one or both are its sister group, but that requires much further exploration.