Straneotia confundis Aldebron & Erwin, 2018

Erwin, Terry L. & Aldebron, Charlotte, 2018, Neotropical Thoasia Liebke, 1939 and Straneotia Mateu, 1961 of the Cryptobatida group, subtribe Agrina: Taxonomic revisions with notes on their ways of life (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), ZooKeys 742, pp. 57-90 : 75-77

Straneotia confundis Aldebron & Erwin sp. n. Confusing slim arboreal carabid Figs 4C , 6B , 7

Holotype.

(Male): Type locality. Ecuador, Orellana, Yasuni National Park, -September 1998 (P. Araujo)(NMNH: ADP 152452).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The epithet, Straneotia confundis , is a singular feminine adverb referring to the difficulty of our interpreting Mateu’s illustration of S. amazonica (see above).

Proposed English Vernacular Name.

Confusing slim arboreal carabid.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus and Straneotia amazonica species group as described above and adults with a moderately narrow prothorax, the pronotum with markedly flared lateral margins in basal half and narrowly lateral explanation in apical half. Elytron with base of sutural interval and that of interval 3, 4, and 5 infuscated, and disc with a zig-zag infuscated mark on disc; disc base color testaceous, laterally (intervals 6-9) rufous.

Description.

(Figs 4C , 6B ). Habitus: (Fig. 4C ). Size: See Appendix 1. Length (SBL) long for genus, ABL = 5.17 mm, SBL = 4.46 mm.

Color: See diagnosis above, and head and pronotal disc infuscated. Luster: Very shiny. Microsculpture: Mostly slightly stretched, shallowly impressed sculpticells, effaced from pronotum. Head: Planar, perfectly smooth. Eye large, sub-hemispheric, and evenly rounded anteriorly, subtly more prolonged posteriorly. Antenna short, barely reaching humerus. Labrum subquadrate broadened slightly apically, truncate. Neck smooth. Prothorax: Pronotum moderately narrow, disc centrally depressed with moderately dense and transverse rugae. Lateral margins moderately explanate and obtusely rounded medially then slightly arcuate to obtusely flared hind angle, base medially slightly produced and rounded. Pterothorax: Normal for Agrina , fully winged. Elytron intervals flat, 3 and 5 with two discal unisetiferous punctures, side margin moderately explanate middle. Elytron broad and moderately long, moderately wider than the pronotum at the broadest part, apex arco-truncate, distal corner obtusely rounded with sutural corner narrowly rounded, disc more or less planar, basal third slightly depressed. All interneurs moderately impressed. Legs: Femur and tibia normal, unmodified; basitarsus elongate, longer than tarsomeres 2-4 combined, fourth tarsomere markedly bilobed and with tarsal pad of setae. Claws pectinate. Abdomen: Glabrous with normal ambulatory setae on sterna 3-5; male with one pair of ambulatory setae on sternum VI located at extreme posterior corners. Male genitalia: Phallus (Fig. 6B ) with ostium of 1/6 its length, apex moderately short, narrowly pointed, tip rounded; endophallus with thick flagellum (obvious in illustration), flagellum not barbed. Parameres asymmetric, right very small, left larger. Female genitalia: Unstudied, but likely similar to S. cylindroceps (cf. Fig. 6A ).

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and probably capable of flight.

Way of life.

The holotype was obtained with insecticidal fogging techniques from the canopy of terra firme lowland rainforest in September, the transition season between rainy and dry seasons in the area.

Other specimens examined.

None.

Geographic distribution.

(Fig. 7 ). This species is currently known from the Amazonian lowlands in the Yasuní area of northeastern Ecuador.

Figures

Figure 2. Digital Photo-illustrations. A Habitus, dorsal aspect: Thoasia surinamensis Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., female, ADP 112239. Scale line = 1.00 mm B Female reproductive system dorsal aspect: Thoasia manu, Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., ADP 100301. Legend, bc, bursa copulatrix; sg, spermathecal gland; sgd, spermathecal gland duct; sp., spermatheca; lt, laterotergite; co, common oviduct; gc 1, gonocoxite 1; gc 2, gonocoxite 2, des, dorsal ensiform seta, b, base of gonocoxite 2; bl, blade of gonocoxite 2. Scale bar: 0.50 mm.

Figure 4. Digital Photo-illustrations. Habitus, dorsal aspect. A Straneotia cylindroceps Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., female, ADP 100396 B Straneotia moi Aldebron & Erwin, sp. n., female, ADP 141236 C Straneotia confundis Aldebron & Erwin, sp. n., male, ADP 152452 D Straneotia amazonica Mateu, Holotype female. Scale bar: 1.00 mm (A-C); ABL = 5.5 mm (D).

Figure 6. Digital Photo-illustrations. A Female reproductive and defence systems, dorsal aspect: Straneotia cylindroceps Erwin & Aldebron, sp. n., ADP 100396 (see Fig. 2 references to female system; defense gland (gldr); cc accessory gland; ed efferent duct.). B Male aedeagus in repose, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects: Straneotia confundis Aldebron & Erwin, sp. n., ADP 152452. Legend, fl, flagellum. Scale bar: 0.50 mm.

Figure 7. Distribution map for known localities of Thoasia and Straneotia species.