Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano, 2014

Erwin, Terry L. & Zamorano, Laura S., 2014, A synopsis of the tribe Lachnophorini, with a new genus of Neotropical distribution and a revision of the Neotropical genus Asklepia Liebke, 1938 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 430, pp. 1-108 : 54-55

Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano sp. n. Ecuadorian pattern-wing beetle Figs 43 , 67 , 68 , 78

Holotype.

Ecuador, Sucumbíos, Limoncocha, 0.4088°S, 76.6176°W, 233m, 11 June 1977 (W.E Steiner)(NMNH: ADP132485, male).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The specific epithet, ecuadoriana, is a singular Latinized feminine noun in apposition, based on the name of the country in which these beetles are found.

Proposed english vernacular name.

Ecuadorian pattern-wing beetle.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus Asklepia as described by Liebke (1938) and as noted above under the generic diagnosis, and medium to large-sized for the genus (SBL = 2.590-3.131 mm). Adults with head aurantiacus and prothorax flavotestaceous, elytral maculae fulvous or aurantiacus in some individuals; elytron flavotestaceous with a triangular flavous macula in the basal proximal quadrant, macula covering half of the quadrant, and elongated, longitudinally oriented flavous macula in the medial proximal quadrant, a flavous macula in the medial lateral quadrant and a triangular flavous macula in the apical proximal quadrant; metasternum, abdominal sterna III-VI, and epipleuron flavotestaceous, abdominal sternum VII infuscated; legs testaceous; antennal scape, pedicel and antennomere 3 testaceous, antennomeres 4-6 and basal half of 7 deeply infuscated, apical half of 7, 8-11 white. Dorsal surface devoid of microsculpture, surface luster very shiny. Pronotum markedly convex with lateral margin effaced except just anterior to hind angle and there a simple bead; hind angle feebly produced; median line feebly defined. Elytral interneurs effaced from most of the elytron surface, only evident as short discontinuous rows of course punctures in the basal proximal quadrant and upper right corner of basal lateral quadrant.

Description.

( Figs 43 , 67 , 68 ). Habitus: ( Fig. 43 ). Size: [See also Table 15 ] Medium-size for the genus; ABL = 2.894-2.995 mm, SBL = 2.501-2.598 mm, TW (total width) 1.325-1.490 mm, LP = 0.555-0.595 mm, WP = 0.638-0.691 mm, LE = 1.607-1.632 mm. Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: See diagnosis above. Head ( Fig. 43 ): as in description for genus above. Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 43 ) moderately broad, slightly narrower than head across eyes (WH/WP, mean both sexes: 1.140), longer than head (LP/LH, mean both sexes: 1.586), about as longer than wide (WP/LP, mean both sexes: 1.157); markedly cordiform and convex lateral margin effaced with seta at anterior third on slightly raised area; apex markedly constricted; anterior angles feebly produced, hind angle slightly acutely produced and setose; median line feebly defined, basal transverse impressions punctate, punctures infuscated; surface smooth throughout. Pterothorax. Normal for genus, see description for genus above. Elytra moderately convex; at apical third twice as wide as head across eyes (WH/TW, mean both sexes: 0.535) and pronotum (WP/TW, mean both sexes: 0.469), longer than wide. Elytral interneurs effaced from most of the elytron surface, only evident as short discontinuous rows of coarse punctures, punctures with fuscous halo. Scattered fuscous punctures in the medial and apical quadrants present in some individuals. Hind wings fully developed. Legs. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Abdominal sterna. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Male genitalia ( Figs 67 , 68 , see Fig. 61 for attribute labels). Median lobe with phallobase short about a fourth the length of shaft, basal opening small, oriented parallel to shaft. Shaft broad, slightly curved ventrally then curved dorsally near apex, dorsally sclerotized except for short ostium; in ventral aspect tapered toward rather broadly rounded apex, in lateral aspect, a narrowly rounded apex. Parameres: left very large and broad, right small and triangular; apex of left paramere narrowly rounded much longer than right paramere about half the length of shaft (measured in left lateral aspect). Endophallus with 2 preapical spines; we have illustrated an everted endophallus to demonstrate the location of the spines in a median field and an apical field. Female genitalia. Not investigated, presumably similar to that of Asklepia demiti sp. n.

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and probably capable of flight. They are moderately swift and agile runners.

Distribution.

( Fig. 78 ). This species has been found at only one location on a lake shore near the white-water system of the Río Napo drainage system. But that does not at all indicate its real distribution: as has been pointed out above, very small beetles are inadequately sampled, especially in the Neotropics.

Way of life.

See Erwin (1991) for a general description of the genus. Adults of this species are active in the rainy season on the shore of a small lake in lowland rainforest.

Other specimens examined.

Ecuador, Orellana, Limoncocha, 0.4088°S, 76.6176°W, 233m, 11 June 1977 (W.E Steiner)(NMNH: ADP132500, female paratype, ADP109192, ADP132468, male paratypes).

Figures

Figure 78. Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia species of the pulchripennis group.

Figure 41 - 44. Digital Photo-illustrations, habitus, dorsal aspect of holotypes. 41 Asklepia bracheia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 008121, Cocha Shimagai, Peru 42 Asklepia cuiabaensis Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 130044, Cuiaba, Brazil 43 Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132485, Limoncocha, Ecuador 44 Asklepia kathleenae Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132460, Belem, Brazil. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 63 - 68. Illustrations, male aedeagus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects. 63 Asklepia matomena Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 132527, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil 64 Asklepia adisi Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. Adis 001335, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleao, Brazil 65 Asklepia biolat Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132480, Pakitza, Peru 66 Asklepia bracheia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 067304, Boca del Rio Samiria Peru 67 Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132468, Limoncocha, Ecuador. Endophallus not everted 68 Asklepia ecuadoriana Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132468, Limoncocha, Ecuador. Endophallus everted. Scale line = 0.25 mm.

Figure 57 - 62. Illustrations, male aedeagus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects. 57 Asklepia geminata (Bates, 1871) ADP 109186, Rio Samiria, Boca Cano Ingles Camp, Peru 58 Asklepia campbellorum Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109196, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil 59 Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132585, Rio Demiti, Brazil 60 Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 052565, Rio Sucusari, Peru 61 Asklepia laetitia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109190, Leticia, Colombia. Legend: a apical area; bl basal lobe; bo basal orifice; lp left paramere; ml median lobe; om ostial membrane; oo ostial opening; rp right paramere; sh shaft; pb phallobase; ps phallobase shaft; ms medial spine; ds distal spine 62 Asklepia lebioides (Bates, 1871), comb. n., ADP 109208, Rio Demiti, Brazil. Scale line = 0.25 mm.