Operclipygus maesi, 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 : 284-286

Operclipygus maesi sp. n. Figs 75 D–F, H76 A–BMap 27

Type locality.

NICARAGUA: Granada: Mombacho Volcano [11°50'N, 85°59'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "NICARAGUA - Granada, Volcan Mombacho, San Joaquin #3, malaise trap, 15.XII.1998 J.M. Maes legit"/ "Caterino/Tishechkin Exosternini Voucher EXO-00325" (FMNH). Paratypes (8): 7: same data as type, except as noted: 1: 15.v.1998 (MEL), 2: 15.xi.1998 (MEL, FMNH), 1: 30.vi.1998 (AKTC), 1: Santa Ana #2, 15.v.1998 (MSCC), 1: Santa Ana #3, 2.vi.1998 (FMNH), 1: Bosque seco, 28.ii.1999 (FMNH); 1: Reserva Domitila, 11°42.50'N, 85°57.20'W, 100m, -9.vi.2002, FIT, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, S. Chatzimanolis (SEMC).

Other material.

COSTA RICA: Guanacaste: 1: Parque Nac. Guanacaste, Playa Naranjo, Sta Rosa, i.1991, E. Alcazar, (INBIO); 1: Parque Nac. Barra Honda, 3km NO de Nacaome, 100m, x.1993, M. Reyes, (INBIO). MEXICO: Campeche: 1: Escarcega, 6km W, El Tormento, 110m, 12-23.viii.1983, FIT, evergreen trop. For., S. & J. Peck (CMNC); Jalisco: 6: Chamela Biol. Stn., 14.vii.1989, FIT, R. Brooks (SEMC, CHSM); 3:16-20.vii.1989, FIT, R. Brooks (SEMC).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 2.18-2.25 mm, width: 1.87-1.90 mm; body rufopiceus, elongate oval, widest at humeri, subdepressed; frons and epistoma depressed at middle; frontal stria rounded at sides, interrupted over antennal bases, arcuate at middle; labrum about 2.5 × as wide as long, emarginate apically; pronotum lacking prescutellar impression, with fine, sparse ground punctation and ~24 coarse lateral punctures; marginal pronotal stria complete along anterior and lateral margins; submarginal pronotal stria continuous behind anterior margin, extending posterad along anterior half to two-thirds of lateral margin, obsolete at base; median pronotal gland openings about two-thirds pronotal length behind anterior margin; elytra with two complete epipleural striae, outer subhumeral stria present in apical third to one-half, inner subhumeral stria absent, striae 1-4 complete, 5th stria present in apical third to one-half, sutural stria present in apical two-thirds; elytron with apical marginal series of small punctures; pronotal keel truncate at base, carinal striae complete, keel microsculptured between; prosternal lobe rather short; anterior mesoventral margin straight, marginal stria interrupted at middle; mesometaventral stria broadly arched forward about two-thirds mesoventral length toward anterior margin; lateral metaventral stria extending toward middle of metacoxa; 1st abdominal ventrite with two lateral striae, inner stria complete, the outer stria apically abbreviated; postmetacoxal fovea inconspicuous; propygidium with dense ground punctation visible at sides and along apical margin, with coarser round punctures fairly uniformly and densely separated by about one-half their diameters; pygidium with fine, dense ground punctation throughout, with small secondary punctures uniformly separated by about twice their diameters; marginal pygidial stria absent. Male genitalia (Figs 75 D–F, H): accessory sclerites absent; T8 sides arcuately convergent to near apex, then angulate to apex, apical emargination rather deep, basal emargination broad, deep, reaching basal membrane attachment line, ventrolateral apodemes subacute at ventral corners, not meeting beneath; S8 with sides divergent to apex, with apical guides widening markedly from base, ventral halves approximate in basal half, divergent to apex; T9 sides subparallel in basal half, convergent to narrow apices, T10 halves separate; S9 sides subparallel in basal two-thirds, base narrowly truncate; apex with narrow median emargination, apical flange interrupted, lateral flanges narrow; tegmen widest just distad base, narrowed in apical two-thirds, with slight ventral curvature near apex, medioventral process evident, narrowly ‘V’ -shaped, mostly contained in ventral membrane, only weakly projecting beneath; median lobe about two-thirds tegmen length, proximal apodemes differentiated, with proximal filamentous ends short; basal piece about one-third tegmen length.

Remarks.

Among species in the Operclipygus impunctipennis group, this species can be distinguished by the well impressed outer subhumeral stria in the apical half, basally obsolete submarginal pronotal stria, 4 complete dorsal elytral striae (Fig. 76A), and combination of dense ground punctation as well as high density of larger punctures on both the propygidium and pygidium (Fig. 76B). Due to variability in pronotal punctation and completeness of the lateral stria we restrict this type series to those specimens from central Nicaragua.

Etymology.

We name this species for Jean-Michel Maes, director of the Entomological Museum of Leon, Nicaragua, who has tirelessly promoted appreciation of insect biodiversity in Central America.