Euplister mimus, Pierotti & Bellò & Alonso-Zarazaga, 2010

Pierotti, Helio, Bellò, Cesare & Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., 2010, 2376, Zootaxa 2376, pp. 1-96 : 41-42

Euplister mimus sp. n.

( Figs. 38a–b, 56c)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:985238B5-FD2A-440E-9027-85E1FA4D0B97

Diagnosis. Species of small to medium size (3.8–5.7 mm), characterised by short, wide elytra, sparse, elongate discal scales, wide, appressed setae almost indistinguishable from scales and more or less flattened eyes.

Description. Dorsal vestiture of usually oblong scales, not or scarcely imbricate, closer on even interstriae, emerald, silvery or rarely coppery, a little darker on odd interstriae, and of appressed setae, moderately fine on head and disc of pronotum, short and broad, indistinguishable from scales on elytral disc, on outer margin of metatibiae before apex very short and extremely robust. Head with sides converging apicad, mainly in female. Rostrum subquadrate, pterygia distinct although hardly prominent in female. Metarostrum with a median keel; prorostrum with sides not very elevated, almost straight. Frons not much wider than metarostrum, with median fovea. Eyes normal, rather flattened. Antennae with scape incrassate only in apical third, funicle narrow, desmomeres 1–3 elongate, 6–7 moniliform (male) to transverse (female), all with fine setae; club elongate, first segment widely cup-shaped. Pronotum transverse, rounded at sides, wider at base than at apex, disc with dense, deep punctures. Elytra subglobose or shortly oval, strial punctures close, interstriae flat, very finely and sparsely punctulate. Legs moderately robust, tibiae strongly widened at apex, metatibiae with a series of denticles on inner margin. Aedeagus in dorsal view subtruncate before apex, the latter shortly papillate ( Fig. 38a); endophallic structures as in Fig. 38b. Spermatheca as in Fig. 56c.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin noun (of Greek origin) referring to a kind of miming actor, to recall the vestiture and feeding preference ( Buxus ) as typical of Gymnomorphus .

Distribution. Iberian endemite: mountain ranges (sierras) of Castellón, Tarragona and Teruel ( Fig. 75).

Material examined. Holotype male: Castellón , Els Ports de Beseit , El Boixar , N40º40.077 " E00º05.988 ", 18.5.2002, leg. Pierotti ( MMA); paratypes: Castellón : do., 18.5.2002, leg. Bellò (39 BEL, 1 MMA, 1 OSE, 1 PIE); do., leg. Pierotti (39 PIE, 1 MMA, 1 VEC); E. Sierra de Gúdar (Castellón, Valen.), 5 Km SW Cinctores [= Cinctorres], 1250 m, N40º33'40" W00º14'53", Erinacea antyllis, 30.3.02, lg. Stüben (2 STU); Castellón, Fredes, m. 1150, N 40°42. 437 '' E 00°09. 891 '' 5.VI.2005, leg. Bellò (10 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (12 PIE); Castellón, Fredes, Castillo, m. 1090, N 40°41. 358 '' E 00°10. 054 '' 5.VI.2005, leg. Bellò (61 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (13 PIE); Castellón, Fredes, M. Refalgueri, m. 1180, N 40°43. 740 '' E 00°11. 171 '' 5.VI.2005, leg. Bellò (20 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (10 PIE). Teruel: P[uer].to Cantavieja, m. 1350, N 40°29. 456 '' W 00°21. 704 '' 3.VI.2005, leg. Bellò (13 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (8 PIE). Tarragona: Tarragona, bivio Ref. de Font Ferrera, m. 1090, N 40°44. 441 '' E 00°12. 053 '' 5.VI.2005, leg. Bellò (27 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (14 PIE).

Biology. The species is abundant on Buxus sempervirens L. ( Buxaceae ). Two specimens were collected at Sierra de Gúdar from Erinacea anthyllis Link. (Fabaceae) .