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

Pierotti, Helio, Bellò, Cesare & Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., 2010, 2376, Zootaxa 2376, pp. 1-96 : 39-40

Euplister frater sp. n.

( Figs. 35a–b, 55b, 75)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DDDD3E72-0726-4E4C-BC82-3BD050D93408

Diagnosis. Species of small to medium size (3.1–5.3 mm), characterised by distinct pterygia, elongate elytra, on dorsum with scales strongly imbricate, usually elongate, silvery and coppery, often arranged in bands or spots, and with setae densely grouped in desquamulate areoles on even interstriae, particularly robust on metatibiae before apex.

Description. Body outline short and robust. Dorsal vestiture of elongate scales, except on elytral declivity, not or hardly imbricate on head and strongly so on elytra, silvery, coppery and ochreous, forming two darker bands on sides of pronotal disc and irregular, undefined spots on elytra, and of elongate setae, scarcely broadened apicad, appressed on elytral dorsum, more elongate and suberect on elytral declivity, densely grouped in desquamulate areoles on even interstriae, on outer margin of metatibiae before apex particularly robust and condensed to form a swelling. Head with sides subrectilinear, uniformly convergent from genae to base of pterygia. Rostrum distinctly transverse, sides strongly converging apicad, epistomal keel not or hardly prominent, pterygia distinct, metarostrum elongate, median keel present, prorostrum short, with median fovea, not or hardly narrower than metarostrum. Frons ca. twice as wide as metarostrum, with median fovea. Eyes normal, not or hardly shorter in dorsal view as distance between front margin of eye and hind margin of pterygium, subconvex, not or hardly prominent beyond genae. Antennae with scape weakly incrassate from base to middle and funicle moderately robust, desmomere 1 slightly longer than 2, this subequal to 4+5, 3 slightly longer than wide or moniliform, 4 and 5 moniliform, 6 and 7 usually transverse; club robust with first segment widely cup-shaped. Pronotum transverse, wider at base than at apex, rounded at sides, disc with dense and deep punctures, usually with vestigial median keel. Elytra subovoid, maximum width behind humeral calli (male) or across these (female); strial punctures close, deep, usually not completely covered by scales; interstriae almost flat, finely although distinctly punctured. Legs robust, tibiae widened at apex, metatibiae on inner margin with a series of more (male) or less (female) developed denticles. Aedeagus in dorsal view with tricuspidate outline in the pre-apical region ( Fig. 35a); endophallic structures as in Fig. 35b. Spermatheca as in Fig. 55b.

Etymology. From the Latin frater (brother) to reflect its affinity to Euplister hybridus ; a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Iberian endemite: Andalusia ( Fig. 75).

Material examined. Holotype male: Yunquera (Malaga), P.to de las Abejas, 3.V.1995, leg. Pierotti ( MMA) . Paratypes: Málaga: do., 3. V .1995, leg. Pierotti (25 BEL, 2 OSE, 27 PIE); do., m. 750, N36º44.353 " W04º55.418 ", 8.4.2003, leg. Bellò (13 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (15 PIE); Spagna, Malaga , da Yunquera a Puerto de las Abejas , m. 600–800, 23.5.1990, legg. Audisio e Biondi (4 OSE) .

Biology. Collected on Ulex sp. (Fabaceae) and Thymus sp. (Lamiaceae) .