Laemophloeus dozieri Thomas, 2014

Thomas, Michael C., 2014, A review of New World Laemophloeus Dejean (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae): 2. Neotropical species with antennal club of three antennomeres, Insecta Mundi 2014 (363), pp. 1-38 : 7-8

Laemophloeus dozieri Thomas , n. sp.

Fig. 6 , 23-26

Types: Holotype male, deposited in MNKM, with following label data: “ BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz, 3.7km SSE BuenaVista, Hotel Flora & Fauna 405m., 5-15-XI-2001 17 o 29.949’S, 63 o 33.152’W M.C.Thomas & B.K.Dozier tropical transition forest”. The genitalia have been dissected and imbedded in a drop of DMHF on the card with the specimen.

Diagnosis. The following combination of characters is diagnostic for this species: body entirely dark with well-defined pale elytral maculae ( Fig. 6 ); short antennae with antennal club composed of three antennomeres; and fine, oblique frontal grooves in the male (female unknown). Male genitalia ( Fig. 25 ) with rather elongate basal plates; parameres each with two setae: the inner basal one thick and long; the outer one fine and shorter; internal sac with very long, slender flagellum ( Fig. 24 ).

Description: 2.3mm long; elongate-ovate; dorsal surface dark brown; antennae and legs paler; each elytron with a pale, somewhat rectangular maculae, extending from basal fourth to midpoint and laterally from humeral carina to middle of first cell.

Head: 2.6× wider than long; epistome with emargination over labrum moderate, mandibular emarginations moderate, antennal emarginations shallow but distinct; frontoclypeal suture distinctly impressed, curved posteriorly from antennal emargination to mandibular emargination then straight medially ( Fig. 23 ); with oblique incised line on each side extending posteriorly from frontoclypeal suture to near base of eye ( Fig. 23 ), longitudinal line impressed; surface moderately punctate, punctures smaller than an eye facet, separated by 2-3 diameters, each subtending an inconspicuous seta about the length of a puncture diameter; disc of head between punctures smooth and shiny, without microreticulation, but with scattered micropunctures. Mandibles moderate, curved. Eyes large, coarsely facetted, length 0.6× that of head ( Fig. 23 ). Antennae ( Fig. 26 ) short, attaining about base of pronotum; scape about 1.4× longer than broad; pedicel subquadrate, about 0.6× length of scape; III narrow and elongate, 0.8× length of scape; IV-VII subquadrate, subequal in length; each 0.5× length of scape; VIII distinctly transverse, club comprised of IX-XI, IX-X each distinctly transverse, IX 0.7× length of scape, X slightly shorter; XI 1.2× length of scape.

Thorax: 1.6× wider than long; widest at about apical third; 1.2× wider at apical third than across basal angles; anterior angles weakly produced, obtusely rounded; hind angles not produced, right; antebasal denticle well marked ( Fig. 6 ); sublateral line with a median dark spot and median fovea; punctation and pubescence similar to head; surface smooth and shiny between punctures, not microreticulate, but with scattered micropunctures. Legs rather short; femora stout.

Elytra: 1.3× longer than wide; inner margin of cell 1 distinctly grooved except at basal fifth, outer margin obsolete, inner margin of cell 2 grooved except at basal fifth; cell 3 complete; humeral carina wellmarked; discal surface with lines of minute punctures, pubescence as on head and pronotum.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 24-25 ) parameres broadly triangular, apparently fused except for narrow separation at distal fifth; each paramere with 2 setae, a very long, stout basal seta near inner margin at base, extending well beyond tips of parameres, and a shorter, narrower seta near lateral margin; basal plates represented by elongate, somewhat kidney-shaped plates ( Fig. 25 ); flagellum narrow, longer than basal strut, internal sac with an inconspicuous fibrous patch ( Fig. 24 ).

Distribution. Bolivia.

Etymology. Named for Byrd K. Dozier, co-collector of the unique specimen upon which this species is based.

Discussion. The oblique lines on the frons in the male, and only known, specimen, are shared only with L. planaclavatus .

Figures

Figure 6. Habitus, Laemophloeus dozieri Thomas, n. sp., male.

Figures 23-26. Laemophloeus dozieri Thomas, n. sp. 23) Head, male. 24) Male genitalia. 25) Aedeagus. 26) Antenna, male.