Laemophloeus planaclavatus 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 : 12-13

Laemophloeus planaclavatus Thomas , n.sp

Fig. 12 , 48-54

Types: Holotype male, deposited in FSCA, with following label data: “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, near Fzda Rancho Grande, 8-20-XI-1994, J.E.Eger, L.B.&C.W. O’Brien, blacklight trap ”; allotype female, deposited in FSCA, with following label data: “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km SW Ariquemes, Fzda. Rancho Grande , 10-XI-1994, C. O’Brien blacklight trap ”.

Diagnosis. The following combination of characters is diagnostic for this species: body form short and broad ( Fig. 12 ), head with finely incised oblique lines laterally on frons ( Fig. 53 ), elytra broadly explanate; body color testaceous, with base and suture darkly infuscate; antennae short, barely attaining base of elytra in large males; antennal club segments short and flattened ( Fig. 54 ); basal plates rather broad, oval in shape; parameres with two pairs of setae, the inner, basal pair long, stout and narrowly separated, the outer pair shorter and more slender, plus three additional pairs of secondary setae arranged in a transverse row basally ( Fig. 50 ).

Description: 2.2mm long; oblong-ovate; dorsal and ventral surfaces testaceous; elytra infuscate basally and along suture to about midpoint; mandibles darker distally; legs slightly paler.

Head: 2.6× wider than long; epistome with emargination over labrum deep and narrow, mandibular emarginations well-marked, antennal emarginations absent; frontoclypeal suture complete ( Fig. 49 ); with oblique incised line on each side extending posteriorly from frontoclypeal suture to anterior third of eye ( Fig. 53 ), longitudinal line present, not impressed; very finely, sparsely punctate, punctures much smaller than an eye facet, separated by 4-6 diameters, each subtending an inconspicuous seta about twice times length of a puncture diameter; disc of head between punctures smooth and shiny, without microreticulation. Mandibles small, curved. Eyes large, length 0.7× that of head ( Fig. 49 ). Antennae short, attaining about base of pronotum; scape about 1.4× longer than broad; pedicel subquadrate, about 0.5× length of scape; III narrow and elongate, subequal in length to scape; IV-VII subquadrate, subequal in length; each about 0.5× length of scape; VIII slightly wider than preceding, club comprised of IX-XI, club antennomeres flattened ( Fig. 54 ); IX-X each slightly expanded distally, IX 0.7× length of scape, X slightly shorter than IX; XI 1.1× length of scape.

Thorax: Pronotum 1.8× wider than long; widest at about apical third; 1.1× wider at apical third than across basal angles; anterior angles produced, narrowly rounded; hind angles produced obtuse; antebasal denticle indistinct ( Fig. 49 ); sublateral line with a median dark spot and fovea; punctation and pubescence similar to head; surface smooth and shiny between punctures, not microreticulate. Legs rather short; femora stout.

Elytra: 1.3× longer than wide; lateral margins explanate; inner margin of cell 1 distinctly grooved only at apical third, remainder obsolete, outer margin obsolete, inner margin of cell 2 grooved at apical two-thirds, outer margin obsolete; cell 3 complete; humeral carina well-marked; discal surface with lines of minute punctures, no discernable pubescence.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 50-52 ) parameres sharply triangular, apparently fused except for narrow line at distal fourth; each paramere with a long, stout basal seta near inner margin base, and a slightly shorter, narrower seta near lateral margin; at base, laterad to insertion of basal seta are three short, stout setae arranged in a transverse row; basal plates elongate, with a curved process distally ( Fig. 50 ); flagellum narrow, bifurcate distally, almost twice length of basal strut, internal sac with a fibrous patch; claspers broadly triangular ( Fig. 52 ).

Female allotype: 2.3mm long; head 2.8× wider than long; eye 0.7× length of head; antennae proportionally shorter, attaining only midpoint of pronotum; pronotum 1.8× wider than long; elytra 1.3× longer than wide;

Variation: Paratypes range in length from 2.0mm to 2.4mm.

Distribution. South America. This species is known from only three localities in Brazil and Bolivia.

Paratypes. 19, with label data as follows: 2 “ BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz, 3.7km SSEBuenaVista, 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” ; 3 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, near Fzda Rancho Grande , 8-20-XI-1994, J.E.Eger, L.B.&C.W. O’Brien, blacklight trap ” ; 1 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km SW Ariquemes, Fzda. Rancho Grande , 10-XI-1994, C. O’Brien blacklight trap ” ; 2 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km SW Ariquemes nr Fzda. Rancho Grande 5-17-X-1993, JE Eger Blacklight Trap ” ; 1 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda. Rancho Grande 27-IV-1992, U. Schmitz blacklight trap ” ; 1 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda. Rancho Grande 23-VIII-1992, U. Schmitz blacklight trap ” ; 2 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda. Rancho Grande 20-VII-1992, U. Schmitz blacklight trap ” ; 1 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda. Rancho Grande 6-V-1992, U. Schmitz blacklight trap ” ; 1 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia 62km SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda Rancho Grande 23-25-III-1996, U. Schmitz BLT” ; 1 “ BRAZIL: Rondonia, 62km. SW Ariquemes, nr. Fzda Rancho Grande 23-24-XII-1996, U. Schmitz blacklight trap ” ; 2, “ Ilha dos Busios S. Paulo - Brasil 16.X-4.XI.963 Exp. Dep. Zool.” Paratypes deposited in DEFS, FSCA, and MNKM.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the distinctively flattened antennal club.

Discussion. This species is unique among known species in its short, broad body form, the short antennae with flattened club, and the accessory setae on the parameres. It shares with L. dozieri possession of oblique incised lines laterally on the frons. Its color pattern is very similar to L. suturalis .

Figures

Figure 12. Habitus, Laemophloeus planaclavatus Thomas, n.sp., male.

Figures 44-48. Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle. 44) Types of L. distinguendus Sharp. 45) Male antennal scape. 46) Head, male. 47) Aedeagus. 48) Head, male, anterior oblique view.

Figures 49-54. Laemophloeus planaclavatus Thomas, n.sp. 49) Head and pronotum, male. 50) Aedeagus. 51) Male genitalia. 52) Abdominal segment 8, male. 53) Right half of frons, female. 54) Antennal club.