Laemophloeus corporeflavus 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 : 5-7

Laemophloeus corporeflavus Thomas , n.sp.

Fig. 5 , 19-22

Types: Holotype male, deposited in MNKM, with following label data: “ 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”; allotype female, deposited in MNKM, with following label data: “ BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz, Potrerillos de Guendá ; 17 o 40.26S - 63 o 27.44W 5-20-XII-2004; B. Dozier ”.

Diagnosis. The following combination of characters is diagnostic for this species: body completely testaceous ( Fig. 5 ); form short, broad, with relatively broadly explanate elytral margins; pronotum without distinct antebasal denticle; male genitalia ( Fig. 20 ) with basal plates asymmetrically developed; parameres each with two short, fine setae; internal sac with a short, fine flagellum ( Fig. 21 )

Description: 2.2mm long; oblong-ovate; dorsal and ventral surfaces testaceous; mandibles darker distally; legs slightly paler.

Head: 2.4× wider than long; epistome with emargination over labrum moderate, mandibular emarginations rather shallow, antennal emarginations slight; frontoclypeal suture impressed anterolaterally, obsolete medially ( Fig. 19 ); longitudinal line absent; surface very finely, sparsely punctate, punctures much smaller than an eye facet, separated by 4-6 diameters, each subtending an inconspicuous seta about three times length of a puncture diameter; disc of head between punctures smooth and shiny, without microreticulation. Mandibles small, curved. Eyes moderate, length 0.5× that of head ( Fig. 19 ). Antennae elongate, attaining about midpoint of elytra; scape about 1.9× longer than broad; pedicel elongate, about 0.5× length of scape; III narrow and elongate, 0.8× length of scape; IV-VII elongate, subequal in length; each 0.6× length of scape; VIII slightly shorter than preceding, club comprised of IX- XI, IX-X each slightly expanded distally, IX about as long as III, X slightly shorter; XI 1.2× length of scape.

Thorax: 1.7× wider than long; widest at about apical third; 1.2× wider at apical third than across basal angles; anterior angles produced, obtusely rounded; hind angles produced, obtuse; antebasal denticle indistinct ( Fig. 19 ); sublateral line with a median dark spot but without median fovea; punctation and pubescence similar to head; surface smooth and shiny between punctures, not microreticulate. Legs rather short; femora stout.

Elytra: 1.4× longer than wide, comprising 0.6× total body length; inner margin of cell 1 distinctly grooved only at apical fourth, remainder represented by a very fine line and a row of punctures, outer margin obsolete, margins of cell 2 grooved at apical fifth; cell 3 complete; humeral carina well-marked; discal surface with lines of minute punctures, no discernable pubescence.

Male genitalia: ( Fig. 20-21 ) parameres sharply triangular, apparently fused except for narrow line at distal fourth; each paramere with 2 setae, a very short, stout basal seta near inner margin at about apical third, and a longer, narrower seta near lateral margin; basal plates represented by a rectangular plate on the right, and an acuminate process on the left ( Fig. 20 ); flagellum narrow, attenuate distally, almost as long as basal strut, internal sac with a V-shaped fibrous patch; claspers rectangular ( Fig. 22 ).

Female allotype: 2.0mm long; head 2.3× wider than long, antennae shorter, attaining base of pronotum; pronotum 1.6× wider than long, not as narrowed basally as in male; elytra, 1.4× longer than wide, comprising 0.6× total body length.

Variation: Length of paratypes ranges from 2.1mm to 2.4mm. The nature of the antebasal denticle of the pronotum varies from barely indicated, as in the holotype, to completely absent.

Distribution. South America.

Paratypes. 9, with label data as follows: 4 “ 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” ; 1 “ ECUADOR: Prov. Napo vic. Puerto Misahuali , 1650-1900 ft., 6-19-IX-1998 J.E. Eger, coll.” / “ 1 o 2’4.2"S lat, 77 o 39’49.2"W lon Mercury vapor & Ultraviolet lights” ; 1 “ PERU: San Martin, Rumipata Lodge , 5km SE Moyobamba, 13-17-X-2012 Coll.: J.B. Heppner 970m ” ; 1 “ PERU: San Martin Dept. Moyobamba, vic. Ecológico ‘ Rumipata’ 13-18-X-2012 J.E. Eger” / “ S 06 o 04’32.0", W 076 o 58’07.5, 970m, UV Light Trap ” ; 1 “ TRINIDAD: Simla, Arima-Blanchissuese Rd. , 27-VII-75 J. Price blacklight trap ” ; 1 “ TRINIDAD: Simla, Arima-Blanchissuese Rd. , 8-VIII-75 J. Price blacklight trap ”. Deposited in FSCA and MNKM .

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the overall pale yellow color of the adults of this species.

Discussion. Although this species is fairly widespread, it seems to be rarely collected.

Figures

Figure 5. Habitus, Laemophloeus corporeflavus Thomas, n.sp., male.

Figures 19-22. Laemophloeus corporeflavus Thomas, n.sp. 19) Head and pronotum, male. 20) Aedeagus. 21) Flagellum. 22) Abdominal segment 8, male.