Operclipygus ignifer, Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2013, A systematic revision of Operclipygus Marseul (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 271, pp. 1-401 : 126-127

Operclipygus ignifer sp. n. Figs 34E36Map 12

Type locality.

BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz: 5 km SSE Buena Vista, Flora y Fauna Hotel [17°29.925'S, 63°39.128'W].

Type material.

Holotype male: "BOLIVIA: Dpto. Santa Cruz. 5km SSE Buena Vista, Flora y Fauna Hotel 17°29.925'S, 63°39.128'W. 440m F.I.T. 15-24 Dec 2003. S. & J. Peck" / "Caterino/Tishechkin Exosternini Voucher EXO-00291" (CMNC). Paratypes: 1: same data as type except: 6-15.xii.2003 (CMNC); 1: same data as type except: 7-12.v.2004, FIT, A.R. Cline (AKTC).

Other material.

ECUADOR: Orellana: 1: Yasuní Res. Stn., mid.Rio Tiputini, 0°40.5'S, 76°24'W, 23-30.vi.1999, FIT, C.E. Carlton & A.K. Tishechkin (LSAM); 1: Parque Nac. Yasuní, Via Maxus at Puente Piraña, 0°39.5'S, 76°26'W, 14-20.vii.2008, FIT, A.K. Tishechkin (AKTC). PERU: Junín: 1: ~16km NW Satipo, Rio Venado, 11°11.677'S, 74°46.137'W, 1150m, 3-8.iii.2010, A.V. Petrov (AKTC), 1: 8-14.iii.2010, A.V. Petrov (MUSM).

Diagnostic description.

This species is very closely related and similar to Operclipygus hospes , differing mainly in the following characters: length: 1.87-1.93 mm, width: 1.44-1.62 mm; sides of frontal stria rounded, central portion complete, sinuate, slightly recurved dorsad at middle; epistoma shallowly depressed at middle; antennal club with upper basolateral sensory pit; pronotal disk with numerous (>30) coarse punctures at sides; lateral submarginal stria complete or barely abbreviated at base; anterior submarginal stria distinctly crenulate, recurved posterad for very short distance (~1/8 pronotal length); median pronotal gland openings present beyond apices of recurved anterior stria, nearly one-fourth pronotal length from anterior margin; elytra with outer subhumeral stria present in apical half, inner subhumeral stria absent, striae 1-3 complete, 4th stria barely abbreviated at base, 5th stria present in apical half to two-thirds; sutural in apical three-fourths; prosternal keel produced posteriorly, carinal striae short, close, subparallel anteriorly, united in narrow arch about one-fourth from presternal suture; mesoventrite deeply emarginate; propygidium with uniform, shallow punctures separated by slightly less than their diameters; pygidium with dense, coarse ground punctation, with coarser punctures irregularly interspersed, slightly denser toward basal margin; marginal pygidial sulcus complete, deep, crenulate along inner edge. Male genitalia largely indistinguishable from that of Operclipygus hospes , but aedeagus with more distinct subapical cleft, basically identical to that of Operclipygus subterraneus (Fig. 36H).

Remarks.

As discussed above, Operclipygus ignifer is very closely related to Operclipygus hospes , sharing both genitalic characters and the presence of a basolateral sensory pit on the antennal club. They can be easily distinguished, however, by the numerous very coarse punctures on the sides of the pronotum of Operclipygus ignifer (Fig. 34E), as well as its large size and slightly longer prosternal carinal striae. The aedeagus of Operclipygus ignifer also bears a more distinct subapical cleft than Operclipygus hospes , more or less indistinguishable from that of the following species.

The type series is limited to those specimens from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, as some minor variation can be observed in superficial characters in specimens from Ecuador and Peru.

Etymology.

This species’ name refers to its flame-shaped prescutellar impression (Fig. 34E).