Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin, 2014

Erwin, Terry L. & Zamorano, Laura S., 2014, A synopsis of the tribe Lachnophorini, with a new genus of Neotropical distribution and a revision of the Neotropical genus Asklepia Liebke, 1938 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 430, pp. 1-108 : 35-38

Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin sp. n. Golden-line pattern-wing beetle Figs 33 , 60 , 77

Holotype.

Perú, LORETO, circa Pithecia, Cocha Shinguito, 5.1757°S, 74.655°W, 111m, 16 August 1989 (T.L. Erwin, G.P. Servat)(MUSM: ADP133151).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The specific epithet, grammechrysea derived from the Greek γραμμή (grammae) = line, κριχισηα (chrysea) = golden), is a noun in apposition referring to the yellow (flavous) line on the pronotum.

Proposed english vernacular name.

Golden-line pattern-wing beetle.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus Asklepia as described by Liebke (1938) and as noted above under the generic diagnosis. Individuals of this species present a wide range of sizes from small to large for the genus (SBL = 2.265-3.736 mm). Adults with head fuscous, pronotum bicolored, its lateral areas fuscous, medial area aurantiacus; elytral maculae aurantiacus, elytron fuscous with an elongated horizontally oriented flavous macula crossing basal lateral and proximal quadrant, sutural area fuscous, and with a semicircular flavous macula in the apical proximal quadrant, sutural area fulvous, lateral margin of medial and apical quadrants fulvous; metasternum, abdominal sterna III-VI, basal half of sternum VII and epipleuron brunneus, apical half of abdominal sternum VII paler; legs fulvous; antennal scape and pedicel testaceous, antennomeres 3-7 deeply infuscated, 8-11 white. Dorsal surface devoid of microsculpture, surface luster very shiny. Pronotum cordiform, narrowly explanate, with medial lobe at base, apical margin slightly concave lateral margin beaded; hind angle markedly prominent; median line markedly defined. Elytral interneurs evident as continuous rows of fine closely spaced punctures; punctures fuscous; basal and apical punctures each with infuscated halo.

Description.

( Figs 33 , 60 ). Habitus: ( Fig. 33 ). Size: [See also Table 5 ] Small to large-sized for the genus; ABL = 2.336-3.78 mm, SBL = 2.265-3.736 mm, TW (total width) 1.382-2.216 mm, LP = 0.481-1.016 mm, WP = 0.659-1.065 mm, LE = 1.440-2.381 mm. Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: See diagnosis above. Head ( Fig. 33 ): as in description for genus above. Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 33 ) moderately broad, as wide as head across eyes (WH/WP, mean both sexes: 1.002), larger than head (LP/LH, mean both sexes: 1.512), about as wider than long (WP/LP, mean both sexes: 1.381); markedly cordiform and explanate, lateral margin beaded and fuscous with seta at anterior third; base markedly constricted and lobed medially; anterior angles moderately produced, hind angle markedly produced and setose; median line markedly defined, basal and apical transverse impressions punctate, punctures fuscous; surface smooth throughout.

Pterothorax. Normal for genus, see description for genus above. Elytra slightly convex; at apical third twice as width as head across eyes (WH/TW, mean both sexes: 0.481) and pronotum (WP/TW, mean both sexes: 0.493), longer than wide. Elytral interneurs evident as continuous rows of fine closely spaced punctures; punctures each with a fuscous halo in the basal and apical proximal quadrant of elytron. Hind wings fully developed. Legs. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Abdominal sterna. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Male genitalia ( Fig. 60 , see Fig. 61 for attribute labels). Median lobe with phallobase short about a fourth the length of shaft, basal opening small, oriented parallel to shaft. Shaft broad, slightly curved ventrally, dorsally sclerotized except for short ostium; in ventral aspect tapered toward rather narrowly rounded apex, in lateral aspect, a rounded apex. Parameres: left very large and broad, right small and triangular; apex of left paramere lobate much longer than right paramere about half the length of shaft (measured in left lateral aspect). Endophallus with 7 preapical spines. Female genitalia. Not investigated, presumably similar to that of Asklepia demiti sp. n.

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and probably capable of flight. They are moderately swift and agile runners.

Distribution.

( Fig. 77 ). This species has been found at locations on black-water systems across the northern and western areas of the Amazon River drainage system. But that does not at all indicate its real distribution: as has been pointed out above, very small beetles are inadequately sampled, especially in the Neotropics.

Way of life.

See Erwin (1991) for a general

Description.

Adults of this species are active in lowland Igapó rainforest during the rainy season. They have been found in wet leaf litter at the edge of small streams and lake shores as well as in old levee forests of Attalea palms near a black water river; they also occur on mud with grasses and among crumbly clods of yellowish clay at salt licks, as well as near rotting tree trunks at the water’s edge in low lying inundation forest at the edge of a black water lake and on sandy shorelines with matted rhizomes and dry leaf litter.

Other specimens examined.

Perú, Loreto, circa Pithecia, Cocha Shinguito, 5.1757°S, 74.655°W, 111m, 16 August 1989 (T.L. Erwin, G.P. Servat)(NMNH: ADP132980, ADP132709, ADP132741, ADP133197, ADP132717, ADP133161, ADP133163, ADP- 132739, ADP133187, ADP133053, ADP133185, ADP132697, ADP133123, ADP133101, ADP133099, ADP133111, ADP132978, ADP133143, ADP133153, ADP132465, ADP132537, ADP132591, ADP132471, ADP132533, ADP132579, ADP 132517, ADP132522, ADP132559, ADP132497, ADP132526, ADP132511, ADP132573, ADP132459, female paratypes, ADP013271, ADP132753, ADP133183, ADP- 133173, ADP132721, ADP133107, ADP133095, ADP133060, ADP132703, ADP109204, ADP133129, ADP132715, ADP133139, ADP133117, ADP133175, ADP133179, ADP132683, ADP132725, ADP133079, ADP132735, ADP133072, ADP132747, ADP133105, ADP132730, ADP133125, ADP132488, ADP132462, ADP132479, ADP132516, ADP132461, ADP132498, ADP132504, ADP132514, ADP132486, ADP132502, ADP132577, ADP132472, ADP132473, ADP132567, ADP132599, male paratypes; Cocha Shinguito, south side, 5.19543°S, 74.640°W, 121m, 17 May 1990 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP093477, ADP094131, ADP071242, ADP066673, ADP093475, ADP093474, ADP093453 ADP093457, ADP093431, ADP071517, female paratypes, ADP071518, ADP071516, ADP094133, ADP093458, ADP093430, ADP093456, ADP093436, male paratypes); 25 August 1991 (T.L. Erwin, M.G. Pogue)(NMNH: ADP071240, ADP071201, female paratypes, ADP071249, ADP071247, ADP- 071239, ADP071240, ADP071241, ADP071225, ADP071226, ADP071243, ADP071244, ADP071217, ADP071224, ADP071198, ADP071218, ADP071202, ADP071588, male paratypes); Cocha Shinguito, 5.1757°S, 74.655°W, 111m, 14 June 1990 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP094139, female paratypes, ADP094109, ADP094109, ADP094117, ADP094111, ADP094135, ADP094136, ADP094140, male paratypes); 25 August 1991 (G.E. Ball, D. Shpeley)(NMNH: ADP132551, female paratype, ADP132593, ADP132563, male paratypes); Cocha Shinguito, 5.1746°S, 74.6581°W, 119m, 26 August 1991 (T.L. Erwin, M.G. Pogue)(NMNH: ADP071520, ADP071521, female paratypes, ADP071519, male paratype); Cocha Shinguito, margin of Río Samiria, 5.1867°S, 74.6187°W, 124m, 17 May 1990 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP066600, ADP066669, female paratypes, ADP066581, ADP066597, ADP066625, ADP066647, male paratypes); Río Samiria, Camp Terry, 5.4883°S, 75.1927°W, 132m, 14 May 1990 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP094434, ADP094362, ADP094318, ADP094374, ADP094323, ADP094322, ADP132528, ADP132464, ADP094321, female paratypes ADP094348, ADP094342, ADP094345, ADP094349, ADP094344, ADP094324, ADP132510, ADP094341, ADP094346, ADP132541, ADP132549, ADP094365, ADP132523, male paratypes); Hamburgo, Boca Caño Inglés Camp, 5.1317°S, 75.0617°W, 117m, 20 August 1991 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP071046, female paratypes, ADP071633, male paratype); Explornapo Camp, Río Napo, Río Sucusari, 3.2494°S, 72.9205°W, 101m, 4 June 1992 (T.L. Erwin, E. Pfuno S., F. Pfuno S.)(NMNH: ADP023587, ADP023593, female paratypes, ADP023587, ADP091311, male paratypes); 14 June 1992 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP052649, ADP052564, ADP052650, female paratypes, ADP052548, ADP052548, male paratypes); 19 June 1992 (T.L. Erwin)(NMNH: ADP009175, ADP009123, ADP052565, female paratypes, ADP009173, ADP052563, ADP009176, ADP009174, male paratypes); circa Explornapo Camp, Río Napo, Cocha Shimagai, 3.3563°S, 73.0467°W, 88m, 13 June 1992 (T.L. Erwin, E. Pfuno S., F. Pfuno S.)(NMNH: ADP008129, ADP008114, ADP008128, ADP094109, female paratypes, ADP008122, ADP008124, ADP008127, ADP008118, ADP008115, ADP008116, ADP008119, male paratypes).

Figures

Figure 33 - 36. Digital Photo-illustrations, habitus, dorsal aspect of holotypes. 33 Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 133151, Pithecia, Peru 34 Asklepia hilaris (Bates, 1871), comb. n., Brazil ADP 132543, Sao Paulo de Olivenca, Brazil 35 Asklepia laetitia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109190, Leticia, Colombia 36 Asklepia lebioides (Bates, 1871), comb. n., ADP 109194, Santarem, Rio Tapajos, Brazil. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 57 - 62. Illustrations, male aedeagus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects. 57 Asklepia geminata (Bates, 1871) ADP 109186, Rio Samiria, Boca Cano Ingles Camp, Peru 58 Asklepia campbellorum Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109196, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil 59 Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132585, Rio Demiti, Brazil 60 Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 052565, Rio Sucusari, Peru 61 Asklepia laetitia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109190, Leticia, Colombia. Legend: a apical area; bl basal lobe; bo basal orifice; lp left paramere; ml median lobe; om ostial membrane; oo ostial opening; rp right paramere; sh shaft; pb phallobase; ps phallobase shaft; ms medial spine; ds distal spine 62 Asklepia lebioides (Bates, 1871), comb. n., ADP 109208, Rio Demiti, Brazil. Scale line = 0.25 mm.

Figure 76 - 77. 76 Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia geminata (Bates) 77 Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia species of the hilaris group.