Ochracea Opitz, 2016

Opitz, Weston, 2016, Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of Tarsosteninae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Cleridae). Part III. Taxonomy of the New World GeneraArdearsusOpitz, New Genus, AbiliellaPeracchi, OchraceaOpitz, New Genus, andSomaovalisOpitz, New Genus, The Coleopterists Bulletin 70 (1), pp. 153-167 : 153-167

Ochracea Opitz , new genus

Type Species. Ochracea xanthosa Opitz , new species. By present designation.

Diagnosis. The members of this monotypic genus resemble those of Abiliella . In Ochracea , the pronotum is slightly transverse, the pronotal lateral margins are without a tubercle, the maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres are subsecuriform ( Fig. 17 ), the elytral disc is devoid of asetiferous punctures, and the spicular apodemes are fused medially. In Abiliella , the pronotum is oblong, the pronotal lateral margins show a well-developed tubercle, the maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres are securiform ( Fig. 15 ), the elytral disc shows eight striae of asetiferous punctures, and the spicular apodemes are fused at their posterior extremity.

Apotypic Characteristics. Eyes shallow; integument predominantly light testaceous; phallobasic struts not fused to phallobasic apodeme.

Description. Size: Length 6.0 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: Oblong rectangular, 3 times longer than broad. Vestiture: Disc of cranium and pronotum vested with pale setae, elytral disc vested profusely with 2° setae. Head: Cranium quadrate, frons wide, indented with small setiferous punctures, latter widely separated; gula large, trapezoidal, sutures diagonal, process short; labrum short, medial incision deep, curvate concave; mandibles stout, dens well-developed; maxillary terminal palpomere subsecuriform ( Fig. 17 ); ligula deeply incised, ligular lobes not flared, labial terminal palpomere subsecuriform; eyes small, shallow, coarsely faceted, ocular notch large; antenna ( Fig. 4 ) comprised of 11 antennomeres, capitate, capitulum lax, scape short, about as long as combined length of pedicel and antennomere 3, funicular antennomeres subfiliform, capitular antennomeres not compacted. Thorax: Pronotum slightly transverse, slightly convex, lateral margins without tubercle, sculptured with shallow, setiferous punctures, prebasal fissure not deep; prointercoxal process not expanded distally; pronotal projections short; elytra sculptured with minute, setiferous punctures, asetiferous punctures absent, epipleural fold in oblique position, broad in anterior region, narrowed to elytral apex, anterior margin not carinate; tibial spur formula 0-1-1, tarsal pulvillar formula 3-3-3, unguis without denticle. Aedeagus: Shorter than length of abdomen, phallobase lobate anteriorly, lobes not fimbriate, phallobase membranous ventrally, phallobasic struts not fused to phallobasic apodeme, phallobasic rod bifid, phallic apex small, phallic plates narrow; spicular plates flared, spicular apodemes fused at middle, intraspicular plate oblong-linear ( Fig. 37 ).

Distribution. This genus is known from Napo in Ecuador and Maranhão in Brazil.

Etymology. The generic epithet Ochracea is a Greek adjective that stems from ochre (= pale yellow). I refer to the testaceous coloration of the type species.

Ochracea xanthosa Opitz , new species ( Figs. 4, 11, 17 , 30 , 39 , 40 )

Holotype. ♂. ECUADOR, Napo, Coca , 13- XII-1985, lg. Ernesto Martinez. ( FSCA) . Paratype. One specimen . BRAZIL: MA, Lago Verde , 21-IV- 1981, W. Overal ( FSCA) .

Diagnosis. This is the only species in the genus. Specimens are conveniently distinguished by their predominantly testaceous integument. The elytral disc has two prominent black maculations.

Description. Size: Length 6.0 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 30 . Color: Cranium, pronotum, pterothorax, legs, and abdomen testaceous; legs light testaceous; elytral disc predominantly testaceous, elytra with 4 black maculations. Head: Cranium finely punctate; frons wider than width of eye (FW/EW = 36/17); funicular antennomeres subfiliform, antennomere 9 triangular, antennomere 10 transverse, antennomere 11 subovoid ( Fig. 4 ). Thorax: Pronotum slightly transverse ( Fig. 17 ) (PL/PW = 68/70), finely punctate, without tubercles laterally; elytral disc sculptured with small, setiferous punctures (EL/EW = 240/65); interstitial spaces small and smooth. Abdomen: Male pygidium not incised at middle of anterior margin. Aedeagus: Phallobase membranous ventrally; lobes well-developed; phallobasic rod bifid; phallobasic struts not fused to phallobasic apodeme; phallic apex small; phallic plates narrow ( Fig. 37 ).

Variation. The two specimens examined are conspicuously homogeneous.

Natural History. The specimen from Ecuador was collected in December, the one from Brazil in April.

Distribution. This species is known from Napo in Ecuador and from Maranhão in Brazil ( Fig. 39 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet xanthosa (= yellow-like) is a Greek derivative. I refer to the predominantly yellow characteristic of the integument.

Figures

Figs. 1–17. Morphological structures. Antenna: 1) Abiliella albosutura; 2) Abiliella fasciata; 3) Abiliella galbina; 4) Ochracea xanthosa; 5) Ardearsus morulus; 6) Somaovalis sinestigma; 7) Somaovalis sexnaeva. Pronotum: 8) A. albosutura; 9) Abiliella fasciata; 10) A. morulus; 11) O. xanthosa; 12) Somaovalis sexnaeva; 13) Somaovalis sinestigma; 14) A. galbina. Apical maxillary palpomere: 15) A. fasciata; 16) A. morulus; 17) O. xanthosa.

Figs. 33–38. Abdominal terminalia and aedeagi. 33) Abiliella albosutura; 34) Abiliella fasciata; 35) Abiliella galbina; 36) Ardearsus morulus; 37) Ochracea xanthosa; 38) Somaovalis sexnaeva.

Figs. 30–32. Habitus. 30) Ochracea xanthosa; 31) Somaovalis sexnaeva; 32) Somaovalis sinestigma.

Fig. 39. Geographical distributions of seven tarsostenine species.

Fig. 40. Hypothesized phylogeny of the species included in this work.