Neohebascus Cline

Cline, Andrew R., 2009, A new sap beetle (Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae) genus from the Neotropics, with commentary on the Pocadius complex of genera, Zootaxa 2237, pp. 34-42 : 35-41

Neohebascus Cline , new genus

Type species. Neohebascus tishechkini n. sp. here designated

Diagnosis. Differs from all New World Pocadius complex genera, i.e. Pocadius , Teichostethus , Hebascus , and Hyleopocadius , by the following combination of characters: mentum broad, plate-like, covering bases of maxillae and mandibles; maxillary palpi filiform and elongate; antennal club with loose lamellate-like antennomeres in both males and females; metasternal axillary space not extending posteriorly along border with metepisternum; ovipositor gonocoxites with serrate apico-lateral margins; ovipositor with paraprocts fused and compact; male with sexually dimorphic abdominal sternite IV; deeply excised tegmen (excised in Hebascus , but excision never extending to 0.5 length of tegmen); tegminal projections carinate; apex of median lobe bifid. Table 1 below provides a more thorough differentiation between Neohebascus and other New World Pocadius complex genera.

Description. Body ovate, convex, distinctly setose. Head, pronotum, and elytra with both short, decumbent setae and elongate, stiff, erect setae. Elytra serially punctate/setose.

Head wider than long. Occipital line faintly demarcated. Temples short and convergent. Vertex transverse, not or faintly convex. Broad, shallow depression apparent across frontoclypeal region. Orbits large and welldeveloped, protruding laterally, finely faceted; interocular setae absent. Anterior margin of clypeus broadly, shallowly concave. Labrum distinct, clearly visible, anterior margin moderately concave. Mandible with simple, acute apex, lacking subapical tooth; setigerous furrow present with elongate setae; ventral articulation weakly dicondylic; mola with relatively small grinding surface comprising oblique grooves with submola moderately developed and possessing short setae; prostheca with two setal regions, basal region with short to moderate setae and apical region with elongate setae; dorsal fossa and mandibular comb weakly developed (Fig. 6). Maxillae distinctly elongate (Fig. 7); cardo and stipes prolonged; cardo appearing weakly crescent shaped ventrally; stipes ~0.5 length of cardo; lacinia prolonged and thin, apical third with moderately dense setae; palpi with 4 palpomeres, palpomere II equal in length to other palpomeres combined. Labium with 3 palpomeres, palpi nearly contiguous at base, terminal palpomere subcylindrical. Mentum plate-like (Fig. 8) with deeply concave anterior margin, laterally covering bases of mandibles and maxillae except protruding cardo-stipes articulation. Antennal grooves present but deep and short, not extending onto submental or gular regions. Antennal insertions visible from above, not concealed beneath lobes.

Antennae with 11 antennomeres, the three terminal antennomeres comprising a loose, lamellate-like club. Club antennomeres combined slightly longer than antennomeres I-VIII combined. Scape hemispherical, ~ 2X longer than subcylindrical pedicel. Antennomere III and V each longer than antennomere IV; antennomere VI–VIII compact and somewhat compressed, VI and VIII slightly larger than VII; antennomeres IX and X with elongate finger-like projections extending anteriorly, antennomere XI elongate elliptical with large sensory field around entire apical and most of lateral margins.

Pronotum distinctly transverse; small simple and large complex punctures present, small punctures bearing elongate, thick, erect setae and large punctures bearing short, thin, decumbent setae from anterior pore; anterior margin semi-trapezoidal, lateral margins widest near posterior angles and arcuate to anterior angles; posterior margin with slight convexity near scutellum. Anterior and posterior angles obtuse, with anterior angles more defined than posterior angles. Scutellum triangular with rounded apical margin. Elytra with alternating columns of double rows of large complex punctures bearing short, thin, decumbent setae from anterior pores and single or double rows of small, simple punctures bearing elongate, erect, thick setae; separately rounded at apex, exposing part of pygidium; scutellary striole visible; lateral margin faintly explanate; humeri slightly protuberant. Pygidium with apex densely fimbriate, apical margin broadly convex in males and females.

Prosternum with faint, oblique suture separating basisternum from hypomeron; postcoxal process of hypomeron narrow; procoxal cavities closed; prosternal process somewhat narrow between procoxae and only slightly expanded laterally posterior to procoxae; in lateral view prosternal process with distinct apical wall present and appearing truncate to slightly concave. Mesosternum with definitive median carina present and yshaped, with apical portion of carina not reaching metasternum; posterior margin of mesosternum deeply, sharply incised for reception of metasternum. Metasternum transverse, postcoxal lines of mesocoxae not diverging significantly from coxal cavities and not extending posteriorly along lateral margin with metepisternum, axillary space narrow and confined to anterior portion of metasternum. Visible abdominal ventrite 1 with moderately broad process between metacoxal cavities; the ratio of the width between the procoxae, mesocoxae and metacoxae are 1:1:1.66. Ventrites II–III similar in size, ventrite IV slightly larger than II or III. Hypopygidium with broadly rounded apex.

Femora of normal shape and size. Protibia with lateral margin distinctly finely denticulate, becoming less so proximally; two unequal small medial apical spurs present; lateral apical margin rounded with no spurs or processes present; anterior face with incomplete, transverse row of short spines subapically; posterior face of tibia with short, incomplete, oblique subapical row of short spines. Mesotibiae and metatibiae similar, more densely setose than protibia; apical margin with dense, short spines encircling apex, longer spines projecting from rounded lateroapical angles. Tarsomeres II–III weakly bilobed, tarsomeres I–III with dense setal pads, tarsomeres II–III with setal pads separated medially. Claws simple.

Male genitalia with tegmen deeply excised; median lobe bifid at apex; two pairs of ejaculatory rods oriented at 90˚ angles from each other.

Female genitalia with compact fused cylindrical paraprocts; coxites fused with narrowly rounded apex and subapical teeth. Styli absent.

Etymology. The genus name is a derivative of “Neo”, which is indicative of the taxon’s distribution in the Neotropics; and Hebascus , which this new taxon externally resembles and to which it may share a sister relationship. Gender masculine.

Hebascus Hyleopocadius Neohebascus Pocadius Teichostethus labrum anterior bilobed medially excised shallowly bilobed medially excised medially excised margin

Neohebascus tishechkini Cline , new species

Specimens examined. HOLOTYPE 3 (CSCA): ECUADOR: Orellana, Tiputini; Biol. Stn., 0°38.2’S 76°08.9’W; 27-JUL-3-AUG-2008; A.K. Tishechkin collr.; ex: Malaise MG1 AT1036 / HOLOTYPE; Neohebascus; tishechkini ; A.R. Cline des. 2009 [red label] PARATYPE Ƥ (SNEC): French Guiana, Cayenne, 33.5 km S and 8.4 km NW of Hwy N2 on Hwy D5 4°48’18”N, 52°28’41”W, 30 m, 26–28 MAY; J. Ashe, R. Brooks, FG1AB97 0 59 ex flight intercept trap [yellow label]. PARATYPE Ƥ (CSCA): ECUADOR: Orellana Prov.; Tiputini Biodiversity Stn.; 0°38.2’S 76°08.9’W; 27-JUL-3-AUG-2008; A.K. Tishechkin collr., Ex: FIT #5 [yellow label].

The paratype female specimen at the CSCA is currently contained in high grade ethanol in the ultracold - 80˚F freezer as part of the frozen tissue collection. The female paratype specimen (SNEC) was fully dissected and the following body parts were placed in glycerin vials on two different pins: Pin #1 - (a) head and antennae, (b) mouthparts; Pin #2 - (a) abdominal tergites and ventrites (disarticulated), (b) female genitalia (disarticulated). The head and mouthparts are on the same pin as the rest of the specimen and locality labels; both pins have a yellow paratype label.

PLATE 1. Fig. 1. Habitus of female paratype, dorsal view. Fig. 2. Male holotype abdomen illustrating tubercle medially on anterior margin of ventrite IV, ventral view.

PLATE 2. Fig. 3. Left antenna of female paratype, ventral view. Fig. 4. Female paratype head, dorsal view. Fig. 5. Female paratype head, ventral view.

Description. Overall, body convex; uniformly chestnut brown in color, antennomeres III–XI piceous (Fig. 1). Length = 4.7 mm, width = 2.9 mm. Dorsum and venter pubescent, setae reddish orange brown, both short thin recumbent/suberect and elongate thick, erect setae present. Dorsal surface more densely setose than ventral surface. Pronotum and elytra fimbriate along lateral margin with elongate erect setae (longer than eye width).

Head slightly wider than long (W:L = 1:1.08), heavily punctate on vertex (Fig. 4). Punctures on head of two types; umbilicate punctures not large, equal to or slightly wider than 1– 2 X diameter of eye facet, interspaces smooth and shining, ~0.25–0.5 diameters apart and giving rise to short fine setae; smaller punctures <1 diameter of eye facet, simple, and giving rise to an elongate, erect seta. Broadly transverse depression across frontoclypeal region. Labrum broadly hemispherical with shallow concavity at anterior margin, lateral areas of labrum visible around clypeus (i.e. labrum not obscured by clypeus laterally). Antennal grooves present, deeply impressed, parallel, surface with mesh-like pattern of microreticulations. Mentum and submentum with umbilicate punctures and short fine setae only; interspaces smooth to somewhat granular, shining, ~0.25–0.5 diameters apart (Fig. 5). Antennae overall moderately elongate, approximately equal to length of head and pronotum combined; antennal club equal to length of antennomeres I–VIII combined (Fig. 3). Scape not enlarged, moderately convex, apical margin abruptly truncate. Pedicel subcylindrical in shape, ~0.5 length of scape. Antennomeres III and V elongate, each more than 2X length of antennomere IV, antennomeres VI–VIII compact with VII–VIII disc-like; antennomeres IX–X with elongate projections appearing lamellate, antennomere X elongate with moderately acuminate apex.

PLATE 3. Figure 6. Right mandible, dorsal view. Fig. 7. Right maxilla, dorsal view. Fig. 8. Mentum and labium, ventral view.

Pronotum transverse (W:L = 2.24:1), convex, lateral regions shallowly explanate, widest in posterior 0.33, anterior angles more prominent than posterior angles but not pronounced, anterior and posterior angles obtuse. Anterior margin trapezoidal, lateral margins broadly arcuate, posterior margin with two concave regions near middle. Pronotal surface with similarly sized and distributed punctures/setae as on head. Posterior margin with densely fimbriate medial region; possessing short, stiff setae extending over scutellum. Scutellum with intermixed punctures and setae similar to pronotum, interspaces with transverse microreticulations. Elytra with alternating columns of punctures, one column possesses double rows of large punctures bearing short, thin decumbent setae from anterior pores and the other column possesses single or double rows of small, simple punctures bearing elongate, erect, thick setae; interspaces granular. Pygidium with lateral margins evenly and distinctly concave, apex broadly rounded and moderately densely fimbriate with short and long setae. Small punctures aggregated along midline, apicolateral, and apical areas, each puncture giving rise to a short, stout triangular seta. Large punctures, with associated anterior elongate thin seta, dispersed in basal 0.66 of pygidium and absent from midline, apex, and apicolateral margins.

Prosternum with foraminal setae along anterior margin simple and moderately elongate medially and becoming short and apically bifid laterally. Mesosternum with umbilicate punctures only, each bearing a short, thin seta, all punctures aggregated in posterior 0.5 of mesosternum away from midline. Metasternum markedly transverse (W:L = 2.8:1), disc with simple punctures diffusedly dispersed and bearing elongate thin setae, larger umbilicate punctures more dense laterally; interspaces on disc widely separated, ~2–3 diameters apart, surface smooth and shining. Visible abdominal ventrites I–III subequal in length, each with large punctures and associated anterior thin elongate seta; setae on ventrite I complete across midline, ventrites II– III without setae across midline, present only at lateral 0.33 of each ventrite. Hypopygidium with apex rounded, lateral margins slightly concave prior to apex, apex densely fimbriate with moderately long to short setae originating from minute punctures; punctation and setation similar to ventrites II–III with midline devoid of large, elongate setae.

Femora of normal shape and size, moderately canaliculate for reception of tibiae. Protibiae as in generic description, medial weakly developed line visible on anterior face in proximal 0.5 of tibia; entire tibia sparsely covered with long setae. Mesotibiae and metatibiae more densely covered in elongate setae, posterior face with weakly developed medial line. Protarsi with tarsomere I simple, II–III weakly bilobed, IV minute, and V elongate. All legs with tarsomere V longer than I–IV combined. Claws simple, elongate, ~0.5 length of tarsomere V.

PLATE 4. Fig. 9. Tergite VIII (anal sclerite) and ventrite VIII, ventral view. Fig. 10. Tegmen, ventral view. Fig. 11. Tegmen, lateral view. Fig. 12. Median lobe and internal sac sclerites, dorsal view.

Male genitalia well-developed, but only moderately sclerotized. Anal sclerite (tergite 8) visible externally, partially protruding from between pygidium and hypopygidium; well-developed and apically moderately acuminate and fimbriate (Fig. 9). Sternite VIII reduced, median strut present, apically with paired sections that have a few scattered, apical setae. Tegmen fused but with apical 0.5 deeply and strongly excised, appearing as dual projections; each tegminal projection with pronounced median carinae with moderately elongate setae arising laterad of carinae, and each projection subapically with small, medial cluster of setae (Fig. 10). Tegmen with apical projections curved when viewed laterally (Fig. 11). Median lobe with bifid apex, not prolonged, and deeply concave internal structure (Fig. 12). Internal sac sclerites consisting of two pairs of elongate rod-like structures oriented lengthwise at 90° angles from each other, such that when one pair is viewed the other pair appears as a single rod (Fig. 11).

Female genitalia well-developed with coxites completely fused and heavily sclerotized. Paraprocts and valvifers compact, subcylindrical in shape (Fig. 13). Subapical tooth of coxites distant from gonocoxal apex; with serrate, lateral margins along basal 0.5 of gonocoxites; indentations present on subapical teeth (Fig. 14).

Sexual Dimorphism. Males possess a pronounced well-sclerotized, posteriorly-curved tubercle medially on the anterior margin of abdominal sternite IV (Fig. 2), as well as an anal sclerite visible from below. No other sexual dimorphism is apparent.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors Dr. Alexey Tishechkin, who collected the type specimen and continues to collect obscure and rare beetles. His efforts in the field are unparalleled, and his collecting activities always yield specimens of the highest quality.

Distribution. This species is likely moderately widespread across the northern Neotropics, although currently it is known only from Ecuador and French Guiana.

Notes. All specimens were collected in primary forests in flight intercept traps. The natural history of Neohebascus is unknown.

PLATE 5. Fig. 13. Ovipositor, composite ventral view. Fig. 14. Gonocoxites, magnified ventral view.

Tables

TABLE 1. Differentiation of New World Pocadius complex genera.

mandibular apex	acute with subapical tooth	acute	acute	acute with subapical tooth	bifid
maxillary palpomeres	IV longest	IV longest	II longest	IV longest	IV longest
maxilla (lacinia)	broadly oval	broadly oval	narrowly elongate	broadly oval	broadly oval
mentum	transverse	transverse	plate-like	transverse	transverse
lateral mental/ submental grooves	reduced	elongate	elongate	elongate	elongate
antennal club	loose	compact	lamellate	compact	loose
antennomere V length	<antennomere III	<antennomere III	≥ antennomere III	<antennomere III	<antennomere III
postcoxal lines medially at anterior margin of metasternum	absent	faintly indicated	absent	absent	distinctly indicated
metasternal axillary space	extending posteriorly	extending posteriorly	not extending posteriorly	extending posteriorly	extending posteriorly
meso-metasternal junction	evenly concave	evenly concave	deeply incised	evenly concave	evenly concave
postcoxal lines on abdominal ventrite I	not significantly divergent	significantly divergent	not significantly divergent	not significantly divergent	significantly divergent
male abdominal ventrite IV	no dimorphism	no dimorphism	median tubercle present	no dimorphism	no dimorphism
gonocoxites	fused	divergent	fused	divergent	fused
gonocoxal “teeth”	present (subapical)	absent	present (subapical)	present/absent (apical)	present (apical)
tegmen apex	bilobed	truncate/concave	deeply bilobed	truncate/rounded	rounded
median lobe apex	rounded	rounded	bifid	rounded	rounded