Phelister inscriptus, Caterino & Tishechkin, 2020

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2020, Recognition and revision of the Phelister blairi group (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 1001, pp. 1-154 : 1

53. Phelister inscriptus sp. nov. Figs 33G, H , 35A-F , Map 17

Type material.

Holotype male: " Peru: Madre de Dios, Rio Alto Madre de Dios Pantiacolla Lodge 12°39.3'S, 71°13.9'W [-12.6550, -71.2317], Flight intercept 14-19 Nov 2007, D.Brzoska" / "SEMC0903642 KUNHM-ENT" (SEMC); Paratypes (8): same data as type (3ex.); Peru: Cusco, Villa Carmen Fld Stn. ~ 1.7 km west cafeteria, 12.89250°S, 71.41917°W, 555 m, 24-26.V.2011, DJ Bennett & E. Razuri, FIT (SEMC, 2ex.); Ecuador: Napo, Yuturi Lodge, Rio Napo (-0.5483, -76.0383), 270 m, 3/20/99-3/21/99, FIT, R. Brooks, D. Brzoska, SM0156707 (SEMC, 1ex.); Orellana, Est. Biodiv. Tiputini (-0.6333, -76.0383), 220 m, 9/5/00-9/25/00, D. Inward & K. Jackson, EXO-03335 (NHMUK, 1ex.); Napo, Misahualli Lodge, 1.03138°S, 77.66334°W, vii.6-9.2010, C.M.Riley, FIT (TAMU, 1ex.).

Other material.

French Guiana: Belvédère de Saül, point de vue (3.6228, -53.2094), 9/2/10, FIT, SEAG (CHND, 1ex.); Régina, Rés. Natur. des Nouragues, Camp Inselberg (4.0833, -52.6833), 9/22/10, FIT, SEAG (CHND, 1ex.); Guyana: Region 8, Iwokrama Field Stn., Iwokrama Forest, 1 km W Kurupukari (4.6719, -58.6844), 60 m, 5/30/01-6/2/01, FIT, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, SM0569609 (SEMC, 1ex.).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.42-1.69 mm (avg. 1.55 mm); width: 1.18-1.50 mm (avg. 1.35 mm). This species is very similar to the preceding three, differing principally in the following characters: median pronotal gland openings 2/3 behind anterior pronotal margin; prescutellar impression semicircular, ~ 2 × as wide as scutellum; anterior margin of pronotum very weakly produced at middle; outer subhumeral elytral stria present in apical 1/3; dorsal stria one nearly complete, scratch-like in apical 1/5 or less, dorsal stria two complete, 3rd stria abbreviated from base, present as serial punctures in apical one-third, but also traceable in basal 1/3 as a fine, scratch-like line, 4th and 5th striae very short, apical, as series of punctures, no basal arches present, sutural stria present in apical 3/4; propygidial secondary punctures dense in basal 2/3; pygidial punctures uniformly small and sparse; mesometaventral stria bluntly angulate at middle, only reaching basal 1/3 of mesoventrite; lateral metaventral stria divergent, extending toward but not reaching metepisternum; 1st abdominal ventrite with small gland opening in extreme corner mediad metacoxa; protibia with outer and apical margins almost evenly, narrowly rounded, outer margin rather densely spinose, bearing ~ ten closely set spines; ventral protarsal setae expanded and flattened, those of male more broadly than females. Male: accessory sclerites present, S8 short, but with long, setose lateral processes; T10 entire; aedeagus with basal piece slightly> 1/3 tegmen length; tegmen weakly widened beyond midpoint, then narrowing slightly to subtruncate apices; medioventral process absent; median lobe long, proximal apodemes thin, undifferentiated.

Etymology.

The name of this species refers to the finely ‘inscribed’ basal portion of the 3rd elytral stria.

Distribution.

This species is known from three widely separated localities, in Amazonian Ecuador and Peru to Guyana.

Remarks.

The primary distinguishing character of this species, compared to the others in this group, is the basally abbreviated 3rd dorsal stria, which is replaced with a very fine, scratch-like basal fragment. The protibial shape, with the rather evenly rounded, densely spinose margins, is also unusual, and the mesometaventral stria in this species is not as strongly arched forward as others in this group. A single female specimen from Guyana has the same tibia and other major characters but differs in having more conspicuous ground punctation, a larger prescutellar impression, and a more complete 3rd dorsal stria. But lacking a male to assess aedeagus shape, we consider it to be an aberrant member of the present species for now.

Figures

Map 17. Collecting records for Phelister curvipes (upright black triangle), P. vilavelha (black hexagon), P. rio (white circle), P. semotus (stars), P. uncinatus (black squares), and P. inscriptus (inverted white triangles).

Figure 33. A, B Phelister rio: A dorsal habitus B ventral habitus C, D P. semotus: C dorsal habitus D ventral habitus E, F P. uncinatus: E dorsal habitus F ventral habitus G, H P. inscriptus: G dorsal habitus H ventral habitus.

Figure 35. Male genitalia, Phelister inscriptus A tergite 8 B sternite 8 C tergites 9 & 10 D sternite 9 E aedeagus, dorsal F aedeagus, lateral.