Sceloenopla bicolorata Staines

Staines, C. L., 2002, Nomenclatural notes and new species of Sceloenoplini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 89, pp. 1-32 : 16-18

Sceloenopla bicolorata Staines , new species

Figure 8

Type material. Holotype (): Costa Rica, Prov. Heredia, F. La Selva, 3 km S Pto. Viejo, 10°26'N 84°01'W // 30.iii.1980, H. A. Hespenheide// underside leaves of Sterculia recordiana var. papyracea ( INBio). Paratypes (1, 13): 9 with same label data as holotype; 3 with same label data as holotype each collected by T. W. McSherry; 2­ Costa Rica, Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 50-150 m, 1026'N 8401'W, 1-10.vii.1997, coll. L. M. LaPierre// see rearing records Las 97.20. 12 deposited in INBio; 1 retained by author; 1 deposited with H. A. Hespenheide.

Derivation of name. From bi (Latin= two) plus colorata (Latin= color) for the two colors on the elytra.

Diagnosis. This species is in group 5b ( Uhmann 1937). It can be distinguished from other members of species group 5b by antennomere I being transverse, the pronotal impression being present, the elytra having the lateral and apical margins serrate, and the yellow pronotum and the metallic blue elytra with apical fourth yellow.

Description. Head, pronotum and apical 1/4 of elytra yellowish, rest of elytra dark metallic blue; antennae black; legs black with profemora bicolored. Head: medial sulcus becoming carina before base of antennae; vertex alutaceous; frons projecting. Antenna: antennomere I cylindrical, pale at base; II transverse; III­X cylindrical; II and III subequal in length, others decreasing in length; XI pointed at apex; I­IV glabrous; V­XI setose. Pronotum: lateral margin straight and slightly divergent for basal, then rounded and strongly convergent to apex; tooth present in each anterior angle; disc convex, punctate laterally, nearly impunctate medially, with anterior margin rugose; moderate basal impression present; width greatest at base; pronotal length 1.1 mm; pronotal width 1.7 mm. Scutellum: quadrate; alutaceous. Elytron: lateral and apical margins serrate; four costae present, 2nd and 4th most pronounced, 1st and 3rd visible at base and apex; with 10 complete punctures rows; elytral length 5.9 mm; elytral width 2.4 mm. Venter: prosternum yellow, with few punctures anterior to coxae; mesosternum yellow, diffuse black laterally, punctate; metasternum black, punctate; abdominal sterna dark, punctate medially, alutaceous laterally. Leg: femur with a few long golden setae grouped together on inner margin; tibia with golden setae on inner margin and tuft of golden setae at apex. Total length: 7.9 mm.

Variation. Specimens vary in pronotal length from 1.0­ 1.1 mm, in pronotal width from 1.6­1.7 mm, in elytral length from 5.6­5.9 mm, in elytral width from 2.3­2.4 mm, and total length from 7.7­8.0 mm. The color and sculpture is very similar to that of the holotype.

Notes. Taken on the undersides of leaves of Sterculia recordiana papyracea E. Taylor (Sterculiaceae) .

Figures

FIGURES 7 - 12. Habitus. 7. Sceloenopla apicispina. 8. Sceloenopla bicolorata. 9. Sceloenopla bidentata. 10. Sceloenopla expanda. 11. Sceloenopla flava. 12. Sceloenopla lampyridiformis.