Sceloenopla nigropicta Staines

Staines, C. L., 2002, Nomenclatural notes and new species of Sceloenoplini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 89, pp. 1-32 : 24-25

Sceloenopla nigropicta Staines , new species

Figure 15

Type material. Holotype (): Costa Rica, Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 50­150 m, 10°26'N, 84°01'W, Proy. ALAS, INBio­OET// FVK 37­03, Virola koschnyi , 15 noviembre 1994 // 232311 ( INBio).

Derivation of name. From nigro (Latin= black) plus picta (Latin= painted) for the black markings on the body.

Diagnosis. This species is in group 10b ( Uhmann 1937). It can be distinguished from all other species in group 10b by the fine punctures between the eyes, by antennomere III being longer than II or IV, by the lateral margins of the pronotum being strongly convergent after the middle, and by the distinctive black markings.

Description.Yellowish­brown; head with medial longitudinal black vitta; pronotum with broad longitudinal black vitta and lateral margins black; scutellum black; elytra with sutural row of punctures black and apical 1/3 black; legs black except base of femora. Head: vertex finely punctate between eyes, otherwise smooth, medial fovea becoming a carina; small tooth present between base of antennae; frons not angulate. Antenna: antennomere I transverse; II­V elongate, slightly compressed laterally, III longest; VI­X transverse, decreasing in length; XI bluntly pointed at apex; VII­XI setose; I­VI punctate with scattered setae. Pronotum: convex; lateral margin slightly sinuate from base to middle then strongly convergent to apex; each anterior angle with small blunt tooth; posterior angle acute; densely, coarsely punctate except near anterior margin; base with deep transverse impression; pronotal length 1.4 mm; pronotal width 2.0 mm. Scutellum: quadrate; micropunctate. Elytron: expanding to apex; lateral margin smooth; apical margin dentate; exterior apical angle with short sharp recurved spine; humerus produced, angulate; with 10 rows of punctures and short scutellar row; interval 4 carinate for entire length, 6 and 8 slightly raised; elytral length 6.7 mm; elytral width 3.1 mm. Venter: pro­, meso­, and metasterna yellow­brown medially, black laterally; pro­ and mesosterna smooth medially, punctate laterally; metasternum smooth medially, rugose laterally. Leg: tibia fringed with golden setae at apex. Total length: 8.7 mm.

Notes. Collected fogging Virola koschnyi .

Figures

FIGURES 13 - 15. Habitus. 13. Sceloenopla lutena. 14. Sceloenopla minuta. 15. Sceloenopla nigropicta.