Antoinettia huhnei Skelley, 2020

Skelley, Paul E., 2020, A new Central American genus of pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) from the Ischyrus-Megischyrus complex, Insecta Mundi 2020 (804), pp. 1-11 : 4-5

Antoinettia huhnei Skelley , new species

Figures 4–11 .

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species in the genus by the more ovoid body shape, brachypterus wings only as long as elytra, virga of male flagellum with a subapical swelling, and color pattern of banded elytra and pronotum with 2 free discal spots. Known from Guatemala.

Description. Length: 5.1–5.8 mm; width: 2.8–3.1 mm. Body ovoid, widest at basal third of elytra; weakly microreticulate, glossy; yellow and orange with black color pattern ( Fig. 7, 9 ).

Head orange. Pronotum orange with two free discal spots ( Fig. 10 ). Scutellar shield black. Each elytron black with two jagged yellow bands that continue onto epipleural fold; bands do not connect across suture. Prosternum yellow except for partially black sternal plate ( Fig. 8 ). Maxillary and labial palps brown. Antennae, mesoventrite, metaventrite, abdomen, and legs black.

Head dorsal distance between eyes = 3.7 × eye width; ocular striae reaching 0.50–0.75 distance to anterior angle of eye; vertex and epistome puncture size = 1 × facet, separated by 0.5–1.0 diameters. Antenna with antennomere III length shorter than next 2 combined; antennomeres IX–XI symmetrical; antennomere VIII weakly triangular, longer than wide; antennomere IX triangular ( Fig. 4 ), slightly longer than wide; antennomere X trapezoidal; antennomere XI subcircular, slightly narrower than antennomere X. Maxillary palp terminal palpomere triangular, securiform, basally rounded, apical angles nearly 90°, length = 0.66 × width. Labial palp terminal palpomere elongate, extended on medial side, rounded basally, length = width. Terminal labial palpomere width = 0.75 × terminal maxillary palpomere width. Mentum with plate triangular, length = 0.75 × width, sides concave, apical angle acute; ridge with medial extension projecting, sharp ( Fig. 5 ; similar to fig. 8e in Skelley 1998).

Pronotal disc puncture size = 1 × facet, separated by 0.5–1.0 diameters. Scutellar shield pentagonal, length = 0.5 × width. Each elytron with 8 striae, stria IX faintly visible on apical half; strial puncture size larger at base, becoming faint and indistinct apically, size at base = 1.0–1.5 × pronotal disc punctures; interval punctures indistinct, obscured by microreticulations. Hind wings shortened to length of elytra, lacking apical membranous fold ( Fig. 6 ).

Prosternum convex ( Fig. 8 ); coxal lines straight, length = 0.4 × sternal length, lines not surpassing coxae, length = 0.75 × basal width; prosternal plate flat, apical width = 0.8 × basal width; base shallowly concave. Mesoventrite basal width = 2.2 × mesocoxal line length; coxal lines straight, weakly converging anteriorly, not continuous with anterior coxal line; base evenly concave. Metaventrite coxal lines meeting medially, continuous around mesocoxa, not extending onto metaventrite; metaventrite with few coarse punctures medially, lacking punctures laterally. Abdominal ventrite I with coxal lines continuous around coxa; anteriorly broadly rounded between metacoxae, almost truncate; coarse punctures medially, lacking punctures laterally.

Male genitalia (3 dissected) with penis straight, short, apically truncate; internal sac without noticeable sclerotized structures; flagellum length = 2 × median lobe length; virga of flagellum thickened with subapical swelling; head of flagellum with sides curved in lateral view but flattened and positioned 90° to each other in anterior view ( Fig. 11 ). Female unknown.

Variation. The specimen from Sacatepéquez has more distinct elytral, metaventrite and abdominal punctation than those from El Progresso, which almost lacks punctation. These localities are widely separated on different mountain ranges. With these being otherwise identical, I consider this variation of a widespread flightless species.

Material examined. The male holotype of Antoinettia huhnei label data: “ GUATEMALA: Dept. El / Progresso, Sierra de las Minas; / nr. Cerro Pinalon, “las Cabañas ” / nr. 15.08467 -89.94299, 2579m / 12-15-V-2010; cloud forest / Skelley, Steck, Sutton; FIT” // “[red paper] HOLOTYPE / Antoinettia / huhnei / P. E. Skelley ” ( FSCA) .

Paratypes (2 males), label data: “ GUATEMALA: El Progresso / Sierra de las Minas; nr. Cerro / Pinalon, “las Cabañas ” / nr. 15.08467 −89.94299 / 12-15-V-2010, 2579m; / cloud forest; P. Skelley ” (1- FSCA) ; “ GUATEMALA: Sacatepéquez: / 5km SE Antigua / 14.52779 -90.6897 ± 200m / 2350m, 10-VI-2009, ex sifted / leaf litter, oak forest / LLAMA09 Wa-B-08-2-all” // “[bar code] / SM 0887275 / KUNHM-ENT” (1 SEMC) .

Etymology. This species is named after the grandfather of PES, John Huhne. The species name is pronounced “who-knee-i”.

Remarks. The body shape and reduced hind wings indicate A. huhnei is flightless. It is possible the available specimens from two separate mountain ranges represented distinct species. For now, they are considered conspecific.

Figures

Figures 1–6. Miscellaneous structures of Antoinettia Skelley, new genus.1) A. audbala (Skelley), holotype, ventral head and prosternum. 2) A. kovariki (Skelley), holotype, ventral head and prosternum. 3) A. kovariki (Skelley), allotype, female genitalia. 4–6) A. huhnei Skelley, new species. 4) Antenna, holotype. 5) Ventral head and prosternum, holotype. 6) Ventral view of elytra with abdomen removed to show brachypterous wings of this species, paratype from El Progresso.

Figures 7–11. Antoinettia huhnei Skelley, holotype except as noted. 7) Dorsal view. 8) Ventral view, note deformity of abdominal ventrite II of this specimen only. 9) Lateral view.10) Anterior oblique view.11) Genitalia, male paratype from El Progresso.