Asklepia marchantaria Erwin & Zamorano, 2014

Erwin, Terry L. & Zamorano, Laura S., 2014, A synopsis of the tribe Lachnophorini, with a new genus of Neotropical distribution and a revision of the Neotropical genus Asklepia Liebke, 1938 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 430, pp. 1-108 : 58-59

Asklepia marchantaria Erwin & Zamorano sp. n. Marchantaria pattern-wing beetle Figs 46 , 70 , 78

Holotype.

Brazil, Amazonas, Rio Solimões, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleão, 3.2488°S, 59.9556°W, 7m, 20 October 1981 (NMNH: ADIS # 000727, female).

Derivation of specific epithet.

The specific epithet, marchantaria, is a singular Latinized feminine noun in apposition, based on the name of the island on which these beetles are found.

Proposed english vernacular name.

Marchantaria pattern-wing beetle.

Diagnosis.

With the attributes of the genus Asklepia as described by Liebke (1938) and as noted above under the generic diagnosis, and medium-size for the genus (SBL = 2.599-2.828 mm). Adults with head brunneus, prothorax aurantiacus, elytral maculae aurantiacus; elytron brunneus with a triangular aurantiacus macula covering the left half of the apical proximal quadrant, a narrow aurantiacus macula vertically oriented in the medial proximal quadrant, a broad aurantiacus macula in the medial lateral quadrant, lateral and apical margins aurantiacus; metasternum and metasternum flavotestaceous, abdominal sterna with III-VI, and epipleuron flavotestaceous, abdominal sternum VII fuscous; legs flavotestaceous; antennal scape, pedicel and antennomere 3 testaceous, antennomeres 4-6 and basal half of 7 deeply infuscated, apical half of 7, 8-11 white. Dorsal surface devoid of microsculpture, surface luster very shiny. Pronotum markedly convex with lateral margin effaced except just anterior to hind angle and there a simple bead; hind angle barely prominent; median line feebly defined. Elytral interneurs effaced from greater part of the elytron surface, only evident as short discontinuous rows of scattered, coarse punctures unevenly spaced in the medial quadrants and along interneur 1.

Description.

( Fig. 46 , 70 ). Habitus: ( Fig. 46 ). Size: [See also Table 18 ] Medium-size for the genus; ABL = 2.80-3.41 mm, SBL = 2.599-2.828 mm, TW (total width) 1.324-1.582 mm, LP = 0.542-0.619 mm, WP = 0.670-0717 mm, LE = 1.613-1.809 mm. Color: See diagnosis above. Luster: See diagnosis above. Head ( Fig. 46 ): as in description for genus above. Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 46 ) slightly broad, narrower than head across eyes (WH/WP, mean both sexes: 1.109), longer than head (LP/LH, mean both sexes: 1.382), wider than long (WP/LP, mean both sexes: 1.185); markedly cordiform and convex, lateral margin effaced with seta at anterior third on slightly raised area; apex markedly constricted; anterior angle feebly produced, hind angle slightly prominent and setose; median line feebly defined, transverse impressions punctate, punctures infuscated; surface smooth throughout. Pterothorax. Normal for genus, see description for genus above. Elytra moderately convex; at apical third twice as wide as head across eyes (WH/TW, mean both sexes: 0.529) and pronotum (WP/TW, mean both sexes: 0.476), longer than wide. Elytral interneur effaced from greater part of the elytron surface, only evident as short discontinuous rows of scattered, coarse punctures unevenly spaced in the medial quadrants and along interneur 1. Hind wings fully developed.

Legs. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Abdominal sterna. Overall, normal for genus, see description for genus above. Male genitalia ( Fig. 70 , see Fig. 61 for attribute labels). Median lobe with phallobase short about a fourth the length of shaft, basal opening moderately large, oriented slightly oblique to shaft. Shaft broad, moderately curved ventrally, dorsally sclerotized except moderate-length ostium; in ventral aspect tapered toward narrowly rounded apex, in lateral aspect, a broadly rounded apex. Parameres missing. Endophallus with 2 preapical spines. Female genitalia. Not investigated, presumably similar to that of Asklepia demiti sp. n.

Dispersal potential.

These beetles are macropterous and probably capable of flight. They are moderately swift and agile runners.

Distribution.

( Fig. 78 ). This species has been found at only one location on a white-water lake shore within the Amazon River drainage system. But that does not at all indicate its real distribution: as has been pointed out above, very small beetles are inadequately sampled, especially in the Neotropics.

Way of life.

See Erwin (1991) for a general description. Adults of this species are active in the rainy season in the Varzea rainforest along the main course of the Rio Solimões. They occur at the Varzea forest edge on the floating macrophyte, Eichornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms.

Other specimens examined.

Brazil, Amazonas, Rio Solimões, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleão, 3.2488°S, 59.9556°W, 7m, 1 October 1981 (J. Adis)(NMNH: ADIS # 000235, female paratype, ADIS # 000654, male paratype), 20 October 1981 (NMNH: ADIS # 001459, ADIS # 001429, ADIS # 001897, female paratypes; 4 November 1981 (NMNH: ADIS # 000864, ADIS # 001041, female paratypes). Non- paratypes and damaged: Brazil, Amazonas, Rio Solimões, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleão, 3.2488°S, 59.9556°W, 7m, ADIS # 000780, ADIS # 001103, males, ADIS # 001282, ADIS # 001034, females, 14 August 1981 (NMNH: ADIS # 001663, female).

Figures

Figure 78. Distribution map for known localities of Asklepia species of the pulchripennis group.

Figure 45 - 48. Digital Photo-illustrations, habitus, dorsal aspect of holotypes. 45 Asklepia macrops Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132496, Concordia, Rio Uruguay, Argentina 46 Asklepia marchantaria Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. Adis 000727, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleao, Brazil 47 Asklepia marituba Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 132494, Ananindeua, Marituba, Brazil 48 Asklepia pakitza Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132466, Patkitza, Peru. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 69 - 74. 69 Asklepia kathleenae Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132529, Belem, Brazil 70 Asklepia marchantaria Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. Adis 001103, Ilha de Marchantaria, Lago Camaleao, Brazil 71 Asklepia pakitza Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132466, Pakitza, Peru 72 Asklepia paraguayensis Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 132769, San Lorenzo Paraguay 73 Asklepia surinamensis Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 132763, l'Hermitage, Surinam 74 Asklepia vigilante Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 067301, Boca del Rio Samiria, Peru.

Figure 57 - 62. Illustrations, male aedeagus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects. 57 Asklepia geminata (Bates, 1871) ADP 109186, Rio Samiria, Boca Cano Ingles Camp, Peru 58 Asklepia campbellorum Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109196, 20 km SW Manaus, Brazil 59 Asklepia demiti Erwin & Zamorano, sp. n. ADP 132585, Rio Demiti, Brazil 60 Asklepia grammechrysea Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 052565, Rio Sucusari, Peru 61 Asklepia laetitia Zamorano & Erwin, sp. n. ADP 109190, Leticia, Colombia. Legend: a apical area; bl basal lobe; bo basal orifice; lp left paramere; ml median lobe; om ostial membrane; oo ostial opening; rp right paramere; sh shaft; pb phallobase; ps phallobase shaft; ms medial spine; ds distal spine 62 Asklepia lebioides (Bates, 1871), comb. n., ADP 109208, Rio Demiti, Brazil. Scale line = 0.25 mm.