Carpophilus thomasi Powell and Schnepp, 2020

Powell, Gareth S. & Schnepp, Kyle E., 2020, Review of Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) Motschulsky, 1858 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Carpophilinae) in the West Indies, Insecta Mundi 2020 (840), pp. 1-8 : 6-7

Carpophilus thomasi Powell and Schnepp , new species

( Fig. 1D–E , 2B )

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9480762C-D78A-4928-B50C-7C12393DD139

Specimens examined. Holotype (Deposited in FSCA) , HOLOTYPE: HAITI: Dept. Sud- | Queste , Parc Nat’l La | Visite, vic.pk.hdqtra | 1880m., 20-21-V-1984 | M. C. Thomas || decaying sour-sop || HOLOTYPE | Carpophilus thomasi | Designated by | Powell and Schnepp, 2020.

Paratypes. 36 additional specimens: 28, same data as holotype ( FSCA) ; 2, same data as holotype ( CNC) ; 2, same data as holotype ( GSPC) ; 2, same data as holotype ( KESC) ; 1, HAITI: Dept. Sud-Queste , Parc National La Visite, vicinity park hdqtrs., 1880m. 10-V-1984, Coll. M. C. Thomas ( FSCA) ; 1, HAITI: Dept. de l’Queste , Morne la Vista, 1890m elev., 12-16-II-1984, S.R. Yocom, flight intercept trap ( FSCA) .

Description (holotype male). Overall weakly elongate, moderately dorso-ventrally flattened. Length 2.9 mm, width 1.1 mm. Color light brown, pronotum reddish brown with pronotal margins lighter ( Fig. 1D ). Ventral body surface light brown. Surface sculpturing on dorsal body surfaces moderately glossy; fine golden pubescence.

Head much narrower than pronotum, finely punctured. Punctures uniform in distribution, becoming finer towards clypeus. Frontoclypeal region truncate, labrum deeply emarginate at midline, mandibles toothed, light brown. Maxillary palps, reaching about two thirds the length of the mandibles, terminal palpomere fusiform. Labial palps small, terminal palpomere truncate at apex. Eyes small, finely faceted, inter-ocular distance about 0.4mm. Antennal total length slightly longer than width of head; antennomere 1 robust and curved, antennomere 2 long, slightly shorter than basal antennomere, antennomeres 2 and 3 about equal in length, antennomeres 2–8 expanding apically, with each apical expansion conspicuously lighter in coloration, antennomeres 4–8 each about ½ length of antennomere 2, antennomere 8 with medial expansion, antennomeres 9–11 forming strong, compact club, slightly longer than wide.

Pronotum 1.45 times as wide as long, sides broadly rounded, both anterior and posterior angles broadly obtuse. Posterior margin with well-developed marginal line, particularly at middle. Disc flattened, moderately glossy, evenly punctured, punctures more conspicuous on disc, gradually becoming more shallow towards lateral margins. Scutellar shield feebly pentagonal; matching coloration of pronotum; reaching obtuse point posteriorly. Anterior of scutellar shield finely granulate, gradually becoming glabrous.

Elytra subequal in width to pronotum, also as wide as long. Humeri weakly pronounced. Elytral anterior angles almost 90°, sides parallel sided, posterior angles broadly rounded, elytral apices truncate, retreating towards midline. Two abdominal tergites dorsally visible.

Venter overall lighter, submentum narrow and transverse, antennal grooves well-developed. Prosternum finely punctate, punctures with fine golden setae, prosternal process slightly convex in lateral profile, apically rounded, widened behind coxae. Mesothoracic ventrite finely punctured; setose, coarsely punctate at middle, becoming finer and denser laterally. Abdominal ventrite 1 half as long as metathoracic ventrite; abdominal ventrites 2–3 very short, finely, sparsely punctate; ventrites 4 and 5 larger, equal to abdominal ventrite 1, granulate, slightly more coarsely punctate than previous ventrites. Pygidium rounded with distinct, evenly spaced punctures.

Legs somewhat short, femora robust, covered with fine golden pubescence. Tibiae expanded apically, with 4–5 apical tibial spurs.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 2B ), well sclerotized, in lateral view lateral lobes bent at almost right angle, internal and external margins straight and converging towards apical expansion. Each apex enlarged and triangular, patch of long setae at apex.

Variation. Overall color can be more reddish, to pale brown. Overall body length 2.4–3.6mm (n = 6), and width 0.9–1.3mm (n = 6).

Geographical distribution. This species is known from Haiti. ( Fig. 3 ).

Natural history. The type series was collected on decaying soursop ( Annona sp. ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honor of the late Dr. Michael C. Thomas, who served as a valuable mentor to both authors as well as collecting most of the type series. The epithet is a noun in the genitive case.

Diagnosis. The separation between antennomeres 9 and 10 place this species within the subgenus Ecnomorphus . Carpophilus thomasi is easily distinguished from other members of this subgenus in the Caribbean by the broadly rounded lateral margins of the pronotum, parallel sided in C. dufaui , C. jamaicensis , and C. tempestivus . The species is also unique in the weakly rugose nature of the prosternum (smooth in all other Ecnomorphus species in the region) and in possessing elytra that are much lighter but are still uniform in coloration. The strongly developed bead along the lateral margins of the pronotum is also not present in the consubgenerics in the region. This combination of characters also serves to diagnose C. thomasi from other Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) in surrounding regions (i.e. pronotal margins not broadly rounded in Carpophilus ligneus ).

Figures

Figure 1. Caribbean Carpophilus spp. A–B) Carpophilus jamaicensis sp. nov., holotype. C) Carpophilus tempestivus Erichson (lectotype MNHUB).D–E) Carpophilus thomasi sp. nov., holotype. F) Carpophilus dufaui Grouvelle (lectotype MNHN). A, C–D, F, dorsal habitus. B, E, ventral habitus.

Figure 2. Line drawings of male genitalia in lateral view for new species. A) Carpophilus jamaicensis sp. nov. B) Carpophilus thomasi sp. nov.

Figure 3. Distributions of Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) in the West Indies. Carpophilus dufaui Grouvelle (red square), Carpophilus jamaicensis sp. nov. (pink circle), Carpophilus tempestivus Erichson (orange triangle), Carpophilus thomasisp. nov. (green hexagon).