Axina pallidioccabus Opitz, new species

Figures 31, 71, 102.

Type material. Holotype. Male. Type locality: Serra de Communati (Pernambuco) (Brazil), 3-XII-1893, Gounelle (MNHN) . Paratype. One specimen. Brazil: No other information available (WOPC).

Diagnosis. The members of this species resemble superficially those of A. proxima, from which pallidioccabus specimens differ by showing a pale pronotal collar, two elytral yellow fasciae, and a black elytral apex. In proxima specimens the pronotal collar is black, there is one elytral testaceous fascia, and the elytral apex is testaceous.

Description. Size. Length 7.0 mm; width 1.7 mm. Form. As in Fig. 102. Color. Forebody black, except pronotal collar testaceous; antenna testaceous; pterothorax, legs, and abdomen testaceous; elytra tricolorous, mostly testaceous in basal ½, mostly black in apical ½; each elytron with premedial and postmedial yellow fasciae that reach sutural margin. Head. Cranium finely punctate, frons wider than length of antennal pedicel; EW/FW 35/18. Thorax. Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescences, concave at middle; PW/PL 73 /95; elytra with striate asetiferous punctures, latter extend backwards slightly beyond elytron middle; width of interstitial spaces variable EL/EW 290/45. Abdomen. Aedeagus (Fig. 31), phallobase narrows to short acuminate phallobasic lobes; both margins serrate; phallobasic apodeme abbreviated.

Variation. Size. Length 5.5–9.0 mm; width 1.3–2.5 mm. The brown markings on the elytral disc vary in prominence.

Natural history. Specimens were collected in Brazil during March, September, November, and December, some at 800 m.

Distribution (for map see Fig. 71). This species is known from Brazil.

Etymology. The specific epithet, pallidioccabus, is a Latin compound name derived from pallid (= pale) and occabus (= collar). I refer to the testaceous color of the pronotal collar.