Pelonium erudiatum OPITZ nov.sp. (Figs 34, 168, 336)

Holotype: ♀. Type locality: 40 Mi. E. of Abancay, PERU, III-5-51 (CASC).

D i a g n o s i s: The genus Pelonium SPINOLA was revised in 2018 (OPITZ 2018b). This work included a key to species groups and species. The available specimen of Pelonium erudiatum keys out to the amabile group, in which it is distinguished by showing elytral asetiferous punctures that abruptly end at elytral distal 2/3 rd.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 8.0 mm; width 2.5 mm. Form: As in Fig. 336. Color: Forebody and pterothorax castaneous; antenna testaceous; elytra dark testaceous; legs testaceous, femora infuscated distally; abdomen dark testaceous. Head: Cranium coarsely punctate; antenna (Fig. 34) capitate, funicular antennomeres shorter towards capitulum, capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 long triangular, antennomere 11 ovoid; eyes large, coarsely facetted, eye narrower than frons (EW/FW 30/44). Thorax: Pronotum (Fig. 168) oblong (PW/PL 105/115), disc coarsely punctate, lateral tubercles well developed; elytra sculptured with 10 striae of large asetiferous punctures that abruptly end at elytral posterior 2/3 rd (EL/EW 350/85). Abdomen: Pygidium scutiform.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: The holotype was collected in March.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: ThisspeciesisknownfromPeru.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, erudiatum, is a Latin name that stems from erudio (= polish); with reference to the polished posterior 1/3 rd of the elytral disc.