Cymatodera doda Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 519-552 : 526-527

Cymatodera doda Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs. 15–18 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: México, Jalisco, Est. Biol. Chamela, VII-8/16 -[19]85, at light, J. Chemsak, H. Katsura, A. & E. Michelbacher, collectors. Holotype deposited in EMEC. Paratypes: MEXICO, JALISCO: 1, Chamela, Vic. Est. UNAM, 9-19-VII-1993, J. Huether; 1, 8.6 km. N Chamela, mv + bl, 18 July, 1987, R. Turnbow; OAXACA: 1, 2.1 mi. NW Totolapan, August 7, 1980, Schaffner and Friedlander; 1, 23 mi. south Matias Romero, IV-6-1962, F. D. Parker, L. A. Stange, collectors; NICARAGUA: 1, Granada, Res. Silv. Domitila, vi-2 /5-2013, day collecting, 11.71° N, 85.95° W, el. abt. 60–100 m, B. Raber, D. Heffern & E. van den Berghe; 1, same data as previous except collected at “merc. vapor lite”; COSTA RICA, GUANACASTE PROVINCE: 2, La Pacifica, nr Cañas, VI-4-1989, F. Hovore, coll.; 1, Hacienda La Pacifica, 9 June, 1973, 75 meters, Ginter Ekis; 1, “La Pacifica,” nr Cañas, 20/21 May, 1985, F. T. Hovore, coll.; 1, La Pacifica, nr. Cañas, V-22-26 -[19]84, E. Riley, D. Rider & D. LeDoux; 1, Est. Murciélago, 8 km Suroeste de Cuajiniquil, 100 m, 3 a 8 May 1993, F. A. Quesada [ INBIO CODE:] L–N320300, 347200, INBIO CR1001, 194408. Paratypes are deposited in CNIN, WFBM, DJHC, EGRC, JNRC and RHTC.

Diagnosis. Males are unique among known congeners by virtue of their nipple-like metathoracic projections and the unusual shape of the sixth abdominal ventrite ( Figs. 16–17 ). The nearly cristate condition of the elytral integument between the rows of punctures will serve to distinguish females of C. doda from other small, robust Cymatodera species possessing similar subserrate antennae (e. g. paler specimens of C. sobara Barr ).

Description (Holotype). Length: 5.20 mm. Form: small, stout, body rather deep in dorsoventral cross section ( Fig 15 ). Color: reddish testaceous; head and pronotum reddish brown, sterna a little darker. Head: surface closely, rather shallowly punctate, moderately set with short, fine, mostly reclinate, pale setae; eyes large, coarsely faceted; antennae elongate (reaching beyond elytral humeri when laid alongside), antennomeres rather robust: antennomeres 2–10 subserrate; 2 much shorter than 3; 3 slightly shorter than 4; 11 longer than 10, ovate-elongate and gradually tapered apically. Pronotum: constricted before middle and more acutely inflected posterior to median lobe; surface rather rough, closely punctate and arenose; vestiture as on head but with an intermixture of a few longer, erect, more robust, brownish setae. Scutellum: densely setose. Elytra: subrectangulate, ratio of length to maximum width 39:20, rather broadly flattened above, slightly depressed at middle of disk, deep in cross section with a precipitous apical slope; surface cribrate–punctate; punctures large, closely arranged in longitudinal series (punctures somewhat smaller posteriorly, but attaining apices); area between punctures narrow, subcristate; vestiture sparse, composed of erect and suberect, rather stout, testaceous setae of moderate length. Metaventrite: uniquely shaped; surface shining, sparsely setose, set with rather large punctures laterally; posterior deeply sulcate at middle, each side produced posteriorly into an elongate, slightly divergent and slightly downturned nipple–like tubercle ( Fig. 16 ). Abdomen: ventrite 5 deeply, subtriangularly emarginate posteriorly; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 17 ) raised and flattened ventrally, campanulate (narrower anteriorly), with a darkly sclerotized “false” posterior margin deeply U–shaped, and paler true margin slightly, arcuately emarginate posteriorly; tergite 6 acutely deflected ventrally, oblique laterally, broadly arcuately emarginate posteriorly. Aedeagus with lateral lobes rather robust, subacute posteriorly; phallus lanceolate apically. Legs: each metatibia with a distinct sinuate carina internally at proximate end ( Fig. 18 ).

Variation. Some specimens exhibit a slight darkening of the elytral dorsal integument ante- and postmedially; two specimens from Jalisco have the faint indication of a pale median elytra fascia. Females have abdominal ventrite 5 with sides oblique, hind margin rather broadly, shallowly emarginate posteriorly; ventrite 6 small, arcuate posteriorly, more or less conjointly rounded with tergite 6. Females lack tubercles on the metaventrite and the enlarged metatibial carinae of the males.

Etymology. The new species is named for Carol Ann Doda , America’s pioneering ecdysiast and 1960s cultural icon. The patronymic is treated as a noun in apposition for the sake of euphony.

Distribution. Known from the Pacific versant of México from Jalisco to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, then south to western Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica.

Biology. This species appears to be associated with tropical deciduous forest throughout its range. It has been collected at light.

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 18. 15. Habitus of Cymatodera doda Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 16. Cymatodera doda (holotype male): detail of metaventrite, showing nipplelike projections. 17. Pygidium (ventral view) of male Cymatodera doda. 18. Cymatodera doda: detail of male metatibial carina.