Colyphus lostuxtlas Rifkind, 2023

Rifkind, Jacques, 2023, A new species of Colyphus Spinola (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae) from Veracruz, Mexico, Insecta Mundi 2023 (15), pp. 1-4 : 1-3

Colyphus lostuxtlas Rifkind , new species

( Fig. 1–3 )

Type specimens. Holotype female. Mexico, Veracruz, Reserva Los Tuxtlas, vic. Ruiz Cortines , 3810′, 18.3125° N, 95.828° W, cloud forest, vi-8-2023, J. Rifkind, J. M. Leavengood, Jr., R. Calderon, colls. The holotype is deposited in CSCA.

Paratype. 1 female ( JNRC), same data as holotype.

Description. Holotype length: 10.0 mm. Form: elongate; elytra subparallel ( Fig. 1–3 ). Color: black; elytra with two pairs of yellow maculae arranged as in Fig. 1–2 (maculae pinkish-orange in preserved specimen); antennomeres 1–3 (in part), labial palpi, and maxillary palpi (except basal 2/3 of terminal palpomere) testaceous. Head: surface shining, densely, shallowly punctulate; moderately densely clothed with adpressed and suberect whitish setae. Antennae: nearly reaching base of pronotum, antennomeres 9–11 forming a gradually enlarged, loose club. Pronotum: subflattened above, slightly longer than broad; transverse impression distinct, broadly V-shaped; surface shining, moderately densely, finely and shallowly punctate and finely transversely rugulose, anterior with an inverted triangular patch of reclinate and suberect, anteriorly oriented, whitish setae, posterior similarly vested with a triangular patch, disk inconspicuously clothed with black suberect setae. Scutellum rather densely clothed with white setae. Elytra: elongate (more than 2× as long as wide); somewhat compressed dorsoventrally; disk slightly concave anterior to middle; humeri subquadrate; umbones prominent; subbasal tumescences nearly obsolete; sides subparallel, very slightly and gradually inflected at anterior 1/3; apices dehiscent. Surface shining, transversely rugose–punctate, sculpturing finer, more shallow on posterior 1/3. Vestiture complex: moderately densely but inconspicuously arranged at middle, composed of rather short, mostly fine, suberect and erect whitish and black setae; anterior margin with a sparse but distinctive array of rather stout whitish, anteriorly oriented setae of medium length; apical 1/6 densely covered with posteriorly directed, medium length, recumbent silvery setae. Metasternum: surface granulate laterally, densely clothed with whitish setae. Abdomen: surface shining, coarsely, shallowly punctate, sparsely clothed with fine, whitish setae. Ventrite V with posterior margin rather broadly subtruncate; ventrite VI with hind margin broadly arcuate. Genitalia: not examined.

Variation. The paratype, also a female, measures 8.5 mm in length, but is otherwise similar to the holotype.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the new species’ type locality, Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, an important reservoir of tropical fauna and flora.

Distribution. Known from the Reserva Los Tuxtlas on the flanks of Volcán San Martín in Veracruz, Mexico ( Fig. 4–5 ).

Diagnosis. Separable from the similarly colored species Colyphus artus Ekis and Colyphus zacki Rifkind by the presence of only two rather than three pairs of yellow elytral maculae. Additionally, the new species bears an apical elytral patch of densely arrayed silvery setae, absent in those congeners.

Figures

Figures 1–3. Colyphus lostuxtlas. 1) Habitus of holotype. 2–3) Paratype: living specimen.

Figures 4–5. Habitat at type locality.