Pujoliclerus meloinus, Opitz, Weston, 2019

Opitz, Weston, 2019, Descriptions of new genera and new species of Western Hemisphere checkered beetles (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 959-1076 : 1015-1016

Pujoliclerus meloinus OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 25 , 141 , 251 , 345 )

Holotype: ♂. Type locality: ECUADOR: Orellana, 1 km S Okone Gare Camp, Reserva Etnica Waorani , 220-250 m, 12-I-1994, T. L. Erwin ( USNM) . Paratypes: 11 specimens. Ecuador: Provincia de Orellana, 1 km S Okone Gare Camp, Reserva Etnica Waorani , 220-250 m, 26-I- 1994, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 1) ; idem, 2-VII-1995, T. L. Erwin ( WOPC, 1) ; idem, 4-X-1995, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 1; WOPC, 2). Peru: Provincia de Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Rio Tambopata Reservation , 30 km SW Puerto Maldonado, 12°50'S 069°20'W, 9-III-1984, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 2; WOPC, 1). idem, 8-IX-1983, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 1; WOPC, 1) ; idem, 12-IX-1984, T. L. Erwin ( USNM, 1) .

D i a g n o s i s: The genus Pujoliclerus PIC was revised in 2014 ( OPITZ 2014d). This work included a key to species. Pujoliclerus meloinus specimens key to P. posticalis ( CHAPIN) from which P. meloinus specimens differ by showing wider capitular antennomeres, partially yellow capitulum, and, in the male, the pygidium is deeply incised.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 4.0 mm; width 1.6 mm. Form: As in Fig. 345 . Color: Cranium testaceous, epicranium with narrow medial line; antenna bicolorous, mostly brown, capitulum partially yellow; prothorax bicolorous, venter and pronotal anterior angles yellow, pronotal disc mostly black; pterothorax and abdomen brown; legs mostly yellow, prothoracic tibiae and femora infuscated; tarsi light brown; elytra mostly dark brown, posterior 1/2 of epipleural suture and elytral apex testaceous. Head: Cranium coarsely punctate; antenna ( Fig. 25 ) capitate, most funicular antennomeres triangular, 6 th antennomeres robustly expanded; capitular antennomeres 8 and 9 triangular, antennomere 10 ovoid; eyes large, coarsely facetted, eye narrower than frons (EW/FW 23/27). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 139 ) transverse (PW/PL 64/60), disc finely punctate at middle, coarsely punctate at sides, lateral tubercles well developed; elytra sculptured with striae of asetiferous punctures that diminish at elytral 1/2 (EL/EW 180/50). Abdomen: Pygidium transverse / scutiform, posterior margin deeply incised; aedeagus as in Fig. 251.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: Specimens were collected during September, October, November, January, March and July, the Ecuadorian beetles at 220-250 m, the Peruvian beetles at 290 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: This species is known from Ecuador and Peru.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, meloinus, is a Greek name with the meaning of "dark"; with reference to the dorsal color of these beetles.

Figures

Figs 1-27: Antennae; (1) Aphelocerus nodus; (2) A. copanus; (3) A. magnipannus; (4) A. yoro; (5) A. sparicapillus; (6) A. tigra. (7) A. nolus; (8) A. ligulus; (9) Perilypus schusteri; (10) P. apunctus; (11) P. virgulatus; (12) P. izabal; (13) P. alpinus; (14) Cregya fuscomacula; (15) Phonius versus; (16) Pujoliclerus ariquemes; (17) Pelonium falcatum; (18) Pujoliclerus cnecostus; (19) P. trunculus. (20) P. sentus; (21) P. testudinatus; (22) P. catie; (23) P. flavidus; (24) P. convexus; (25) P. meloinus; (26) P. mexicoensis; (27) P. tuxtlas.

Figs 134-152: Pronota; (134) Pujoliclerus catie; (135) P. mexicoensis; (136) P. convexus; (137) P. testudinatus; (138) Madoniella selvanegra; (139) Cregya entrerios; (140) Pujoliclerus trunculus; (141) P. sentus; (142) P. meloinus; (143) Sicamus suprus; (144) Nepsudia guenda; (145) Nanoclerus fuscus; (146) Topainca pachacutii; (147) Eurycaulis anaxeis; (148) Kataspinula puebla; (149) Madoniella muralla; (150) M. nota; (151) M. acicula; (152) M. baja.

Figs 249-254: Aedeagi; (249) Pujoliclerus catie; (250) P. dexus; (251) P. meloinus; (252) P. mexicoensis (253) P. testudinatus (254) P. trunculus.

Figs 342-345: Habitus; (342) Pujoliclerus dexus; (343) P. flavidus; (344) P. lasiosus; (345) P. melonius.