Neorthopleura, Barr, 1976

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 : 991-992

To facilitate identification of the 5 new Neorthopleura species presented herein, I provide a key that amends the one provided in 2013 (OPITZ, 2013: 2); beginning with couplet 16.

16 Elytra mostly yellow or entirely red..................................................................................17

- Elytra entirely black or entirely dark brown......................................................................18

17 Elytral posterior 1/3 rd black ( Panama) .................................... Neorthopleura galbina OPITZ

- Elytral posterior 1/3 rd red ( Brazil) ................ Neorthopleura rubra OPITZ nov.sp. ( Fig. 312 )

18 Pronotum red.....................................................................................................................19

- Pronotum black .................................................................................................................23

19 Elytra at least partially red ( Trinidad, Venezuela, Brazil) ..................................................... ............................................................................................ Neorthopleura velutina (KLUG)

- Elytra black .......................................................................................................................20

20 Pronotal side margin dark (North America) ........................ Neorthopleura thoracica (SAY) - Pronotal sides not dark ......................................................................................................22

21 Legs testaceous ( Mexico)........................ Neorthopleura quintana OPITZ nov.sp. ( Fig. 311 ) - Legs brown........................................................................................................................22

22 Specimens from the West Indies ( Cayman Islands, Andros Island, British West Indies) ..... ................................................................. Neorthopleura thomasi OPITZ nov.sp. ( Fig. 313 )

- Specimens from Brazil............................. Neorthopleura cuspidis OPITZ nov.sp. ( Fig. 310 )

23 Specimens from North America or South America...........................................................24 - Specimens not from North or South America ...................................................................25

24 Specimens from North America ( USA) .............................. Neorthopleura texana (BLAND)

- Specimens from South America ( Ecuador) ................. Neorthopleura guayasenensis OPITZ

25 Specimens from México.............................................................. Neorthopleura baja OPITZ

- Specimens from West Indies.............................................................................................26

26 Collateral branch of male antennomere 10 as long as length of antennomere 10 disc ( Fig. 30 ); female capitular antennomere 10 ( Fig. 32 ) without collateral branch ................... ............................................................................. Neorthopleura subfasciata (CHEVROLAT)

- Collateral branch of male antennomere 10 not as long as length of disc of antennomere 10 ......................................................................................................................................27

27 Pronotum dark brown; specimens from Curacao.................................................................. ................................................................ Neorthopleura turnbowi OPITZ nov.sp. ( Fig. 314 )

- Pronotum light reddish brown ...........................................................................................28

28 Specimens from the Dominican Republic ............................ Neorthopleura murina (KLUG)

- Specimens from Puerto Rico............................................ Neorthopleura uncopanda OPITZ

Figures

Figs 310-313: Habitus; (310) Neorthopleura cuspidis; (311) N. quintana; (312) N. rubra; (313) N. thomasi.

Figs 28-42: Antennae; (28) Neorthopleura thomasi, male; (29) N. thomasi, female; (30) N. subfasciata, male; (31) Artoadenus atrafinus; (32) Neorthopleura subfasciata, female; (33) Akonesis atraordinis; (34) Pelonium erudiatum; (35) Neorthopleura cuspidis, female; (36) Agnatis curvabilis; (37) Ichnea paraguayensis; (38) Neorthopleura quintana, male; (39) Pyticara frontegalba; (40) Platynoptera potaro; (41) Neorthopleura cuspidis, male; (42) Nanoclerus fuscus.

Figs 314-317: Habitus; (314) Neorthopleura turnbowi; (315) Akonesis atraordinis; (316) Ampleris amazona; (317) A. caruminis.