Selenophorus elytrostictus Messer and Raber, 2021

Rajab, Abubakarsidiq Makame, 2021, Indoor Radio Map localization WiFi fingerprint datasets, The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (1), pp. 9-55 : 45-46

Selenophorus elytrostictus Messer and Raber , new species

zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:64020849-337B-471D-B212-AD1C34B1DEFA ( Figs. 64–68, 70–71 )

Type Material. Holotype male [deposited in TAMU] labeled “USA: TX: Cameron Co., Laguna Atascosa NWR, IV-25/ V-15-2010, B. Raber & D. Heffern // 26.218° N, 97.355° W, UV light trap, edge of marsh”; pinned with holotype label [red paper topmost] and genitalia in glycerin vial . Paratypes [yellow paper] as follows. Capture method is at light, mostly UV light, unless noted otherwise. USA: TEXAS: Brooks Co: Falfurrias , 10 XI 2002, “ uv light trap marshy pond” (2♀ DAHC) ; Cameron Co., Sabal Palm Grove : 20 IX–19 X 2008 (1♀ PWMC, 2♀ BTRC) ; 6 II–7 III 2009 (1♂ TAMU) ; 7 III–4 IV 2009 (1♂ PWMC, 1♀ MPM) ; 27 VI–25 VII 2009 (1♀ BTRC) ; 25 VII–29 VIII 2009 (1♀ PWMC) ; 10 X–6 XI 2009 (1♂ PWMC) ; 27 III–24 IV 2010 (1♂ 1♀ PWMC, 2♂ BTRC, 1♀ UTA) ; 24 or 25 IV–15 V 2010 (1♀ PWMC) ; 14 or 15 V–5 VI 2010 (2♀ PWMC, 1♂ 1♀ BTRC, 1♂ UTA) ; 5 VI–16 VII 2010 (1♂ PWMC) ; Cameron Co., Laguna Atascosa NWR: 28 III–25 IV 2010 (4♂ PWMC, 2♂ 2♀ BTRC) ; 24 or 25 IV–15 V 2010 (4♂ 4♀ PWMC, 4♂ 2♀ BTRC, 1♂ 1♀ USNM, 1♂ 1♀ UASM) ; Hidalgo Co.: Mercedes , 22–23 I 1974, “leaf litter under Hackberry trees” (1♂ TAMU) ; Bentsen State Park , 14 X 1985 (1♂ CMNH) ; Santa Ana NWR, 31 V–27 VI 2009 (1♀ BTRC) ; 26 IV–31 V 2009 (1♂ 1♀ TAMU) ; La Coma tract, 15 V 2010 (1♂ 1♀ TAMU) ; Kleberg Co.: Kingsville , 20 X 1992 (1♀ CMNH) ; LaSalle Co.: Fowlerton , 11 X 2003 (1♀ TAMU) ; San Patricio Co.: Welder Wildlife Refuge , 1 XI 2013 (1♂ PWMC) ; Victoria Co.: Victoria , 21 IX 2014, “attracted to light” (1♂ PWMC) ; Zapata Co.: Falcon State Park , 15 X 1985 (1♂ CMNH) .

Description (Holotype). Adult male. Size: ABL 5.5 mm. Color: Dorsum piceous to black; distal portion of elytral interval 1 testaceous; lateral margins of pronotum and elytra narrowly testaceous. Labrum orange, also mandibles but their apices piceous. Antennomeres 1–2 testaceous, remainder of antenna piceous. Legs and trochanters testaceous. Venter dark reddish-brown, contrasting with testaceous epipleura of pronotum and elytra. Luster: Dorsum and venter very shiny. Elytra distinctly iridescent, venter less so. Microsculpture: Head with uniformly distinct isodiametric mesh. Pronotum with mesh distinct, moderately transverse. Elytra with microsculpture distinct, striate. Venter with mesh irregularly transverse. Head: HW/PW = 0.74. Eyes large, markedly convex. Pronotum: PL/PW = 0.67. Widest before middle. Sides narrowly rounded posteriorly to obtusely angulate hind angles. Anterior angles weakly produced. Base narrower than base of elytra; margin straight, not bisinuate. Bilateral basal impressions deep, delimited laterally by moderate convexity, with fine rugose punctation which extends to entire base. Elytra: Striae densely punctulate, with striae 2, 5, 7 also bearing seriate setigerous punctures much larger but not foveate. ABS1 short. Intervals flat to slightly convex; with densely, irregularly distributed punctules, deep and rather coarse, some nearly size of strial punctules. Venter: Prosternal process like that of subgenus. Ventrites with moderately dense pubescence. Ventrite 6 with 1 pair of anal setae. Legs: Protarsi and mesotarsi typical of males in genus. Median lobe: Dorsoapical plate moderately long with subparallel sides extended to rounded tip, deflected slightly to right. In lateral view, apical plate at extreme tip slightly bent ventrad. Endophallus with dark reticulated field occupying much of proximal half, with 2 adjacent spines in ostium distally, each the length of the apical plate.

Variation. ABL 5.0–6.0 mm. Most males with 2 endophallic spines; less commonly with 1 or 3 spines. Females with tarsi unmodified; with 2 pairs of anal setae.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Greek elytron (sheath) and stiktos (punctured), in reference to the elytra densely punctate.

Diagnosis. Selenophorus elytrostictus is distinguished externally from other North American Selenophorus species by their elytra strongly iridescent, striae densely punctulate, pronotum with hind angles obtuse and microsculpture undiminished atop the disc. The last two characters distinguish it from the similar species S. striatopunctatus ( Figs. 59–63 ), which has hind angles more rounded and discal microsculpture diminished medially.

Type Habitat. The holotype was collected at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge ( Fig. 69 ) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) region of south Texas. We also collected this species at Sabal Palm Sanctuary and Santa Ana NWR, a 2,088-acre remnant subtropical forest bordering the Rio Grande River containing wetlands, riparian forests, and upland Tamaulipan thorn scrub. Ten Selenophorus species were collected at Santa Ana NWR including S. balli , S. elytrostictus , S. fatuus , S. intermedius , S. palliatus , S. pedicularius , S. rileyi , S. seriatoporus , S. striatopunctatus , and S. undatus .

Remarks on Similar Selenophorus striatopunctatus . The SEM image for S. elytrostictus ( Fig. 66 ) shows the pronotum with straight sides converging to distinct obtuse hind angles and with a relatively straight posterior margin. Those features contrast with S. striatopunctatus ( Fig. 61 ) which exhibits a pronotum with evenly curved sides, hind angles obtusely rounded, and bisinuate basal margin. Elytral intervals in S. elytrostictus appear more deeply punctate ( Fig. 67 ) and the striae appear more deeply grooved ( Fig. 68 ) than in S. striatopunctatus ( Figs. 62 and 63 , respectively). The habitus and male genitalia of S. striatopunctatus were figured in Shpeley et al. (2017). Its median lobe has a short dorsoapical plate and a row of several large spines in the endophallic middle section. The median lobe of S. elytrostictus has a much longer dorsoapical plate with subparallel sides and its endophallus has only one to three small spines distally in the ostium.

Remarks on Similar Selenophorus genuinus . The male holotype of Selenophorus genuinus Putzeys (1878a: 34) , from Cayenne-French Guiana in northern South America is externally like S. elytrostictus in all respects (ABL 6 mm) except for coloration toward rufo-brunneous with apex of elytra and the apical portion of interval 1 paler. The shapes of the median lobe dorsoapical plates are similar. Selenophorus genuinus is distinguished by the absence of spines associated with the endophallus. Another examined specimen from Surinam (Paramaribo) is colored shiny black like S. elytrostictus , but since it does not exhibit endophallic spines, it is likely S. genuinus . The preceding observations were made by D. Shpeley (personal communication, 2015). Upon further studying a high-resolution image of the holotype and examining females of likely S. genuinus held at USNM ( British Guiana: Georgetown; Venezuela: Guárico), we believe that this species can be externally distinguished from S. elytrostictus by the presence of coarser and denser punctures that extend across the entire pronotum base, notably inside the basal impressions. The hind angles are distinctly obtuse with apices slightly sharper.

Remarks on Range. The southern geographic limit of S. elytrostictus is uncertain. Because we found it in a few separate localities of extreme southern Texas, the species almost certainly extends into Mexico. The published range for similar S. striatopunctatus is quite extensive, from southern United States to northern South America. It is possible that some Neotropical records of S. striatopunctatus were based on S. elytrostictus and/ or S. genuinus .

Figures

Figs. 59–71. Habitus images, SEMs, habitat, and genitalia illustrations of Selenophorus species. 59–63) S. striatopunctatus dorsal and ventral aspects, SEM images of pronotum, elytra, and elytral striae showing setigerous puncture; 64–68) S. elytrostictus, new species, dorsal and ventral aspects, SEM images of pronotum, elytra, and elytral striae showing setigerous puncture; 69) Laguna Atascosa NWR, loma-freshwater margin; 70–71) S. elytrostictus, new species, male median lobe left lateral and dorsal views.