Skelley, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 13-14

Dacne (Ameridacne) brodzinskyi Skelley , new subgenus combination

Figure 1b , 26

Dacne (Dacne) brodzinskyi Skelley 1997a: 51 ~ Skelley 2004: 111.

Dacne brodzynskyi [sic] ~ Skelley 2004: 111; Perez-Gelabert 2008: 108.

Diagnosis. Dacne brodzinskyi is easily distinguished from extant members of the genus by its short meso-metasternal suture and dilated tibiae ( Fig. 26 ).

antennomere III longer than antennomere IV; antennomeres IV-VIII short, rounded; club broad and oval; antennomere IX-XI each 3 x wider and 2 x longer than antennomere VIII; antennomere XI transverse, 1.5 x longer than antennomere X.

Description. [The following is a partial description modified from Skelley 1997 a, 2004.] Length 1.9-2.2 mm; width 0.8-1.0 mm. Body elongate; color entirely black, lacking color pattern (possibly an artifact of preservation-fossilization). Head interocular width = 3 x ocular width; punctation apparently coarse; epistome rounded, apparently with complete marginal bead. Antennae attaining middle of pronotum; Scutellum transverse, width = 2 x length. Elytra with basal bead, punctures scattered with some vague rows. Prosternum with anterior edge straight, narrow between coxae, intercoxal width less than coxal width, base rounded; lines continuous around coxal cavity; prosternum coarsely punctate, puncture size = 0.75 x ocular facet diameter. Tibiae triangularly dilated, most notably on pro- and mesotibiae.

Distribution. The species is known only from Dominican Republic amber.

Type Material. The holotype ( FSCA) and one paratype ( AMNH) were studied for the original description.

Specimens Examined. Two additional amber specimens were obtained after the original description, both from the Dominican Republic ( PESC).

Remarks. No extant member of Dacne is presently known in the West Indies. Being a small and easily overlooked beetle, hopefully a living representative of the subgenus may yet be discovered.

Figures

Figure 1. West Indian maps. 1a) Map of West Indian countries mentioned in the text. 1b) Map indicating species occurring on specific islands with distribution of Notaepytus flavitarsis (Lacordaire) indicated by the white triangles.

Figure 26-28. Dacne spp., ventral view. 26) D. brodzinskyi, amber fossil. 27) D. ducke. 28) Dacne quadripunctatus (Say).