Notaepytus cyanoros, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 60-61

Notaepytus cyanoros Skelley, new species

Figure 1b , 103 , 109 , 124

Diagnosis. Notaepytus cyanoros is distinguished by: orangish mark on the anterior pronotal angles, small apical orangish marks on the elytra, short metasternum, coarse strial punctures, dorsal surface with short blunt setae, quadrate pronotum, and reduced elytral color pattern. Found in Jamaica ( Fig. 1b ).

Description. Length: 6.5-7.4 mm; width: 3.2-3.5 mm. Body elongate, somewhat flattened; dorsal surface microreticulate, with short blunt setae. Color dark brown except as noted: clypeus, palpi, basal antennomeres, legs, anterior pronotal angles, apical part of prosternum, pronotal hypomeron, scutellum, elytral apex, and elytral epipleural fold light brown; antennomere IX-X dark, antennomere XI pale.

Head interocular width = 4 x ocular width; vertex and epistome finely punctate, puncture size = 0.33 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 5-6 x their diameter; epistome anterior margin weakly concave. Eyes coarsely faceted. Antennomere III length = 3 x width, antennomere III length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length; antennomere VIII slightly wider than VII, not part of club; antennomere IX triangular, length = 1.2 x width; antennomere XI narrower than X, subcircular. Terminal maxillary palpomere semicircular, length = 0.66 x width. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, asymmetrical, width = 2 x length, expanded medially, width = terminal maxillary palpomere.

Pronotum quadrate, slightly wider than long; puncture size and distribution as those on vertex, each with a short blunt seta; base with few large punctures at each side; hind angle produced back, partially covering elytral humerus. Scutellum transverse, length = 0.5 width. Elytra with bluntly rounded apex, slightly flared; striae weakly impressed, punctures coarse, puncture size = an ocular facet diameter, separated by 1-2 x their diameter, each bearing short faint seta; interval punctures fine, with faint blunt setae; base lacking marginal bead, sinuate for reception of pronotal hind angles. Wings reduced to narrow strips.

Prosternum length = 2.5 x basal width; sternal plate flat; sternal lines continuous around coxal cavity; base concave. Mesosternal lines parallel, continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum short, distance between meso- and metacoxae = 1.1 x intermesocoxal width; anterior lines connecting medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity; coarsely punctate at anterolateral angles, fine scattered punctures medially and posteriorly; metasternum shortened, distance between meso- and metacoxae = intermesocoxal width. Abdomen with coxal lines not connecting medially; continuous around metacoxal cavity; punctures coarse behind metacoxa, fine scattered punctures on remaining ventrites. Male genitalia with flagellum distinctly thickened and club-like apically ( Fig. 109 ).

Distribution. Found in Jamaica ( Fig. 1b ).

Type Material. The male holotype of Notaepytus cyanoros ( Fig. 124 ) label data: “/ JAM., St. Thomas P., Portland Gap, 17.XII.72-1.II.73, S.& J. Peck / [pale yellow paper] Specimen imaged 2008-West Indies Erotylinae , P. Skelley / [red paper] HOLOTYPE Notaepytus cyanoros P.E. Skelley /” ( CNCI). The female allotype label data: “/ JAMAICA, 7400', Blue Mt. Peak, VII.27-28.1966, Howden & Becker /” ( CNCI). Paratypes (2) label data: Jamaica : W. I., St. Andrews Parish , Blue Mts., Morces Gap & vic., 1300-1500m, 6-8-XII-1975, G. E. Ball & J. H. Frank, 1975 Coleop. Soc. Exp. (1 female-PESC) ; Jamaica : Newcastle, 19- 22-VIII-1908, M. Cameron, B.M. 1936-555, M. Cameron journal 1166 (undissected, 1- NHML) .

Variation. Three of the four specimens exhibit a variable sized medial pronotal mark.

Etymology. The specific epithet is Greek for “Blue Mountain” (cyano - = blue, oros = mountain).

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 89-104. Notaepytus spp., habitus drawings. 89) N. flavitarsis. 90) N. tarsatus. 91) N. cubanacan. 92) N. modestus. 93) N. cyclosignatus. 94) N. elongatus. 95) N. fulvitarsis. 96) N. decoregens. 97) N. ignotensis. 98) N. haitensis. 99) N. inversus. 100) N. baorucoensis. 101) N. neibaensis. 102) N. lavegaensis. 103) N. cyanoros. 104) N. elateroides.

Figure 105-120. Notaepytus spp., male genital flagella. 105) N. flavitarsis. 106) N. tarsatus. 107) N. modestus. 108) N. elateroides. 109) N. cyanoros. 110) N. cyclosignatus. 111) N. inversus. 112) N. neibaensis. 113) N. haitensis.114) N. ignotensis. 115) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Hato Mayor). 116) N. fulvitarsis (DR: La Vega). 117) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Barahona). 118) N. decoregens. 119) N. baorucoensis. 120) N. lavegaensis. All reproduced to same scale, scale line = 1 mm.

Figure 124-125. Notaepytus spp. occurring on Jamaica. 124) N. cyanoros, holotype. 125) N. elateroides, holotype.