Cubyrus sapphirus (Skelley) Skelley, Paul E., 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 45

Cubyrus sapphirus (Skelley) , new combination

Figure 1b , 10 , 18, 22 , 73, 76

Ischyrus sapphirus Skelley 1998b: 58 ~ Peck 2005: 134.

Diagnosis. Characters listed in the genus diagnosis serve to distinguish the single species of Cubyrus .

Description. [Modified from Skelley 1998b] Length: 3.5-4.6 mm; width: 2.0- 2.7 mm. Head interocular width = 2.2 x ocular width. Pronotal disc medial puncture size = 0.33 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 3-4 x their diameter; lateral puncture size = 0.75 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 1 x their diameter. Scutellum elongate pentagonal, nearly triangular; length = 0.6 x width. Each elytron with sutural striae complete; striae II-V indicated basally by 2-4 foveate punctures, puncture size = 1-2 x ocular facet diameter; disc lacking striae and strial punctures; surface with few fine interval punctures.

Prosternum convex, length = 0.9 x basal width; lacking foveate punctures anterior to procoxa; coxal lines straight, almost parallel, length = 0.5 x sternal length, lines not surpassing coxae anteriorly; prosternal plate flat or slightly convex, apical width = 0.9-1.0 x basal width; base shallowly concave. Mesosternum with coxal lines straight, lines parallel to diverging anteriorly. Metasternum with medial punctures fine; lacking lateral punctures, dulled. Abdomen with metacoxal lines short; broadly rounded between metacoxae, almost truncate; lacking noticeable punctures.

Distribution. Endemic to Cuba.

Type Material. The male holotype of Ischyrus sapphirus Skelley has the following label data: “/Soledad, Cuba, Cienfuegos, June 1929, Darlington/” ( MCZC). Including the holotype, 15 specimens were studied for the original description ( Skelley 1998b). For the present manuscript, only 4 paratypes in PESC were studied. The type series included specimens from three localities: Soledad (Cienfuegos); [?] Cejanal, P. del Rio; and Camaguey, Baragua [Ciego de Avila].

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 2-11. Key characters. 2-3) Anterior view of head and pronotum. 2) Iphiclus suturalis. 3) Notaepytus flavitarsis. 4-5) Lateral habitus. 4) Aegithus clavicornis. 5) Iphiclus suturalis. 6-11) Dorsal habitus. 6) Aegithus clavicornis. 7) Aegithus lebasii. 8) Iphiclus guadeloupensis. 9) Iphiclus suturalis. 10) Cubyrus sapphirus. 11) Ischyrus quadripunctatus.

Figure 18-25. Key characters. 18-21) Mesofemur. 22-25) Antenna. 18, 22) Cubyrus sapphirus. 19, 23) Ischyrus quadripunctatus. 20, 24) Epytus cyaneus. 21, 25) Notaepytus flavitarsis.[White arrow points at posterior marginal bead, or note its absence, on mesofemur.]

Figure 73-78. Dorsal habitus and genitalia. 73, 76) Cubyrus sapphirus, paratype (genitalia from Skelley 1998b). 74, 77) Epytus cyaneus. 75, 78) Ischyrus quadripunctatus (genitalia from Skelley 1998b). Genitalic sale lines = 0.66 mm.