Notaepytus decoregens, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 64-65

Notaepytus decoregens Skelley, new species

Figure 1b , 96 , 118 , 128 , 139

Diagnosis. Distinguished by the following characters: apical and subapical orangish marks of the elytra in addition to a variable transverse band on the basal third, long metasternum, fully-developed wings, orangish marks at pronotal anterior angle greatly reduced, pronotum in most entirely black ( Fig. 96 , 128 ), and male genitalia with flagellum having a long narrow dorsal cartilaginous mass on apical third, lacking ventral subapical process.

Description. Length: 5.9-7.0 mm; width: 2.8-3.3 mm. Body elongate, somewhat flattened; surface microreticulate, weakly dulled. Color black except as noted: antennae, palpi, pronotal hypomeron, and legs red-brown; antennomere XI pale red-brown; elytra with orangish band at basal third and apical quarter, and an apical spot; elytral basal band often reduced, mark at apical quarter and apex always distinct; elytral epipleuron red-brown beyond basal quarter; abdomen generally red-brown, darkening toward base.

Head interocular width = 3 x ocular width; vertex and epistome finely distinctly punctate, puncture size = 0.33 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 2-3 x their diameter; epistome anterior margin shallowly concave. Eyes coarsely faceted. Antennomere III length = 3 x width, length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length, each with length = 2 x width; antennomere IX triangular, length slightly more than width; antennomere XI circular. Terminal maxillary palpomere triangular, slightly asymmetrical, slightly wider than long. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, asymmetrical, width = 2 x length, expanded medially, width = 1.2 x terminal maxillary palpomere.

Pronotum transverse; punctures on disc equal in size and distribution to those on vertex; small group of larger indistinct punctures in shallow depression at each side of base, puncture size = an ocular facet diameter. Scutellum pentagonal, length = 0.5 x width. Elytral striae puncture size = puncture diameter at pronotal base, separated by 2 x their diameter; intervals with punctures very fine, indistinct, often bearing a short fine seta; base lacking marginal bead. Wings present, fully developed.

Prosternum weakly convex, length = 2.5 x intercoxal width; sternal punctures indistinct; sternal lines continuous or not around coxal cavity; base shallowly concave. Mesosternal lines slightly divergent anteriorly, not or weakly continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum long, distance between meso- and metacoxae = 1.6 x intermesocoxal width; anterior lines not meeting medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity, with short coxal line; punctures moderate in size, indistinct, widely-scattered. Abdomen with coxal lines not meeting medially; not continuous around metacoxal cavity, with short coxal lines; punctures similar to metasternum punctures, denser apically. Male genitalia with flagellum having a long narrow dorsal cartilaginous mass on apical third; apex acute, lacking a ventral subapical process ( Fig. 118 ).

Distribution. Found in eastern Dominican Republic, La Altagracia Province ( Fig. 139 ).

Type Material. Male holotype and female allotype of Notaepytus decoregens , with the following label data: “/ DOMINICAN REPUBIC: Pr. La Altagracia, Nisibon, Finca Papagayo 6-IV-00, RE Woodruff, TJ Henry, bracket fungus at night /” ( FSCA). Paratypes (12): same data as holotype (11- FSCA, PESC, WIBF) ; Dominican Republic: La Altagracia, Parque del Este , 2.9 km SW Boca de Yuma, 18-21-51N, 68-37-05W, 11m. 28 May 2004, J. Rawlins, C. Yong, C. Nunez, J. Fetzner, semihumid dry forest, limestone, UV light, Sample 52114 (1- CMNH) .

Variation. Notable variation occurs in the size of the orangish pronotal and elytral spots. Although not usually present, one teneral specimen has a small but distinct spot on the anterior pronotal angle. The band at the basal third of the elytra, usually reduced or absent, is large and prominent in two specimens. While also variable in size, the subapical and apical elytral marks are the only orangish marks that are consistently prominent.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin decor-egens meaning “decoration poor”, in reference to the greatly reduced, usually absent anterior pronotal angle mark and males lacking the ventral subapical flagellar process.

Remarks. Notaepytus decoregens populations were initially believed to be a regional variant of N. fulvitarsis ; being partially sympatric and most similar with variant C (see Remarks under N. fulvitarsis ). However, they have diagnostic male genitalic flagella.

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 126-131. Notaepytus spp. occurring on Hispaniola. 126) N. fulvitarsis (DR: La Vega). 127) N. fulvitarsis (DR: Hato Mayor). 128) N. decoregens, paratype. 129) N. lavegaensis, paratype. 130) N. neibaensis, holotype. 131) N. baorucoensis, holotype.

Figure 138-140. Distribution maps of Notaepytus spp. on Hispaniola. 138) Circle = N. modestus; triangle = N. elongatus. 139) Circle = N. fulvitarsis; triangle = N. decoregens; square = N. haitensis; square with ‘X’ = N. inversus. 140) Circle = N. cyclosignatus; triangle = N. lavegaensis; square = N. neibaensis; square with ‘X’ = N. baorucoensis.