Notaepytus ignotensis, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 72-73

Notaepytus ignotensis Skelley, new species

Figure 1b , 97 , 114 , 136 , 152

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by: apical and subapical orangish marks of elytra in addition to the transverse band on the basal third, a long metasternum, fully-developed wings, orangish marks of lateral pronotum complete from base to apex ( Fig. 97 , 136 ), with an additional central pronotal mark narrowly connected to each lateral mark, and male genitalia with flagellum possessing an apical processes widely separated with the ventral process acute.

Description. Length: 8.2-8.8 mm; width: 4.0- 4.2 mm. Body elongate, somewhat flattened; surface weakly microreticulate, glossy. Color dark brown to black except as noted: antennae, palpi, and legs red-brown; pronotum with elongate lateral marks from base to apex, narrowly connected medially to longitudinal spot on middle of pronotal disc, hypomeron orangish; elytra with orangish, jagged band at basal third and apical quarter, and apical spot narrowly separated from band on apical quarter; elytral epipleuron reddish on apical 3/4; abdomen basally dark brown, becoming red-brown laterally and apically.

Head interocular width = 3.5 x ocular width; vertex and epistome finely punctate, puncture size = 0.33 x ocular facet diameter, separated by 2-3 x their diameter; epistome anterior margin shallowly concave. Eye facets moderate in size. Antenna surpassing base of pronotum; antennomere II slightly longer than wide; antennomere III length = 4 x width, length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length, each with length = 3 x width; antennomere IX triangular, length = 1.5 x width; antennomere XI subcircular. 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 slightly larger in size than those on vertex, separated by 2- 3 x their diameter; indistinct group of punctures in shallow depression each side of base. Scutellum pentagonal, length = 0.75 x width. Elytral striae punctures weak, obscure on disc, indistinct laterally; intervals with punctures indistinct; base lacking marginal bead. Wings present, fully developed.

Prosternum convex, length = 2.5 x intercoxal width; sternal punctures indistinct; sternal lines continuous around coxal cavity; base shallowly concave. Mesosternal lines parallel, continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum long, distance between meso- and metacoxae = 1.5 x intermesocoxal width; anterior lines faintly meeting medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity, coxal line short and weak; punctures fine, widely scattered. Abdomen with coxal lines not meeting medially; continuous around metacoxal cavity; punctures similar to metasternal punctures. Male genitalia with flagellum bearing a dorsal, elongate-oval, cartilaginous mass on apical quarter; flagellar apex acute with a well-separated ventral subapical, caudally pointing, acute process ( Fig. 114 ).

Distribution. Found on Hispaniola.

Type Material. The male holotype of Notaepytus ignotensis has the following label data “/ LaCavite [possibly LaCavito, see Fig. 152 ], St Domingo / RH Beck Coll, March 5 1917 / [red paper] HOLOTYPE Notaepytus ignotensis P. E. Skelley /” ( CASC). Only one male paratype was studied with same data as the holotype ( PESC).

Variation. Little variation is observed from the available specimens.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin “ ignotus ” for “unknown” and with the suffix “- ensis ” denoting “place” or “locality”. This name was chosen because of the unlocated type locality.

Remarks. Although the label states “St Domingo”, in the late 1800s-early 1900s collectors often used “ Santo Domingo ” as an alternative for Hispaniola. Thus far, no locality bearing the name “La Cavite” or “La Cavito” has been located.

The genitalia and color pattern of N. ignotensis clearly place it within the fulvitarsis species group. Fully winged species of this group on Hispaniola show a clinal trend where populations from more western localities have larger orange-red marks on the pronotum, while those with smaller markings are from more eastern localities. The larger orange pronotal markings of N. ignotensis suggest the species is from western Hispaniola, possibly Haiti.

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 132-137. Notaepytus spp. occurring on Hispaniola. 132) N. modestus. 133) N. elongatus, holotype. 134) N. cyclosignatus, holotype. 135) N. haitensis, paratype. 136) N. ignotensis, paratype. 137) N. inversus, holotype.

Figure 148-155. Lectotypes, holotype and labels. 148) Lectotype Ischyrus flavitarsis Lacordaire. 149-151) Holotype Ischyrus fulvitarsis Lacordaire. 149) Dorsal habitus. 150) Final card mounting of I. fulvitarsis holotype parts. 151) Labels for holotype of I. fulvitarsis. 152) Notaepytus ignotensis type collection labels. 153-155) Lectotype Erotylus modestus Olivier labels, dorsal and lateral habitus.