Notaepytus inversus, Skelley, 2009

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 74

Notaepytus inversus Skelley, new species

Figure 1b , 99 , 111 , 137 , 139

Diagnosis. This species is diagnosed by: apical and subapical orangish marks of elytra in addition to a transverse band on the basal third, a long metasternum, fully-developed wings, orangish marks of pronotal anterior angle extending posteriorly almost to base ( Fig. 99 , 137 ), and male genitalia with flagellum possessing a ventral cartilaginous mass and no apical processes.

Description. Length: 9.0 mm; width: 4.0 mm. Body elongate, somewhat flattened; surface weakly microreticulate, somewhat glossy. Color black except as noted: palpi, tarsi and antennomere XI pale brown; legs and basal antennomeres dark red-brown; pronotal hypomeron red-brown; pronotal anterior angles with red-brown which extends posteriorly nearly to base, spot separated from lateral margin basally by narrow black edge, medial pronotal disc with large vague dark red-brown mark; elytra with orangish sinuate-edged bands at basal third and apical quarter in addition to the orangish apical spot, subapical band and apical spot well separated; elytral epipleuron reddish beyond basal quarter; basal abdominal ventrite nearly black, apical 4 ventrites entirely red-brown.

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. Eyes facets moderate in size. Antennomere III length = 2.5 x width, antennomere III length slightly less than length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length, each with length = 2 x width; antennomere IX triangular, length = 1.2 x width; antennomere XI circular, slightly transverse. Terminal maxillary palpomere triangular, slightly asymmetrical, slightly wider than long. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, asymmetrical, width = 2.2 x length, expanded medially, width = 1.5 x terminal maxillary palpomere.

Pronotum transverse; punctures on disc equal in size and slightly denser than those seen on vertex; with small group of indistinct slightly larger punctures in shallow depression at each side of base. Scutellum pentagonal, length = 0.75 x width. Elytral striae punctures fine, indistinct, lacking laterally; interval punctures indistinct; surface glossy. Wings present, fully developed.

Prosternum slightly convex, length = 2.5 x intercoxal width; sternal punctures obscure; sternal lines not continuous around coxal cavity; base shallowly concave. Mesosternal lines parallel, not continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum long, distance between meso- and metacoxae = 1.6 x intermesocoxal width; anterior lines weakly meeting medially; continuous around mesocoxal cavity, with weak, short coxal line; punctures fine, indistinct, widely scattered. Abdomen with coxal lines not meeting medially; line continuous around metacoxal cavity; general punctation fine. Male genitalia with flagellum bearing a ventral, subapical, elongate oval, cartilaginous mass; flagellar apex acute, lacking additional processes ( Fig. 111 ).

Distribution. Found in the Dominican Republic, Pedernales Province ( Fig. 139 ).

Type Material. The male holotype of Notaepytus inversus ( Fig. 137 ) has the following label data: “/Dom. Rep: Prov. Pedernales, 24 km N. Cabo Rojo, 610 m, 21 AUG 1988, wet forest, at light & night beating, M. Ivie, Philips & Johnson / [pale yellow paper] Specimen imaged 2008-West Indies Erotylinae , P. Skelley / [red paper] HOLOTYPE Notaepytus inversus P. E. Skelley /” ( WIBF, to be deposited in NMNH).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the inverted position of the cartilaginous mass at the apex of the flagellum.

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 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.