Muisca xanthura

Opitz, Pitz Pinola Weston, 2018, Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of the Subfamily Peloniinae O (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Cleridae). Part IX. Taxonomic revision of the New World genus Muisca S, Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1), pp. 587-653 : 607

Muisca xanthura ( CHEVROLAT, 1876) ( Figs 17, 53, 94, 105, 132)

Pelonium xanthurum CHEVROLAT, 1876: 40. Lectotype: Gender ♀. Here designated. Brazilia ( Brazil), Petropolis,?-XII-?, D. Sahlberg (MNHN). Chevrolat’s description provides evidence that he examined more than one specimen, but he did not specify which one should be the name baerer of this nominal species. Therefore, I invoke Recommendation 73F of the ICZN (1999) and designate a lectotype for this nominal species. CORPORAAL 1950: 284.

D i a g n o s i s: The well-developed pronotal tubercle distinguishes the members of this species group from superficially similar members of the M. hirtula species group.

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 5.5 mm; width 2.4 mm. Form: As in Fig. 132. Color: Antenna, mouthparts, legs, and abdomen yellow, except mandibles black; clypeus, cranium, and thorax castaneous; elytra bicolorous, castaneous coloration in basal 3/4 th fades into yellow coloration in distal 1/4 th. Head: Funicular antennomeres subfiliform, 5 th funicular antennomere expanded laterally, capitulum large, much longer than combined length of funicular antennomeres, capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 triangular ( Fig. 17), antennomere 11 obovate; frons slightly narrower than width of eye (EW/FW 30/28). Thorax: Pronotum (Fig. 53) oblong (PW/PL 95/110), side margin with primary tubercles, disc coarsely punctate; elytral asetiferous punctation subseriate, at sides extend to elytral apical 3/4 th, punctures absent near sutural margin (EL/EW 245/95). Abdomen: Male sixth visible sternite slightly concave along distal margin; aedeagus, phallic apex as in Fig. 105.

V a r i a t i o n: Size: Length 3.5-5.5 mm; width 1.7-2.4 mm. Other than body size, the available specimens were quite homogeneous.

N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Specimens were collected during November and December, one at 405 m. D i s t r i b u t i o n ( Fig.94): In addition to the lectotype, I examined 4 specimens: French Guiana: Subdivision Saint-Georges, 1 km du bourg vers Olapoque, 23-25-X-2006, Malaise trap, Ph. Cerdan. Bolivia: Departamento de Santa Cruz, 3.7 km SSE Buena Vista, Hotel Fauna & Flora , 17°29.949'S 63°33.152'W, 405 m, 15-XI-2001, tropical transition forest, M. C. Thomas & B. K. Dozier. Brazil: Estado do Goiás, Mineiro,?-?- 1912, H. Donckier ; Estado do Rio do Janeiro, Nova Briburgo. Specimens are deposited in FSCA, MNHN, and WOPC .