Muisca adamanta, Opitz, Pitz Pinola Weston, 2018

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 : 624

Muisca adamanta OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 40, 69, 97, 116, 147)

Holotype: ♂. BRAZIL, Minas Gerais, Pedra Azul , 800 m, XI-1974, Seabra & Oliveira ( FSCA).

Paratypes: 2 specimens. Brazil: Estado do Minas Gerais, Pedra Azul , 800 m, XI-1974, Seabra & Oliveira ( WOPC, 1) ; Estado do Bahia, S. Antonio da Barra , 11-XII-1888, Gounelle ( MNHN, 1) .

D i a g n o s i s: Within Muisca the antennal capitulum is black in specimens of M. adamanta , M. testacea , and in those of M. variabilis . But, in specimens of M. adamanta , the black coloration of the capitulum does not extend to funicular antennomeres, as it does in those of the other 2 aforementioned species.

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 5.5 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 147. Color: Testaceous, except capitulum and funicular antennomeres 5-6 dark brown. Head: Funicular antennomeres subfiliform, progressively shorter towards capitulum, capitulum longer than combined length of funicular antennomeres, capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 triangular ( Fig. 40), antennomere 11 obovate; frons slightly wider than width of eye ( EW /FW 25/30). Thorax: Pronotum (Fig. 69) quadrate ( PW /PL 85/85), side margin with well-developed tubercle, disc uniformly punctate; elytral asetiferous punctation striate to distal 2/3 rd of epipleural region, near sutural margin punctured end at about distal ½ ( EL /EW 250/70). Abdomen: Pygidium scutiform; posterior margin of 6 th visible sternite faintly concave; aedeagus, phallic apex as in Fig. 116.

V a r i a t i o n: Size: Length 4.7-6.0 mm; width 2.0- 2.2 mm. Other than body size, the available specimens are quite homogeneous.

N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Specimens were captured during November and December.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, adamanta, is a Latin derivative from adamas (= like a diamond). I refer to the shape of the phallic apex.

D i s t r i b u t i o n ( Fig.97): Known from Brazil.