Cymatodera tlahuica Rifkind, 2010

Rifkind, Jacques & Toledo, Víctor H., 2010, New species of Cleridae (Coleoptera) from Morelos, Mexico, Zootaxa 2659 (1), pp. 53-59 : 57-58

Cymatodera tlahuica Rifkind , Toledo & Corona, n. sp.

(Figs. 3, 3a, 3b)

Type specimens. Holotype male: México: Morelos, Tlaquiltenango , 2 km al N de Huaxtla, 18.39084° N, 99.04836° W, Alt. 1142 m, Selva Baja Caducifolia, Trampa de luz, 29-XI-2008, Cols. M. de León y Y. T. Viveros . Holotype deposited in CNIN . Paratype: MEXICO: Morelos, Tepalcingo, S El Limón, Parcela de la Cruz , 18º31’42.6’’ N, 98º56’24.6’’ W, Alt. 1244 m, Selva Baja Caducifolia, Trampa de luz, 20-I-2007, Cols. V. H. Toledo & A. M. Corona . Paratype deposited in JNRC .

Diagnosis. The new species belongs to a group of similar congeners characterized by large size, more or less parallel-sided elytra, functional hind-wings, and elongate antennae with antennomeres 3–5 equal or subequal in length and each longer than antennomere 2. Other common features are brown or piceus coloration (often with a pale midelytral fascia), the absence of metasternal tubercles or carinae, and serially punctured elytra. Members of this group include Cymatodera horni Wolcott , C. californica Horn , C. corporaali Barr and C. linsleyi Barr. The male of C. tlahuica can be distinguished from males of the former, and all other known congeners, by the uniquely elaborated shape of its abdominal terminalia. No other known species displays its combination of elongate, dorsally recurved, falciform sternal processes, dorsally produced tergal angles and elongate, dorsally recurved, falciform phallic apex. The female remains unknown.

Description (Holotype). Length 16.5 mm. Width: 3.0 mm. Form: cylindrical. Color: integument brown, except pronotum, head and femora which are dark brown, and a rather narrow, irregular, light brown median elytral fascia extending from the elytral suture to the lateral margin. Vestiture: consisting of abundant and uniformly distributed very short, reclinate golden setae, interspersed with some longer erect setae. Head: measured across eyes, wider than pronotum; eyes large, moderately coarsely faceted, vertex densely set with fine punctures, shallowly rugulose; antennae rather elongate, scape elongate, antennomere 2 less than 1/2 length of scape, antennomeres 9–11 shorter than antennomeres 3–8, antennomere 11 elongate and subacuminate. Pronotum: narrower than elytra at humeri, sides constricted behind anterior margins, slightly expanded anterior to middle, more distinctly constricted posterior to middle; disk shining, punctures fine and nearly confluent, uniformly distributed and smaller than those on elytra. Elytra: 3.34 times longer than broad; humeri rounded; disk shining, subflattened above; surface serially punctured, punctures coarse, larger at basal third, becoming smaller toward apex; apices subsinuate, slightly dehiscent. Mesosternum and metasternum: with punctures fine and abundant; metasternum without carinae. Legs: clothed with short recumbent setae, mixed with some long erect setae; femora and tibiae with punctures fine and abundant. Abdomen: sternites shining, finely punctate; fifth visible sternite with sides slightly convergent, lateral apical angles rounded and posterior margin broadly, arcuately emarginate; sixth visible sternite with sides oblique and posterior margin in the form of a deep “V”, with the lateral apical angles each produced as a dorsally recurved elongate spine (Fig. 3a). Sixth tergite with sides oblique, last third dorsoventrally depressed and concave at middle, apical margin truncate at middle, lateral margins elevated posteriorly and subacutely produced, base of angles ventrally with a shallow notch that appears to receive the apical spines of sixth visible sternite. Apex of phallus produced as a dorsally recurved elongate spine (Fig. 3b), with a pair of short carinae at its base.

Variation. The single paratype measures 15.5 mm in length. The female is unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet "tlahuica" is the name of the first pre-Hispanic inhabitants of the territory of what is now Morelos state.

Distribution. Known only from the vicinity of El Limón, Municipio de Tepalcingo, and Huaxtla, Municipio de Tlaquiltenango in the Mexican state of Morelos.

Biology. Specimens were collected in tropical dry forest at light trap; presumably this species, like most of its congeners, is nocturnal. Collections were made in November and January, within the first half of the dry season at REBIOSH.