Cymindis (Pinacodera) limbata

Hunting, Wesley M., 2013, A taxonomic revision of the Cymindis (Pinacodera) limbata species group (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), including description of a new species from Florida, U. S. A., ZooKeys 259, pp. 1-73 : 13-14

Cymindis (Pinacodera) limbata species group

Diagnosis.

With character states of the subgenus Pinacodera restricted as follows. Males of this group are distinguishable by a sclerite (endophallic plate) located at the apex of the everted endophallus (Figs 6, 10, 14, 20, 26, 27, 34)

Description.

OBL 7.75 - 13.50 mm. Length (n= 90 males, 90 females): head 0.92 - 1.24, pronotum 1.40 - 2.60, elytra 4.41 - 7.17, metepisternum 0.86 - 1.70 mm; width: head 1.60 - 2.60, pronotum 1.80 - 2.60, elytra 3.16 - 5.42, metepisternum 0.52 - 1.02 mm.

Body proportions. HW/HL 1.88 - 2.31; PWM/PL 1.26 - 1.37; EL/EW 1.25- 1.43; ML/MW 1.66 - 2.00.

Color. Piceous to testaceous.

Microsculpture. Most specimens with microlines not visible on dorsum of head capsule; few with mesh pattern isodiametric to transverse between eyes. Elytra with mesh pattern isodiametric, microlines absent from apical half to moderately deep throughout.

Macrosculpture and pilosity. Head ventrally with evenly scattered setigerous punctures bearing setae or not. Pronotum with shallow to moderately deep scattered setigerous punctures, bearing pilose setae or not. Elytra with scattered setigerous punctures, pilose or not. Elytral epipleuron glabrous to moderately setose.

Fixed setae. Two pairs of supraorbital setae; clypeus with two lateral setae. Labrum with six setae along apical margin. Pronotum with two to four setae along each margin. Elytra with two setae in stria 3 and one posterior to end of stria 3; one seta at apex of interval 2; 14-18 lateral (umbilical) setae in the ninth interval; two setae on each of abdominal sterna III to VI (Fig. 3); four to six setae along apical margin of sternum VII (Fig. 3).

Luster. Head capsule and pronotum glossy, elytra glossy to moderately dull; ventral thoracic sterna and abdominal sterna glossy.

Head. Eyes, labrum, labium, and palpi, typical for Cymindidina .

Pronotum. Anterior and posterior transverse impression shallow to moderately deep; median longitudinal impression moderately shallow; posteriolateral angles right-angled to rounded.

Elytra. Humeri broadly to narrowly rounded; striae moderately to shallowly impressed; lateral margin smooth, rounded and widened preapically; elytral apices sinuately subtruncate.

Hind wings. Macropterous to brachypterous.

Legs. Tarsal claws pectinate, five to seven denticles per claw. Males with adhesive vestiture ventrally, two rows of squamo-setae on tarsomeres 1-4 of foreleg and 1-3 of middle leg.

Male genitalia. Anopic. Phallus cylindrical. Endophallus with distinct sclerite (endophallic plate) at apex.

Female genitalia. Gonocoxite 2 (gc2) short and stout to long and narrow.

Habitat.

Adults of this species group have been collected in temperate deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests, subtropical broadleaf forest, tropical montane forests, and acacia scrub environments. Adults are recorded from elevations ranging from sea level to ~3400 m.

Geographical distribution.

The range of this species group (Fig. 7, 17, 21, 29, 41 extends in eastern Canada from southern Quebec west to southern Ontario; in the United States from the Atlantic coast south to southern Florida and west to California. In Mexico, it is known throughout the montane regions, north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Chorological affinities.

Species of the limbata group are sympatric with members of the subgenus Cymindis (s.str) (Fig. 2) in portions of southeastern Canada, the U.S.A, and Mexico, and with the latiuscula group in portions of the southwestern United States and Mexico.

Taxonomic composition, and sequence of presentation.

This group includes ten taxa in three species complexes (treated below). The sequence of presentation is based on geographic distribution of these three complexes, beginning in Eastern North America with the limbata complex; second, the monospecific primarily southwestern punctigera complex; and third, the northern Mexican chevrolati complex. Within each complex, the included species (or subspecies) treatments are in a sequence reflecting my preliminary thoughts about relationships, beginning with the most primitive and ending with the structurally most derived.