Phelister pretiosus, Caterino & Tishechkin, 2020

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2020, Recognition and revision of the Phelister blairi group (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini), ZooKeys 1001, pp. 1-154 : 1

6. Phelister pretiosus sp. nov. Figs 5C, D , 6H, I , Map 5

Type material.

Holotype male: " Ecuador Napo Region 5-25.ix.00" / "Tiputini Research Station 220m 0°38'0"S, 76°9'0"W " / "BM2000:194 D.J.Inward K.A.Jackson" / "Caterino/Tishechkin Exosternini Voucher EXO-00359" (NHMUK). Paratypes (3): Ecuador: same data as type (NHMUK, 1ex.); Orellana, Est. Biodiv. Tiputini (-0.64, -76.15), 8/3/08-8/6/08, FIT, LSAM Team (AKTC, 1ex.); Orellana: Tiputini Biodiversity Station, 0.6376°S, 76.1499°W, 4-9.vi.2011, FIT, M.S. Caterino & A.K. Tishechkin (MSCC, 1ex.).

Other material.

Ecuador: Orellana, Est. Cientifica Yasuní (-0.675, -76.4), 7/19/08-7/22/08, FIT, A. Tishechkin (AKTC, 1ex.); Suriname: Sipaliwini, upper Palumeu River, CI-RAP Survey Camp 1, 2.4770°N, 55.6294°W, 275 m, flight intercept trap, 10-16.iii.2012, A. E. Z. Short (SEMC, 2ex.).

Diagnostic description.

Length: 1.97-2.17 mm (avg. 2.10 mm); width: 1.65-1.93 mm (avg. 1.84 mm). This species is also very closely related to P. sparsus , differing principally in the following characters: sides more broadly rounded; prosternal keel striae united by a transverse stria basally, enclosing a rather small triangular space ~ 3/4 as long as keel; prosternal lobe with marginal stria present; middle angle of mesometaventral stria only reaching basal fourth of mesoventrite; abdominal ventrite one with row of secondary punctures along anterior margin; male with aedeagus narrower, less curved in lateral view, with medioventral process that barely protrudes beneath; tergite 10 partially divided. Male: basal piece ~ 1/4 length of tegmen; tegmen widest near middle, evenly narrowed to base and apex, apex subtruncate; tegmen weakly curved, rather flat in lateral view, weak medioventral process present in basal 1/3; median lobe ~ 2/3 tegmen length, basal apodemes thin.

Etymology.

This species name means ‘precious’, in reference to its jewel-like appearance.

Distribution.

This species is known from only a few specimens from Amazonian Ecuador and Suriname.

Remarks.

The external characters listed in the description to distinguish this species are all relatively minor, but consistent. It lacks the labral fovea of P. trigonisternus and exhibits secondary punctures along the anterior margin of the 1st abdominal ventrite that P. sparsus lacks. The male genitalia are also quite distinctive, with the tegmen sides being straighter than others (Fig. 6H vs. 6B, D, F, and 6J).

Figures

Figure 5. A, B Phelister sparsus: A dorsal habitus B ventral habitus C, D P. pretiosus: C dorsal habitus D ventral habitus E-G P. trigonisternus: E dorsal habitus F ventral habitus G frons and labrum showing labral fovea.

Map 5. Collecting records for Phelister pretiosus (black circles), P. trigonisternus (black squares) and P. globosus (stars).

Figure 6. Male genitalia A-C Phelister fimbriatus: A sternite 8 B aedeagus, dorsal C aedeagus, lateral D, E P. stellans: D aedeagus, dorsal E aedeagus, lateral F, G P. sparsus: F aedeagus, dorsal G aedeagus, lateral H, I P. pretiosus: H Aedeagus, dorsal I Aedeagus, lateral J, K P. trigonisternus: J aedeagus, dorsal K aedeagus, lateral.