Pentilia nichole Gordon and González, 2019

Gordon, Robert D., F, Guillermo González & Hanley, Guy A., 2019, South American Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Part XXI: systematic revision of South American Pentilia Mulsant (Cryptognathini), Insecta Mundi 729 (729), pp. 1-27 : 6-7

4. Pentilia nichole Gordon and González , new species

Description. Male holotype. Length 2.3 mm, width 2.1 mm; dorsal surface shiny except head densely alutaceous. Color black; pronotum with lateral 1/4, apical 1/4 yellow; elytron with wide, yellow lateral margin enlarged into incipient macula on apical declivity, in addition an irregularly oval macula present medially in basal 1/2 ( Fig. 18 ); venter yellow; abdomen yellow except apex of basal abdominal ventrite. Head punctures not visible, hidden in alutaceous sculpture; pronotal punctures small, separated by less than to 3 times a diameter; elytral punctures larger than on pronotum, separated by less than to 4 times a diameter, becoming larger, denser toward lateral margin; prosternum with small punctures separated by less than a diameter; mesosternum with coarse punctures separated by a diameter or less; metasternum with punctures smaller than on mesosternum, separated by 1 to 3 times a diameter in median 3/4, punctures becoming absent in lateral 1/4; abdominal ventrites 1, 2 with coarse punctures separated by less than to twice a diameter; ventrites 3–4 finely, densely punctured medially; ventrite 5 finely, densely punctured. Head with frons parallel sided, 1.2 times as wide as eye, clypeal apex widely emarginate, lateral angle abruptly curved ( Fig. 19 ); eye canthus long, about 3/4 width of eye. Prosternum with lateral carina on each side short, straight, extended from apex of intercoxal process 1/4 distance to apex of prosternum. Epipleuron strongly descending externally. Postcoxal line on basal abdominal ventrite slightly flattened along posterior ventrite margin, extended 7/8 distance to rear margin of ventrite. Genitalia with basal lobe as long as paramere, sides gradually narrowed from base to abruptly rounded apex; paramere slender, nearly straight, apex rounded ( Fig. 20, 21 ); penis with apical portion divided; basal capsule slender, inner arm long slightly curved, apex truncate, outer arm long, straight, apex abruptly curved ( Fig. 22 ).

Female. Similar to male except spermathecal capsule slender, ramus not enlarged, cornu evenly curved to rounded apex ( Fig. 23 ).

Variation. Length 2.0 to 2.4 mm, width 1.8 to 2.3 mm. Pronotal color varies from entirely yellow to lateral 1/3 yellow with all intergrades between, size and shape of elytral maculae vary slightly.

Type material. Holotype male; BRAZIL, Recife, Pernambuco, Krauss X-1961 ( USNM) . Paratypes 68, 39, Pernam., Fry Coll. 1905-100, 23, same data as holotype ; 1, Exochomus Pernamb, Pascoe Coll. 98-60; 1, Pernambuco, Brazil , 2/183 ; 2, Brazil, Macuió (sp?), ( Ipioca ), 26-6-1994, Lima, I-M. N JM- leg. ( BMNH) ( USNM) .

Remarks. This species is possibly conspecific with P. traci in spite of the quite different dorsal color patterns. The male genitalia are virtually identical and both are from Brazil. They are maintained as separate species because of the different color patterns.

Figures

Figures 18–34. Pentilia spp. 18-23) Pentilia nichole. 18) Habitus. 19) Frons. 20) Penis guide ventral. 21) Penis guide lateral. 22) Penis. 23) Spermathecal capsule 24-29) Pentilia jody. 24) Habitus. 25) Frons. 26) Penis guide ventral. 27) Penis guide lateral. 28) Penis. 29-34) Pentilia kendra. 29) Habitus. 30) Frons. 31) Penis guide ventral. 32) Penis guide lateral. 33) Penis. 34) Spermathecal capsule.