Dyslexia pulcricolor Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez, 2020

Skelley, Paul E. & Gasca-Álvarez, Héctor Jaime, 2020, Dyslexia, a new remarkable genus of pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae) from the Andes, Insecta Mundi 2020 (835), pp. 1-15 : 10-12

Dyslexia pulcricolor Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez , new species

Figures 24‒28 .

Diagnosis. A member of Dyslexia differing from the other species the more ovoid elytra, spotted color pattern, and dark mark along posterior lateral margin of the pronotum.

Description. Length: 9.9 mm; Width 5.4 mm. Body elongate more ovoid, converging caudally, convex dorsally, elytra declivous at base and notably widest at basal third; microreticulation weak, surface glossy ( Fig. 24 ).

Body orange with black markings, elytra yellow with large black marking. Head surface orange; base behind eyes black. Pronotum with 2 variably large elongate central spots on anterior margin ( Fig. 27 ); laterally with black marking widest at middle, narrowing posteriorly. Scutellar shield dark brown. Elytra with several black markings that are narrowly separated from the thin black margins ( Fig. 24–25 ); a large triangularly rounded scutellar spot that is weakly bilobed laterally; a large subhumeral spot situated at basal third of elytra; central band narrowing laterally; free circular apical elytral spot. Ventrally entirely orange except for vague lateral and central black spots on abdominal ventrites I–II ( Fig. 26 ). Mouthparts orange-brown, appendages black, antennae black (most of both antennomeres missing).

Head dorsal distance between eyes = 5.5× eye width ( Fig. 28 ); vertex and epistome punctures fine, size = 0.25× facet, widely separated. Antennae on unique holotype missing beyond antennomere V; antennomere II length = 2× width; antennomeres III–V width near apex slightly less than antennomere II width; antennomere III length = 3× width, length = 1.2× length antennomere IV; antennomeres V slightly shorter that antennomere IV.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, width = 1.4× length, lateral edge arcuate, more semicircular, width at anterior angles = 1.7× width at posterior angles; posterior angles 90°. Scutellar shield pentagonal, length = 0.6× width. Elytra microreticulate, weakly glossy; elytron length = 2.8× width in dorsal view; in lateral view, elytra flattened medially, becoming declivitous near base; lateral margin weakly parallel, parabolically rounded entire length; strial punctures distinct on disc, approaching base; width of striae slightly greater basally; interval punctures not evident; punctures in groove of lateral marginal bead same size as pores of marginal bead; epipleuron wide at base, width = 2× width of femur, narrowing toward apex, width in apical half = width of femur. Hind wings present, apparently functional.

Prosternum with angulation of anterior margin pinched, weakly projecting ventrally; distance from anterior margin to procoxae = 1.3× distance between procoxae; surface impunctate; coxal lines weakly constricted around procoxae; prosternal plate weakly convex, length = 1.2× distance between coxae. Mesoventrite length = 1.2× distance between mesocoxae; posterior margin truncate. Metaventrite long, length from mesocoxae to posterior margin = 1.3× distance between mesocoxae. Protarsomeres I–III of equal length. Meso- and metatarsomeres with tarsomere I length = next two combined.

Sexual dimorphism present, male with medial patch of setae on abdominal ventrite I, diameter 0.2× length

Material examined. The holotype male of Dyslexia pulcricolor label data: “S Antonio / Columbia” // “B.M.1935-117” ( NHMUK).

Etymology. This species name is based on the Latin pulcher = beautiful, colorful, referring to the pretty multicolored patterns of the species. The roots are combined with the intentional spelling variation without the “h” (ICZN 1999, Article 58.10).

Remarks. The holotype of D. pulcricolor is old and the only known specimen. The photographs in Figures 24–28 were taken before relaxing and glue removal to study the venter. As the glue softened, appendages fell off. Because we did not want to destroy the unique specimen and because it is readily distinguished from other species, we did not continue to clean or dissect the specimen. Future research using more recently collected materials can explore those structures.

Based on the amount of variation seen in the few specimens of D. belamyi , D. dathomirria and D. tomasi , we expect variation in the color pattern of D. pulcricolor . However, D. pulcricolor differs from all others in body shape alone.

Figures

Figures 24‒28. Dyslexia pulcricolor Skelley and Gasca-Álvarez. 24) Dorsal habitus. 25) Lateral habitus. 26) Ventro-lateral habitus. 27) Anterior oblique view of head and pronotum. 28) Anterior head.