Axina equestris (Schenkling)

Opitz, Weston, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the Western Hemisphere checkered beetle genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Insecta Mundi 2020 (793), pp. 1-70 : 35

Axina equestris (Schenkling) , 1906, new combination

Figures 72, 115.

Priocera equestris Schenkling, 1906: 257 . Holotype. Female. Type locality: Jatahy, GOYAZ, Donckier ( Brasil) (SDEI). Corporaal 1950: 99.

Diagnosis. Only in the members of this small Axina species (about 5 –7 mm) is there a yellow angular fascia in front of the middle of an otherwise dark brown to black elytral disc.

Redescription. Size. Length 6.0 mm; width 1.3 mm. Form. As in Fig. 115. Color. Dorsum dark brown; antenna, venter and legs testaceous. Head. Cranium finely punctate, frons about as wide as length of antennal pedicel; EW/ FW 30/10. Thorax. Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescences, concave at middle; PW/PL 65/100; elytra, asetiferous punctures substriate, punctures extend slightly beyond elytral middle, width of interstitial spaces variable; EL/EW 260/45. Abdomen. Female pygidium shallowly trilobed along distal margin, female visible abdominal sternite VI with recurved flap at distal margin; aedeagus, phallobasic lobes very short and contiguous; phallic plates serrate at both edges; phallobasic apodeme abbreviated.

Variation. Size: Length 5.0–7.0 mm; width 1.0– 1.5 mm. The brown markings on the elytron disc vary in conspicuousness.

Natural history. Specimens were collected in Bolivia during October and November.

Distribution (for map see Fig. 72). In addition to the holotype, I examined 46 specimens from: Bolivia: Departamento de Santa Cruz, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 4-6 k, SSE Buena Vista, 3-14-XI-2003, S.W. Lingafelter; Potrerillos del Guenda, 40 km NW Santa Cruz, 22-XI-12-XII-2005, B. K. Dozier. 16-22-X-2006, Wappes, Nearns, & Eya; 3.7 k SSE Buena Vista, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 5-15-XI-2001, M. C. Thomas. Specimens are deposited in: ACMT, AMNH, BMNH, CASC, CMNH, FMNH, FSCA, MCNZ, and WOPC