Pachybrachis hurricane, Barney, 2021

Barney, Robert J., 2021, Definition and Revision of the cylindricus Species-Group of North American Pachybrachis Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae), Including Descriptions of Six New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (4), pp. 723-748 : 732

5. PACHYBRACHIS HURRICANe Barney , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4306BF50-B9F9-40A4-A79F-57F8030D6B77 ( Figs. 5 , 14B )

Holotype. Male labeled “ UTAH: Washington Co./3 (air) mi SE Hurricane/ 37.1442°N, 113.2540°W / 17.v.2015, R. J. Barney //ex. Ephedra / torreyana [printed, white paper]//[circular blue disc signifying dissection by RJB]// HOLOTYPE / Pachybrachis / hurricane Barney /R. J. Barney 2021 [printed, red paper]”. Deposited in MCZ. The specimen is point-mounted with the genitalia affixed to a second point. It is in excellent condition with all appendages intact.

Description. Male. Large, whitish yellow with black maculae and black pronotal M ( Fig. 5 ); L = 3.78 mm (n = 1); W = 2.00 mm (n = 1); L/W = 1.89 (n = 1). Head: Not wider than thoracic apex, HW = 1.30 mm (n = 1); eyes moderately separated, without ocular lines, IOD = 0.37 mm (n = 1); IOD/HW = 0.28 (n = 1); face yellow with large, black macula descending from the vertex and between the upper lobes of eyes, punctation dense in dark areas, antennae progressing from yellow to brown, not reaching elytral declivity. Pronotum: Yellow with M-shaped black macula, densely punctate, less so at margins and median line, strongly narrowed apically; PL = 1.19 mm (n = 1); PW = 1.77 mm (n = 1); PL/PW = 0.67 (n = 1). Elytra: Whitish yellow with prominent black maculae on each elytron prior to declivity, thus appearing as a trans-elytral stripe, densely punctate in baso-sutural area, striae irregular. Pygidium: Black with 2 oval conjoined yellow spots. Venter: Black with yellow side and apical margins. Legs: Yellow with brown/black spots, front claws of male greatly enlarged. Genitalia: Median lobe in en-face view shows large, oval OS, with a wide projecting terminus, bounded on each side with sparse wisps at the ALM. The lateral view reveals a large, dark-edged keel, projecting from the base to the initiation of the terminus. A sub view of the median lobe shows that the keel ridge is very sharp. One male from Utah was dissected.

Etymology. This species is named for Hurricane, Utah, where it was discovered.

Remarks. The P. hurricane holotype was part of a series of four (3♂♂ 1♀) beetles collected from Ephedra torreyana S.Watson ( Ephedraceae ) in Utah. I initially assumed these were all the same species, but dissection of the males revealed two distinct median lobes. The median lobe of P. hurricane is smooth and rounded, while the median lobe of P. ephedra has a distinct, sharp-edged keel.

Distribution. The holotype was found in Utah ( Fig. 14B ).

Biological Notes. This species was collected on Ephedra torreyana in Utah.

Specimens Examined. Holotype. USA: UTAH: Washington Co., 3 (air) mi SE Hurricane, 37.1442°N 113.2540°W, 17.v.2015, ex. Ephedra torreyana, R. J. Barney [1♂, HOLOTYPE, RJBC].

Figures

Fig. 5. Pachybrachis hurricane, new species, Washington Co., Utah, holotype.A) Dorsal habitus, B) Lateral habitus, C) Face, D) Pygidium, E) Median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view, F) Median lobe of aedeagus, en-face view, G) Median lobe of aedeagus, sub view.

Fig. 14. Distribution of Pachybrachis species, based only upon specimens examined in this study. A) P. hybridus (black), P. turgidicollis (red), P. texasensis, new species (green), P. chaoticus (blue), P. pinguescens (orange), P. crassus (purple), B) P. saguaro, new species (black), P. peninsularis (purple), P. cylindricus (red), P. huachuca, new species (orange), P. hurricane, new species (gray), P. ephedra, new species (blue), and P. ashfork, new species (green).