Falsoceratoprion pecki Ferreira and Ivie, 2023

Ferreira, Vinicius S. & Ivie, Michael A., 2023, The First Extant Species of Falsoceratoprion Ferreira, with a Key to the West Indian Lycidae Genera (Coleoptera: Elateroidea), The Coleopterists Bulletin 77 (1), pp. 101-109 : 102-104

Falsoceratoprion pecki Ferreira and Ivie , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1CEEEE3D-3F49-4D86-9104-66BC849A8285 Figs. 1 , 2

EXamined Specimens (n = 3). Holotype: CUBA: Santiago Prov. ; Gran Piedra, Met. Radar; 6-17XII.95. 1100m; elfin for FIT; S. Peck, 95-76 ( CMNC) . Paratypes (2): CUBA: Santiago Prov. ; Gran Piedra, Met. Radar; 6-17XII.95. 1100m; elfin for FIT; L. Masner, C-03, 95-76 ( CMNC, WIBF) .

Diagnosis. Falsoceratoprion pecki is remarkably similar to F. fumagalliae ; however, it can be readily separated by the terminal maxillary palpomere acuminate (see arrow in Fig. 2A ) (vs. terminal maxillary palpomere elongate and spatulate in F. fumagalliae ).

Description. Length (head + pronotum + elytra): 3.0– 3.2 mm. Width (across humeri): 0.6–0.7 mm. General coloration and setation: Thorax, sides of head and coxae, and basal half of elytra yellow, remainder of the body brown; body densely setose throughout ( Figs. 1A, B , 2A ). Head: As long as wide, widest at eyes ( Fig. 1A ), posterior half covered by pronotum ( Fig. 1A ); hypognathous ( Fig. 1B ), frons immediately posterior to antennal insertion strongly gibbose ( Fig. 1A ), concave behind eyes ( Fig. 1A ). Eyes hemispherical, projecting anterolaterally, coarsely granulate ( Figs. 1A, B , 2A ). Mouthparts: Maxillary palp 4-segmented, bearing short sparsely distributed setae throughout ( Fig. 2A ); palpomere I short, half the length II; palpomere III subequal to I; terminal maxillary palpomere subequal in length to II, acuminate ( Fig. 2A ); lacinia densely setose. Labial palp 3-segmented; terminal palpomere as long as I + II combined, acuminate ( Fig. 2A ). Posterior margin of clypeus clearly emarginate; labrum distinct from clypeus, transverse and freely movable, setose. Mandibles small, hooked, as long as labrum, coadapted to labrum ( Fig. 2A ). Antenna: 11-segmented, inserted on gibbous prominence at anterior portion of head, in resting position reaching apical third of elytra ( Figs. 1A, B ); densely setose, dorsoventrally flattened; scape pyriform, approximate at base; antennomere 2 ca. one-fourth length of scape; antennomeres 4–10 subequal, slightly increasing in length towards apex; antennomeres 3–10 distinctly serrate, more strongly so in 6–10, approaching pectinate, branches of 6–10 increasing in size ( Fig. 1B ); antennomere 11 round apically ( Fig. 1A ). ThoraX: Pronotum trapezoidal, transverse, margins moderately developed ( Figs. 1A, B ), posteriorly bearing weakly developed median fovea, median longitudinal carina absent ( Fig. 1A ). Prosternum triangular ( Fig. 2A ). Mesoventrite trapezoidal ( Fig. 2A ); mesospiracle elongate, protuberant, distinctly visible ( Figs. 1B ). Scutellar shield rectangular, elongate, shallowly notched apically ( Fig. 1A ). Metaventrite convex, posterolateral angles moderately acute, metadiscrimen complete ( Fig. 2A ); metanepisternum acuminate, crescent shaped in lateral view, anteriorly round, tapering towards apex. Elytra: Dehiscent, 3-costate, with short, bristle-like setae throughout ( Fig. 1A ); costae weakly developed, subparallel; costa I discontinued medially, costae II + III subapically fused ( Fig. 1A ). Abdomen: With eight ventrites; ventrite 7 shallowly notched medially; ventrite 8 lanceolate, apically blunt, ca. 4× longer than ventrite 7, one-third longer than tergite IX. Genitalia distinctly trilobate ( Figs. 2B, C ), symmetrical. Median lobe elongate, fusiform, twice the length of parameres ( Figs. 2B, C ), apically in ventral view bearing a distinct genital opening ( Fig. 2C ). Parameres rounded apically; phallobase posteriorly round, median suture absent ( Figs. 2B, C ).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Stewart Blaine Peck, who collected the holotype of F. pecki and has contributed extensively to our knowledge of West Indian beetles with collections and publications.

Figures

Fig. 1. Falsoceratoprion pecki, new species. A) Dorsal view, B) Lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 2. Falsoceratoprion pecki, new species. A) Ventral view of head and abdomen (scale bar = 1 mm), B) Male genitalia in dorsal view (not to scale), C) Male genitalia in ventral view (not to scale), D) Distribution map of F. pecki in Cuba (star).