Sceloenopla lampyridiformis Staines

Staines, C. L., 2002, Nomenclatural notes and new species of Sceloenoplini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 89, pp. 1-32 : 21-22

Sceloenopla lampyridiformis Staines , new species

Figure 12

Type material. Holotype (): Costa Rica, Heredia Prov, La Selva Biol. Sta., 3 km S Pto. Viejo, 10°84'N 84°01'W // 1.iv.1988, H. A. Hespenheide ( INBio). Paratypes (1, 6): 1­ Costa Rica, Punt., Monteverde, 1500 m, 25­26.II.1991, K. McLachlan Hamilton// beating ( CMNC); 1­ Costa Rica, Puntarenas, San Luis de Monteverde, 1100 m, 10°17'N 84°49'W, 4 June 2002, L. M. LaPierre// leaf­miner in an unidentified Visaceae ( INBio); 3­ Costa Rica, Puntarenas, San Luis de Monteverde, 1100 m, 10°17'N 84°49'W, 1­7 June 2002, L. M. LaPierre// leaf­miner in an unidentified Visaceae ( INBio, NMNH); 2­ Costa Rica, Puntarenas, San Luis de Monteverde, 1100 m, 10°17'N 84°49'W, 1 June 2002, L. M. LaPierre/ / leaf­miner in an unidentified Visaceae ( CLS); 1­ Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Ecolodge San Luis, vic. San Luis de Monteverde, 1200 m, 10°157'N 84°45'W // Malaise trap, 01.V­ 25.VI.1988 L. M. LaPierre ( INBio).

Derivation of name. From lampyrid (the fireflies) plus formis (Latin= form) for the overall appearance as a firefly.

Diagnosis. This species is in group 3a ( Uhmann 1937). It can be distinguished from all other species in group 3a by the straight and divergent lateral margins of the pronotum, the rounded anterior angles of the pronotum, the elytral lamina, and the lampyrid­like appearance.

Description. Lampyrid­like; first seven antennomeres bicolored; head black with reddish markings; pronotum yellow­ochre with rosaceous blush with black longitudinal medial vitta from basal 3/4 toward anterior margin; elytra dark yellowish­brown or brown with yellow­ochre vitta; legs with profemora yellow­ochre, dark at apex, with rest of leg dark; middle and hind legs dark. Head: vertex with fovea present; carina present near base of antennae; scattered punctures present near eyes; surface alutaceous; frons angulate, punctate. Antenna: antennomere I subglobose; II transverse; III cylindrical, subequal in length to I and II; IV­V cuspidate; VI­VII transverse; VIII­X cylindrical; XI pointed at apex; I­VII dark basally, pale apically; VIII­XI finely setose. Pronotum: lateral margin straight and divergent for basal 1/2, then expanded and rounded at apex; large tooth present in each anterior angle; disc convex, with medial longitudinal sulcus; scattered punctures present on disc and near lateral margins; pronotal length 1.4 mm; pronotal width 2.6 mm. Scutellum: quadrate; micropunctate. Elytron: humerus produced, angulate; lateral margin laminate, expanded, smooth; widest just behind humeri where lamina begins; exterior apical angle with backwardly directed tooth; apical margin sinuate, slightly emarginate at suture, with small tooth; interspace 2 wide, costate (yellow vitta following costa); with 10 rows of foveolate punctures; puncture row 10 removed from lateral margin; elytral length 7.6 mm; elytral width 3.9 mm. Venter: prosternum rosaceous with black along basal margin laterally; meso­ and metasterna rosaceous medially, black laterally; mesosternum punctate laterally; abdominal sterna yellow­ochre with black markings; suture between abdominal sterna 1 and 2 obsolete in middle. Leg: profemur with tooth near apex; coxa with meron. Total length: 9.2 mm.

Variation. Specimens vary in pronotal length from 1.3­1.4 mm, in pronotal width from 1.9­2.9 mm, in elytral length from 7.3­7.7 mm, in elytral width from 2.7­4.1 mm, and in total length from 7.3­10.1 mm. The color and sculpture is very similar to that of the holotype.

Notes. This species is a leaf­miner in an unidentified species of Visaceae.

Figures

FIGURES 7 - 12. Habitus. 7. Sceloenopla apicispina. 8. Sceloenopla bicolorata. 9. Sceloenopla bidentata. 10. Sceloenopla expanda. 11. Sceloenopla flava. 12. Sceloenopla lampyridiformis.