Sceloenopla unicostata Staines

Staines, C. L., 2002, Nomenclatural notes and new species of Sceloenoplini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), Zootaxa 89, pp. 1-32 : 29

Sceloenopla unicostata Staines , new species

Figure 19

Type material. Holotype (): Est. Pitilla, 700 m, 9 km S Sta. Cecilia, P. N. Guanacaste, Prov. Guanacaste, Costa Rica, A. M. Mora y F. Chavarria, 5­15 May 1992, L­N 330200, 380200// 772024 ( INBio). Paratype (): 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).

Derivation of name. From uni (Latin= one) plus costa (Latin= rib) for the one costa on each elytron.

Diagnosis. This species is in group 6 ( Uhmann 1937). It can be distinguished from all other species in group 6 by the sulcus on the inner margin of each eye, by antennomere II that is transverse, by the twelve rows of elytral punctures, and the single elytral costa.

Description. Antennae, eyes, and elytra (except lateral and apical margins) black; head and pronotum (except base) rosaceous; femora yellow with black markings; tibiae black with yellow apices; tarsi yellow with black apices. Head: medial sulcus and sulcus on inner margin of each eye; vertex alutaceous; frons not angulate. Antenna: antennomere I subglobose; II transverse; III­V cylindrical, slightly sulcate; VI­X transverse; XI acutely pointed at apex; VIII­XI setose with golden setae. Pronotum: convex; lateral margin straight and divergent for basal 1/2, then sinuate and convergent to apex; each anterior angle with blunt tooth; surface coarsely, densely punctate except in area behind head along apical margin; strong transverse basal impression present; pronotal length 1.1 mm; pronotal width 1.7 mm. Scutellum: quadrate; coarsely, densely punctate. Elytron: expanding to apex; lateral margin smooth; apical margin smooth; exterior apical angle with thin sharp tooth; sutural angle with acute tooth; humerus prominent, rounded; with 12 rows of punctures plus short scutellar row; interspace 4 strongly carinate for entire length; elytral length 6.4 mm; elytral width 2.7 mm. Venter: prosternum slightly rugose medially, sparsely punctate laterally. Total length: 7.9 mm.

Variation. Specimens vary in pronotal length from 1.1­1.4 mm, in pronotal width from 1.7­2.1 mm, in elytral length from 6.4­7.3 mm, in elytral width from 2.7­3.0 mm, and in total length from 7.9­9.3 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 16 - 20. Habitus. 16. Sceloenopla rubivittata. 17. Sceloenopla sanguinea. 18. Sceloenopla trivittata. 19. Sceloenopla unicostata. 20. Sceloenopla univitata.