Amblycerus morsei Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov.

Fig. 5 A – H, Table 1

Type material.

Holotype • Deposited in DZUP, male, with labels: Brasil – AM, 80 Km N \ Manaus VI – VIII 1996 \ 2 ° 30 ' S, 60 ° 00 ' W \ C. W. Dick col. [white label, printed in black]; Larva consumindo semente de Dinizia excelsa [white label, printed in black], Biological Dynamics of \ Forest Fragments Project \ (BDFFP) [white label, printed in black]. HOLOTYPE \ Amblycerus morsei \ Ribeiro-Costa [white label with red margin, printed in black] . Paratypes • (n = 19), same data as holotype, PARATYPE \ Amblycerus morsei \ Ribeiro-Costa [white label with yellow margin, printed in black]. Six deposited in DZUP, two in MZSP, two in MNRJ, three in USNM, and six in SDMC .

Diagnosis.

The main character to distinguish Amblycerus morsei Ribeiro-Costa, sp. nov. from others of the group is the unique strongly curved tooth-shaped sclerite at AR (Fig. 5 G). Amblycerus falcorostrus Ribeiro-Costa & Morse, sp. nov. and A. biacutus Ribeiro-Costa, sp. nov. share a unique sclerite at AR but their sclerites have projections for both sides (Figs 3 F, 4 F). However, in A. kingsolveri, A. marinonii, A. sclerolobii, and A. tachigaliae have one pair of sclerites (Figs 6 H, 7 G, 8 F, 10 G) and A. manauara has two pairs (Fig. 9 F).

Description.

The description of A. morsei Ribeiro-Costa, sp. nov. is similar to A. truncatus Ribeiro-Costa, sp. nov. except by the following characters.

Dimensions: BL: 5.50–6.50 mm (x ̄ = 5.89 mm; n = 10); BW: 3.30–3.70 mm (x ̄ = 3.49 mm; n = 10).

Integument color: Similar to color variations in A. truncatus Ribeiro-Costa, sp. nov., some specimens darker or paler but in general keeping the contrast of colors. Antenna with the first two antennomeres reddish brown, the rest dark brown; sometimes entirely dark brown.

Vestiture: Dorsum covered with yellowish pubescence evenly distributed, sometimes near elytral suture with whitish setae. Ventral region with whitish pubescence except abdominal ventrites with yellowish pubescence.

Head: Frontal carina absent, finely punctate or sometimes less punctate on midline. Ocular index 4.54; ocular sinus 0.02 of the eye length in lateral view; postocular lobe 0.03 of the eye length. Prothorax: Pronotum with carina bordering the basal lobe and toward part of laterals; lateral carina ⅔ the length of pronotum. Mesothorax and metathorax: Scutellum ~ 1.5 × longer than wide with tridentate apex, all teeth the same size. Elytron 1.43 × longer than wide, subtruncate apically. Metanepisternal sulcus with the vertical axis reaching the margin of metepisternum, longitudinal axis ~ less or half the length of metepisternum. Hind femur ~ 2.76 × longer than wide. Hind tibia, lateral spur ~ 1.86 × the length of median spur. First tarsomere ~ 1.58 × the length of lateral spur and 2.93 × the length of median spur. Pygidium 1 / 3 or 1 / 2 covered by the elytra. Abdomen: Pygidium at apex truncate in males, emarginate in females. Last ventrite longer than ventrite IV, apex without differences between sexes. Male genitalia: Median lobe ~ 3.60 × its widest at apical region; dorsal valve 1.30 × wider than long, subtriangular, lateral margins almost straight, apex rounded ventral valve 1.3 × wider than long, lateral margins almost straight, apex acute; dorsal valve 0.73 × wider than long, subtriangular, lateral margins curved; ventral valve 1.59 × wider than long. Armature of internal sac, AR with one strongly curved tooth-shaped sclerite. MR with a pair of winding, laminar sclerites, outer margin serrate along its middle apical 1 / 2 length; wishbone-shaped sclerite 0.49 × as long as the laminar sclerites length, straight, apex enlarged and serrated in lateral view. Tegmen with lateral lobes cleft to 1 / 19 of their length.

Etymology.

The specific name is named in honor of Geoffrey E. Morse for his enthusiasm, dedication, and competence to the study of seed beetles.

Distribution.

Brazil (Amazonas-Manaus).

Host plant.

Fabaceae: Dinizia excelsa Ducke.