Cymatodera cicatricula Rifkind

Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 519-552 : 525-526

Cymatodera cicatricula Rifkind , n. sp.

( Figs. 11–14 )

Type specimens. Holotype male: México, Chiapas, 2.5 km W Cinco Cerros, at lite, 15 Oct. 1988, R. Turnbow. Holotype deposited in CASC. Paratypes: MEXICO, CHIAPAS: 1, [label reads “Oaxaca”– doubtless a misprint] MX 190. 2 km W Chiapas Hotel Paty, 20-X-2001, F. Skillman & J. Davidson, at light; 1, Hwy. 190, 7 km E Rizo de Oro, Hotel Paty, June 21, 1991, oak / pine forest, at UV light, J. & E. Beierl, colls.; 1, Hotel Paty, nr. Riso de Oro, X-26-1990, at light, F. Hovore; 1, Município de Cintalapa La Mina, 914 m, 14-IX-1981, D. E. & P. M. Breedlove and C. G. Whitefield; 1, 2 mi. SW La Cruces, VIII-8 -[19]54, A. A. Alcorn; OAXACA: 1, Tequisistlán, IV-5-1962, F. D. Parker, L. A. Stange, collectors; 1, Tequisistlán, 4 Jan. 1956. Paratypes are deposited in JNRC, RFTB, SEMC, UCRC, and WFBM.

Diagnosis. No other Cymatodera species possesses the following combination of characteristics: a subtly unique variegated elytral patterning as in Fig. 11 ; the presence of elongate whitish setae on the pronotum and elytra; coarse, cribrate elytral punctures arranged in series; sinuate elytral apices. The male is further distinguished by the shape of its pygidium ( Figs. 12–13 ), and its scabrous metaventrite ( Fig. 14 ), which bears an elongate pair of shallow carinae. The new species’ affinities are unclear, but it probably belongs to a group (including C. bellamyi , for example) wherein the male metaventrite has become rather flattened and asperate or scabrous — presumably a modification for grasping the female during copulation.

Description. (Holotype). Length: 14.90 mm. Form: elongate; cylindrical. Color: integument reddish brown; mouthparts, antennae, and tarsi paler; elytral anterior 3/4 decorated with dark brown and pale testaceous, transverse, sinuate fasciae of variable breadth, definition and completeness ( Fig. 11 ); posterior 1/4 uniformly reddish brown. Head: measured across eyes, wider than pronotum; surface finely, densely punctulate; frons conspicuously, if rather thinly, set with anteriorly directed, wavy, reclinate and suberect whitish setae of moderate length, forming a leaflike pattern with its apex toward the cranium; antennae of moderate length, overall rather subflattened; antennomere 2 subconical, shorter than 3; antennomeres 3–5 subserrate, subequal in length, each longer than antennomeres 6–10, which are slightly serrate; antennomere 11 rather short (not longer than antennomere 10), and slightly tapered apically. Pronotum: elongate (ratio of length to width 7:4); disk subflattened; surface closely, rather fine punctate and rugulose, moderately densely and conspicuously clothed with short, subrecumbent, white setae, interspersed with fewer longer, erect, white setae. Scutellum: densely setose. Elytra: subparallel, elongate (ratio of length to width 33:14), widest at approximately posterior 1/3; anterior margin transverse; sides slightly, gradually inflexed medially, broadly rounded posteriorly; apices individually sinuate, dehiscent; surface rather coarsely, cribrately and serially punctate, punctures growing smaller posterior to middle, obsolete on posterior 1/4 which is instead shallowly and finely roughened; vestiture on anterior 3/4 rather sparse, consisting of short, reclinate, pale setae, interspersed with fewer longer, erect pale setae; posterior 1/4 more densely set with fine, pale, reclinate setae, intermingled with fewer elongate, pale setae. Metaventrite: rather broadly subflattened; surface densely covered with fine, pale, suberect setae of moderate length; integument finely but distinctly asperate–rugulose, with a pair of shallow, elongate, longitudinal, scarlike carinae ( Fig. 14 ). Abdomen: ventrites 1–4 with surface finely granulate–punctate, hind margins broadly truncate, rather deeply, arcuately membranous; ventrite 5 ( Fig. 13 ) with sides oblique, hind angles acute, posterior margin deeply, arcuately emarginate; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 13 ) elongate, rectangulate, surface distinctly granulate–rugulose; each side with a slightly arcuate carina extending from base to posterior margin; disk with an indistinct, wishbone–shaped ridge; hind angles extended into short projections; posterior margin otherwise transverse; tergite 5 with hind margin bisinuate laterally, and a broad V–shaped inflection at middle; tergite 6 ( Fig. 12 ) narrower and shorter than ventrite 6, sides slightly, arcuately tapering posteriorly; hind margin subtruncate. Aedeagus: phallus slightly upcurved posteriorly, with apex bearing a slightly pointed knob; lateral lobes feebly incurved at apex.

Variation. Females have the metaventrite shining, moderately setose and finely punctate, and without carinae. Ventrite 5 has the sides obliquely convergent, and the posterior margin shallowly, arcuately emarginate at middle. Ventrite 6 and tergite 6 are oblique laterally and rounded at the posterior margin, either conjointly or with the tergite slightly surpassing the ventrite. Specimens range from 11.0 mm — 14.9 mm in length. Some individuals are paler overall than the holotype.

Etymology. The specific name makes reference to the scarlike metasternal carinae of the male.

Distribution. Known from western Chiapas state and eastern Oaxaca state, México.

Biology. Beetles were attracted to light in oak / pine forest.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 14. 11. Habitus of Cymatodera cicatricula Rifkind, n. sp. (holotype male). 12. Pygidium (dorsal view) of male Cymatodera cicatricula. 13. Pygidium (ventral view) of male Cymatodera cicatricula. 14. Detail showing scarlike metaventral carinae of male Cymatodera cicatricula.