Megaphloeus imparilus, Opitz, Weston, 2019

Opitz, Weston, 2019, Descriptions of new genera and new species of Western Hemisphere checkered beetles (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 959-1076 : 985

Megaphloeus imparilus OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 47 , 192 , 226 , 300 )

Holotype: ♂. Type locality: Belize, Stann Crk , Bocawina, 16 km W Dangriga, 83 m, 16.927°N, 88.397°W, 5-7-viii-2017. A second label reads: Coll. L. G. Bezark ( FSCA) . Paratype: 1 specimen. Belize: District of Stann Creek, 16 km W Dangriga, 83 m, 16.927°N, 88.397°W, 5-7-VIII-2017, L. G. Bezark ( WOPC).

D i a g n o s i s: The genus Megaphloeus PIC was revised in 2011 ( OPITZ 2011a). This work included a key to species. Megaphloeus imparilus specimens key out to M. animosus (WOLCOTT), from which M. imparilus specimens differ by showing a more angular midelytral fascia and the antenna are more strongly sex dimorphic.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 5.3 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 300 . Color: Cranium and pronotum dark castaneous; antennae tricolorous, scape testaceous, fundus castaneous, capitulum black; pterothorax black; elytra mostly dark brown, inverted Tshaped flavotestaceous humeral macula poorly defined; legs testaceous; abdomen brown; mesoscutellum dark brown. Head: Antenna ( Fig. 47 ) capitate, sex dimorphic, funicular antennomeres filiform, progressively shorter towards capitulum, capitular antennomeres 9 and 10 triangular, in male antennomere 11 oblong, nearly twice as long as antennomere 10; eyes large, finely facetted, eye narrower than frons (EW/FW 15/30). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 192 ) transverse; pronotal arch transversally wrinkled (PW/PL 70/55), disc deeply concave paralaterally near pronotal collar; elytral asetiferous punctures profusely distributed; (EL/EW 250/75); anterior margin of protibia with 6 spines. Abdomen: Pygidium quadrate / scutiform; aedeagus as in Fig. 226 .

Variation: The available specimens are quite homogeneous, except that the last antennomere is sex-dimorphic, with the male 11 th antennomere much longer than the female 11 th antennomere.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: The available specimens were collected during August, at 83 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: ThisspeciesisknownfromBelize.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, imparilus, is a Latin adjective derived from imparilis (= unequal); with reference to the sex-dimorphic condition of the antenna.

Figures

Figs 43-60: Antennae; (43) Ordinis taxis; (44) Pelonium tayrona; (45) Neorthopleura turnbowi, male; (46) N. turnbowi, female; (47) Megaphloeus imparilus; (48) Plocamocera catalexis; (48 a) Cregya entrerios; (49) Ridica merida. (50) Kataspinula puebla. (51) Cregya tobagoensis; (52) Topainca patchacutii; (53) Eurycaulis anaxeis; (54) Amboakis expandosa. (55) Ridica achira. (56) Ampleris cacuminis; (57) Sicamus suprus; (58) Sirpa latiflava; (59) Alarius careoritus; (60) Cregya petalosa.

Figs 179-193: Pronota; 179) Phonius versus; (180) Perilypus arsus; (181) A. nodus; (182) Pyticara frontegalba; (183) Pelonium implacide; (184) Neorthoplera quintana; (185) Perilypus virgulatus; (186) P. alpinus; (187) Amboakis expandosa; (188) Ampleris jatai; (189) Megaphloeus jasuni; (190) Amboakis bermejo (191) Madoniella delta; (192) Megaphloeus imparilus; (193) Pyticeroides brevitubulus.

Figs 225-230: Aedeagi; (225) Madoniella selvanegra; (226) Megaphloeus imparilus; (227) Pyticeroides brevitubulus; (228) Kataspinula puebla; (229) Nelsopelonium aspikelum; (230) N. cuspidis.

Figs 298-301: Habitus; (298) Madoniella nota; (299) M. selvanegra; (300) Megaphloeus imparilus; (301) M. yasuni.