Epimetopus thermarum Schwarz & Barber, 1917

Perkins, Philip D., 2012, 3531, Zootaxa 3531, pp. 1-95 : 53-55

Epimetopus thermarum Schwarz & Barber, 1917

Figs. 86 (habitus), 87, 91 (aedeagus), 133 (map)

Epimetopus thermarum Schwarz & Barber, 1917: 130 .

Epimetopus thermarum: Balfour-Browne (1949: 13) ; key.

Epimetopus thermarum : Rocha (1969: 178); Figs.

Type material: Holotype (female; examined): “Hot Sprgs Ar 26.6.01; Schwarz & Barber Coll; Epimetopus thermarum S & B 1917; Type No. 21052 U.S. N.M” ( USNM). Many paratypes with same locality data ( USNM).

New collection records (219 specimens): Belize: Cayo District, nr Teakettle Bank, Pook’s Hill, Sweep , 17° 13' N, 88° 51' W, 6 i 2003, C. R. Bartlett (1 SEMC) ; Stann Creek District, Nr Armenia at river, 16° 48' N, 88° 29' W, 7 i 2003, C. R. Bartlett (2 SEMC) ; Costa Rica: Guanacaste, 18.7 km NW Bagaces, Hwy 1, Rio Carana , elev. 91 m, 10° 39' N, 85° 22' W, 4 vi 1973, Erwin & Hevel (28 USNM) ; Est. Manglar Ju Villa Nandayure , at light, 10° 2' N, 85° 12' W, 11 xii 2002, W. Porras (1 SEMC) ; Puntarenas, Corcovado National Park, Sirena Stn. , ex UV light, elev. 5 m, 8° 24' N, 83° 35' W, 28 vi 2000, Z. H. Falin (CR1ABF00 038) (3 SEMC) ; Guatemala: Baja Verapaz, 4 mi. S. Rabinal, stream, transition xeric-tropical, 15° 3' N, 90° 27' W, 10 vi 1974, M. E. & P. D. Perkins (1 MCZ) ; El Progresso, El Progresso , interm. desert stream, 14° 51' N, 90° 4' W, 2 vi 1974, M.E. & P.D. Perkins (1 MCZ) ; El Progresso, Km. 69 on C. A. 9, 14° 51' N, 90° 4' W, 2 vii 1974, W. E. Steiner (2 MCZ) ; Mexico: Baja California Sur, 1.5 mi. NW Miraflores , collected at blacklight, elev. 213 m, 23° 22' N, 109° 46' W, 28–29 x 1968, E. L. Sleeper & F. J. Moore (2 CAS) ; 13 mi. up Canyon San Bernardo fr. Boca de la Sierra—San Bernardo, elev. 609 m, 23° 23' N, 110° 1' W, 6 viii 1971, H. G. Real & R. E. Main (1 CAS) ; 3 mi N Miraflores, Boca de la Sierra , 28° 5' N, 113° 14' W, 22 vi 1997, W. D. Shepard (1 NMW) ; 5 mi. S. Miraflores , 28° 1' N, 113° 14' W, 10 vii 1938, Michelbacher & Ross (1 FMNH) ; 5 mi W San Bartolo , 23° 44' N, 109° 57' W, 13 vii 1938, Michelbacher & Ross (1 FMNH, 9 CAS) ; 8 mi. SE La Paz , collected at blacklight, elev. 304 m, 24° 5' N, 110° 13' W, 13 x 1968, E. L. Sleeper & F. J. Moore (1 CAS) ; 9 mi. N San Lucas , collected at blacklight, elev. 304 m, 27° 17' N, 112° 17' W, 24–25 x 1968, E. L. Sleeper & F. J. Moore (1 CAS) ; 9 mi. up Canyon San Bernardo fr. Boca de la Sierra ( Potrero ), elev. 457 m, 23° 23' N, 109° 57' W, 2 viii 1971, H. G. Real & R. E. Main (2 FMNH, 98 CAS) ; Sa. Victoria , 7 mi. W Santiago, collected at blacklight, 23° 28' N, 109° 50' W, 30–31 x 1968, E. L. Sleeper & F. J. Moore (10 CAS) ; Sa. Victoria, El Chorro , collected at blacklight, elev. 304 m, 23° 28' N, 109° 50' W, 29–30 x 1968, E. L. Sleeper & F. J. Moore (4 CAS) ; Chiapas, Chintul, Rio Chintul (trib. R. Grijalva), Rt. 187, 17° 14.55' N, 93° 35.11' W, 20 ix 1966, Bueno, Barba, Contreras (1 USNM) ; Municipio de Cintalapa La Mina , elev. 914 m, 16° 39' N, 93° 44' W, 14 ix 1981, D. E. & P. M. Breedlove and C. G. Whitefield (3 CAS) ; Palenque , 17° 31' N, 91° 59' W, 22–23 vi 1969, D. Bright & J. M. Campbell (6 CNC) ; Jalisco, 25 mi NW of Barra de Navidad , intermittent stream, scrub tropics, 19° 28' N, 104° 56' W, 22 vii 1974, M. E. & P. D. Perkins (1 MCZ) ; SE of Chamela, Rio Cuitzmala , elev. 55 m, 19° 32' N, 105° 4' W, 6 i 2005, W. D. Shepard (1 SEMC) ; Nayarit, 32 miles S. Acaponeta , 22° 1' N, 105° 18' W, 24 xi 1948, H. B. Leech (1 CAS) ; Sinaloa, 21 mi. E. Villa Union , 23° 12' N, 105° 55' W, 25 vii 1964, H. F. Howden (2 CNC) ; Concordia , 23° 17' N, 106° 4' W, 1–30 vii 1974, D. Chandler (1 USNM) ; Culiacan , 24° 48' N, 107° 23' W, 16 vii 1963, P. J. Spangler (1 USNM) ; Mazatlan , blk. lite trap, 23° 14' N, 106° 24' W, 17–23 vii 1963, P. J. Spangler (2 USNM) ; Sonora, 6 mi. W Alamos , 27° 1' N, 109° 2' W, 14 viii 1963, Werner & Nutting (1 USNM) ; Alamos , 27° 1' N, 108° 56' W, 12 viii 1960, P. H. Arnaud, Jr., E. S. Ross, D. C. Rentz (1 CAS) ; same locality, 27° 1' N, 108° 56' W, 17 ix 1980, Robert Gordon (1 USNM) ; Rio Cuchujaqui , 7 mi. SE Alamos, black lite, 26° 57' N, 108° 51' W, 25 x 1972, E. M. Fisher (2 MCZ) ; Panama: Panama Province, Parque Nac. Soberania, Pipeline Rd. , ex. light, 9° 4' N, 79° 40' W, 9 vi 1993, M. L. Jameson (2 SEMC) ; U.S.A.: Texas, Cypress Mills [no date or collector], 29° 59' N, 95° 40' W, (1 MCZ) ; Venezuela: Aragua, Ocumare , 10° 7' N, 66° 46' W, 19–20 ii 1969, P. & P. Spangler (5 USNM) ; Barinas, Pte. Parangula, 8 km S. Barinitas , 8° 41' N, 70° 25' W, 18 ii 1976, C. M. & O. S. Flint, Jr. (1 USNM) ; Guarico, ~ 15 km S. San Juan, stream margin & rock pools, elev. 255 m, 9° 46.321' N, 67° 21.201' W, 3 i 2006, A.E.Z. Short (AS- 06-005) (3 AEZS) ; Trujillo, Mcp. Rafael Rangel, La Gira, Qda. La Amarilla , elev. 520 m, 9° 20' N, 70° 44' W, 10–12 vi 1994, J. Camacho, M. Garcia (1 MALUZ) ; Mcp. Rafael Rangel, La Gira, Qda. La Amarilla , Trampa interceptacion, elev. 520 m, 9° 20' N, 70° 44' W, 20–22 v 1995, J. Camacho, M. Garcia (3 MALUZ) ; Mcpio. Rafael Rangel, La Gira, Trampa Interceptacion, elev. 520 m, 9° 20' N, 70° 44' W, 16–17 ix 1995, M. Garcia, D. Contreras (2 MALUZ) ; Same locality, 23 x 1997, J. Camacho, M. Garcia, E. Gomez (3 MALUZ) ; Zulia, Mcpio. Lagunillas, Zona de Reserva de Burro Negro , elev. 250 m, 10° 7' N, 71° 14' W, 29–31 vii 1995, J. Comacho, M. Garcia (3 MALUZ) .

Differential diagnosis. The dorsal habitus of E. thermarum is quite similar to that of E. balfourbrownei ( Figs. 86, 92); differing therefrom in the larger size (ca. 2.73 vs. 2.16 mm) and the slightly more elongate elytra which are slightly more convex and have a more abrupt posterior declivity. However, reliable determinations will require examination of the aedeagus. The aedeagus of E. thermarum is recognized by the following combination of characters: 1) the very long and very slender dorsal processes; 2) the slender median lobe, which apically is comparatively long and with narrow, pointed tips; and 3) the parameres bend outward slightly and have truncate tips. There is some variation in aedeagal form ( Figs. 87, 91) across the rather large geographical distribution of E. thermarum , which ranges from Arizona to Venezuela ( Fig. 133). This variation mostly involves the degree to which the median lobe distal part is narrowed, elongated, and produced in sharp tips. The most extreme variant in this respect is from Venezuela, but other specimens from Venezuela, which have a shape more like those from Panama ( Fig. 91), have been seen.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length from anterior margin of pronotum to elytral apices) 2.73/1.45; head (width) 0.68; pronotum 0.91/1.05; elytra 1.86/1.45. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 86). Head piceous, maxillary palpi light brown; pronotum dark brown to piceous; elytra dark brown except yellowish large Vshaped fascia near midlength, and at apical 1/3 of elytra, which joins fascia laterally; venter piceous; legs rufous. Pronotum with hood carinae very slightly arcuate, almost straight, converging and confluent anteriorly, grooved throughout; secondary lateral lobe very small. Elytron with four strong granulate carinae, third interrupted anteriorly for distance of ca. 3–4 punctures; punctures round or oval, large, each with small granule at anterior margin, non-carinate intervals usually with irregular row of granules. Protibiae slightly emarginate on inner margin, almost straight. Metaventral depression moderately deep and wide, ca. seven granules along base.

Distribution. The most widely distributed species of Epimetopus , currently known from Venezuela north to Texas and southern Arizona ( Fig. 133).

Notes. Specimens generally have an irregular row of granules on the non-carinate elytral intervals. These granules are usually somewhat larger in specimens from Arizona than in specimens from areas south. A small percentage of specimens from Costa Rica and Venezuela lack these granules. There is little variation in size throughout the range.