Megalocraerus tiputini, Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2016

Caterino, Michael S. & Tishechkin, Alexey K., 2016, A revision of Megalocraerus Lewis, 1902 (Coleoptera, Histeridae: Exosternini), ZooKeys 557, pp. 59-78 : 74-75

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Histeridae

Megalocraerus tiputini sp. n. Figs 7B, 8

Type material.

Holotype female: ECUADOR: Orellana: Est. Biodiv. Tiputini, 0.6376°S, 76.1499°W, 2-9.vi.2011, FIT, M. Caterino & A. Tishechkin, DNA Extract MSC-2211, EXO-00738 (FMNH).

Diagnosis.

This species’ most distinctive character is its conspicuous metaventral punctation. It is also distinctly more densely punctate on the pygidia than other species. It is also unique (in the sole known specimen, at least) in having a complete 5th dorsal stria joined to the sutural stria.

Description.

Size: Length 3.2 mm; width 2.3 mm; Body: subparallel-sided, elongate, weakly subcylindrical; piceous. Head: Frons finely and doubly punctate, with medium punctures separated by slightly more than their diameters against fine ground punctation, decreasing in size but slightly increasing in density anteromediad; frontal stria present along inner margins of eyes, bent inward above antennal insertions, broadly interrupted across epistoma; supraorbital stria absent; epistoma depressed, narrowing anterad; labrum minutely punctate; mandibles each with inner marginal tooth. Pronotum: Pronotal sides weakly convergent from base to apical fourth, thence abruptly narrowing, marginal stria complete, continuous with distinct anterior marginal stria, lateral stria absent; pronotal disk finely and shallowly but densely punctate, slighlty sparser basomedially; basal margin with only few coarser punctures. Elytra: Two complete epipleural stria present; subhumeral striae absent; dorsal striae 1-5 complete, the 5th stria meeting basal arch of sutural stria; elytral disks with conspicuous ground punctation throughout, increasing in density apically. Prosternum: Prosternal lobe evenly, somewhat narrow rounded, complete to sides, marginal stria obsolete at sides; prosternal keel with two complete carinal striae diverging slightly front and rear. Mesoventrite: Anterior mesoventral margin evenly emarginate, with complete, marginal stria; mesometaventral stria absent; disk with fine secondary punctation. Metaventrite: Metaventral disk finely but densely punctate at middle, more coarsely to sides, lateral metaventral stria present, curving laterad toward middle of metepisternum, slightly obsolete apically; postmesocoxal parallel but shorter. Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites distinctly punctate throughout; propygidium transverse, about three times as wide as long, coarsely punctate, with punctures separated by about half their diameters, rather uniformly throughout; pygidium similarly coarsely punctate at base, diminished in size apically.

Remarks.

Although known from a sole female, this species is more than adequately distinct to describe. We name the species to honor the staff and facilities of the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, who have assisted us and countless other researchers in studying the biota of the region. This species was included in the phylogenetic analysis of Caterino and Tishechkin (2015) as ' Megalocraerus 4'.