Priocera unimacula OPITZ, 2021

Opitz, Weston, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Western Hemisphere checkered beetle genus Priocera KIRBY (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (2), pp. 1145-1255 : 1204

Priocera unimacula OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 89 , 173 )

HOLOTYPE: ♀. Type locality: VENEZUELA, Aragua, Rancho Grande , 1200-1400m, Aug. 13, 1988, C&L. O’Brien & Wibmer ( FSCA) . PARATYPE: 1 specimen. Venezuela: Estado de Aragua, Rancho Grande, 13- VIII- 1988, 1,200 -1,400 m, C.& L. O’Brien & Wibner ( WOPC).

D i a g n o s i s: Cranium black; antennae testaceous; pterothorax castaneous; elytra bicolored, mostly castaneous, with with one, cross-like yellow marking at middle, apical 1/5 th yellow; legs mostly black, base of mesofemu and metafemu testaceous; abdomen yellow.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 7.0 mm; width 1.8 mm. Form: As in Fig. 173 . Head: Epicranium with wrinkles; frons about as wide as length of antennal pedicel ( EW /FW 40/8). Thorax: Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescenses and small central fissure ( PW /PL 75/110); elytral disc slightly depressed at middle, sculptured with striate asetiferous punctures that extend posteriorly slightly beyond elytral 1/2 ( EL /EW 310/55); metathoracic femur gradually increasing in diameter to femoral apex. Abdomen: Pygidium scutiform.

V a r i a t i o n: The 2 available specimens are quite homogeneous.

N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The type was collected during August, at an altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n ( Fig. 89 ): This species is known from the Venezuela.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, unimacula, is a Latin compound name that stems from the prefix uni (= one) and macula (= spot), with reference to the single cross-like marking in the middle of the elytral disc.

Figures

Figs 89. Approximate distribution of species as noted.

Figs 172-175. Habitus. Priocera unifasciata (172), P. unimacula nov.sp. (173), P. variegata (174), P. clavipes (175).