Ambonoides OPITZ, 2015

Opitz, Weston, 2015, Systematics of the checkered beetle subfamily Platynopterinae SPINOLA (Coleoptera Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 47 (2), pp. 1513-1572 : 1521-1523

Ambonoides OPITZ , new genus

Type species: Ambonoides retinoides OPITZ , new species. By present designation.

Diagnosis: Within Platynopterinae only in members of Ambonoides are the pronotalsides strongly up-curved and flanged.

Description: Size: Length 5.5-8.5 mm; width 2.0-2.6. Form: Elytra rectangular, posterior angle rounded. — Integumental color: Antenna black; mandible black, other mouthparts flavotestaceous, maxillary and labial terminal palpomeres black; cranium mostly black, lower frons flavotestaceous; pronotum bicolorous, mostly black, up-curved edges and anterior margin flavotestaceous; elytra unicolorous, black or bicolorous with midelytral flavotestaceous fascia, elytral apical and basal third black; legs black or femora mostly flavotestaceous and remainder of leg black; pterothorax and abdomen black. Vestiture: Integument highly setose, funicular antennomeres densely setose, cranium and pronotum densely vested with decumbent setae, elytra densely vested with short 2° setae and fewer 1° setae that become more prominent along epipleural and sutural margins; legs highly setose. Head ( Figs 2, 3, 4 , 87, 88 ): Cranial setose punctation cribrate; eyes bulging ( Fig. 88 ), finely faceted and deeply broadly incised along frontal margin; antenna ( Fig. 1 ) capitate, inserted at level of eye incision (= ocular notch); antennal carina very prominent, comprised of 11 antennomeres, scape very robust, pedicel oblong, funicular antennomeres transverse, antennomere 7 large, capitulum very long, about one third times longer that length of other antennomeres combined; labrum ( Fig. 10 ) deeply incised; mandible ( Fig. 9 ) robust, dens poorly developed, penicillus poorly developed; maxilla ( Fig. 7 ) well developed, terminal palpomere subsecuriform, laterolacinia present; labium ( Fig. 11 ) well developed, terminal palpomere subsecuriform; gula ( Fig. 3 ) triangular. Thorax: Pronotum ( Figs 5, 6 , 89 ) with incipient trichobothrium ( Figs 91, 92 ), quadrate, side margins up-curved and with tubercle, anterior margin linear, prebasal depression feebly developed, dorsolateral carina not extended to anterior margin of pronotum, carina joins pronotal hem at pronotal posterior angle; elytra rectangular, slightly widened to rounded posterior angles, discal carinae faintly visible; mesoscutellum triangular; protibial anterior margin spinous; ungues with denticle; tibial spur formula 0-2-2; tarsal pulvillar formula 3-3-3; metathoracic wing as in Fig. 15 ; metendosternite ( Fig. 8 ) with furcal lamina; glandular pit not present on male metatibia. Abdomen: Six visible sternites; female pygidium rounded distally, slightly incised in males. Male genitalia ( Figs 13, 14 ): Aedeagus short, tegmen feebly sclerotized, acuminate distally; phallus more sclerotized; spicular fork ( Fig. 12 ) comprised of two narrow plates that connect at proximal half, intraspicular plate narrow and long.

Distribution: The members of this genus are known from Brazil and Uruguay.

Etymology: The generic name Ambonoides is a compound name that stems from the Greek ambon (= ridge) and the Latin suffix – oides (= likeness). I refer to the lateral elevations on the pronotal disc.

Figures

Figs 1-15: Morphological organs of Ambonoides retinoides. (1) Antenna, male; (2) Head, frontal view; (3) Head, ventral view; (4) Head, dorsal view; (5) Pronotum, ventral view; (6) Pronotum, dorsal view; (7) Maxilla; (8) Metendosternite; (9) Mandible; (10) Labrum; (11) Labium; (12) Spicular fork; (13) Tegmen; (14) Phallus; (15) Metathoracic wing.

Figs 87-92: Morphological organs of Ambonoides retinoides (87) Head, frontal view; (88) Head, lateral view. (89) Forebody, dorsal view. (90) Antenna. (91-92) Incipient trichobothria on the pronotal discs.