Hemipeplus belizensis KC & Pollock, 2025

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 42-44

Hemipeplus belizensis KC & Pollock , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9F2DA855-A03E-4EC5-A32B-CD72B3A5C35B

(Figs 17, 61)

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled: ‘ BELIZE: Cayo; Las Cuevas Research Station ; 550m 16°43.99N, 88°59.20W V/20-21/2000 M. Caterino / BMNH {E} 2000- 124 M. Caterino / [green label] ♂ / [red label] HOLOTYPE ♂ Hemipeplus belizensis KC & Pollock’, in BMNH. Three paratypes: 2 specimens, 1 female, 1 sex unknown, same label as in holotype, in BMNH; 1 specimen, male [without head and prothorax], labeled: ‘ GUATE PETEN 5km S. Santa Elena, 200-300m; beating; 16°52.350’N 89°49.899’W 20-25.vi.2012., E. Fuller 12-18’, in FSCA .

Derivation of Specific Epithet. The specific name (adjective in the nominative case, in gender agreement with substantive) is given in allusion to the type locality of the holotype, i.e., Belize .

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus belizensis sp. nov. can be distinguished by its large eyes, short temples, and dark, rufopiceous body with coarse dorsal texture. Hemipeplus belizensis sp. nov. has the following diagnostic features: temples present, short and rounded; scape elongate (about as long as antennomeres II+III); eyes large (as long as scape + pedicel), moderately wide and moderately convex; pronotum subcordiform without distinct anterior emargination, anterior half widened, lateral margins sinuate; anterolateral angles moderately produced, rounded; pronotal pad distinct; posterolateral angles obtuse, rounded; pronotal lobe indistinct without noticeable median notch; body slender and elongate; elytra more or less flat; color dull, dark rufopiceous; distribution: Belize, Guatemala.

Description. Measurements (in mm)—GHW: 0.70–0.73; HL: 0.66; AL: 1.16–1.18; GPW: 0.70–0.76; PL: 0.66–0.70; GEW: 0.96–1.00; EL: 3.50–3.72; TL: 4.82–4.88.

Head (Fig. 17B) wide, (GHW/HL: 1.06–1.10); eyes large (as long as scape + pedicel), moderately wide and moderately convex; temples short and rounded; occiput with slight raised areas; antennae shorter than head and pronotum length combined; antennal scape elongate (about as long as antennomeres II+III); pedicel small, submoniliform; antennomeres III–V more elongate and apically dilated; VI–X subtriangular, gradually increasing in size; XI subpyriform with apex narrowed; lateral mandibular tooth absent. Pronotum (Fig. 17B) wide (GPW/ PL: 1.06–1.09); anterior margin without noticeable emargination; anterolateral angles rounded, slightly produced; lateral margins sinuate; posterior half contracted; posterolateral angles obtuse and rounded; pronotal lobe slight without prominent median notch; pronotal pad (Fig. 17C) present; pronotal pits shallow without noticeable grooves. Scutellar shield subhexagonal, transverse, less than twice as wide as long. Elytra (Fig. 17A) elongate (EL/GEW: 3.65–3.72), more or less flat; vestiture short and dense; apical patch long and piceous, appears faint in piceous elytra. Ventral surface. Prosternal process short, not extending to the posterior of procoxae; hypomeral edges broadly separated; mesosternal process narrow and linear. Color unevenly rufopiceous, dull; ventrally rufopiceous with paler palpi, glossal sclerite, and galea; legs rufotestaceous.

FIGURE 17. Hemipeplus belizensis sp. nov. (Holotype).A.Dorsal habitus(with scale bar);B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Male genitalia dorsal view with spiculum gastrale (apices of parameres and penis broken); E. Tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view with one paramere removed.

Male Genitalia (Figs 17D–F). (Tegmen length = 0.40 mm (n = 2)) Lobe of basale short and blunt, slender to very thin; shoulders almost straight and obtusely angled; apicale and basale with distinct suture; parameres slightly depressed near the bases and slightly arcuate apically; apices of parameres sharp and pointed; penis subequal to tegmen.

Remarks. Hemipeplus belizensis sp. nov. occurs sympatrically with H. anishae sp. nov. in Belize.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 61). Belize, Guatemala.

FIGURE 18. Hemipeplus longiscapus Pollock, 1999 (Holotype). A. Dorsal habitus; B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax. Image Credit. NMNH/Lourdes Chamorro.