Brachiacantha dentipes (Fabricius)

Nestor-Arriola, Jorge Ismael, Toledo-Hernandez, Victor Hugo, Solis, Angel, Gonzalez, Guillermo & Vetrovec, Jaroslav, 2021, The Brachiacantha Dejean, 1837 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) of Central America, ZooKeys 1024, pp. 157-196 : 157

Brachiacantha dentipes (Fabricius)

Coccinella dentipes Fabricius, 1801: 381. Oliver 1808: 1051. Say 1835: 202.

Brachyacantha dentipes : Mulsant 1850: 525. Crotch 1873: 378. Gorham 1894: 196. Casey 1899: 120. Nunenmacher 1909: 162. Leng 1911: 300. Korschefsky 1931: 204. Wingo 1952: 27. Chapin 1974: 44.

Brachyacantha socialis Casey, 1899: 119. Wingo 1952: 27.

Brachyacantha dentipes socialis : Leng 1911: 301.

Brachyacantha dentipes americana Leng, 1911: 302.

Brachyacantha dentipes var. separata Leng, 1911: 301. Wingo 1952: 27.

Brachyacantha dentipes ab. socialis : Korschefsky 1931: 204.

Brachyacantha dentipes ab. separata : Korschefsky 1931: 204.

Brachiacantha dentipes : Gordon 1985: 564. Flores-Mejía and Salas-Araiza 2004: 14. Nestor-Arriola and Toledo-Hernández 2019: 542.

Material examined.

340 specimens from Costa Rica: Alajuela, San José, Guanacaste, Heredia, Puntarenas, and San José; Honduras: El Paraíso and Olancho ( FSCA, USNMNH, OUMNH, MNCR, MUCR, MZCR) .

Diagnosis.

Length 3-4.5 mm, width 2.1-3.2 mm. Three to four spots on each elytron; the spots may be fused. Third male ventrite with large, subtriangular divergent cusps. Male genitalia with wide parameres with strong tubercle on the concave margin; penis guide with elongated apical hook.

Distribution.

From the south of the USA to Costa Rica, including the Bahamas.

Discussion.

This species is very similar to B. bistripustulata , but the male third ventrite has larger cusps and the male genitalia are more robust in B. dentipes .