Neorthopleura thomasi, Opitz, Weston, 2019

Opitz, Weston, 2019, Descriptions of new genera and new species of Western Hemisphere checkered beetles (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Cleridae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 959-1076 : 993-995

Neorthopleura thomasi OPITZ nov.sp. ( Figs 28, 29 , 196 , 232 , 313 )

Holotype: ♂. Type locality: CAYMAN ISL.: Cayman Brac : Major Donald Dr., 6 km E jct. Ashton Reid Dr., 4.vii.2013, blacklight trap, Col: M. C. Thomas ( FSCA) . Paratypes: 142 specimens. West Indies: Grand Cayman Island , 7-X-1990, blacklight trap, P. Fitzgerald ( FSCA, 1) ; idem, 29-XI- 1992, blacklight trap, P. Fitzgerald ( FSCA, 1) ; idem, 214- XI-1992, blacklight trap, P. Fitzgerald ( FSCA, 1) ; Boatswan Point, Lime Tree Estate , 21-VI-1976, E. J. Gerberg ( FSCA, 1) ; vic. Gun Bay , N19°21.074' W81°05.727', 3-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 5; WOPC, 1) ; idem, 4-VI-2008, R. Turnbow ( RHTC, 4; WOPC, 2) ; Georgetown , UCCI, 3-VI-2008, R. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; Hemmington Road at Songbird Drive , 24-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball ( FSCA, 1; WOPC, 1) ; Botanic Garden , 4-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 1) ; Mastic Trail , S Trailhead, N19°34.089' W81°19.305', 28-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball ( FSCA, 1) ; North Coast Road ,. 1 km West Olivine Kirk Drive, 26-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball ( FSCA, 2) ; Little Cayman Island , 3.6 miles W Coot Marsh, 6-VII-2013, R. Turnbow ( WOPC, 6) ; North Side Road , 1 km W Junction Olivine Kirk Drive, 5-VII-2013, R. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; 3 miles E junction Olivine Kirk Drive + Guy Banks Road , 6-VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 3) ; Cayman Brac Island, Hemmington Road , N19°42.639' W79°48.907', 8-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 5) ; Brac Paradise Subdivision , N19°44.688' W79°44.359', 6-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 2) ; N19°43.158 W79°47.579', 6-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 4; WOPC, 1) ; Cayman Brac, 9 km E Brac, Parrot Reserve , 3-4-VII- 2013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( FSCA, 4; WOPC, 1)) ; idem, 4-VII-2013, R. Turnbow ( RHTC, 4; WOPC, 1) ; idem, 3-VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 2) ; idem, 2-VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; idem, bulldozed road station, 2-VII-2013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 2) ; Major Donald Drive, 4 km E junction Ashton Reid Drive , 22-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball ( WOPC, 1) ; Major Donald Drive, 6 km E junction Ashton Reid Road , 3- VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 2) ; idem, 23-V-2009, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; idem, 7-VI- 2008, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 5; WOPC, 10) ; idem, 5-VI-2008, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; idem, 6-VI-2008, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 2) ; Brac Paradise Subdivision , 22-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball ( WOPC, 2) ; Agricultural Experiment Station , S Songbird Drive, 4-VII- 2013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 2) ; 3.6 miles W Coot Marc , blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 2) ; Bloody Bay, 6 km E junction Spot Bay Road, N. Coast Drive, 5-VII-20013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 1) ; North Coast Road, 1 km W junction Olivine Kirk Road , 27-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball ( WOPC, 1) ; Bahamas Islands: Andros Island, Atala Coppice , 8-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 1) ; idem, 8-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 3) ; Forfar Field Station, near Stafford Creek , 22-28-VII-2006, UV trap, M. C. Thomas, T. R. Smith ( FSCA, 3; WOPC, 3) ; Forfar Field Station , 8-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; idem, 6-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 2) ; idem, 9-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; idem, 24-VII-2006, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 3) ; idem, 323- VII-2006, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; idem, 25-VII-2006, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 2) ; idem, 26-VII-2008, R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; Cargill Creek , 26-VII-2006, R. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1) ; Maidenhair Coppice , 24-28-VII- 2006, UV trap, M. C. Thomas, T. R. Smith ( FSCA, 1) ; idem, 11-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( FSCA, 1) ; idem, 10-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow ( WOPC, 2) ; Forfar Field Station, Stafford Creek , 7-VI-2001, blacklight trap, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 1) ; idem, 8-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 1) ; idem, 6-VI-2001, blacklight trap in coastal coppice, M. C. Thomas ( FSCA, 1) ; idem, 9-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas ( WOPC, 1) ; idem, 22-28-VII-2006, ultraviolet light trap in coastal coppice, M. C. Thomas & T. R. Smith ( WOPC, 1) ; London Ridge , 24-VII- 1987, high interior coppice, J. B. Browne ( WOPC, 1) ; Blanket Snd (N), Forfar Field Station , 17-V- 1987, junction of low coast, coppice & dry-pineland, blacklight, J. Browne ( CMNC, 1) ; idem, 12- VII-1987, low coast coppice, blacklight, J. Browne ( CMNC, 2) ; idem, Robinson’s Place , 11-VI- 1987, wet pineland, blacklight, J. Browne ( CMNC, 1) ; idem, Fresh Creek, Andros Twn Andriosa , 10-VII-1987, high interior coppice, blacklight, J. Browne ( CMNC, 1) ; idem, 13-VII-1987, low interior coppice, blacklight, J. Browne ( CMNC, 7; WOPC, 1) ; idem, 6-7-VII-1987, low coast coppice, blacklight, J. Browne ( CMNC, 1) ; idem, 6-VIII-1987, interior coppice, blacklight, J. Browne ( WOPC, 3) ; idem, 8-VIII-1987, high coppice, blacklight, J. Browne ( WOPC, 1) ; Bahamas Islands, Nassau, New Providence Island , 16-IV-1953, at lights, E. B. Hayden ( AMNH, 1) ; Abaco Cays, Green Turtle Cay, New Plymouth , 7-V-1953, E. B. Hayden & G. B. Rabb ( AMNH, 1) ; Bahamas Islands , Exuma Island, Hummingbird Cay, W Georgetown, 10-VI-1968, B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 1) .

D i a g n o s i s: Specimens of this species superficially resemble those of Neorthopleura uncoentis OPITZ, from which they differ by showing a dark brown cranium, a brown elytral disc, and the phallus has uncinate plates. The genus Neorthopleura BARR was revised by OPITZ (2013b).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 6.5 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 313 . Color: Dark brown, except prothorax and mesoscutellum reddish, and faintly pale lunulate fascia behind middle of elytral disc. Head: Densely, finely punctate; antenna ( Figs 28, 29 ) capitate, funicular antennomeres progressively shorter towards capitulum, antennomeres 9 and 10 with short ( Fig. 29 , female) or long ( Fig. 28 , male) collateral branch, antennomere 11 oblong; eyes large, finely facetted, eye wider (male) or less wider (female) than frons (EW/FW 33/20, male; EW/FW 35/30, female). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 196 ) convex, slightly transverse, profusely finely punctate; side margins linear (PW/PL 88/85); elytra moderately convex, disc densely sculptured with small setiferous punctures, with 8 shallow ridges; epipleural margin abruptly terminates at elytral middle (EL/EW 265/68). Abdomen: Pygidium oblong/scutiform; aedeagus as in Fig. 232 .

Variation: Length 4.0-12.0 mm; width 1.4-4.0 mm. The faintly pale lunulate fascia behind the middle of the elytral disc is variable in appearance. The antennal capitulum and frons are sex dimorphic.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: The available specimens were collected from May to July, and during November.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: This species is known from the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, thomasi, is a patronymic that honors Michael C. Thomas for his many contributions to taxonomic Coleopterology.

Figures

Figs 28-42: Antennae; (28) Neorthopleura thomasi, male; (29) N. thomasi, female; (30) N. subfasciata, male; (31) Artoadenus atrafinus; (32) Neorthopleura subfasciata, female; (33) Akonesis atraordinis; (34) Pelonium erudiatum; (35) Neorthopleura cuspidis, female; (36) Agnatis curvabilis; (37) Ichnea paraguayensis; (38) Neorthopleura quintana, male; (39) Pyticara frontegalba; (40) Platynoptera potaro; (41) Neorthopleura cuspidis, male; (42) Nanoclerus fuscus.

Figs 194-200: Pronota; (194) Perilypus izabal; (195) P. apunctus; (196) Neorthopleura thomasi; (197) Ampleris itaituba; (198) Cregya fuscomacula; (199) Ichnea paraguayensis; (200) Pujoliclerus tuxtlas.

Figs 231-236: Aedeagi; (231) Neorthopleura quintana; (232) N. thomasi; (233) N. turnbowi; (234) Ampleris cacuminis; (235) A. itaituba; (236) A. jatai.

Figs 310-313: Habitus; (310) Neorthopleura cuspidis; (311) N. quintana; (312) N. rubra; (313) N. thomasi.