Quadrophenia entwistlei Rifkind, 2017

Rifkind, Jacques, 2017, New genera and species of mimetic Cleridae from Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera: Cleroidea), Insecta Mundi 2017 (591), pp. 1-18 : 7

Quadrophenia entwistlei Rifkind , new species

( Fig. 9, 10 , 19)

Type material. Holotype, female. Honduras, Yoro, PN Pico Pijol, 14 May 2002, R. Turnbow. The holotype is deposited in CSCA . Paratypes: 1 ( WFBM), Honduras, Sta Barbara, nr. Las Vegas, Lago de Yojoa , 3 June 1987, C. & L. Johnson ; 1 ( JNRC), Guatemala, Izabal, 25 km SE Morales , 900 m, May 31–June 2, 1997, E. Giesbert, J. Monzon .

Diagnosis. This species can be separated from congeners based on its unique pattern of elytral markings ( Fig. 9, 10 ). From the somewhat similarly marked Q. mooni , it can be further distinguished by its infuscate antennal funicle (antennomeres 3–8), and darkened tibiae.

Description. (Holotype). Length: 10.5 mm. Form: subflattened dorsally, expanded posteriorly. Color: eburneous; pronotal disk, terminal palpomeres, undersides of antennal scape, pedicel and antennomere 3, femora and trochanters, stramineous; antennal club amber; cranium, mandibles, genae and anterior of gula, piceous; antennal funicle, tibiae, tarsi and pronotal and elytral markings ( Fig. 9, 10 ), medium to dark brown. Antennae: terminal antennomere with internal and external / distal emarginations exaggerated, apex subacuminate ( Fig. 19). Pronotum: surface shining, sparsely, minutely and shallowly punctulate, very sparsely set with moderately elongate, darkened suberect setae. Elytra: approximately 1.5× longer than broad, broadest at posterior 1/3; surface shining, rather densely but inconspicuously sculpted with shallow punctations, interspersed with evenly spaced minute, asetiferous punctures; vestiture rather sparse (somewhat more closely arranged anteriorly), composed of mostly fine, erect and suberect, infuscate setae. Abdomen: ventrite 5 with hind margin broadly, shallowly inflected; ventrite 6 arcuately rounded, posterior margin very slightly inflected at middle.

Variation. The smaller of the two paratypes measures 6.0 mm in length and has the dorsal markings less distinct than in the holotype. It is unclear whether either paratype represents a male specimen, so characterization of the male pygidium will have to await availability of further specimens.

Distribution. The new species is recorded from Honduras and Guatemala.

Etymology. I dedicate this species to the memory of the late John “The Ox” Entwistle, bassist for The Who.

Remarks. As in the case of Q. mooni , Q. entwistlei appears to be a remarkably close mimic of certain chrysomelid beetles belonging to the genus Diabrotica , particularly D. adelpha Harold , with which it is sympatric. I have examined a specimen belonging to the genus Quadrophenia that agrees in all aspects with Q. entwistlei , with the exception of its dorsal elytral sculpturing, which consists of closely set, rather coarse and deep punctations, the raised borders of which form a contiguous reticulated network at the center of the elytral disk. Although some degree of infraspecific variation in surface sculpturing is not unusual in Cleridae , in this instance the rather radically different facies produced in this specimen by the coarsely impressed punctures prompts me to exclude it from the type series, despite its otherwise close similarity, and its collection locality near that of the Honduran holotype.

Figures

Figures 8–11. Quadrophenia n.spp. 8) Quadrophenia mooni new species, habitus; 9) Quadrophenia entwistlei new species, habitus; 10) Quadrophenia entwistlei, lateral view; 11) Quadrophenia daltreyi new species, habitus.