Tachysbembix wendyporrasae Erwin

Erwin, Terry L., 2004, The beetle family Carabidae of Costa Rica and Panamá: Descriptions of four new genera and six new species with notes on their way of life (Insecta: Coleoptera), Zootaxa 537, pp. 1-18 : 6-7

Tachysbembix wendyporrasae Erwin , new species

(Figs. 3, 4, 13)

Holotype. Male. COSTA RICA: Guanacaste, Playa del Coco, 35 km W Liberia, sea level, 10° 33' N, 85° 40' W, July (R.T. Allen)( NMNH: ADP 102219).

Derivation of specific name. The specific epithet, wendyporrasae , is used as a noun in apposition based on the full name of one of the Parataxonomists at INBio, Wendy Porras, who is superb at collecting carabid beetles and has contributed significantly to the species richness of the INBio collections. She also managed to collect both known species of this genus in Costa Rica at Estero Jabilla, indicating sympatry of the two species.

Common name. Wendy’s cream­colored seaside carabid.

Diagnosis. As described for genus. Adults differ from those of the other known species of this genus in Costa Rica by the central infuscated maculation of the elytra disc and the relatively shorter elytral length in relation to the length of the pronotum. (Ratio: elytra/ pronotum = 3.33)

Description. (Fig. 3). Size small: ABL = 3.3 to 3.4 mm, SBL = 3.2 to 3.3 mm, TW = 1.1 to 1.3 mm. Color: Testaceous, only the central elytral disc infuscated, elytral. Luster: Surface dull. Microsculpture: Microsculpture isodiametric, granulate. Head: Large, about as wide as pronotum; frontal furrow absent; eyes large, hemispheric. Prothorax: Transverse, convex, side margin with small dent near base, hind angle absent, margin narrowly reflexed. Pterothorax: Mesepisternum multisulcate along anterior margin. Metathorax with fully developed flight wings. Elytra with interneurs 1 and 8 distinctly impressed, 2­7 nearly effaced, traced in part by small punctures. Legs: Normal for Tachyina . Abdomen: Normal for Tachyina . Male genitalia: Aedeagus ­ Phallus narrow, not arcuate, endophallus without armature, left paramere moderately elongate, broad, bisetose, right paramere short, broad, bisetose ( Fig. 4 ).

Dispersal potential. The wings are fully developed and all specimens flew to black light, thus it is likely that this species is a moderate to strong flyer.

Way of life. The three records here and information associated with those specimens from the five undescribed species outside of Costa Rica I have studied suggest that the beetles of this genus live near the sea on lightly­colored sandy substrate. This suggestion is support by the adult coloration and their granular isodiametric microsculpture which is common to such sea shore species as Thalassotrechus barbarae (Horn) , Bembidion puritanum Hayward , Cillenus palosverdes (Kavanaugh & Erwin) , and Bembidion tigrinum LeConte , as well as some undescribed Tachys spp. from the intertidal zone of Baja California.

Other specimens examined. Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female (Guanacaste, Nandayure, Estero Jabilla, 0 m, 10º 02’ N 085º 11’ W, LN 199225,395300, December (W. Porras, #73830) (male, INB0003718768, female INB0003718767).

Geographic distribution. ( Fig. 13 ). Known only from the pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Notes. The specimens collected by Parataxonomist Wendy Porras were attracted to her blacklight.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Aedeagus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects of Tachysbembix wendyporrasae Erwin new species.

FIGURE 13. Geographical distribution map of the new taxa in Costa Rica and Panamá: Tachysbembix sirena Erwin new species (solid circle —), Tachysbembix wendyporrasae Erwin new species (open circle —), Pseudophorticus puncticollis Erwin new species (open box —), Guatemalteca virgen Erwin new species (diamond —), Valeriaaschero flora Erwin new species (star —), V aleriaaschero nigrita Erwin new species (triangle —). Note star () in Panamá (see text).