Asteriza tainosa Shin, Chaboo & Clark, new species
Creators: name: Shin, Chulwoo
name: Chaboo, Caroline S.
name: Clark, Shawn M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Asteriza
Asteriza tainosa

description: Asteriza tainosa Shin, Chaboo & Clark, new species
Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by the coloration and swollen maxillary and labial palpi. The elytra (Figs. 4–5, 47–48) are mainly tan with black punctures and the anterolateral angle of the male elytra is less acute than in other species. Maxillary palpomeres III–IV (Fig. 34) and labial palpomere III (Fig. 38) are more swollen than in other Asteriza species. The frontoclypeus (Fig. 30) is finely and shallowly punctate, brown, and usually divided by a mesal sulcus.
Description. Adult: Male (n=85) length 9.0–9.5 mm, width 7.0–8.0 mm; female (n=110) length 10.0–11.5 mm, width 8.0–9.0 mm. Body oval, slightly discontinuous between pronotum and elytra, broadest at middle bulging area of elytra; profile (Figs. 16–17) hemispherical, highest at middle of elytra. Head entirely concealed in dorsal view; gena and subgena (Fig. 30) pale brown to brown. Maxillary palpomere III as long as broad; palpomere IV swollen, 1.5 times broader than long (Fig. 34). Labial palpomere III 1.5 times as long as broad; ligula with apex slightly angled (Fig. 38). Frontoclypeus finely and shallowly punctate, brown, usually divided by mesal sulcus (Fig. 30). Pronotum (Figs. 42–43) hemispherical in dorsal view with postero-medial angle; dorsum smooth and shiny; anterior margin slightly convex, translucent; lateral margin broader posteriad, slightly depressed with edges curved upward; yellow blotch pattern of pronotum more extensive than in other species. Thoracic sterna (Figs. 43, 46) shiny, black, medially flattened. Elytra tan, with each puncture and closely surrounding area black (Figs. 47– 48). Legs shiny, reddish brown, with trochanters and proximal half of femora black (Fig. 6). Spermatheca falcate with inner margin curved; part near opening more sclerotized than in other Asteriza species (Fig. 67).
Type material. Holotype: Male. Dominican Republic: Prov. Independencia: Sierra de Bahoruco, North Slope, 13.5 km S.E. Puerto Escondido, N 18˚12’18, W 71˚31’08 W, Alt 1807 m, May 22–23 2004, C. Young, J. Fetzner, J. Rawlins, C. Nunez, Broadleaf Pinus, dense woodland, hand collecting (CMNH). Paratypes (192 specimens): Dominican Republic: Prov. Independencia: Rd191 Around Caseta No. 1, Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruce, 1,239 m, 18˚ 16 0 38 N, 71˚ 32’ 691 W. 11–12 XII 2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro (AMNH: 1 male, 2 females); Sierra de Bahoruco, North Slope, 13.5 km SE, Puerto Escondido, 18˚12’18 N, 71˚31’08 W, Alt 1807 m, May 22–23 2004, C. Young, J. Fetzner, J. Rawlins, C. Nunez, Broadleaf Pinus, dense woodland, hand collecting (CMNH: 11 males, 16 females); Prov. Moncion Prov.: Manoncito, Santiago Rodriguez, R.D. 25 V 1980 (MHND: 41 males, 49 females); Prov. Monte Cristi: 5–9 km N. Villa Elisa 26 V 1992, col. M.C. Thomas (MHND: 2 males; FSCA: 1 male, 2 females); 5 km N. Villa Elisa 3 VI 1994, col. M.C. Thomas, (FSCA: 1 male); Prov. Puerto Plata: La Ceiba, Luperon, Rd. 21 XI 1981, col. Marcano (MHND: 1 male); Prov. Sabaneta: Los Ingenitos, Santiago Rodriguez r. d. 6 VII 1980 (MHND: 5 males, 8 females); Rio Gurabo Stgo Rdguez R.D. 5 VII 1980, col. Marcano (MHND: 1 male); Gurabo, Santiago Rodriguez, R.D. 5 VII 1980, col. Mota-Aquino (MHND: 5 males, 8 females); Sabana Las Caobas, STGO, R. D. 25 V 1980, col. Marcano, Abud-Mota and Reaynoso-Aquino (MHND: 7 males, 10 females); Sabana Las Caobas, STGO, R. D. 6 VII 1980, col. Marcano, Abud-Mota and Reaynoso-Aquino (MHND: 2 female); Prov. Santiago: D: 1 male); Gurabo, Santiago Rodriguez, R.D. 5 VII 1980, col. Mota-Aquino (MHND: 5 males, 8 females); Sabana Las Caobas, STGO, R. D. 25 V 1980, col. Marcano, Abud-Mota and Reaynoso-Aquino (MHND: 7 males, 10 females); Sabana Las Caobas, STGO, R. D. 6 VII 1980, col. Marcano, Abud-Mota and Reaynoso-Aquino (MHND: 2 female); Prov. Santiago: S.J. Matas, Canafistol, Rd 25 V 1980, col. Marcano (MHND: 1 male); La Celestina S.J. Matas,, Rd. 30 VIII 1980 col. Marcano (MHND: 1 female); Prov. Valverde: El Cereado, Valverde, R.D. 2 I 1982, col. Marcano (MHND: 2 males, 2 females); Haiti: Prov. Sud-Est Massif de La Selle Morne d’Enfer 1850 m, 15 V 1984, M.C. Thomas (FSCA; 1 male, 1 female); Parc National La Visite vicinity park headquarter, 1880 m, 23 V 1984, col. M.C. Thomas (FSCA: 3 males, 8 females); Parc National La Visite between Park headquarter & Morne d’Enfer, 14 V 1984, M.C. Thomas (FSCA: 1 female).
Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the name Taínos, the original tribal inhabitants of Hispaniola before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World (Saunders 2005).
description: Published as part of Shin, Chulwoo, Chaboo, Caroline S. & Clark, Shawn M., 2012, Revision of the endemic Hispaniolan genus Asteriza Chevrolat, 1836, with description of two new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Ischyrosonychini), pp. 34-53 in Zootaxa 3227 on pages 45-47, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.280316