Priocera chilotaxis Opitz 2021, nov.sp.
Creators: name: Opitz, Weston
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cleridae
Priocera
Priocera chilotaxis

description: Priocera chilotaxis OPITZ nov.sp. (Figs 86, 99, 118)   
 HOLOTYPE: ♀. Type locality: BRAZIL, Rondonia, 62 km SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda. Rancho Grande. A second label reads: Oct.20-31.1997, B. K. Dozier Collector (FSCA). PARATYPES: 19 specimens. Ecuador: Provincia de Napo, Loreto Road, vicinity Rio Hollin, 14-IV-1999, F. Hovore (JNRC, 1). Bolivia: Departamento de Santa Cruz, Potrerillos del Guenda, Reserva Natural, Aka Snake Farm, 17°40'15''S 63°27'26''W, 13-17-X- 2014, 400 m, Wappes & Morris (WOPC, 1); Buena Vista, Hotel Fauna & Flora, 22-26-X-2002, Morris & Wappes (RFMC, 1); 4- 6 km SSE Buena Vista,Hotel Flora & Fauna, 21-24-XI-2003, J. Wappes, Morris & Nearns (ACMT, 1). Peru: Provincia de Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, 5-XII-2013, Malaise trap, T. Perez (WOPC, 1). Brazil: Estado do Rondonia, 7 km NW Costa Marquez, 16- XI-1986, Malaise, R. Wilkerson (JNRC, 1); 62 km SW Ariquemes, Fazenda Rancho Grande, 6- X-1993, C. W. & L. B. O’Brien (WOPC, 1); idem, 1-17-XI-1997, B. K. Dozier (CUIC, 1); idem, 17-18-XI-1985, W. J. Hanson (ACMT, 1); idem, 5-16-XI-1996, W. J. Hanson (EMUS, 1); idem, 22-31-X-1997, W. J. Hanson (MCZC, 1); idem, 6-20-XI-1994, W. J. Hanson (WFBM, 1); idem, 15-22-III-1991, W. J. Hanson & G. Bohart (FMNH, 1); idem, 16-XI-1994, C. W. & L. B. O’Brien (USNM, 1); idem, 16-X-1993. C. W.& L.B. O’Brien (CASC, 1); idem, 10°18'S 62°53'W, 8-20-IV-1997, A. C. Rehn & C. Alexander (UCDC, 1); idem, 10-X-1993, C. W. & L. B. O’Brien (WFBM, 1); 7 km NW Costa Marquez, 16- XI-1986, Malaise, R. Wilkerson (FSCA, 1). Estado do Mato Grosso, Sinop,?- X-1976, M. Alvarenga (CMNH, 1)   
 D i a g n o s i s: Cranium, thorax, legs castaneous; antennae testaceous; elytra bicolorous, mostly castaneous, with two yellow lines, one line extends backwards from anterior margin, other is fractured and obliquely positioned at elytral middle, apical 1/5 th yellow; abdomen testaceous.   
D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 7.0 mm; width 1.8 mm. Form: As in Fig. 118. Head: Frons narrow, about as wide as antennal pedicel; EW/FW 40/13. Thorax: Pronotum with 2 tumescenses and small central fissure (PW /PL 80/120); elytral disc slightly depressed at middle, sculptured with striate, asetiferous punctures in basal 1/2, elytral apex rounded (EL /EW 300/55); metathoracic increasing in width to femoral apex. Abdomen: Aedeagus as in Fig. 86.  
V a r i a t i o n: Size: Length 6.0-7.0 mm; width 1.5-1.8 mm. The yellow line that extends from the elytral anterior margin varies in prominence, as do the individual components of the oblique medially located yellow line.  
N a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Specimens were collected during April, October, and November, one at 400 m.  
D i s t r i b u t i o n (Fig. 99): This species is known from Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil.  
 E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, chilotaxis, is a compound Greek name that stems from chilo (= border) and taxis (= line). I refer to the line that extends backwards from the anterior margin of the elytra.
description: Published as part of Opitz, Weston, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the West ern Hemisphere checkered beetle genus Priocera KIRBY (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae), pp. 1145-1255 in Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (2) on pages 1167-1168, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5038854