Cymatodera paucipunctata Rifkind, n. sp.
Creators: name: Rifkind, Jacques
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cleridae
Cymatodera
Cymatodera paucipunctata

description: Cymatodera paucipunctata Rifkind, n. sp.
(Figs. 37–39)
Type specimens. Holotype male: México, Méx [ico], Río Frío, 1-IX- [19]69, L. A. Kelton. Holotype deposited in CNCI. Paratypes: 2, same data as holotype; MEXICO, MEXICO: 1, Parque Nacional Ixtapopo, 10,000’, 31-V- [19]74, L. B O’Brien, beating Pinus at night; TLAXCALA: 1, Villareal, Pheromone trap seudonol, VII-19–VIII-3– 1978, M. M. Furniss, collr., “Hopkins no. 61940”; 1, same data as previous, except “Pheromone trap ipsdienol”; PUEBLA: 1, El Recreo, Pheromone trap on Pinus patula, VII-3-1978, M. M. Furniss, collr., “Hopkins no. 61947A”; DISTRITO FEDERAL: 1, Monte Alegre, Cerro de Ajusco, 3150 m, Sept. 4, 1982, C. W. & L. B. O’Brien & J. Wibmer, colls. Paratypes are deposited in CNCI, CNIN, JNRC and WFBM.
Diagnosis. This is the only known brachypterous Mexican Cymatodera species with short, unmarked, pale testaceous elytra.
Description. (Holotype). Length: 7.20 mm. Form: brachypterous; rather squat; elytra distinctly shorter than abdomen (Fig. 37). Color: reddish brown; elytra pale testaceous above, sides infuscate on anterior 1/2, elytral disk bearing a few scattered darkened punctures; pronotum darker longitudinally on either side of midline; head and femora with vague infuscations; mouthparts and venter testaceous except posterior margins of ventrites darkened. Head: antennae rather elongate (extending past elytral base when laid alongside); surface shining, shallowly rugulose–punctate, inconspicuously clothed with very fine, mostly short, suberect, pale setae, interspersed with a few longer, erect, pale setae. Pronotum: longer than broad, broadest across middle; disk subflattened; surface transversely rugulose–punctate, vested as on head. Elytra: rather short (ratio of length to width 35:24); form typically brachypterous; anterior margin arcuately emarginate; sides expanded posteriorly; apices broadly, arcuately, separately rounded and dehiscent; disk flattened above; sides rather deep and precipitous anteriorly, becoming shallow and explanate posteriorly; surface shallowly, irregularly dimpled, with faint striae; anterior 1/2 bearing a few scattered punctations of moderate size; vestiture as on pronotum. Metaventrite: broadly sulcate posteriorly, armed with a shallow, infuscate tubercle on either side. Abdomen: shining, moderately densely punctulate, moderately densely but inconspicuously set with short, fine, suberect, pale setae; ventrite 4 depressed posteriorly at middle; ventrite 5 (Fig. 38) broad, rather short, with posterior angles tumid, slightly oblique, posterior margin broadly, shallowly emarginate; ventrite 6 (Fig. 38) with hind angles moderately produced, subacute, posterior margin rather deeply, arcuately emarginate; tergite 5 with hind margin shallowly emarginate; tergite 6 (Fig. 39) subquadrate, feebly sinuate laterally, posterior margin broad, broadly rounded, feebly inflexed at middle.
Variation. The female has ventrite 5 with posterior margin truncate, and ventrite 6 with posterior margin broadly rounded.
Etymology. T he specific name refers to this species’ distinctively reduced elytral punctation.
Distribution. Known from the Transmexican Volcanic Belt Province (Morrone et al. 2002), in the Mexican states of México, Tlaxcala, Puebla and the Distrito Federal.
Biology. Cymatodera paucipunctata appears to be a high altitude species: specimens were taken at locations over 3,000 m elevation. Two specimens were collected in pheromone baited traps set in pine forest; one was beaten from pine at night.
description: Published as part of Rifkind, Jacques, 2015, New species of Cymatodera Gray (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from México and Central America, with notes on others, pp. 519-552 in Zootaxa 3946 (4) on pages 537-539, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3946.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/238608