Carpophilus mellarius Powell 2020, new species
Creators: name: Powell, Gareth S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Nitidulidae
Carpophilus
Carpophilus mellarius

description: Carpophilus mellarius Powell, new species
Zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8BE401D4-9865-410D-BCD2-08BD26EB3CC1 (Figs. 1B, 2B)
Type Material. Holotype male labeled “ Mexico: Chiapas; Mpio: | Coappilla, 2.5 km. NW Jet Rds. | Tapalapa/Ocotepec 1960m. 17°.17602 N 93°.13293 W, 26-V-2008 R. Anderson | dry oak forest litter, 2008-031 || HOLOTYPE: | Carpophilus | mellarius | Des. Powell 2019 ” (deposited in BYU). Paratypes (6): “ Mexico: Chiapas; Mpio: Villa | Corso, Eijido Sierra Morena, | R. Biosfera La Sepaltura Cerro Bola | base 16°.13661 N 93°.59858 W || 14-V-2008 R. Anderson, 1776m | dry oak forest litter, 2008-006” (1, CSCA). “ Mexico: Chiapas: | 5km NNW Coapilla | 17.18273°N 93.15168°W | 1915m, 25-V-2008 | ex. Sifted leaf litter, | 2° mesophil forest | LLAMA08 Ma-A-04-2-all” (1, GSPC). “ Mexico: Chiapas: | 5km NNW Coapilla | 17.18273°N 93.15168°W | 1915m, 25-V-2008 | ex. Sifted leaf litter, | 2° mesophil forest | LLAMA08 Ma-A-04-2-all” (4, SEMC).
Diagnosis. Carpophilus mellarius resembles Carpophilus discoideus LeConte (Fig. 1G) but differs in the following ways: C. mellarius is unicolorous, while C. discoideus has distinctly lighter patches in the center of each elytron, surrounded by a much darker habitus; the scutellar shield in C. mellarius is much shorter than in C. discoideus; the elytral apices are clearly fimbriate in C. discoideus but bare in C. mellarius. The arrow-shaped tip of the tegmen is also diagnostic in comparison with other members in this group (Figs. 2B, E).
Description. Body parallel-sided, weakly dorsoventrally flattened. Length 1.36 mm, width 0.59 mm, color light brown (Fig. 1B). Ventral surface light brown. Dorsal sculpturing moderately shiny; dorsum with fine, golden pubescence. Head: Narrower than pronotum, finely punctured. Punctures uniform in size, becoming sparser at midline. Frontoclypeal region truncate, labrum deeply emarginate, mandibles toothed, light brown. Palpi fusiform, reaching about 2/3 length of mandibles. Eyes small, finely faceted, interocular distance 0.29 mm (n = 2). Antenna 1.5× longer than head; antennomere 1 robust and curved, antennomere 2 as long as basal antennomere, antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length, antennomeres 2–8 expanding apically, with each apical expansion conspicuously darker in coloration, antennomeres 4–8 each about half length of antennomere 2, antennomeres 9–11 forming strong, compact club, slightly longer than wide, space between antennomeres 9 and 10 larger than that of 10 and 11. Pronotum: 1.95 times as wide as long, sides weakly arcuate with anterior third increasingly rounded, anterior angles and posterior angles broadly obtuse. Posterior margin with welldeveloped marginal line, particularly at middle. Disc flattened, moderately shiny, evenly punctured except at midline. Scutellar shield: Feebly pentagonal, reaching obtuse point posteriorly; anteriorly finely granulate, gradually becoming glabrous. Elytra: Slightly wider than pronotum, quadrate, exactly as long as wide. Humeri not pronounced. Anterior angles almost at right angles, sides mildly arcuate, posterior angles slightly acute, apices truncate, feebly converging anteriorly. Abdomen: Two tergites dorsally visible, golden brown setae denser than on rest of dorsum. Pygidium rounded with distinct, evenly spaced punctures. Venter: Overall lighter, submentum narrow and transverse, antennal grooves well-developed. Prosternum coarsely punctate, punctures with fine golden setae, process slightly convex in lateral profile, apically rounded. Mesothoracic ventrite finely punctured. Metathoracic ventrite setose, finely punctate throughout. Abdominal ventrite 1 almost as long as metathoracic ventrite, abdominal ventrites 2–3 small, finely, sparsely punctate, ventrites 4 and 5 large, granulate, more densely pubescent. Legs: Somewhat short, femora robust, covered with fine golden pubescence. Tibiae expanded apically, with 5–7 apical spines. Male genitalia: Well-sclerotized; lateral lobes parallel in dorsal view, forming elongate opening; in lateral view, lobes curved to sharp point, both inner and outer margins curved (Fig. 2B), row of long setae directed inward, long sparse setae at arrow-shaped apex.
Variation. The metatibiae are less expanded apically in female specimens.
Geographic Distribution. The type series is known from Chiapas, Mexico.
Biology. All specimens studied were captured in leaf litter; no obvious feeding behavior is known.
Etymology. The specific epithet is Latin derived and refers to the overall coloration appearing honey brown.
description: Published as part of Powell, Gareth S., 2020, Four New Species Of Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Carpophilinae) From The New World, pp. 175-180 in The Coleopterists Bulletin 74 (1) on page 178, DOI: 10.1649/0010-065X-74.1.175, http://zenodo.org/record/3746907