Cyphosterna sinaloanum ( Chemsak and Linsley, 1982 ), 2024

Cyphosterna sinaloanum ( Chemsak and Linsley, 1982) , new combination

( Fig. 478–488 View Figures 478–488 )

Neotaranomis sinaloae Chemsak and Linsley 1982: 72 View in CoL ; Chemsak et al. 1992: 84 (cat.); Chemsak and Noguera 1993: 63 (dist.); Monné 1994: 33; Monné and Giesbert 1994: 147 (cat.); Noguera and Chemsak 1996: 402 (dist.); Zaragoza-Caballero and Pérez-Hernández 2017: 36 (paratype)

Materials examined. MEXICO: Jalisco: Estasción Biologia Chamela , 14 July 1993, B.K. Eya (4 males, 2 females, BKEC) ; 15 July 1993, B.K. Eya (3 males, BKEC) ; 16 July 1993, B.K. Eya (3 males, 1 female, BKEC), 17 July 1993, B.K. Eya (3 males, 1 female, BKEC) ; 18 July 1993, B.K. Eya (12 males, 4 females, BKEC) ; 19 July 1993, B.K. Eya (6 males, 3 females. BKEC) ; 14/ 23 Oct. 1986 J.A. Chemsak (1 male, BKEC) ; 20/ 22 Oct. 1987, J. Powell (1 female, BKEC) .

Discussion. The males of Cyphosterna sinaloanum (Chemsak and Linsley) new combination are moderate sized to large (17–22 mm), black, and densely clothed with “appressed golden pubescence” on lateral margins of pronotal disc ( Fig. 485–486 View Figures 478–488 ) and on the ventral surface ( Chemsak and Linsley 1982: 72). Each elytron is provided with prominent paired eburneous costate, a subsutural costa which extends from the base reaching slightly beyond apical tenth, and a submarginal costa starting behind humerus which is slightly shorter than the subsutural one ( Fig. 478–481, 487 View Figures 478–488 ). Front is “finely punctate below and above antennal insertions,” and vertex is vaguely carinate longitudinally between the upper lobes of eyes. The mandibles, anteclypeus, and postclypeus are polished black. The antennae are slender, exceeding apices of elytra by two antennomeres, “scape is finely densely punctate, sparsely clothed with short, appressed pale pubescence,” and antennomeres III to VI are densely clothed with short, depressed, dark setae. Antennomeres from VII are opaque, minutely, densely punctate, and densely clothed with minute setae. Antennae are externally carinate from base to apex of scape ( Fig. 484 View Figures 478–488 ), and on antennomeres III–XI, and on the inside surface from antennomere IV. Apices of antennomeres IV to X are slightly explanate and dentate. The proportional lengths of the antennomeres are as follows: III longer than I; IV shorter than III, subequal to I; V to X subequal to or slight shorter than III; and XI is longest with apical fourth vaguely appendiculate. Pronotum is inflated, very coarsely, densely, subconfluently punctate with two “feebly elevated, polished, very coarsely punctate tubercles” on apical half and a prominent median polished callus on basal half ( Fig. 485 View Figures 478–488 ). The apical margin of the disc is rimmed, and narrowly impressed on sides, and the basal margin is sinuate, broadly lobed in middle, and transversely impressed. The prosternum is densely, finely punctate, and moderately densely clothed with depressed, golden pubescence on the apical third, and around the base of coxal cavities. The elytral discs are “very finely, densely punctate, and minutely clothed with sericeous, suberect, black pubescence between and around the ivory costae.” The elytral apices are tapered and narrowly rounded with “a minute sutural spine” ( Fig. 487 View Figures 478–488 ). Legs are nitid, “coarsely, shallowly punctate,” and clothed with coarse, dark setae. The metafemora are linear, vaguely arcuate near base and are slightly longer than apices of elytra. The abdomen is black to dark reddish brown, broadly glabrate and very sparsely punctate in the middle, and very finely punctate and densely clothed with appressed golden pubescence on the sides. There are five visible abdominal sternites with the first longest, second about half the length of first, and the following three each about equivalent in length and shorter than the second. The apex of last abdominal sternite is deeply emarginate at middle.

The females are similar in size (18–23 mm), slightly more robust, and similar in “sculpturing and pubescent pattern to the males” ( Chemsak and Linsley 1982: 72). The antennae are shorter than males just attaining elytral apices, more explanate and dentate on apices from antennomere III. The apex of last sternite of the abdomen is broader than male and transverse.

This species can be distinguished from Cyphosterna quadrilineatum by the two “feebly elevated, polished, very coarsely punctate tubercles” on the apical half of the pronotum with “appressed golden pubescence” on either side above lateral tubercles, more densely pubescent prosternum, and apices of elytra that are not separately emarginated but tapered and narrowly rounded ( Chemsak and Linsley 1982: 72, 74). The lack of eburneous costae on the elytra will separate C. atropurpureum (Chemsak and Noguera) new combination from the other species of Cyphosterna .