Microteroschema pseudolaetum Eya, 2024

Microteroschema pseudolaetum Eya , new species

( Fig. 440–458 View Figures 440–458 )

Description. Female: Length 13 mm. Form small, stout, parallel sided; integument nitid, black, each elytron with two yellowish, glabrous, raised vittae, a broad subsutural vitta, and a narrower submarginal one ( Fig. 440–441 View Figures 440–458 ), pronotum reddish with anterior and posterior margins narrowly black ( Fig. 447 View Figures 440–458 ). Head small; vertex coarsely, subconfluently punctate; front rugose, irregularly punctate with an oblique depression on each side above postclypeus and below antennal insertions ( Fig. 444 View Figures 440–458 ); postclypeus triangular, rugose, coarsely, irregularly punctate, distal margin rugose, more finely, irregularly punctate and abruptly declivous to anteclypeus ( Fig. 446 View Figures 440–458 ); pubescence on vertex sparse, long, erect and golden, setae on front and postclypeus obscure, short, dark and erect; antennal tubercles vaguely elevated, apices obtusely angulate; genae with base of mandibles separated from anterior margins of lower eyes ( Fig. 445 View Figures 440–458 ), integument sparsely, irregularly punctate, punctures beneath coarser, subcontiguous with pubescence, obscure, short and depressed; labrum transverse, black to dark reddish brown, emarginate apically, punctures minute, moderately clothed with golden, suberect setae; antennae slender, exceeding apices of elytra by an antennomere; scape conical, rugose, coarsely, subconfluently punctate, pubescence, short, depressed; antennomeres III–VI with dorsum carinate, rugosely, rather coarsely, striate-punctate, pubescence on dorsum short, appressed, underneath longer, depressed; antennomeres from VII opaque, minutely punctate, densely pubescent with minute appressed, dark setae, apices with few longer setae; antennomeres III–X vaguely carinate on outside, VI–X vaguely carinate on inside, gradually explanate externally with apices angulate; antennomere III longer than I; IV shorter than III, subequal to I; V longer than IV, shorter than III; VI–VIII subequal to V; IX shorter VIII, subequal to I; X shorter than IX; XI subequal to III, apical fifth appendiculate. Pronotum as long as broad (L/W: 0.99) sides rounded; disc shallowly convex, punctures dense, shallow, subconfluent; apical margin vaguely collared, narrowly constricted behind, base with margin slightly impressed on sides ( Fig. 447 View Figures 440–458 ); pubescence obscure, pale, short, and erect with few longer erect setae on sides near base; proepisternal area shallowly, discretely, irregularly punctate, pubescence obscure, short, erect; prosternum slightly concave, apical half transversely plicate, basal half rugulose, coarsely, subconfluently punctate, pubescence moderately dense, pale, erect; mesosternum rugose, anterior half finely punctate, posterior half coarsely, irregularly punctate, pubescence pale, suberect and depressed; mesosternal intercoxal process as wide as coxal cavities; mesepisterna finely, irregularly punctate, sparsely clothed with short, appressed pubescence; mesepimera with anterior half rugose, sparsely T 1 / T 2+3: 0.83. 458) Male, T 1 / T 2+3: 0.83.

clothed with short, appressed pubescence, posterior half glabrous; metasternum coarsely, discretely punctate, punctures sparse on either side of midline, pubescence obscure, pale, long, depressed; metepisterna finely, irregularly punctate with minute punctures densely interspersed, pubescence dense, appressed. Scutellum triangular, black, sparsely, irregularly punctate, pubescence obscure, pale, short, appressed. Elytra 2.4 times as long as broad; each elytron with two elevated, glabrous, yellowish vittae, a broad subsutural raised vitta extending from base almost to apex with sides broader yellow on basal half and attenuating apically, and a narrower, shorter submarginal vitta starting under humerus extending to about apical one-fifth; punctures discrete from base to apices, epipleural margins with punctures denser and subconfluent; pubescence moderately, dense, obscure, short and suberect; apices broadly rounded and unarmed ( Fig. 454 View Figures 440–458 ). Legs slender; femora coarsely, irregularly punctate, pubescence obscure, short, depressed; pro- and mesofemora slightly clavate; metafemora linear, slightly arcuate near base, shorter than body and attaining fourth abdominal sternite; protibiae with punctures minute, inner surface densely clothed with short, depressed pubescence; meso- and metatibiae coarsely, rugosely, striate-punctate, inner surface near base carinate, pubescence short, depressed; metatari short, broad, tarsomere I shorter than tarsomeres II and III combined ( Fig. 457 View Figures 440–458 ). Abdomen nitid with punctures sparse in middle, finer and denser on sides and near base of metacoxae; pubescence sparse, pale, suberect in middle, denser, appressed on sides; apex of last sternite broadly truncate.

Male: Length 13 mm. Form slightly more tapered than female ( Fig. 442–443 View Figures 440–458 ), pronotum black as long as broad (L/W: 1.0). Head with pubescence on vertex sparser than female ( Fig. 448–450 View Figures 440–458 ). Antennae longer than body, antennomeres narrower and more elongate than female, apices of antennomere VIII attaining or surpassing apices of elytra; antennomeres from apical half of V to X carinate on outside; antennomere III longer than I; IV subequal or slightly shorter than III; V–VII subequal, slightly longer than IV; VIII–IX subequal, slightly shorter than VII; X shorter than IX. Pronotum as long as broad (L/W: 1.0), disc more sparsely punctate and less densely pubescent than female ( Fig. 451 View Figures 440–458 ). Elytra 2.5 times as long as broad, apices broadly rounded with sutural angle minutely dentate ( Fig. 455 View Figures 440–458 ). Abdomen with apex of last sternite truncate, and vaguely emarginate at middle.

Etymology. The name pseudolaetum refers to “ pseudo ” or “false or spurious” in Latin, and “laetus ” refers to Mannophorus laetus due to the superficial resemblance of this species to M. laetus with a red pronotal disc.

Type materials. Holotype, female, MEXICO: Oaxaca, MX 190, 1.5 km W of Chiapas border, 21 Oct. 2001, F. Skillman, J. Davidson, microwave tower ( EMEC 1327342 About EMEC ) deposited in EMEC; allotype, male, MEXICO: Chiapas, Hwy 195, 36 km S Jct. 190, 15 Oct. 1988, J.E. Wappes ( FSCA 00082453 View Materials ) deposited in FSCA.

Discussion. Microteroschema pseudolaetum Eya new species is very similar in structure and form to M. parvum Eya new species. Both species have in common the overall small size, stout body form, narrow and elongate pronotum, carinate and rugosely punctate basal antennomeres, and carinate or coarsely, rugosely, striate-punctate meso- and metatibiae. This species superficially resembles a female Mannophorus laetus with a red pronotum and in overall size and form. It differs from Mannophorus by the lack of lateral collar-like projection on the apical margin of pronotum, more nitid integument, and by the raised, subsutural vittae that are much broader especially on basal half of elytra. This species differs from M. parvum by the pair of ivory costae on each elytron, and broadly rounded and unarmed apices of elytra. The pronotum of female holotype is reddish and the raised vittae on the elytra darker yellowish instead of ivory color as in M. parvum .