Ischnocnemis eyai Chemsak and Noguera, 1997

Ischnocnemis eyai Chemsak and Noguera, 1997 View in CoL

( Fig. 333–345 View Figures 333–345 )

Ischnocnemis eyai Chemsak and Noguera 1997: 11 View in CoL ; Monné and Hovore 2006: 144 (cat.)

Materials examined. MEXICO: Jalisco: 5.2 km S of El Tuito , 12 Nov. 1996, on flowers of Cosmos, J.A. Chemsak , (holotype male, allotype female, EMEC; paratypes: 10 males, 3 females, EMEC) ; B.K. Eya, 31 Oct. 1995 (paratypes: 5 males, 3 females, BKEC) .

Discussion. Ischnocnemis eyai Chemsak and Noguera is “moderate sized (13–16.5 mm), elongate and slightly tapered posteriorly” ( Chemsak and Noguera 1997: 11). The integument is black, and the “pubescence is short, golden, erect, and depressed” ( Fig. 337–341 View Figures 333–345 ). There are “four longitudinal, eburneous costae” on the elytra, a tarsomere 1 (T 1) longer (red brackets) than tarsomeres 2+3 (T 2+3), T 1 / T 2+3: 1.1.

subsutural “pair near suture” and submarginal “pair extends back from under the humeri” ( Fig. 344 View Figures 333–345 ). The front is moderately, finely subconfluently punctate, and vertex is subopaque, “moderately, finely, confluently punctate” with “short, golden, suberect” pubescence around the eyes. The “antennal tubercles are moderately produced.” The “antennae are slender, extending about three antennomeres beyond elytra” in males, and exceeding apices of elytra by an antennomere in females. The pronotum is “as broad as long (L/W: 0.9), side broadly rounded with apex very narrowly impressed” behind margin, and “base moderately broadly impressed” on sides. The pronotum is “finely, densely punctate with a longitudinal, glabrous callus” on basal half in middle, and integument covered densely with golden, transverse, appressed pubescence ( Fig. 340 View Figures 333–345 ). The metasternum is densely punctate, obscurely covered with appressed golden pubescence and integument on either side of midline glabrous. The elytra are two and a half times longer than wide, sparsely clothed with short, suberect pubescence, and “sutures are narrowly black.” There are three costae on each elytron, an elevated eburneous subsutural costa extending from base almost to the apex with “broad, yellowish, longitudinal” vittae on either side, a submarginal, narrower eburneous costa extending from under the humerus to apical one-tenth, and another vaguely visible, longitudinal costae in between the two eburneous ones ( Fig. 344 View Figures 333–345 ). The punctures on each elytron “between suture and costa,” and between costae are “fine, irregular, and separated, which becomes denser” apically, and punctures between the epipleural margin and submarginal costa are fine and subconfluent. The elytral apices are described as “vaguely sinuate-truncate” however, the apices of male ( Fig. 342 View Figures 333–345 ) and female ( Fig. 343 View Figures 333–345 ) examples are bi-emarginate truncate or rounded, respectively. The metatarsomere I is elongate and longer than tarsomeres II and III combined in this species ( Fig. 345 View Figures 333–345 ).

According to Chemsak and Noguera (1997: 11), “the fine, transversely appressed, golden pubescence on the pronotum makes this species distinctive.” The mesosternal intercoxal process of this species is described as “not elevated above coxae and abruptly declivous anteriorly.” The elytral apices of I. eyai are described to be “vaguely sinuate-truncate” by Chemsak and Noguera (1997: 11) but are variable ranging from serrate-truncate, bi-emarginate-truncate, truncate, or rounded. The exterior angle of elytral apices in some specimens appear dentate due to the serration.

This species superficially resembles Zalophia auricomis (Chemsak and Linsley) new combination from Honduras in coloration, and vestiture with “transversely appressed, golden pubescence” on pronotum ( Chemsak and Linsley 1979: 268); however, the front of I. eyai is vertical as in other Ischnocnemis species whereas Zalophia has front that is declivous in middle and integument impressed between antennal tubercles. The mesosternal intercoxal process of Z. auricomis is prominent, elevated above mesocoxae, and perpendicular anteriorly. Other differences include characteristics typically found in Ischnocnemis , such as finely punctate, vaguely pubescent basal antennomeres, more elongate body form, elongate metatarsomere I compared to tarsomeres II and III combined ( Fig. 345 View Figures 333–345 ), and retracted mandibles with angulated base ( Fig. 337 View Figures 333–345 ). Zalophia auricomis is comparatively stouter in body form, basal antennomeres are short and densely clothed with pubescence ( Fig. 66 View Figures 65–68 ), and the first tarsomeres of metatarsi are explanate and subequal to tarsomeres II and III combined ( Fig. 64 View Figures 52–64 ).