Braderochus dentipes (Chemsak, 1979)

Braderochus dentipes (Chemsak, 1979) View in CoL

( Fig. 1, 2, 7, 8, 15 -18)

Après de nombreux échanges avec les institutions aux Etats-Unis dont la California Academy of Sciences susceptible de détenir l’holotype de cette espèce, il est regrettable de constater qu’il reste introuvable. La description publiée par Chemsak en 1979 ne cite que l’holotype et aucune figure n’est rattachée à la description. Aussi, aucun cliché ne semble être disponible.

Description de Chemsak, 1979:

“Male: Form large, sides tapering posteriorly; integument dull, dark reddish- brown. Head small, front short; eyes large, separated above by width of base of third antennal segment, beneath about twice as much; median line broad, deep, channeled by elevated margins; neck behind eyes convergent; palpi unequal, apical segments slightly expanded apically; mandibles elongate, asymmetrical; antennae slender, shorter than body, scape slender, conical, third segment slender, subglabrous, shallowly sulcate at sides, inside with several small asperites, about twice as long as fourth segment, segments from eighth with prominently raised striations, segments almost impunctate. Pronotum almost twice as broad from bases of lateral spines as long; each side with three prominent, acute spines; disk elevated, coarsely scabrous and densely, finely punctate; pubescence dense, golden, erect, denser and appressed along apical and basal margins; prosternum finely asperate, moderately densely pubescent, intercoxal process gradually arcuate; meso- and metasternum finely, densely punctate, densely clothed with suberect, golden pubescence. Elytra more than twice as long as basal width, sides broadly explanate behind humeri; disk opaque, minutely, densely rugulose; pubescence rather sparse, short, erect; each elytron tricostate; apices narrowly rounded, sutural spine short. Legs slender, elongate; tibiae with a double row of sharp spines on inside edge; tarsi normal. Abdomen glabrous, minutely punctate; last sternite narrowly, deeply emarginate at apex. Length, exclusive of mandibles, 51 mm.

Holotype male ( California Academy of Sciences ) from Zapote de Upala (vic. Bijagua), Alajuela Prov., Costa Rica, 7 July, 1973 ( R. Ortiz)

This species is very distinctive by the large eyes, pubescent pronotum and spined tibiae.”

Sur la base de la description et de l’origine de l’holotype, un néotype présentant toutes les caractéristiques de l’espèce est désigné.

Matériel examiné. – NEOTYPE ♂, Costa Rica, Alajuela Province, La Tigra 30.IV.1994 ex. Coll.H.M. Baudet in NDP (n° 11735) qui sera déposé à la CASC. 59,5 mm.

En comparant plusieurs exemplaires de Braderochus shuteae (dont l’holotype retrouvé dans la collection de H.-M. Baudet a été retransmis au BMNH) avec la description de Chemsak et le néotype de Braderochus dentipes , la synonymie établie par Santos-Silva & Martins est confirmée.

Distribution. – Colombie, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama.