Coleoxestia pucacurensis, Santos-Silva & Hernandez, 2025

Coleoxestia pucacurensis sp. nov.

( Figs 1–7 View FIGURES 1–5 View FIGURES 6–9 , 12–14 View FIGURES 10–20 )

Description. Male holotype ( Figs 1–6 View FIGURES 1–5 View FIGURES 6–9 , 12–14 View FIGURES 10–20 ). Integument mostly black; ventral mouthparts dark brown, except yellowish-brown apex of palpomeres; anterior margin of anteclypeus yellowish-brown; antennae gradually dark brown from antennomere V. Elytra gradually dark brown toward apex. Femora dark reddish brown on wide central area. Tibiae gradually dark brown toward apex (almost dark reddish brown depending on light intensity). Tarsi dark brown. Abdominal ventrites dark brown, slightly and gradually lighter toward ventrite 5, except orangish-brown apex of ventrites 1–4.

Head. Frons coarsely, shallowly, somewhat rugose and finely punctate laterally, longitudinally sulcate centrally from frontal plate, sulcus smooth, gradually widened toward vertex; frontal plate mostly smooth, transverse, not welldelimited posteriorly; area between frontal plate and eyes distinctly sulcate; sulcus on each side of remaining surface of frons (frontolateral depression), which usually follows toward base of antennal tubercles, absent or nearly so ( Figs 6–7 View FIGURES 6–9 ); area close to eyes on sides of frontal plate with moderately sparse, minute yellowish-brown setae; remaining surface glabrous. Median groove slightly distinctly only between frontal plate and area between antennal tubercles. Area between antennal tubercles sulcate, this sulcus continues frontal sulcus, and gradually widened toward upper eye lobes, sparsely, finely punctate, glabrous. Area between upper eye lobes sparsely, shallowly, finely punctate; depressed close to eyes making central area somewhat broadly carinate; with a few moderately long, erect yellowish-brown setae close to eyes, and a few minute setae of same color on remaining surface. Dorsal area close to prothorax abundantly, coarsely punctate, punctures mainly slightly transverse, part of them anastomosed, and some of them with minute yellowish seta inside. Area behind upper eye lobes moderately abundantly, coarsely punctate; with a few moderately long, erect yellowish-brown setae close to eye, glabrous on remaining surface. Area behind lower eye lobes tumid close to eye, almost smooth close to upper eye lobes, sparsely, coarsely punctate toward ventral surface; transversely rugose-punctate on wide area close to prothorax, more distinctly toward ventral surface; with long, erect yellowish-brown setae close to inferior region of eye, glabrous on remaining surface. Genae moderately abundantly, coarsely punctate toward ventral surface, moderately abundantly, finely punctate toward clypeus close to eye, mostly smooth on remaining surface; with moderately sparse, minute yellowish setae frontally close to eye and ventrally, glabrous on remaining frontal surface; with a few long, erect yellowish-brown ventral setae interspersed ventrally. Antennal tubercles well-separated basally; moderately sparsely, finely punctate, glabrous; apex rounded, thick. Wide central area of postclypeus abundantly, coarsely rugose-punctate, transversely sulcate close to anteclypeus; glabrous, with one long, erect yellowish-brown seta on each side. Sides of postclypeus smooth, glabrous. Labrum with a few coarse punctures; with tufts of moderately short, erect yellowish-brown setae on posterior 2/3, tufts longer laterally, and fringe of yellowish-brown setae on sides of anterior margin. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous on posterior half; anterior half transversely rugose, sparsely, finely punctate, except coarsely, anastomosed punctures on sides of its posterior region; with sparse, bristly yellowish-brown pubescence and a few long, erect setae of same color interspersed. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.23 times distance between outer margins of eyes; in ventral view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.50 times distance between outer margins of eyes; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.36 times distance between outer margins of eyes. Antennae 1.25 times elytral length, almost reaching posterior fifth of elytra. Scape abundantly, coarsely rugose punctate dorsally and laterally on basal half and entire ventral surface, punctures gradually finer sparser on posterior half of dorsal and lateral surface, except smooth apex of dorsal surface; most punctures with minute whitish seta inside, and a few punctures with long, erect yellowish-brown seta inside on apical half of dorsal and outer surface and apical 2/3 of ventral surface. Pedicel sparsely, very finely punctate; some punctures with minute whitish seta inside and some with long, erect yellowish-brown seta. Antennomere III sparsely, finely punctate dorsally and laterally, except smooth base and apex, and moderately abundantly and coarsely punctate ventrally; with minute whitish setae, slightly more abundant on posterior half, except glabrous smooth areas; with long, erect yellowish-brown setae ventrally and entire surface close to apical smooth area; outer apex acutely-angulose; sensorial area restricted to apical quarter of outer surface, divided by longitudinal carina, with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument. Antennomere IV moderately abundantly, finely punctate, except smooth base and apex of dorsal and inner surfaces, setae as on III; outer apex acutely-angulose, spine slightly longer than on III and slightly directed backward; sensorial area present on almost entire outer surface, but interrupted before middle, divided by longitudinal carina on its posterior region, with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument. Antennomeres V–X with outer apex acutely projected backward, less so on IX–X; with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence throughout, except glabrous central apex on V–VI; apex with sparse, moderately short yellowish-brown setae; sensorial area present from base to apex of outer surface, divided by longitudinal carina. Antennomere XI with pubescence as on X; distinctly, abruptly narrowed on apical third of inner surface; widest width 0.2 times length of antennomere. Antennomere XI narrowed on distal third; entirely microsculptured; with abundant white pubescence not obscuring integument. Antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III (not including the apical projection of some antennomeres): scape = 0.72; pedicel = 0.14; IV = 0.53; V = 0.58; VI = 0.54; VII = 0.53; VIII = 0.48; IX = 0.48; X = 0.44; XI = 0.71.

Thorax. Prothorax slightly wider than long centrally, almost the same length when measured from posterolateral angles; anterior margin convex; posterior margin straight on wide central area, rounded projected backward laterally; anterior and posterior constrictions and anterior transverse sulcus well marked; sides slightly rounded, sinuous from anterior to posterior constriction. Pronotum depressed, smooth close to anterior margin, almost smooth on anterior fifth after anterior sulcus, transversely striate on wide central area from smooth anterior area to posterior constriction, slightly transversely sulcate laterally between posterior constriction and posterior margin, smooth centrally between posterior constriction and posterior margin, and rugose laterally between constrictions; striated area very sparsely and finely punctate; with a few long, erect yellowish-brown setae laterocentrally. Sides of prothorax rugose on wide central area, less so toward prosternum, with coarse, confluent punctures centrally close to pronotum, smooth between anterior margin and anterior sulcus, with oblique sulcus on posterior quarter, continuing that on sides of pronotum, slightly transversely striate between posterior sulcus and posterior margin close to pronotum, mostly smooth on remaining posterior margin; with a few long, erect yellowish-brown setae centrally and anteriorly near prosternum, and sparse whitish pubescence posteriorly near procoxal cavity. Posterior half of prosternum slightly rugose laterally, with a few coarse punctures on remaining surface; with distinct, sinuous sulcus close to procoxal cavities; with long, erect yellowish-brown seta within coarse punctures; with moderately sparse white pubescence close to procoxal cavities. Anterior half of prosternum with arched sulcus close to posterior half, slightly rugose laterally between arched sulcus and anterior sulcus, mostly smooth on remaining surface; with a few minute white setae. Prosternal process with white pubescent band laterally, glabrous on remaining surface, and a few moderately long, erect yellowish-brown setae anterocentrally; narrowest area 0.27 times procoxal width. Mesoventrite with moderately abundant whitish pubescence, except glabrous area close to mesoventral process and on each side before procoxal cavities. Mesanepisterna and mesepimera with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence, distinctly denser on mesepimera. Mesoventral process not tuberculate, with concave sides and apex distinctly notched; with abundant, both whitish and light yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument laterally, and sparse white pubescence centrally; narrowest area 0.39 times mesocoxal width. Metanepisterna with dense light yellowish-brown pubescence. Metaventrite longitudinally sulcate close to metanepisterna on anterior 3/4; very sparsely, minutely punctate; metakatepisternal suture well marked; with abundant light yellowish-brown pubescence anteriorly close to lateral sulcus, dense light yellowish-brown pubescence posteriorly close to metaventrite and metacoxal cavities, abundant, both light yellowish-brown and whitish pubescence not obscuring integument close to sides of mesocoxal cavities, and very sparse, both minute and short whitish setae on remaining surface; with a few short, erect yellowish-brown setae on metaventral process. Scutellum very sparsely, minutely punctate; with very sparse, minute white setae, more abundant close to lateral margins. Elytra. Somewhat rugose on anterior quarter; remaining surface with slightly distinct, irregular reticular lines; moderately abundantly, finely punctate on anterior half, punctures gradually sparser, finer toward apex on posterior half; apex truncate, with long spine on outer sutural angles, sutural spine slightly longer; glabrous, except a few long, erect yellowish-brown setae apically. Legs. Femora sparsely, very finely punctate; inner and outer apices slightly rounded projected; with very sparse, minute whitish setae, longer on lateral and ventral surfaces of peduncles, and both short and long, erect light-yellowish-brown setae on ventral surface of meso- and metafemoral peduncles and close to apex of all femoral clubs; middle of dorsal surface of metafemora with abundant, bristly yellowish-brown setae. Protibiae almost glabrous dorsally on basal third, with sparse, long, erect yellowish-brown on remaining surface, distinctly denser on apical fifth of ventral surface. Meso- and metatibiae with sparse, minute white setae on basal third, and long, erect yellowish-brown setae on remaining surface, erect setae distinctly on apical half of ventral surface. Dorsal surface of tarsi with moderately sparse, somewhat bristly yellowish-brown setae, except glabrous anterocentral area of tarsomeres I.

Abdomen. Ventrites very sparsely, minutely punctate; with a few short, bristly yellowish setae on ventrites 1–4; ventrite 5 with sparse whitish setae, slightly longer than on remaining ventrites, and a few long, erect yellowish-brown setae; apex of ventrite 5 slightly concave centrally.

Variation. Dorsal surface of head ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 6–9 ) distinctly, longitudinally, broadly carinate from area between antennal tubercles to area at level of posterior margin of upper eye lobes; area of vertex close to prothorax ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 6–9 ) laterally depressed, coarsely, shallowly, anastomosed punctate; network lines on elytra distinct throughout; apical spines of elytra with same length.

Dimensions in mm (male holotype –male paratype). Total length, 27,35–26.85; length of prothorax centrally, 4.45–4.50; length of prothorax including posterolateral projection, 4.85–4.80; anterior width of prothorax, 3.90– 3.80; posterior width of prothorax, 4.95–5.00; maximum width of prothorax, 5.20–5.20; humeral width, 6.80–6.95; elytral length, 19.35–18.70.

Type material. Male holotype from PERU, Loreto: Pucacuro, Río Corrientes , 16.VIII.2019, J.J. Ramírez leg. ( MZSP, formerly JJRH). Male paratype, same data as holotype, except 11.I.2004 ( JJRH) .

Etymology. The species-group name is the gentilic of those born in Pucacuro, the type locality of the new species.

Remarks. The key from Martins & Monné (2005) leads Coleoxestia pucacurensis sp. nov. to the alternative of couplet “19” with Coleoxestia spinipennis spinipennis (Audinet-Serville, 1834) (translated): “19(18). Elytra shiny, not dull…. C. spinipennis ; Elytra more opaque, dull…. 20.” However, if the femora are considered distinctly bicolorous, the key leads the new species to the alternative of couplet “12” with Coleoxestia sanguinipes (Bates, 1884) , but also to the alternative of couplet “13” with C. anthracina Martins & Monné, 2005 , and C. polita ( Waterhouse, 1880) due to the elytral color.

Coleoxestia pucacurensis differs from C. spinipennis spinipennis ( Figs 8 View FIGURES 6–9 , 10, 15–17 View FIGURES 10–20 ) as follows: laterofrontal longitudinal sulci on frons and base of antennal tubercles absent or nearly so; antennae in male not reaching elytral apex; and antennomere III with minute, almost indistinct, pubescence dorsally. In C. spinipennis spinipennis , the laterofrontal longitudinal sulci on frons and the base of the antennal tubercles are well marked, antennae in male reaching surpassing the elytral apex, and the pubescence on the dorsal surface of the antennomere III distinct.

The new species differs from C. sanguinipes (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and Souza et al. (2022), and in Fragoso (1993) and Eya & Chemsak (2005b)) by the antennae in males not reaching the elytral apex (slightly surpassing in C. sanguinipes ), apex of antennomere III projected (nodose in C. sanguinipes ), and the two colors on the femora slightly contrasting (distinctly contrasting in C. sanguinipes , but the dark areas ( Figs 15–17 View FIGURES 10–20 ) could be somewhat paler); from Coleoxestia anthracina Martins & Monné, 2005 (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Martins & Monné (2005)) by the antennae in male not reaching the elytral apex (surpassing in C. anthracina ), and the apex of the antennomere III projected (nodose in C. anthracina ); and from Coleoxestia polita ( Waterhouse, 1880) (see photographs on Bezark 2025) by the prothorax distinctly wider posteriorly than anteriorly (slightly wider posteriorly in C. polita ), and by the two colors on the femora slightly contrasting (distinctly contrasting in C. polita ). Coleoxestia pucacurensis is also similar to Coleoxestia spinipennis interiorana Fragoso, 1993 ( Figs 9 View FIGURES 6–9 , 11, 18–20 View FIGURES 10–20 ) but differs by the same features as in C. s. spinipennis .

The key from Eya & Chemsak (2005a) leads Coleoxestia pucacurensis to the alternative of couplet “7” with Coleoxestia rubromaculata ( Gounelle, 1909) . However, according to Gounelle (1909), the apex of the antennomeres III and IV in C. rubromaculata ( Figs 29–30 View FIGURES 29–31 ; see also photographs on Bezark (2025), in Eya & Chemsak (2005b), and in Martins & Monné (2005)) is “nodosis [nodose]”; according to Eya & Chemsak (2005a, b): “Fourth antennal segment apically expanded and angulate;” and “3 th segment minutely punctate, base more coarsely punctate, apex rounded to obtusely angulate … 4 th segment apically expanded and angulate.” The photograph of the syntype deposited in the MNHN shows that the antennae slightly surpass the elytral apex in C. rubromaculata , while they do not reach the apex in C. pucacurensis . If the femora are considered as not bicolorous, the new species can be included in the alternative of couplet “12” in the key by Eya & Chemsak (2005a) with Coleoxestia curoei Eya & Chemsak, 2005 . Coleoxestia pucacurensis differs from C. curoei by the antennae in males not reaching elytral apex (reaching in C. curoei ), and by the apex of the antennomere III projected (rounded in C. curoei ).

Since the limits between the dimensions in the alternative of couplet "3" from the key by Eya & Chemsak (2005a) are extremely close (width of the antennomere XI equal or shorter than 0.2 times de length of the antennomere / width from 0.21 to 0.30 times length of the antennomere; prothoracic length from 0.91 to 1.05 the maximum width / from 0.80 to 0.90 the maximum width), we consider it convenient to compare C. pucacurensis also with C. nitida (Bates, 1872) (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and Eya & Chemsak (2005a)): laterofrontal longitudinal sulci on frons and base of antennal tubercles absent or nearly so (well-marked in C. nitida ); outer apex of the antennomeres III–IV acutely-angulose (rounded or nearly so in C. nitida ); antennae in males distinctly not reaching the elytral apex (reaching or almost reaching in males of C. nitida ); and pronotum without smooth central area on the posterior half (smooth area present in C. nitida ).

Note 1:According to Monné (2024a) and Tavakilian & Chevillotte (2024), C. rubromaculata was described based on a single specimen from Brazil ( Goiás). However, Gounelle (1909) described the species based on two specimens, from Brazil ( Goiás) and Colombia, as corrected pointed out by Martins & Monné (2005), and a lectotype was never designated: “Un second exemplaire de cette espèce remarquable par sa livrée se trouve au British Museum après avoir passé de la collection La Ferté dans celle de M. Fry. Cet individu provident de Colombie [A second specimen of this remarkably species for its appearance is in the British Museum, having been transferred from the La Ferté collection to that of Mr. Fry. This specimen is from Colombia].”

Note 2: According to Fragoso (1993), males of C. s. interiorana differs from C. s. spinipennis by the “femora lighter than elytra, with thinner pedunculi (in relation to their maces).” However, the photographs of a male of C. s. spinipennis ( Figs 15–17 View FIGURES 10–20 ), identified by Fragoso, and a male paratype of C. s. interiorana ( Figs 18–20 View FIGURES 10–20 ) show that the width of the femoral peduncles is almost identical in relation to the femoral club in both subspecies. Furthermore, the specimen of C. s. spinipennis has the lighter area of the femora distinctly lighter than the elytra, which does not occur in the paratype male of C. s. interiorana.