Panabachia pastazae, Muñoz-Tobar & Caterino, 2025

Panabachia pastazae sp. nov.

Figs 3 B View Figure 3 , 4 G View Figure 4 , 6 F View Figure 6

Type material.

Holotype • ♂ ( MCEN-EN 40801 ): “ ECUADOR: Tungurahua, -1.3829, -78.2909, Rio Machay Reserve , 2382 m, 12. XI. 2024, M. Caterino, sifted litter ” / “ Caterino DNA voucher, Ext. MSC-13154 , Morphosp. Mch. 017 ”; deposited in MECN GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Head (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ) broad, setose, with vertexal foveae deep, non-setose, closer to eyes on each side than to each other; eyes protuberant, moderately large, diameter approx. equal to postocular genal length; antennal bases elevated slightly elevated, set off by oblique striae; antennae short, antennomere II globose, III subconical, antennomeres IV – VI beadlike, rounded, VII – IX increasingly transverse, IX 2 × the size of antennomere VIII, transverse, antennomere XI ~ 2 × as long as X, rounded, densely setose, with small depression on inner apex; male pronotum (Fig. 4 G View Figure 4 ) slightly wider than long, sides evenly rounded; disk convex in basal 1 / 2, with very fine mediobasal fovea, conspicuously clothed with mostly inwardly directed setae, with small, discrete, rugose areas on either side; anterior portion of pronotal disk with wide, arcuate depression, narrowest at middle, slightly broader at sides where depression extends nearly to each anterior corner, depression with denser setae along anterior margin; pronotal disk in front of depression with setae mostly directed posteriorly toward depression; elytra moderately long, convex, with sides rounded, each with just sutural and single lateral dorsobasal fovea, a distinct sutural stria extending posterad from fovea; male last tergite truncate and setose at apex; prosternum short, anterior prosternal foveae present; legs simple. Aedeagus (Fig. 6 F View Figure 6 ) elongate with separate accessory sclerites; parameres free at base, sinuate, converging to tegmen at middle; tegmen flattened, narrowest at base, with large, elongate oval basal foramen, unevenly widened apically, distal third broadly spatulate, apex rounded and weakly sclerotized; accessory sclerites more or less symmetrical, each comprising small sclerotized basal piece articulated with flattened, curved laminate blade with subacute apex. TL 1.12 mm, EW 0.32 mm.

Distribution.

This species is only known from montane forest at the Reserve Rio Machay, province of Pastaza, Ecuador.

Etymology.

The name of the species comes from the Rio Pastaza watershed where it is so far exclusively found.

Remarks.

This species has only been collected in mid-elevation cloud forest, and not páramo habitats. With only a single example known, we cannot say whether this is an exclusive preference, but it sets it apart from most of the other species here. Its rather simple transversely arcuate anterior pronotal sulcus (Fig. 4 G View Figure 4 ) is unique, as is the presence of only two basal elytral foveae. These characters, along with geography, should make it straightforward to identify without resorting to the also unique, spatulate aedeagus (Fig. 6 F View Figure 6 ).