Cymatodera andalearriba Rifkind, 2020

Cymatodera andalearriba Rifkind , new species

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( Figs. 10–12 View Figs , 46 View Figs )

Specimen Examined. Holotype male: Mexico, Nayarit,vic. Los Llanitos , 21°31 ′ 02.8 ′′ N, 104°25 ′ 47.0 ′′ W, 4700 ′, vii-8-2019, oak forest, beating standing dead Quercus, J. Rifkind & E. Martinez , colls. ( CSCA). GoogleMaps

Description ( Holotype). Length: 8 mm. Form: Elongate; gracile. Color: Integument brown; pronotum lighter, more reddish brown (except base of pronotal arch darker); umbones with a dark brown longitudinal streak above a pale longitudinal streak; each elytron with a rather indistinct, pale sinuate transverse fascia posterior to middle, fascia complete to sides, obsolete before suture; mouthparts, venter, and underside of legs testaceous. Head: Measured across eyes wider than pronotum; surface moderately densely rugulose-punctate; vestiture tawny, inconspicuous; eye protuberant; antenna elongate, slender; antennomeres 2–5 subconical, 6–10 subserrate; third antennomere 2× the length of second antennomere; antennomere eleven 1.5× longer than antennomere 10, narrowed distally, apex subacute. Pronotum: Elongate (ratio of length to width 8:5); surface shining, rather coarsely and deeply rugose-punctate; vestiture moderately dense, but inconspicuous dorsally, composed of rather long suberect and erect tawny setae. Elytra: Subparallel, elongate, together almost 3× as long as wide; humeral angles gently rounded, umbones distinct; sides rather abruptly convergent beginning at posterior 1/5 to separately rounded, slightly dehiscent apices; surface shining, punctures rather coarse and rather deep anteriorly, diminishing posteriorly, then obsolete dorsally just posterior to median; integument on posterior 1/3 shallowly, minutely roughened; vestiture rather sparse, consisting of moderately short, suberect, brownish setae, interspersed with fewer longer, more robust, erect brown setae. Metaventrite: Surface shining, disc sparsely, shallowly punctulate and sparsely setose; carinae and tubercles absent. Abdomen: Integument shining, shallowly roughened and inconspicuously punctate; vestiture inconspicuous; ventrite 5 ( Fig. 46 View Figs ) with sides oblique, hind angles acute but not prolonged, posterior margin broadly, shallowly emarginate; ventrite 6 ( Fig. 46 View Figs ) with sides oblique, hind angles subacute, posterior margin shallowly, triangularly emarginate; tergite 6 slightly surpassing ventrite 6 posteriorly, hind angles rounded, posterior margin feebly inflected at middle. Aedeagus: Apex of phallus apparently triangular and not upturned.

Variation. Known only from the holotype.

Etymology. The specific name references Speedy Gonzales, “The Fastest Mouse in all of Mexico ”––an animated character beloved in Latin America. As a rule, specimens of Cymatodera , when knocked upon a beating sheet, will feign death or at most attempt to crawl slowly away. By contrast, the new species exhibited a burst of speed the moment it dropped, and nearly escaped capture; hence the epithet. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Mountains of south-central Nayarit, Mexico.

Biology. The holotype was collected by beating a standing dead oak tree in a pure oak grove at 1,433 m elevation ( Fig. 12 View Figs shows the habitat at the type locality). The dead oak was presumably infested with woodboring beetles, because it also yielded two specimens of the cerambycid Neoclytus smithi Bates and a specimen belonging to the cerambycid genus Euderces LeConte.

Diagnosis. Distinguishable by its small size, gracile form, and the shape of the pygidium. Of the described Mexican Cymatodera species , only C. andalearriba has the following combination of characters: A narrow and elongate pronotum; elongate, brown elytra marked only by a pale median fascia; fully formed wings; metaventrite without tubercles or carinae; filiform antennae without reduced antennomeres 2 or 3; male pygidium with simple triangular posterior emarginations, ventrite and tergite otherwise unmodified by projections.