Giesberteclipta variicollis, Vlasak & Santos-Silva, 2025

Giesberteclipta variicollis sp. nov.

( Fig. 7 -14)

ZooBank:https://zoobank.org/ E9A8A018-D8ED-4570-B6A4-8DF1773A5909

Holotype, ♂, ECUADOR, Napo: Pacto Sumaco , 1500 m, 0°40'10"S 77°35'52"W, 23 Nov 2022, J. Vlasak leg. ( MZSP, formerly JVCO). GoogleMaps

Paratypes, same data as holotype, 1 ♂ ( JVCO) GoogleMaps , 2 ♀ ( MZSP) GoogleMaps , 2 ♀ ( JVCO) .

Description of the holotype ( Fig. 7-10)

Coloration. – Head capsule blackish; postclypeus blackish except dark-brown sides; anteclypeus brown close to postclypeus, dark brown on remaining surface; labrum blackish on posterior half, light reddish brown on anterior half; genae dark brown close to eye and on apex, brown on remaining frontal region, and dark yellowish brown on remaining lateral region; mentum dark brown; remaining ventral mouthparts light reddish brown, except palpomeres blackish with reddish-brown apex; scape, pedicel, and antennomeres III-IV dark brown; antennomere V dark reddish brown basally, dark brown on remaining surface; antennomere VI light reddish brown basally, dark brown on remaining surface; antennomere VII orangish brown basally, dark brown on remaining surface; antennomeres VIII-X pale yellow about basal quarter, dark brown on remaining surface; antennomere XI orangish brown on basal quarter, dark brown on remaining surface. Pronotum dark brown on wide central area, reddish brown laterally. Sides of prothorax reddish brown, except dark-brown area close to anterior and posterior margins. Ventral surface of prothorax reddish brown, lighter on posterior 2/3 of central area of prosternum and basal half of prosternal process, except dark-brown longitudinal band on sides of posterior 2/3 of prosternum, mostly dark-brown area close to anterior margin of prosternum, and orangish posterior half of prosternal process. Ventral surface of meso- and metathorax blackish, except mesoventral process orangish brown with dark-brown sides. Scutellum mostly dark brown. Elytra metallic dark blue. Coxae dark brown, except dark yellowish-brown area close to trochanter. Trochanters dark brown. Femora and tibiae dark brown. Basal region of tarsomeres I-II orangish brown, this area wider on I, dark brown on remaining surface; tarsomeres III-V dark brown. Abdominal ventrites blackish, except dark-brown apex of ventrites 1-4, and orangish-brown intercoxal process.

Head. – Frons somewhat abundantly and coarsely punctate; with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument, pubescence whiter depending on light intensity; with a few long, erect dark-brown setae close to eyes. Area between antennal tubercles and upper eye lobes abundantly, coarsely punctate; with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence whiter depending on light intensity; remaining surface of vertex abundantly, coarsely punctate, with sparse brown pubescence, and a few long, erect dark-brown setae.Area behind upper eye lobes somewhat abundantly, coarsely punctate; with sparse brown pubescence and a few long, erect dark-brown setae. Area behind lower eye lobes somewhat abundantly coarsely punctate toward upper eye lobe, rugose-punctate toward ventral surface; with yellowish-white pubescence close to eye on inferior half, almost entirely glabrous on remaining surface; with long, erect dark-brown setae close to eye. Genae abundantly, finely punctate, except smooth apex; with sparse brown pubescence close to eye, glabrous on remaining surface. Antennal tubercles sparsely, finely punctate, except smooth apex; with sparse yellowish-white pubescence, except glabrous apex. Wide central area of postclypeus abundantly, coarsely punctate; with moderately abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence whiter depending on light intensity; with one long, erect dark-brown seta on each side. Sides of postclypeus smooth, glabrous. Labrum with sparse yellowish-white pubescence on posterior half, glabrous on anterior half, except short fringe of yellowish-brown setae on anterior margin. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous on posterior third; anterior 2/3 abundantly, coarsely punctate, except subsmooth central area; with sparse, both short and long, erect yellowish setae. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.32 times distance between outer margins of eyes; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.20 times distance between outer margins of eyes. Antennae 1.45 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at middle of antennomere XI. Scape sparsely, somewhat finely punctate, with sparse, bristly, short dark-brown setae, except smooth and glabrous posterior half of dorsal surface; with both, long and moderately short, erect dark-brown setae, setae more abundant on posterior half of dorsal surface and absent on smooth area. Pedicel with sparse dark-brown pubescence, absent on apex, both long and moderately long dark-brown setae interspersed dorsally, and long, erect dark-brownsetae interspersedventrally. AntennomeresIII-IV with abundant dark-brown pubescence not obscuring integument; III with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed dorsally and ventrally, setae more abundant ventrally; IV with a few long, erect dark-brown setae on dorsal apex, a few short, erect yellowish setae interspersed dorsally, and long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally. Antennomere V with abundant, both dark-brown and dark yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument; with a fewmoderatelyshort, erect yellowish setae interspersedthroughout, a few long, erect dark-brown setae on dorsal apex, and sparse, long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally. Antennomere VI with abundant, mostly dark yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument; with sparse, moderately short, erect yellowish setae interspersed; with a few moderately short, erect dark-brown interspersed ventrally and short, moderately short dark-brown setae directed backward on entire apex. Antennomeres VIII-XI with very sparse whitish pubescence on light integumental area and abundant yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument on remaining surface, yellowish pubescence appearing to be darker on some areas depending on light source; with sparse, short, erect yellowish setae interspersed on dark integumental area; VIII-IX with a few short dark-brown setae directed backward on dorsal apex.

Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III:

– Scape = 0.72. – Pedicel = 0.22. – IV = 0.76. – V = 0.92. – VI = 0.90. – VII = 0.78. – VIII = 0.68. – IX = 0.68. – X = 0.60. – XI = 0.74.

Thorax. – Prothorax longer than wide; anterior constriction well marked; posterior constriction narrow, distinct; sides divergent on anterior third, widely rounded toward posterior sixth, then parallel-sided toward posterolateral angles. Pronotum with five gibbosities, one oblique on each side slightly before middle, one on each side on posterior third, almost transverse, and one longitudinal, located centrally from slightly before middle to posterior quarter; abundantly, coarsely punctate, punctures denser on posterior quarter, except smooth gibbosities and area close to anterior margin; with sparse yellowish-white pubescence, except abundant pubescence partially obscuring integument laterally on anterior third,

7. Dorsal habitus. 8. Ventral habitus. 9. Lateral habitus. 10. Head, frontal view.

somewhat abundant yellowish-white pubescence on remaining lateral surfaces, and glabrous smooth areas; with long, erect dark-brown setae. Sides of prothorax somewhat abundantly, coarsely punctate; with abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence sparser close to anterior sulcus, except almost glabrous area close to anterior and posterior margins. Prosternum somewhat sparsely, coarsely punctate on posterior 2/3 and slightly rugose-punctate on anterior third; with abundant whitish pubescence on posterior 2/3 and a few long, erect yellowish-white setae on anterior third. Prosternal process with abundant whitish pubescence on anterior third, subglabrous on remaining surface; narrowest area 0.15 times procoxal width. Mesoventrite abundantly, coarsely punctate; with somewhat abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence denser posterolaterally. Mesanepisterna moderately abundantly, coarsely punctate; with sparse whitish pubescence close to mesoventrite, pubescence denser close to elytra and mesepimeron. Mesepimeron with dense whitish pubescence. Mesoventral process slightly widened toward apex; apex strongly notched centrally; with abundant, both whitish and yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument; narrowest area 0.71 times mesocoxal width; posterior width as wide as mesocoxal width. Metanepisterna sparsely, coarsely punctate; with somewhat sparse whitish pubescence, denser close to margins, and long, erect yellowish-white setae interspersed. Metaventrite somewhat sparsely and coarsely punctate laterally, punctures sparser and finer centrally, except smooth metathoracic discrimen; sides, anterior quarter, and posterior third close to metathoracic discrimen with abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence more yellowish on some areas, and long, erect yellowish setae interspersed; remaining surface with a few short, decumbent yellowish-white setae and a few long, erect yellowish-white setae; except glabrous metathoracic discrimen. Scutellum with very sparse whitish pubescence on basal 2/3, and abundant dark yellowish-brown pubescence on posterior third.

Elytra. – Almost reaching apex of abdominal ventrite 4; abundantly, coarsely punctate, punctures distinctly coarser than on pronotum, moderately rugose laterally and on posterior half of dorsal surface, except smooth humeri; with sparse, moderately short, erect light yellowish-brown setae on anterior half, setae more abundant on posterior half, except apex with dense pale-yellow pubescence and glabrous humeri; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed, erect setae sparser dorsally on posterior half.

Legs. – Coxae partially with abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument and partially glabrous. Pro- and mesotrochanters with whitish pubescence ventrally, glabrous on remaining surface; metatrochanters with abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument. Profemora ventrally with dense whitish pubescence on peduncle and glabrous on club; sides with abundant whitish pubescence close to ventral surface and apical quarter, subglabrous on remaining surface; dorsal surface subglabrous on basal 3/4 and with sparse brownish pubescence on apical quarter; with long, erect yellowish-white setae on pubescent areas, and long, erect, thick dark-brown setae on posterior half of dorsal surface. Meso- and metafemora with somewhat abundant, both short and long, erect, both white and yellowish setae, short setae denser on ventral surface of mesofemoral peduncle, except glabrous ventral surface of posterior 2/3 of club; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed. Protibiae subglabrous dorsally, with spare yellowish-brown pubescence on sides and ventral surface of basal quarter, abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument on apical 2/3 of sides, and dense, bristly yellowish-brown pubescence on apical 2/3 of ventral surface, pubescence appearing to be lighter depending on light intensity and source and darker apically; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed dorsally and superior area of sides. Mesotibiae with sparse, suberect, both short and long yellowish-white setae dorsally, most lateral surfaces, and basal third of ventral surface, and abundant, bristly dark yellowish-brown pubescence on remaining ventral surface, pubescence denser on apical third; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed, except on apical third of ventral surface. Metatibiae with sparse, bristly, both white and yellowish setae, and long, erect dark-brown setae, except apical quarter of ventral surface with dense, bristly yellowish-brown pubescence. Dorsal surface of tarsomeres with moderately sparse yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument; with sparse, moderately long, erect, both whitish and yellowish setae interspersed, almost absent on some tarsomeres, absent on IV; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed laterally, absent on IV; metatarsomere V about as long as II-III together.

Abdomen. – Ventrite 1 with abundant whitish pubescence laterally not obscuring integument, pubescence almost absent centrally, except close to abdominal process, absent close to apex; with long, erect yellowish-white setae interspersed. Ventrites 2-4 with dense whitish pubescence laterally, abundant whitish pubescence centrally on basal half, sparse whitish pubescence on remaining surface, except glabrous apex; with long, erect whitish setae interspersed. Ventrite 5 with dense whitish pubescence laterally on anterior half, abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument on center of anterior half, and dense pale-yellow pubescence on posterior half; with long, erect, both whitish and light yellowish-brown setae interspersed; apex truncate, slightly concave centrally.

Female ( Fig. 11-14)

– Similar to males, differing: antennae shorter, 1.15 times elytral length, reaching about posterior fifth of elytra;

– Distance between lower eye lobes in frontal view 0.4 times distance between outer margins of eye.

Chromatic variation. – Head capsule dark brown; ventral mouthparts irregularly, both dark brown and light reddish brown, except palpomeres dark brown with yellowish apex; antennomere VI entirely dark brown; antennomere VII entirely dark brown; apical quarter of antennomere XI orangish brown; pronotum entirely orangish brown, more light reddish brown depending on light intensity; pronotum entirely dark brown. Sides of prothorax entirely dark brown or entirely light reddish brown; ventral surface of prothorax entirely dark brown, with prosternal process partially dark reddish brown, or entirely reddish brown. Ventral surface of meso- and metathorax entirely blackish. Elytra with irregular, large brown areas dorsally and laterally. Coxae and trochanters partially reddish brown. Tarsomeres I with short orangish-brown area on base; tarsomeres II entirely dark brown.

Dimensions (mm) (holotype ♂ / paratype ♂ / paratypes ♀).

– Total length, 7.90/7.80/7.40-8.75;

– Prothoracic length, 1.40/1.45/1.35-1.50;

– Anterior prothoracic width, 0.90/0.90/0.85-1.05;

– Posterior prothoracic width, 1.05/1.05/1.05-1.25;

– Maximum prothoracic width, 1.20/1.25/1.15-1.30;

– Humeral width, 1.40/1.40/1.35-1.65;

– Elytral length, 4.80/4.80/4.85-5.50.

Etymology. – The name “variicollis ” (from Latin “variabilis” (variable) and “collum” (neck)) refers to the variable color of prothorax.

Remarks. – Giesberteclipta variicollis sp. nov. is similar to G. unicolor Vlasak & Santos-Silva, 2020 (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Vlasak & Santos-Silva (2020)), but differs as follows: antennae longer in males, reaching elytral apex; antennomeres VI-XI bicolorous; antennomeres VII-XI filiform and longer; and tarsomeres I or I–II bicolorous. In G. unicolor , the antennae are shorter in males, not reaching the elytral apex, the antennomeres VI-XI are unicolorous, antennomeres VII-X distinctly stouter and shorter in males (females remain unknown), and the tarsomeres I-II are unicolorous. The new species is also similar to G. costipennis (Giesbert, 1991) (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Santos-Silva et al. (2012)), but differs by antennomere VII distinctly shorter than III in males (slightly longer than III in males of G. costipennis ), the elytral apex with dense pubescence (absent in G. costipennis ), distal antennomeres not pale in females (pale in females of G. costipennis ), elytra in males not reaching the apex of abdomen (reaching or almost reaching in males of G. costipennis ), and at least the tarsomeres I bicolorous (entirely dark in G. costipennis ).