Notaepytus cubanacan Skelley, 2009, new species

Notaepytus cubanacan Skelley, new species

Figure 1b, 86, 91, 123

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other fulvitarsis species group taxa by the following characters: basal, subapical, and apical orangish marks on elytra (although reduced), short metasternum, greatly reduced wings, entirely dark pronotum, distinctly punctate elytral striae, and basal elytral band reduced to zigzag mark.

Description. Length: 9.0 mm; width: 4.2 mm. Body elongate, robust; surface microreticulate, weakly dulled to glossy. Color dark-brown to black except as noted: antennae, palpi, legs beyond middle of femur, apical third of elytral epipleural fold, lateral and apical abdomen red-brown; antennal club becoming paler toward apex; elytra with band at basal third reduced, zigzagged (Fig. 91, 123); elytral subapical mark large and prominent, apical mark reduced.

Head interocular width = 4 x ocular width; vertex and epistome finely punctate, obscured in microreticulation; epistome anterior margin shallowly concave. Eye facets moderate in size. Antennomere III length = 4 x width, length = length of antennomeres IV+V combined; antennomeres IV-VIII equal in length, each with length = 2-3 x width, becoming progressively shorter apically; antennomere IX triangular, length = 1.5 x width; antennomere XI subcircular, slightly elongate. Terminal maxillary palpomere triangular (Fig. 86), slightly asymmetrical, length = width. Terminal labial palpomere triangular, asymmetrical, width = 2 x length, expanded medially, width = 1.2 x terminal maxillary palpomere.

Pronotum transverse; punctures on disc fine; small group of large punctures at each side of base, puncture size = an ocular facet diameter; hind angle produced posteriorly, partially covering elytral humerus. Scutellum pentagonal, length = 0.4 x width. Elytral striae punctures distinct, separated by 2- 3 x their diameter; intervals with punctures fine, indistinct; base lacking marginal bead. Wings reduced to strips.

Prosternum weakly convex, length = 2.5 x intercoxal width; sternal punctures indistinct; sternal lines continuous around coxal cavity; base slightly concave. Mesosternal lines divergent anteriorly, continuous around coxal cavity. Metasternum short, distance between meso- and metacoxae = intermesocoxal width; anterior lines not meeting medially, continuous around mesocoxal cavity; with large punctures laterally, puncture size = an ocular facet diameter, punctures fine to lacking medially. Abdomen with coxal lines not meeting medially; not continuous around metacoxal cavity; punctures fine, obscured. Male genitalia unknown.

Distribution. Found in eastern Cuba.

Type Material. The female holotype of Notaepytus cubanacan (Fig. 123) is labeled: “/ Pico Turquino, S. side, June 1936, 3000-5000 ft., / Cuba 1936, Darlington, Collector/ [pale yellow paper] Specimen imaged 2008-West Indies Erotylinae, P. Skelley / [red paper] HOLOTYPE Notaepytus cubanacan P.E. Skelley /” (AMNH).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the word “Cubanacán”, which was the indigenous name for the island of Cuba when Columbus arrived in 1492, here used as a noun in apposition.