Pelecium belloi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7959B9EA-F55F-4ED2-98F1-DC4CC6383E2A

Figs 2I–K, 25

Diagnosis

A medium-sized species (10 mm) distinguishable among other congeners by the combination of the following features. Head frontal fovea punctiform (Fig. 2J). Pronotum median line fine and shallow; posterior impressions shallow, inconspicuous. Elytra ovate, without any deeply impressed striae (Fig. 2I). Adults of P. belloi sp. nov. and P. laeve are quite similar, as both have no deeply impressed elytral striae, but in the former species the pronotum is slightly wider than long, with sides arcuate and shortly subsinuate posteriorly, while in the latter the pronotum is elongate and slender, with sides equally arcuate throughout their lengths.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ belloi ’ is an eponym in honor of the Brazilian coleopterist Ayr de Moura Bello, who lent us Carabidae beetles important for the present work and other taxonomic and morphological studies in progress.

Type material

Holotype

BRAZIL • ♀; São Paulo, São Luis do Paraitinga, Parque Estadual Serra do Mar Núcleo Sta. Virgínia; Nov. 2004; M. Uehara leg.; “\\ Coleção A.M. BELLO \\ Pelecium belloi Orsetti & Lopes-Andrade HOLOTYPUS ” [printed on red paper]; CAMB.

Paratypes

BRAZIL • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 1 Jan. 2005; “\\ Coleção A.M. BELLO \\ Pelecium belloi Orsetti & Lopes-Andrade PARATYPUS ” [printed on yellow paper]; CAMB.

Description

Female (holotype, fully pigmented adult)

MEASUREMENTS (in mm). AL1 0.6, AL2 0.3, EL 4.7, EW 3.5, PL 2.6, PW 2.6, HL 1.3, HW 1.9, TL 8.6, TL/EW 2.5, lp2L 0.5, lp3L 0.5, lp3 W 0.2, mp3L 0.2, mp4L 0.5, mp4 W 0.2.

BODY. Ovate, flat; disc of head, pronotum and elytra shiny black, with purple and green reflections on sides in dorsal view; glabrous (Fig. 2I). Ventral surface shiny black.

HEAD. Microreticulate; frontal foveae shallow, punctiform (Fig. 2J). Antennae reddish brown, long, reaching anterior portion of elytra; antennomeres 1–3 with few long, sparse yellowish setae on apical portion; antennomeres 4–11 fully covered by short yellowish setae. Apical labial and maxillary palpomeres with long, sparse yellowish setae; ovate with apex obliquely truncated; reddish brown, apicalmost portion lighter.

PRONOTUM. Slightly wider than long; sides arcuate, shortly subsinuate posteriorly, each with pair of long setae; median line narrow, shallow; posterior impressions shallow, inconspicuous.

ELYTRA. Ovate, without any deeply impressed striae; three striae faintly impressed; in between striae shiny and impunctate.

LEGS. Dark reddish brown; protarsomeres 1–4 expanded, ventrally with vestiture of adhesive setae; protibiae expanded at apex, with few long yellowish setae ventrally and around antennal cleaner; mesotibiae slender, with few long yellowish setae laterally throughout their lengths; metatibiae slender, with few long yellowish setae ventrally on apical half.

GONOCOXITE 1 (Fig. 2K). Outer and inner sides arcuate; inner side forming acute projection on posterior margin; anterior margin dull.

GONOCOXITE 2 (Fig. 2K). Subtriangular; apex rounded; basal lobe with ensiform setae on each side; ensiform setae long, with half to one-third the length of gonocoxite 2; apex with slender setae.

Male

Unknown.

Variation

All specimens examined are females and, among all, the one in the best condition was chosen as the holotype.

MEASUREMENTS (in mm) (n= 4). AL1 0.6–0.9 (0.75 ± 0.13), AL2 0.3–0.4 (0.33 ± 0.05), EL 4.7–7.0 (5.6 ± 0.99), EW 3.5–4.6 (3.83 ±0.53), PL 2.6–3.6 (2.95 ± 0.44), PW 2.6–3.6 (2.95 ± 0.44), HL 1.3–1.6 (1.38 ± 0.15), HW 1.9–2.0 (1.93± 0.05), TL 8.6–12.2 (9.93 ± 1.57), TL/EW 2.5–2.7 (2.59 ±0.09), lp2L 0.5–0.5 (0.5 ±0.0), lp3L 0.5–0.6 (0.53± 0.05), lp3 W 0.2 –0.2 (0.2 ± 0.0), mp3L 0.2–0.3 (0.28± 0.05), mp4L 0.5–0.7 (0.6 ± 0.08), mp4 W 0.2 –0.3 (0.25 ± 0.06).

Remarks

We include P. belloi sp. nov. in the P. laeve species group due to the punctiform frontal impressions and the lack of elytral striation.