Pujoliclerus meloinus, nov.sp.

Pujoliclerus meloinus OPITZ nov.sp. (Figs 25, 141, 251, 345)

Holotype: ♂. Type locality: ECUADOR: Orellana, 1 km S Okone Gare Camp, Reserva Etnica Waorani, 220-250 m, 12-I-1994, T. L. Erwin (USNM). Paratypes: 11 specimens. Ecuador: Provincia de Orellana, 1 km S Okone Gare Camp, Reserva Etnica Waorani, 220-250 m, 26-I- 1994, T. L. Erwin (USNM, 1); idem, 2-VII-1995, T. L. Erwin (WOPC, 1); idem, 4-X-1995, T. L. Erwin (USNM, 1; WOPC, 2). Peru: Provincia de Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Rio Tambopata Reservation, 30 km SW Puerto Maldonado, 12°50'S 069°20'W, 9-III-1984, T. L. Erwin (USNM, 2; WOPC, 1). idem, 8-IX-1983, T. L. Erwin (USNM, 1; WOPC, 1); idem, 12-IX-1984, T. L. Erwin (USNM, 1).

D i a g n o s i s: The genus Pujoliclerus PIC was revised in 2014 (OPITZ 2014d). This work included a key to species. Pujoliclerus meloinus specimens key to P. posticalis (CHAPIN) from which P. meloinus specimens differ by showing wider capitular antennomeres, partially yellow capitulum, and, in the male, the pygidium is deeply incised.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 4.0 mm; width 1.6 mm. Form: As in Fig. 345. Color: Cranium testaceous, epicranium with narrow medial line; antenna bicolorous, mostly brown, capitulum partially yellow; prothorax bicolorous, venter and pronotal anterior angles yellow, pronotal disc mostly black; pterothorax and abdomen brown; legs mostly yellow, prothoracic tibiae and femora infuscated; tarsi light brown; elytra mostly dark brown, posterior 1/2 of epipleural suture and elytral apex testaceous. Head: Cranium coarsely punctate; antenna (Fig. 25) capitate, most funicular antennomeres triangular, 6 th antennomeres robustly expanded; capitular antennomeres 8 and 9 triangular, antennomere 10 ovoid; eyes large, coarsely facetted, eye narrower than frons (EW/FW 23/27). Thorax: Pronotum (Fig. 139) transverse (PW/PL 64/60), disc finely punctate at middle, coarsely punctate at sides, lateral tubercles well developed; elytra sculptured with striae of asetiferous punctures that diminish at elytral 1/2 (EL/EW 180/50). Abdomen: Pygidium transverse / scutiform, posterior margin deeply incised; aedeagus as in Fig. 251.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: Specimens were collected during September, October, November, January, March and July, the Ecuadorian beetles at 220-250 m, the Peruvian beetles at 290 m.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: This species is known from Ecuador and Peru.

E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, meloinus, is a Greek name with the meaning of "dark"; with reference to the dorsal color of these beetles.