Axina heveli Opitz, new species

Figures 70, 96.

Type material. Holotype. Male. Type locality: PANAMA, Canal Zone, 24-VI-1973, Gary Hevel (USNM). Paratypes. 2 specimens. Panama: Provincia de Panama, 30 km E Cañita, 28-V-1990, at light, F. Hovore (WOPC); Altos, Isla de Majé, 28-IV-1984, H. P. Stockwell (AMNH).

Diagnosis. From superficially similar specimens of Axina nigrifrons, A. heveli beetles differ by showing few asetiferous punctures on the elytral disc.

Description. Size. Length 13.0 mm; width 3.0 mm. Form. As in Fig. 96. Color. Cranium bicolorous, frons black, remainder flavotestaceous; antenna testaceous; thorax and abdomen flavotestaceous, except metasternum infuscated; elytra bicolorous, basal 1/3 and apical ¼ black, remainder flavotestaceous; legs bicolorous, prothoracic femora flavotestaceous, apical region of mesothoracic and metathoracic femora black, remainder of femora flavotestaceous; tibiae black; tarsi brown. Head: Cranium finely punctate, frons wider than length of antennal pedicel; EW/ FW 60/20. Thorax:Pronotum finely punctate, with 2 tumescences, concave at middle; PW/PL 150/180; elytra, asetiferous punctures not striate, punctures extend to elytron middle, width of interstitial spaces variable; elytral apex subacuminate; EL/EW 510/100. Abdomen: Aedeagus, phallobase tapered distally; phallobasic lobes very short and nearly contiguous; phallic plates serrate; phallobasic apodeme abbreviated.

Natural history. The holotype was collected from Panama during April–June.

Distribution (For a map see Fig. 70). This species is known from Panama.

Etymology. The specific epithet, heveli, is a patronymic that honors Gary Hevel, among the most knowledgeable Entomologists known to me.