Hoplopyga antilliana Ratcliffe 2012

Hoplopyga antilliana Ratcliffe, 2012

(Figs. 13–17)

Hoplopyga antilliana Ratcliffe 2012: 112.

Holotype male at FSCA, labeled “WEST INDIES: GRENADA /Par. St. Andrews, Mirabeau/Agric. Lab, 23.VII.1990 /Blacklight, H. Thomas ”, examined. Type locality: “West Indies: Grenada/ Par. St. Andrews, Mirabeau/Agric. Lab. ”

Description. Length 15.5–16.5 mm; width across humeri 9.3–10.5 mm. Ground color of dorsum opaque, brownish yellow speckled with black. Head with distinct black spot either side of middle at base in both sexes. Pronotum with fuscous to piceous speckles or clouding on middle third (nearly or entirely obscuring ground color), fuscous, M-shaped mark (sometimes obscured by speckles), and narrow, longitudinal, brownish yellow band on midline (band sometimes absent or obscured). Elytra with fuscous to piceous clouding on surface (sometimes entirely obscuring ground color except just posterior to apical umbone on each elytron), with black markings as follows: each elytron with spot on mediodiscal area and J-shaped mark or reversed J-shaped mark on apical umbone. Ventral surface opaque, ground color brownish yellow speckled with black. Metasternum with reddish brown to piceous, shiny spot at middle and on apex of mesometasternal process. Abdominal sternites each reddish brown to piceous, shiny on middle third. Setae tawny. Head: Surface with large, dense, round and n-shaped punctures, each puncture with a minute seta in pristine specimens, punctures becoming smaller towards apex. Clypeal apex moderately reflexed, weakly emarginate at middle, weakly angulate either side of emargination. Antennal club distinctly longer than antennomeres 2–7 combined. Pronotum: Lateral margins obtusely angulate, appearing broadly rounded. Surface with small, moderately dense, n-shaped punctures on middle, punctures becoming large and dense laterally. Lateral margins with bead, bead sometimes reaching apical angle. Elytra: Surface of each elytron with 2 distinctly elevated, discal costae, lateral costa on each elytron interrupted and depressed on mediodiscal area. Depressions between costae with n-shaped punctures; punctures large, dense, arranged longitudinally in striae, not extending to base near scutellum. Apical declivity with large, dense, n-shaped punctures. Lateral margins with small, dense, round punctures, punctures becoming larger and n-shaped towards apex. Sutural costae each elevated into longitudinal keel on posterior half. Apices at suture strongly spinose. Pygidium: Surface distinctly convex in both sexes, with large, dense, concentric, n-shaped or m-shaped punctures. Venter: Metasternum with large, dense, n-shaped and transversely vermiform punctures either side of middle, punctures with short, dense setae. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, subparallel to horizontal axis of body, moderately protuberant beyond mesocoxae; in ventral view (Fig. 14), apex broadly rounded. Abdominal sternites with large, dense, n-shaped punctures on lateral, opaque areas. Legs: Protibia slender, tridentate in both sexes, with distinct apical tooth, middle and basal teeth reduced. Parameres: Shaft divergent between midpoint and apex (Figs. 15–16). Lateral margins with broad bulge between midpoint and apex. Apices each with minute, lateral spur. Ventral face obliquely angled, visible in lateral view.

Distribution. Hoplopyga antilliana from Grenada and Union Island in the Lesser Antilles (Fig. 17) is the only Hoplopyga species known from the West Indies.

Locality Records. 9 specimens from BCRC, CMNC, FSCA, and UNSM. GRENADA (8): SAINT ANDREW (8): Mirabeau, Pearls Airport. SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES (1): UNION ISLAND (1): Chatham Bay.

Temporal Distribution. January (1), June (4), July (1), August (1), September (1), October (1).

Diagnosis. Hoplopyga antilliana is similar in appearance to H. liturata but is found only in the West Indies, whereas H. liturata does not occur there. Hoplopyga antilliana is darker and more robust than H. liturata and has two distinct, black spots at the base of the head. Hoplopyga liturata specimens sometimes have black clouding at the base of the head but never in the form of welldefined spots.

Natural History. Little is known of the natural history of this species, but Ratcliffe (2012) indicated that H. antilliana adults are attracted to decaying fruits and sap. Specimens in the type series were attracted to blacklights at night.