Cycloneda disconsolata Vandenberg & Gonzalez 2006, new species

Cycloneda disconsolata Vandenberg & González, new species (Figs. 1 B; 3 B; 4 O–P; 8 B; 10) Diagnosis: Distinguished from other Cycloneda species by tricolored elytra with a pair of cream­colored teardrop­shaped marks, one on each side of the suture (Fig. 1 B), convex oblong body form (Fig. 3 B), and antenna composed of 10 antennomeres. This species appears to be closely related to C. lacrimosa, but, unlike the preceding species, the suture is ferrugineous and distinctly darker than the pale elytral maculae (Figs. 4 O–P). Cycloneda disconsolata can be distinguished from all other species except C. lacrimosa by the teardrop­shaped mark near the elytral suture. Description (Holotype female): Length 3.3 mm, width 2.3 mm. Form shortened oblong, nearly parallel­sided, convex, apically pointed; elytral, pronotal margins very narrowly reflexed. Punctation on dorsal surfaces fine, regular, with each puncture separated by 2.0–3.0X its diameter; surface between punctures shiny, reticulate on head, pronotum, with only faint trace of reticulation visible on elytron. Dorsal color pattern as follows: Head black with two irregular cream­colored spots, one at inner margin of each eye extending from eye canthus to just below level of upper 1 / 3 of eye; eye dark with hint of silvery reflections; labrum dark brown. Pronotum predominantly black; lateral margins narrowly cream­colored, widened apically to enclose entire anterior angle, terminating opposite inner orbit of eye, faintly suggested beyond by cream­colored stippling. Scutellum black. Elytron with deeply incised irregular black figure against cream­colored background as shown (Fig. 1 B, 4 P); figure offset from lateral margin by cream­colored band about equal to scutellar width, offset from sutural margin by equally broad ferrugineous band; black figure with incised borders as follows: base with semicircular emargination; outer border with anteromedial trapezoidal emargination, apical 1 / 4 with deep spatulate incision beginning at outer border, nearly attaining ferrugineous sutural band; inner border with large teardrop­shaped emargination near midline; union of dark, light areas irregular, narrowly ferrugineous, strongly suffused at elytral apex, humeral angle. Each puncture of dorsal surfaces with pinpoint of brown at center, visible only in areas with light to medium background coloration; staggered double row of punctures nearest suture with more pronounced pigmentation; scattering of similar punctures visible on margins of cream­colored maculae near suture. Anterior, lateral margins of pronotum, all margins of elytron narrowly transparent, pale amber on outer elytral margins, dark reddish amber on sutural margin. Ground color of ventral surfaces dark reddish brown, nearly black; elytral epipleuron, pronotal hypomeron except basal dark spot at inner margin cream­colored; mesepimeron cream­colored; antenna, mouthparts amber brown with first, last two antennomeres dark brown; legs nearly black with all tarsi, protibia, apex of meso­, metatibia slightly lighter. Ventral surfaces including appendages clothed in decumbent silvery white pubescence. Eyes finely facetted separated by 2 ½X eye diameter; inner orbits nearly parallel in lower half, diverging at upper level. Antenna of 10 antennomeres, combined length slightly greater than distance between eyes; third antennomere elongate, 1 ½X length of second, subequal to four plus five combined. Pronotum evenly convex except for very narrowly reflexed transparent lateral margin; in outline with basal margin subsinuate, lateral margin strongly evenly arcuate, anterior margin subtrapezoidally emarginate, medially slightly arcuately produced; anterior angles subtriangulate, in dorsal view obscured by curvature of pronotum with only extreme apex visible, projecting ventrally, slightly anteriorly. Elytron broad (Figs. 4 O–P), in dorsal view with humeral angle rounded, weakly arcuate from beyond humeral angle to apical two­fifths, broadest just beyond middle, almost linearly tapered distally, rounded at extreme apex; epipleuron weakly concave, horizontal in anterior half, progressively inwardly sloping in posterior half. Prosternum T­shaped, with lateral arms gently folded back from stem, in cross section forming shallow arc; intercoxal process weakly convex, shallowly triangularly impressed along midline in distal 1 / 4 th. Mesosternum trapezoidal; anterior border approximately linear, with raised margin. Metasternum broad, with postmesocoxal line reaching lateral margin; surface polished with faint transverse rugulae, more apparent near midline; discrimen present, indistinct. Abdomen shortened semi­oval, broadest between first, second ventrites; posterior margin of ventrites 1–4 linear, of 5 weakly arcuate; exposed portion of 6 subtriangular; postmetacoxal line of first abdominal ventrite curved posterolaterad, closely paralleling posterior margin for much of length, not attaining lateral margin. Tarsal claw with shallow subquadrate basal tooth. Genitalia as in figure 8 B. Male: Unknown. Variation: Length 2.9 to 3.3 mm. Pale anterior margin of pronotum obsolete to narrow but entire; one specimen with pair of linear cream­colored marks enclosed within dark pronotal disc, situated one on each side at anterior 1 / 3, equidistant from lateral margin and midline. Elytron with pale marks as in holotype or with cream­colored markings more extensive, with anterior mark joined to teardrop­shaped mark as shown (Fig. 4 O). Dark coloration on pronotum, elytron varies from blackish to dark reddish brown. Venter blackish to medium brown. Tarsi dark brown to light yellow brown or amber; pro­, mesotibia, apex of metatibia yellow brown in one specimen. Type material: Holotype (female), “ 37 [round label]/Lupica, Parinacota, [Tarapaca,] Chile, 3 2000 m.s.n.m., Mayo 20, 1982 /En paja brava, D. Bobadilla coll./ Coccinellina eryngii? (Mulsant) det. R.Gordon 87 " (INIA); Paratypes (total= 2 females), 1 “ Valcheta, [Rio Negro,] Arg./No. 392, So Amer, Montevideo, Paras Lab, Date 1­20 ­ 43 Host ” (USNM), 1 “RIO SECO, Cord: Arica, 18 ­Nov­ 1952, Coll: L.E.Pena ” (USNM). Etymology: From the Latin disconsolatus (L. dis ­ + consolatus, p. p. of consolari to console), meaning “incapable of being consoled, filled with grief, hopelessly sad,” the name is a reference to the pair of teardrop­shaped marks, one on each side of the elytral suture. Remarks: The antenna of this species appears to have a similar shape and proportions to examples of C. lacrimosa with 10 antennomeres (Fig. 9 B). The antenna of C. disconsolata was not dissected and slide mounted due to the paucity of material available, and the desire to keep the type specimens intact. Data from specimens examined (Map, Fig. 10): see “ Type material,” above.
Published as part of González, Guillermo & Vandenberg, Natalia J., 2006, Review of lady beetles in the Cycloneda germainii species complex (Coleoptera; Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae: Coccinellini) with descriptions of new and unusual species from Chile and surrounding countries, pp. 13-50 in Zootaxa 1311 on pages 23-25, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.173868