Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 77. (Budapest 1985)

Marcuzzi, G.: New taxa of Neotropical Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera)

mandibles being set at a lower level (different from T. varvasi where clypeus with apex included between mandibles). Pronotum very transverse, gradually narrowing from base to apex, with only slightly bent sides, with anterior angles well pronounced (more than in T. varvasi) and hind ones obtuse. Base very slightly sinuate before hind angles ; apex sinuate. Convex, smooth, with exception of above mentioned punctures at sides and base.

—E lytrae at base scarcely broader than pronotum, convex, sides slightly bent from base to apex, widest at middle and with apex rather rounded. Convexity of pronotum not continuous with that of elytrae which rather brusquely bent before apex. —

L e g s normal, tibiae and tarsi a little more dilated than in T. varvasi. Mentum very transverse, hexagonal, at apex slightly sinuate, densely and minutely punctured. Mandibles evidently asymmetric. Mentum concealing labium. Gula short, scarcely punctured. Reflected part of pronotum (BLAIR'S propleurae) reaching pro-coxae, regularly dilated towards base, anteriorly densely and coarsely punctured, posteriorly perfectly smooth.

—True prosternum strongly and very closely punctured, punctures smaller on median process. Latter wide, rather short and posteriorly almost vertically cut. Mesosternum short, with narrow epimeres, rather shining, with very scattered punctation; true mesosternum very coarsely though not densely punctered, with a small obtuse tubercle between coxae in contact with intercoxal process of metasternum. Latter very short, with epimeres scarcely but strongly punctured, punctures tending to confluence, mesad rather smooth, shining, with a triangular intercoxal process. Urosterna feebly shining, rather smooth with exception of a very scattered and feeble punctation, latter a little denser on intercoxal process. Pygidium minutely and closely punctured. Epipleurae very broad at base, then gradually narrowing towards apex, smooth. Ventral side of femurs and tibiae with a rather evident and close punctation, shining; tarsi furnished with a light, short pubescence, a little brush-like.

—Length: 6.5-7 mm. Locus classicus: Cuba, Prov. Oriente, Puerto Boniato, near Santiago, 10 XI 1967, leg. R. BIELAWSKI et A. RIEDEL, holotype preserved in the Inst. Zool. P.A.N. Warszawa, 51/67. 1 çf (?) ex. belonging to coll. O. GARRIDO, La Habana, Cuba, from Santiago, I 1945. Very similar to habitus and size to Trientoma varvasi SOLIER, from which the new species can be distinguished in the following characters: dull, head furnished with very few longitudinal furrows near the eyes (Fig. 5), whereas in T. varvasi the head is longer and the furrows occupy most of the forehead and the vertex (Figs. 6-7)*. Similar to T. wickhami CASEY of Bahamas (Egg Island) because of the stout body, convex, deeply black, short antennae, but different because of the complete absence of punctation on the dorsal surface. As for the shape of the body, it is short, plump and convex and the black colour is a little reminiscent of T. kochi MARCUZZI of Cayman Brae, but it is different because of the black antennae (instead of ferrugineous) and the upper surface which in T. kochi is punctate. The new species should be, together with T. wickhami, the most evolved and possibly the oldest species of the genus. It is different from T. rugifrons of Santo Domingo in the middle lobe of clypeus being long and in its punctation; different from T. mexicana (= sallei) from Santo Domingo because of the straight base of the prothorax. The five species considered here should be the oldest of the genus, which is in accordance with the geological data (emersion of Hispaniola 30 million years ago that of Cuba 20 million years ago). In this case one could imagine the first appearance of Hispaniola, then a passage to Cuba, from which the genus has reached the Bahamas and Cayman Brae. On Cuba speciation has brought about the disappearance of any punctation of the upper surface of the body. Diastolinus bielawskii sp. n. (Fig. 8) Large, convex, perfectly dull, reddish-yellow with exception of last three joints of antennae.

— Head with an extremely fine punctation, raised slightly before eyes ; these rather large, somewhat rounded, not prominent relative to the antennary orbits (lateral lobes), practically divided by hind margin of lateral lobes. Clypeus deeply sinuate.

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A n t e n n a e short, not reaching basis of pronotum. Ill joint a little longer than IV, from IV to VII only slightly gradually shorter, VIII transverse, IX-XI strongly transverse and densely pubescent, IX and X wider than XL—

P r o n o t u m com* I have examined the following material of T. varvasi (coll. GARRIDO): 1 ex. Puerto Manati, Tunas. 12. 1981 ; 3 ex. Guantámano, Tortuguilla, 17. 9. 1980; 1 ex. Versallés, Santiago, 6. 1982; 1 ex. Cayo Caronas, Cienfuegos, 7. 1937.