Hemipeplus pollocki KC, 2025

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 48-50

Hemipeplus pollocki KC , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7B7A5ABC-9427-461F-B53D-CEB8D503CDCB

(Figs 21, 61)

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled: ‘ MEX: Sonora: Nacori Chico, Rancho los Pescados, 13 APR 92 Col: E. Joyal ( ASU) / 29°29’N, 108°59’W, 780 m. elev., in new leaves Sabal mesana [ uresana ] ( Arecaceae ) / [green label] ♂ / [red label] HOLOTYPE ♂ Hemipeplus pollocki KC’, in ASU. Twenty-four paratypes: 2 females, same label as holotype, in ASU; 12 specimens [1 without head, 2 without head and prothorax], sex unknown, same label as holotype, ‘ / Oedmeridoe? [ Oedemeridae ] Det. M. Catier’ [on one specimen], in ASU; 10 specimens [1 without head], sex unknown, labeled: ‘ MEX: Sonora, Yecora, Rancho el Palmer de Onavas, 16 OCT 91 Col: E. Joyal ( ASU) / 28°29’30’’N 109°23’W 700m. elevation, in new leaves Sabal mesana [ uresana ] ( Arecaceae ) / Hemipeplus det. M. Gimmel 2015 [in one specimen]’, in ASU.

Derivation of Specific Epithet. The specific name (noun in the genitive case) is given in allusion to Darren A. Pollock, for the help he provided to the first author during his Master’s graduate studies on Hemipeplinae , and for his contributions to the taxonomy of Hemipeplinae .

FIGURE 21. Hemipeplus pollocki sp. nov. (Holotype) A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Male genitalia dorsal view without spiculum gastrale; E. Tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view with one paramere removed.

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus pollocki sp. nov. can be distinguished by its rufous shiny color compared to the duller rufopiceous color of the similar-appearing H. thomasi (Fig. 20). Hemipeplus pollocki sp. nov. has the following diagnostic features: temples present, prominent and rounded; scape submoniliform; eyes moderately large (as long as scape + pedicel) but very shallow, moderately convex; pronotum subcordiform, wide with a deep anterior emargination, anterior half widened, lateral margins sinuate; anterolateral angles produced, broadly rounded; pronotal pad narrow, not significantly raised; posterolateral angles square, rounded; pronotal lobe indistinct without median notch; pronotal pits deep with strong grooves; body long and wide; elytra flat; color shiny, rusty brown/ rufous dorsally, elytra dark rufous; distribution: Mexico (Sonora).

Description. Measurements (in mm)—GHW: 0.82–0.96; HL: 0.75–0.91; AL: 1.18–1.30; GPW: 0.91–1.05; PL: 0.75–0.93; GEW: 1.26–1.50; EL: 4.04–4.84; TL: 5.54–6.68.

Head (Fig. 21B) wide (GHW/HL: 1.05–1.09); eyes moderately large (as long as scape + pedicel), shallow and moderately convex; temples, short and round; occiput with raised areas; antennae shorter than head and pronotum length combined; antennal scape, submoniliform, apically dilated, and produced externally on one side; pedicel small moniliform; antennomere III elongate and apically dilated; IV much shorter, moniliform, apically dilated; V short, apically dilated; VI–X subtriangular or bowl shaped, each wider than the next; XI subpyriform with apex narrowed after median notch; lateral mandibular tooth absent or extremely small. Pronotum (Fig. 21B) wide (GPW/PL: 1.13–1.21); anterior margin with deep median emargination; anterolateral angles rounded and produced; lateral margins sinuate; posterior half contracted; posterolateral angles square and rounded; pronotal lobe slight/ truncate without median notch; pronotal pad (Fig. 21C) not significant or well raised; pronotal pits deep and dark with significant oval grooves. Scutellar shield convex or subpentagonal, transverse, about twice as wide as long. Elytra (Fig. 21A) elongate (EL/GEW: 3.20–3.23) and flat; vestiture short and scarce; apical patch long and darker than elytra; Ventral surface. Prosternal process short, not extending to the posterior of procoxae; hypomeral edges widely separated; mesosternal process narrow and linear. Color rufous, shiny, elytra darker; about uniformly brown ventrally, inner edge of hypomeron piceous, elytral epipleura piceous, tarsi slightly paler.

Male Genitalia (Figs 21D–F). (Tegmen length = 0.65 mm (n = 1)) Lobe of basale very short and apically rounded; shoulders almost straight, rectangular, without a slant; apicale and basale with distinct suture; apicale long, weakly sinuate, each half forked into two parts, a shorter paramere and a much longer arcuate paramere; apices of parameres sharp and pointed; penis shorter than tegmen.

Variation. Some specimens have anterolateral pronotal angles more produced compared to others.

Remarks. Despite significant morphological differences, the sheen and body shape of Hemipeplus pollocki sp. nov. are similar to those of H. anishae sp. nov. from Belize, suggesting a possible affinity between the two species.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 61). Mexico (Sonora).

Natural History. According to specimen label data, H. pollocki sp. nov. was collected associated with Sabal uresana Trel. ( Arecaceae ).