Estoloides maesi Santos-Silva & Wappes & Galileo 2018, sp. nov.

Estoloides maesi sp. nov. (Figs 68–71)

Description. Female. Integument black except anteclypeus and apex of palpomeres dark reddish brown. Pubescence yellowish brown.

Head. Frons moderately coarsely and sparsely punctate, slightly denser laterally, with area between these punctures minutely, densely punctate; pubescence distinctly exposing integument, interspersed with long, erect pale yellow setae. Vertex with sculpture, pubescence and erect setae as on frons (punctures slightly coarser between antennal tubercles and upper eye lobes). Area behind upper eye lobes finely, sparsely punctate; pubescence partially obscuring integument, with long, erect, sparse setae interspersed close to eye. Area behind lower eye lobes tumid, gradually coarsely, sparsely punctate toward ventral side; remaining surface minutely, moderately abundantly punctate; tumid with pubescence partially obscuring integument, with long erect, sparse setae interspersed, and remaining surface glabrous. Antennal tubercles minutely, abundantly punctate, with fine, sparse punctures interspersed, absent close to apex; pubescence distinctly exposing integument, with long, erect setae interspersed. Median groove distinct only from about middle of frons to prothoracic margin. Genae moderately coarsely, sparsely punctate, transversely striate centrally; pubescence exposing integument, with long, erect seta interspersed. Gulamentum smooth and glabrous except finely transversely striate in area close to mentum, with pubescence not obscuring integument. Labrum convex, finely, sparsely punctate; with erect setae laterally, and fringe of short setae at distal margin. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.61 times length of scape (3.27 times width of one lobe); in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes equal to length of scape. Antennae 1.38 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at distal third of antennomere XI. Scape strongly, moderately abruptly widened internally close to base; minutely densely punctate, with moderately coarse, sparse punctures interspersed, distinctly less so on distal fifth; pubescence not obscuring integument, with long, erect setae interspersed throughout (especially ventrally). Antennomeres III–IV with sparse pubescence interspersed with long, erect setae, distinctly longer and more abundant ventrally; remaining antennomeres with pubescence more abundant, exposing integument, with long, erect setae interspersed ventrally, gradually shorter, sparser toward XI. Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III: scape = 0.69; pedicel = 0.17; IV = 0.94; V = 0.49; VI = 0.47; VII = 0.43; VIII = 0.40; IX = 0.35; X = 0.29; XI = 0.29.

Thorax. Prothorax, maximum width 1.35 times wider than long (including lateral tubercles); lateral tubercles large, placed slightly before middle, with apex acute. Pronotum with five low, slightly distinct gibbosities, one elongate, wide on basal half, narrowed toward distal margin, two on each side, subfused; moderately coarsely and sparsely punctate except smooth central gibbosity; pubescence exposing integument, slightly denser laterally, with long, erect setae interspersed. Sides of prothorax striate on base, moderately coarsely, sparsely punctate on wide central area, nearly smooth on wide, oblique area from procoxal cavity to distal margin (punctures slightly finer than on pronotum); pubescence not obscuring integument, with long, erect setae interspersed. Prosternum minutely, densely striate, with fine, sparse punctures interspersed; pubescence exposing integument, with long, erect, sparse setae interspersed. Prosternal process rugose; with long, erect, sparse setae and pubescence more distinct close to apex. Mesoventrite nearly glabrous centrally, pubescent laterally. Mesoventral process almost vertical close to mesoventrite. Mesanepisternum, mesepimeron and metanepisternum with pubescence abundant, but not obscuring integument. Metaventrite finely, sparsely punctate laterally; pubescence not obscuring integument, denser laterally, with moderately long, suberect, sparse setae interspersed. Elytra. Coarsely, moderately abundantly punctate, gradually finer toward apex; pubescence abundant, but not obscuring integument, with long, erect setae interspersed; apices individually rounded. Legs. Femora with pubescence exposing integument, with long, erect, sparse setae interspersed.

Abdomen. Pubescence abundant, but not obscuring integument, denser and with long, erect setae interspersed laterally. Ventrite V flat dorsally; apex truncate, slightly emarginate centrally.

Dimensions (mm). Total length, 11.38; prothoracic length, 2.18; basal prothoracic width, 2.25; distal prothoracic width, 1.86; maximum prothoracic width (between apices of lateral tubercles), 2.94; humeral width, 3.60; elytral length, 8.05.

Type material. Holotype female from NICARAGUA, Jinotega: Kilambé (1200 m), 22–25.V.2011, E. van den Berghe col. (FSCA).

Etymology. Named to honor and recognize Dr. Jean-Michel Maes, Leon, Nicaragua, for his many years of studying and publishing on the insects of Nicaragua. Also, very special thanks to Jean-Michel for assisting visiting researchers (second author is among them) with the documents needed to collect and export specimens from the country.

Remarks. Estoloides maesi sp. nov. differs from other species of the genus by the strongly, internally swollen scape, near its’ base (slightly and gradually widened in other species) and by the mesoventral process almost vertical close to the mesoventrite, similar to Estola species (gradually inclined in the other species). It cannot be placed in Estola however, because the head is not retractile.