Euphoria eximia Bates 1889

Euphoria eximia Bates, 1889

(Appendix 4: Fig. 40)

Euphoria eximia Bates 1889: 372. Original combination.

Lectotype at BMNH designated by Hardy (2001), examined. Other syntypes not found; no paralectotypes designated.

Euphoria longula Casey 1915: 314. New synonymy.

Holotype at USNM, examined.

Description (n = 26). Length 10.3–14.1 mm; width 6.2–8.3 mm. Color: Dorsal surface tomentous in males, shiny in females. Pronotum yellowish brown to black, with 1 large black vitta, frequently branched basally on each side of midline; sides occasionally with whitish, cretaceous lateral line in males. Elytra yellowish brown with black markings; markings small to moderate, irregular in shape, mainly on costae, occasionally covering most of surface. Ventral surface, including legs, dark brown, reddish, light brown, or a combination of these colors. Abdominal sternites of males frequently with lateral, cretaceous spots, sternites frequently bicolored. Male pygidium with 1 whitish, cretaceous marking on each side. Head: Frons slightly raised at middle, densely punctate; punctures round, deep, confluent, moderate in size, sparsely to moderately densely setose; setae moderate to long, yellowish. Clypeus elongated, laterally expanded anteriorly in dorsal view, lateral margins weakly raised or not raised, apex not reflexed, strongly sinuate, punctation and setae as on frons. Antennal club twice as long as stem in males, as long as or slightly shorter in females. Pronotum: Surface moderately densely to densely punctate; punctures round to lunulate, small to moderate in size, sparsely to moderately densely setose; setae short to moderate, yellowish; sides with few rugae. Small swelling frequently present behind anterior margin at center. Base in front of scutellum weakly to moderately emarginate. Scutellum impunctate or with a few small punctures on lateral margins. Elytra: Surface moderately densely to densely punctate, striae bearing 2 densely punctate, lateral rows and 1 sparsely punctate medial row; punctures small to moderate, lunulate to irregular. Apex and sides weakly rugose. Surface glabrous to sparsely setose; setae minute to short, yellowish. Pygidium: Surface subconcentrically striate, sparsely to moderately densely setose; setae, minute to short, yellowish, females frequently with polished area at middle. Apex evenly rounded in males, slightly pointed in females. Legs: Protibiae slender in males, robust in females, basal tooth obsolete to subobsolete in males, weakly to well developed in females. Mesotibial carina weakly developed in males, moderately developed in females. Metatibiae strongly expanded apically in females, not expanded in males, spurs slender in males, at least one stout in females. Venter: Mesometasternal process moderately compressed laterally, extending anteriorly to same level as mesocoxae or slightly beyond, mesosternal lobe glabrous, impunctate, apex variably rounded to truncate. Metasternum rugose, setose laterally, glabrous and impunctate at middle, median sulcus strongly impressed. Abdominal sternites sparsely setose medially, moderately setose laterally; setae moderate in size, whitish to yellowish. Abdomen in lateral view flat to weakly concave in males, strongly convex in females. Male genitalia: Parameres as in Fig. 40c.

Diagnosis. This species is separated from other species in the group by the elongate clypeus with apex not reflexed, sides of the pronotum, pygidium, and abdominal sternites of males frequently with cretaceous areas, antennal club twice as long as the stem in males, and form of the parameres.

Taxonomic History. Bates (1889) described the species based on two females from Costa Rica. Casey (1915) described an additional female of this species from San Pedro Sula, Honduras as E. longula. Hardy (2001) incorrectly included E. longula as a synonym of E. avita. Based on the examination of 26 specimens of E. eximia, and 61 of E. avita, including the types, I place E. longula in synonymy with E. eximia. Hardy (2001) used the incorrect spelling “ Euphoria exima ”.

Natural History. Males have been observed attracted to females that were resting on vegetation. In Costa Rica, the species is known to occur at elevations between 1,000–1,500 m (Solís 2004).

Temporal Distribution. May (1), June (15), July (1) (Fig. 40e). Solís (2004) reported the species being active from February to July in Costa Rica.

Geographic Distribution. Known from Chiapas, Mexico through Costa Rica (Fig. 40f).

Specimens Examined (26). Type material: Euphoria eximia Bates, 1889; lectotype male at BMNH labeled “LECTO-/TYPE/ TYPE// Costa Rica // Salle Coll// 1340// Euphoria / eximia/ Bates.// B.C.A. Col., II(2)./ Euphoria // LECTOTYPE / Euphoria / eximia/ Bates = By/ A.R. Hardy, 78”. Euphoria longula Casey, 1915; holotype female at USNM labeled “Hond// CASEY / bequest/ 1925// TYPE USNM/ 48672 // longula/ Csy// Euphoria / longula/ Casey”. Other material: COSTA RICA (17): GUANACASTE: Cañas (5); HEREDIA: La Caja (1); PUNTARENAS: Santa Elena (5); SAN JOSÉ: San José (5); NO DATA: (1). HONDURAS (2): CORTÉS: San Pedro Sula (1); LA PAZ: La Paz (1). MEXICO (4): CHIAPAS: Chiapa de Corzo (1), Parque Nacional Cañon del Sumidero (3). NICARAGUA (1): GRANADA: Mombacho (1).