A new specie of Triplax from Ecuador

"The first neotropical specie of Triplax, Triplax cruentipennis, was described by acordaire in his monograph of 1842. In 1864 Philippi described T. valdiviana. Gorham's work in the "Biologia Centrali-Americana" in 1888 added four new species, T. championi, T. hogei, T. mesomelas, and T. rediviva. Guerin (1952) described T. bicolor and T. azurei-pennis. In 1957, Delkeskamp described T. maderi from Brazil, and Boyle (1954, 1956, 1962) has described four species from Arizona whose ranges are either known or thought to extend into Mexico". (David H. Johnson, "Neotropical Species of Genus Triplax Herbst And Review of Genus Haematochiton Gorham (Coleoptera: Erotylidae)", Proceedings of the United States National Museum - SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Vol. 123, No. 3601, 1967).

D. H. Johnson in 1967, listed 12 species in the genus. "Triplax species tend to be indicative of well-preserved forest ecosystems with a high biodiversity" (Franc, V (2001). Beetles of the family Erotylidae (Coleoptera) in the Slovakian fauna. Acta Zoologica Universitatis Comenianae, 44: 63-69). The zone where this Triplax specie was recorded, is a forest that is recovering from a very intensive mining activity, in the zone of Poce Enríquez, Azuay, Ecuador. Its presence in such a forest, was real surprise and it shows that, with the adequate treatment, a forest in this area can be successfully recovered. The specie of Triplax here recorded, is not any of the know species of the genus and is a new specie for science. Because I haven't found more specimens of this Erotylid, description and further publication will have to wait a little longer.

Publicado el 23 de mayo de 2015 a las 10:48 PM por