Neorthopleura thomasi OPITZ nov.sp. (Figs 28, 29, 196, 232, 313) Holotype: ♂. Type locality: CAYMAN ISL.: Cayman Brac: Major Donald Dr., 6 km E jct. Ashton Reid Dr., 4.vii.2013, blacklight trap, Col: M. C. Thomas (FSCA). Paratypes: 142 specimens. West Indies: Grand Cayman Island, 7-X-1990, blacklight trap, P. Fitzgerald (FSCA, 1); idem, 29-XI- 1992, blacklight trap, P. Fitzgerald (FSCA, 1); idem, 214- XI-1992, blacklight trap, P. Fitzgerald (FSCA, 1); Boatswan Point, Lime Tree Estate, 21-VI-1976, E. J. Gerberg (FSCA, 1); vic. Gun Bay, N19°21.074' W81°05.727', 3-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 5; WOPC, 1); idem, 4-VI-2008, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 4; WOPC, 2); Georgetown, UCCI, 3-VI-2008, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); Hemmington Road at Songbird Drive, 24-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball (FSCA, 1; WOPC, 1); Botanic Garden, 4-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 1); Mastic Trail, S Trailhead, N19°34.089' W81°19.305', 28-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball (FSCA, 1); North Coast Road,. 1 km West Olivine Kirk Drive, 26-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball (FSCA, 2); Little Cayman Island, 3.6 miles W Coot Marsh, 6-VII-2013, R. Turnbow (WOPC, 6); North Side Road, 1 km W Junction Olivine Kirk Drive, 5-VII-2013, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); 3 miles E junction Olivine Kirk Drive + Guy Banks Road, 6-VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 3); Cayman Brac Island, Hemmington Road, N19°42.639' W79°48.907', 8-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 5); Brac Paradise Subdivision, N19°44.688' W79°44.359', 6-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 2); N19°43.158 W79°47.579', 6-VI-2008, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas, R. H. Turnbow, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 4; WOPC, 1); Cayman Brac, 9 km E Brac, Parrot Reserve, 3-4-VII- 2013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (FSCA, 4; WOPC, 1)); idem, 4-VII-2013, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 4; WOPC, 1); idem, 3-VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); idem, 2-VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); idem, bulldozed road station, 2-VII-2013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 2); Major Donald Drive, 4 km E junction Ashton Reid Drive, 22-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball (WOPC, 1); Major Donald Drive, 6 km E junction Ashton Reid Road, 3- VII-2013, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); idem, 23-V-2009, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); idem, 7-VI- 2008, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 5; WOPC, 10); idem, 5-VI-2008, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); idem, 6-VI-2008, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); Brac Paradise Subdivision, 22-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball (WOPC, 2); Agricultural Experiment Station, S Songbird Drive, 4-VII- 2013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 2); 3.6 miles W Coot Marc, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 2); Bloody Bay, 6 km E junction Spot Bay Road, N. Coast Drive, 5-VII-20013, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 1); North Coast Road, 1 km W junction Olivine Kirk Road, 27-V-2009, blacklight trap, Thomas, Turnbow, & Ball (WOPC, 1); Bahamas Islands: Andros Island, Atala Coppice, 8-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 1); idem, 8-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 3); Forfar Field Station, near Stafford Creek, 22-28-VII-2006, UV trap, M. C. Thomas, T. R. Smith (FSCA, 3; WOPC, 3); Forfar Field Station, 8-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); idem, 6-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); idem, 9-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); idem, 24-VII-2006, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 3); idem, 323- VII-2006, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); idem, 25-VII-2006, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); idem, 26-VII-2008, R. H. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); Cargill Creek, 26-VII-2006, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 1); Maidenhair Coppice, 24-28-VII- 2006, UV trap, M. C. Thomas, T. R. Smith (FSCA, 1); idem, 11-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (FSCA, 1); idem, 10-VI-2004, R. H. Turnbow (WOPC, 2); Forfar Field Station, Stafford Creek, 7-VI-2001, blacklight trap, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 1); idem, 8-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 1); idem, 6-VI-2001, blacklight trap in coastal coppice, M. C. Thomas (FSCA, 1); idem, 9-VI-2004, blacklight trap, M. C. Thomas (WOPC, 1); idem, 22-28-VII-2006, ultraviolet light trap in coastal coppice, M. C. Thomas & T. R. Smith (WOPC, 1); London Ridge, 24-VII- 1987, high interior coppice, J. B. Browne (WOPC, 1); Blanket Snd (N), Forfar Field Station, 17-V- 1987, junction of low coast, coppice & dry-pineland, blacklight, J. Browne (CMNC, 1); idem, 12- VII-1987, low coast coppice, blacklight, J. Browne (CMNC, 2); idem, Robinson’s Place, 11-VI- 1987, wet pineland, blacklight, J. Browne (CMNC, 1); idem, Fresh Creek, Andros Twn Andriosa, 10-VII-1987, high interior coppice, blacklight, J. Browne (CMNC, 1); idem, 13-VII-1987, low interior coppice, blacklight, J. Browne (CMNC, 7; WOPC, 1); idem, 6-7-VII-1987, low coast coppice, blacklight, J. Browne (CMNC, 1); idem, 6-VIII-1987, interior coppice, blacklight, J. Browne (WOPC, 3); idem, 8-VIII-1987, high coppice, blacklight, J. Browne (WOPC, 1); Bahamas Islands, Nassau, New Providence Island, 16-IV-1953, at lights, E. B. Hayden (AMNH, 1); Abaco Cays, Green Turtle Cay, New Plymouth, 7-V-1953, E. B. Hayden & G. B. Rabb (AMNH, 1); Bahamas Islands, Exuma Island, Hummingbird Cay, W Georgetown, 10-VI-1968, B. K. Dozier (FSCA, 1). D i a g n o s i s: Specimens of this species superficially resemble those of Neorthopleura uncoentis OPITZ, from which they differ by showing a dark brown cranium, a brown elytral disc, and the phallus has uncinate plates. The genus Neorthopleura BARR was revised by OPITZ (2013b). D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 6.5 mm; width 2.0 mm. Form: As in Fig. 313. Color: Dark brown, except prothorax and mesoscutellum reddish, and faintly pale lunulate fascia behind middle of elytral disc. Head: Densely, finely punctate; antenna (Figs 28, 29) capitate, funicular antennomeres progressively shorter towards capitulum, antennomeres 9 and 10 with short (Fig. 29, female) or long (Fig. 28, male) collateral branch, antennomere 11 oblong; eyes large, finely facetted, eye wider (male) or less wider (female) than frons (EW/FW 33/20, male; EW/FW 35/30, female). Thorax: Pronotum (Fig. 196) convex, slightly transverse, profusely finely punctate; side margins linear (PW/PL 88/85); elytra moderately convex, disc densely sculptured with small setiferous punctures, with 8 shallow ridges; epipleural margin abruptly terminates at elytral middle (EL/EW 265/68). Abdomen: Pygidium oblong/scutiform; aedeagus as in Fig. 232. Variation: Length 4.0-12.0 mm; width 1.4-4.0 mm. The faintly pale lunulate fascia behind the middle of the elytral disc is variable in appearance. The antennal capitulum and frons are sex dimorphic. N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: The available specimens were collected from May to July, and during November. D i s t r i b u t i o n: This species is known from the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. E t y m o l o g y: The trivial name, thomasi, is a patronymic that honors Michael C. Thomas for his many contributions to taxonomic Coleopterology.

Published as part of Opitz, Weston, 2019, Descriptions of new genera and new species of Western Hemisphere checkered beetles (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Cleridae), pp. 959-1076 in Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2) on pages 993-995, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3746744