Pinacodera limbata (Dejean 1831)

Pinacodera limbata is a species in the beetle family Carabidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

With character states of subgenus Pinacodera restricted as follows: OBL. 8.33 – 10.92 mm. Length (n= 20 males, 20 females): head 0.72 – 0.96, pronotum 1.52 – 2.16, elytra 4.62 – 6.41 mm; width: head 1.48– 2.00, pronotum 2.00 – 2.88, elytra 3.21 – 4.75 mm. Body proportions. HW/HL 1.78 – 2.18; PWM/PL 1.26 –1.46; EL/EW 1.35 –1.52. Metepisternum. Individuals show proportions of a minimum of 1.73× as long as wide. Hind wings. Macropterous. Color. Dorsum of head brunneous to rufo-piceous; pronotum brunneous to rufo-piceous on disc, margins sometimes in some specimens lighter; dorsum of elytra brunneo-piceous, margins somewhat paler, testaceous humeral macula extended from interval 6 (rarely interval 5) to the outer margin, and as far as one quarter the length of the elytra; antennae brunneo-testaceous to brunneous; palpi brunneo-testaceous to brunneo-piceous; epipleura testaceous to brunneo-testaceous; thoracic sclerites and abdominal sterna testaceous to piceous (apical edge of abdominal sterna in many specimens darker than basal edge). Microsculpture. Microlines not visible on dorsum of head capsule and pronotum at 50× magnification. Elytra with mesh pattern isodiametric, microlines clearly defined throughout dorsal surface. Macrosculpture and pilosity. Head capsule with very fine, randomly scattered setigerous punctures on dorsal surface (setae not visible or only barely so at 50× magnification) from constriction of neck extended anteriorly toward clypeus. Elytra with striae moderately impressed and punctulate throughout length; intervals slightly convex (few with greater convexity in intervals 1, 3 and 5); one or two (most specimens one) irregular rows of fine punctures extended length of intervals 1, 3 and 5; two or three (most specimens two) irregular rows of fine punctures extended the length of intervals 2, 4 and 6; interval 8 with two to four rows of fine punctules extended interval length. Abdominal sterna with fine pilose punctures throughout. Fixed setae. Pronotum with two setae along each margin. Elytra with 15 or 16 lateral (umbilical) setae; two setae on each of abdominal sterna III to VI; four setae along apical margin of sternum VII (Fig. 3). Luster. Elytra glossy Head. Eyes, labrum, labium, palpi, typical for Cymindidina. Pronotum. Anterior transverse impression shallow (Fig. 9); posterior transverse impression moderately deep; median longitudinal impression moderately shallow, posteriolateral angles obtuse to almost rounded. Elytra. Humeri broadly rounded; striae moderately impressed; lateral margin smooth, rounded and widened preapically; apex truncate (Fig. 8). Legs. Males with adhesive vestiture ventrally, two rows of squamo- setae on tarsomeres 1–4 of foreleg and 1–3 of middle leg. Male genitalia. Phallus apex curved to left when viewed from dorsal aspect (Fig. 11C), apex pointed in lateral aspect (Fig. 11B). Ventral and dorsal surface of apical area slightly dimpled (Fig. 11B) (most specimens) or not, few specimens with vertical striations (absent from most specimens) extended from mid length of apical area to apex of phallic shaft (s). Endophallus with microtrichial patch (mp) at midlength of the endophallus sac. Endophallus with a curved endophallic plate (ep) (Lindroth 1969: 1080–1081) apically when viewed ventrally in everted condition. Female genitalia. Gonocoxite 2 (gc2) long and narrow (Fig. 10B), sharply pointed at apex, curved outward; apical ensiform setae curved out slightly and extended almost to apex. Internal genitalia with long cylindrical spermatheca (sp), moderately long associated spermathecal gland (sg), and moderately long spermathecal diverticulum (sd) located at base of spermathecal gland duct (sgd).