Arboreal beetles of neotropical forests: Taxonomic supplement for the Agravirgata and Ohausi groups with a new species and additional distribution records (Coleoptera : Carabidae)

In the genus Agra, the virgata group is a circum-Amazonian-Middle American lineage, consists of 10 highly characteristic species that have a composite range extending from the tropics of Mexico to Bolivia, east as far as the Brazilian State of Goias. The majority of species are found on the peripher y of the Amazon Basin, the rest in Middle America. Members of the virgata g roup and some brentid beetles (e.g., Arrhenodes gnatho (Licht.)) have simil ar bright and contrasting colors and elytral pattern and are sometimes foun d together. No connection or interaction between these two is known at pres ent that could explain this similarity. Agra mime, new species, is describe d and attributed to the virgata group. The type locality is: Ecuador: Nape Province, 20 km east of Puerto Nape, Alinahui, 450 m,01 degrees 00'S, 077 d egrees 25'W. A revised key and checklist of the virgata group species are provided. A ma p of all known localities for the 10 species in the group is provided. A ge neral discussion is included of the new species, as well as biogeographical notes for 6 additional species for which new locality records were found ( Agra vate, A. nola, A. virgata, A. chocha, A. phainops, A. imaginis). The ohausi group, a southeastern Brazil lineage, consists of 4 species. Her e I report a new synonymy for A. ohausi Liebke (=Agra rugipunctata Straneo, n. syn.).