Fidia clematis Schaeffer

Strother, M. S. & Staines, C. L., 2008, A revision of the New World genus Fidia Baly 1863 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Adoxini), Zootaxa 1798 (1), pp. 1-100 : 27-28

Fidia clematis Schaeffer

( Figs. 4 , 53, 57 , 100 ; Map 6)

Fidia clematis Schaeffer 1904: 227 (original description); Clavareau 1914: 76 (catalog); Leng 1920: 293 (catalog); Schultz 1970: 258 (dissertation); Wilcox 1975: 57 (checklist); Riley et al. 2003: 151 (catalog); Clark et al. 2004: 103 (host plants).

Schaeffer did not designate a holotype, but he clearly indicated that he had more than one specimen by giving a range for the length measurement. In the introduction to his 1904 publication, he stated his intention to return to the lower Rio Grande Valley to acquire more specimens for his upcoming list of Coleoptera from the area. As a result, it is impossible to know whether all of the specimens bearing Schaeffer collection labels that are now housed in the major U.S. collections were actually before him in 1904. The type(s) is housed in the AMNH but was not examined during this study .

Description. Males: TL = 4.26–5.58 mm, HW = 2.12–2.72 mm. Females: TL = 5.00– 5.74 mm, HW = 2.56– 2.76 mm. Color: Entirely red-brown to nearly black with legs occasionally lighter than dorsum; pubescence white to straw-yellow. Pronotum: Slightly wider than long, widest at or immediately posteriad middle, sides arcuate in dorsal view, dorsum gently convex in lateral view; finely, densely punctate-reticulate; pubescence dense, subadpressed to adpressed, obscuring surface sculpture. Mesepisternum: Densely pubescent. Elytra: Intrahumeral callus obsolete to obsolescent; asetose punctate-striae well-developed, not impressed, usually obscured by dense, recumbent to subadpressed pubescence, interstices flat, densely punctulate-rugulose. Abdomen: Males with medial area of all sterna flattened, first sternum with relatively large, impunctate, glabrous area; second and third sterna often with much smaller, impunctate, glabrous area; last sternum occasionally with shallow, semicircular to broadly transverse medial impression; pygidium dorsally gently convex in apical ½ with broadly rounded apex. Females with medial area of all sterna evenly convex, uniformly punctate-pubescent; apical margin of last sternum broadly concave with medial area occasionally weakly to moderately produced into small, rounded process; pygidium dorsally flattened in apical ½ with subacutely rounded apex. Legs: Both sexes with femora gradually tapered to base and all basitarsi short, subtriangular, length 1.5–2 times apical width. Males: protibia distally curved ventrally; pro- and mesotibial spurs contiguous, stout, minutely rugulose; disco-setae on pro- and mesobasitarsi only. Penis: In posterior view, sides broadly, shallowly concave; apical emargination deep, U-shaped; apical lobes long, not noticeably tapered towards rounded apex. In lateral view, eudorsal surface of declivitous part feebly convex; euventral surface feebly concave to nearly straight; distal portion subangulately tapered to acute apex. Sperm guide composed of single sclerite. Spermatheca: Basal arm type.

Diagnosis. Small to medium sized (4.26–5.74 mm.), red-brown to blackish, densely clothed with adpressed to recumbent, white to straw-yellow pubescence; pronotum finely punctulate-reticulate; mesepisternum densely pubescent; both sexes with pro- and mesobasitarsi short, subtriangular ( Figs. 53, 57 ). Males with pro- and mesotibial spurs minutely rugulose; only pro- and mesobasitarsi bearing disco-setae; penis with deep, U-shaped apical emargination, apical lobes long with rounded apices ( Fig. 100 ).

Due to its limited U.S. distribution in extreme southern Texas, F. clematis is not likely to be confused with any other U.S. species, with the exception of F. viticida , which is generally larger (5.08–6.96 mm.), less densely pubescent, and has the basitarsi narrowly elongate. In Mexico, the densely, finely punctate pronotum and densely pubescent mesepisternum distinguishes F. clematis from all other species, with the exception of F. dichroma , which is a very distinctive species that differs considerably in other characters (see diagnosis of F. dichroma n. sp.) and which occurs in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico and Guatemala, well south of the known distribution of F. clematis .

Distribution (Map 6). Fidia clematis is known from the lower Rio Grande Valley area of Texas, south to central Veracruz, Mexico east of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The only elevational datum given was 100' from 14 mi. NW Tuxpam [sic], Vera Cruz, Mexico. The elevation throughout the known distribution is predominantly at or near sea level; F. clematis appears to be a lowland species.

Specimens examined (121). MEXICO. NEUVO LEON: Apodaca, vii:27:63 (CMNC:1) . SAN LUIS POTOSI: 8 mi. W. San Joaquin, iv:19:1963 (AMNH:1), Huichihuayan, ix:25:1938 (SEMC:1), microwave tower rd. nr. hwy. 70, km. mk. 82, vii:15:1982 (TAMU:2) . TAMAULIPAS: 4.6 mi. n. Aldama, vii:11:1973 (TAMU:1), Bocatoma, 7 km SSE Gomez Farias, v:27–28:79 (EGRC:1), Bocatoma w.s., 7 km. SSE Gomez Farias, vi:1:1982 (RHT:1), vi:4:1982 (RHT:2), Ocampo Rd., 9.3 mi. W jct. hwy. 85 (RHT:1). VERACRUZ: 6 mi. N. Rinconada, ix:25:1976 (TAMU:1), 14 mi. NW. Tuxpam [sic], xii:29:1963 (CASC:1), Jicaltepec, 3:24:96 (MCZC:2), Paso de Telaga Jicaltepec , 4:1:96 (MCZC:2), 4:8:96 (MCZC:2), Sn. Rafael Jicaltepec, iii:11:96 (MCZC:1), iii:20:96 (MCZC:2), iii:21:96 (MCZC:1), 3:24:96 (MCZC:2), 6:19:96 (MCZC:1), 6:23:96 (MCZC:1) .

UNITED STATES. TEXAS: Cameron Co., 4–6 m W Bocha [sic] Chica, x:17–18:1985 ( EGRC:1, JEWC:2), 6–7 mi. E. jct. 1419 on hwy. 4, x:20:1988 ( EGRC:1), 8 mi. W Boca Chica, v:7:1978 ( JEWC:3), 9– 10 mi W B. Chica, x:21:1978 ( EGRC:1), 9–10 mi. W Boca Chica, xi:7:1982 ( RHT:1), 10 m W B. Chica, v:29:1979 ( JEWC:2), 12.5 mi. E. Brownsville on Hwy 4, x:14:88 ( EGRC:18, TAMU:3), 20 km. E. Brownsville, x:14:88 ( TAMU:4), Boca Chica Beach, x:14:88 ( TAMU:1), Br'ville, v:9:3 ( CASC:1), Brownsville, iv– v:12–20 ( MCZC:2, SEMC:1), v:15:35 ( OSUC:2), v:16:1985 ( CMNC:1), v:25:34 ( OSUC:1), vi:5:32 ( CASC:1), vi:8:34 ( OSUC:1), vi:9:32 ( CASC:4), vi ( SEMC:1, USNM:1), vii ( SEMC:1), viii:8:37 ( OSUC:2), no date ( USNM:1), Esp. Rch. Brw., vi:03 ( USNM:1), Esprza Rch Brownsville, v ( USNM:1), vi ( SEMC:3), Sabal Palm Grove, vi:9–10:1978 ( JEWC:1), Sabal Palm Grove Aud. Sanct., x:20–22:89 ( EGRC:1), Sabal Palm Grove Sanct. nr. Southmost, x:10:1979 ( RHT:1), county only, 6:28:28 ( SEMC:1); Hidalgo Co., Anzalduas Co. Pk., v:8:1986 ( JEWC:1), Anzalduas Co. Prk., x:13:1977 ( JEWC:1), Bentsen Pk., iv:19:1974 ( CDAE:1, JEWC:1), Bentsen-Rio Grande St. Pk., vi:11:1975 ( RHT:1), x:15–16:88 ( TAMU:1), Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. St. Pk., x:15–16:1988 ( EGRC:1, TAMU:12), Bentsen Rio Grande Valley St. Pk., v:17–18:79 ( EGRC:3), S. Ana Refuge, x:20:1978 ( JEWC:1), Santa Ana Wild. Ref., vi:16:1969 ( TAMU:1). No locality, no date ( FMNH:1, USNM:3).

Temporal Data. Collecting dates ranged from 12 April to 7 November in Texas and from 11 March to 29 December in Mexico.

Natural History. Two series of specimens were collected in Texas on " Cissus incisa ". Schaeffer (1904) reported collecting F. clematis on "different species of vines".

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Dorsal habitus of Fidia species. 1. F. albovittata. 2. F.cana. 3. F. chapini. 4. F. clematis.

FIGURES 53–57. Pro- and mesobasitarsus (scale bar = 0.2 mm). 53. F. clematis ♂. 54. F. viticida ♂. 55. F. confusa ♂. 56. F. viticida ♀. 57. F. clematis ♀.

FIGURES 96–100. Distal part of male aedeagus, lateral and dorsal views (scale bar = 0.5 mm). 96. F. texana. 97. F.confusa. 98. F. pedinops. 99. F. viticida. 100. F. clematis.