Geraeus patagoniensis (Sleeper)

Prena, Jens, 2009, A Review of the Species of Geraeus Pascoe and Linogeraeus Casey Found in the Continental United States (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (2), pp. 123-172 : 146-147

Geraeus patagoniensis (Sleeper)

( Figs. 23, 24 , 75 )

Centrinaspis patagoniensis Sleeper 1954:181 . Holotype female (OSU, not examined), 20 paratypes (OSU and ELSC, not examined).

Geraeus patagoniensis ; O’Brien and Wibmer (1984).

Recognition. Geraeus patagoniensis is a robust, 3.1–5.2 mm long species with a distinct color pattern. The dorsal vestiture consists of slender, indistinctly scalloped scales, usually arranged in a single row per interstria ( Fig. 21 ). The dark spot on the elytral disk consists of fuscous scales and can be reduced in small-sized specimens. Geraeus modestus tends to be wider, has ovate scales, longer prosternal spines, and few hairs in the ventral depression of the male. Geraeus patagoniensis is closely related to G. basinotatus Champion , a slightly differently scaled species occurring from central Mexico to Colombia.

Distribution. This species occurs in the northern Sierra Madre Oriental and has been collected frequently in southern Arizona ( Fig. 75 ).

Type locality. Patagonia Mountains , Arizona .

Material examined. United States: Arizona ( CMNC 4 , CWOB 33 , JPPC 19 , TAMU 8 , USNM 9 ) . Mexico: Chihuahua ( JPPC 1 , USNM 3 ) , Sonora ( CMNC 3 , CWOB 2 , TAMU 1 ). Total 83 specimens .

Temporal occurrence. July to September.

Plant associations. Asclepiadaceae : Asclepias sp. (J. Prena, observation). Asteraceae : Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz and Pav.) Pers. [as B. glutinosa Pers. ] (R. A. Alexander, observation), Senecio flaccidus Less. [as S. longilobus Benth. ] (R. A. Alexander, observation). Euphorbiaceae : Cnidoscolus angustidens Torr. (R. A. Alexander, observation), Croton sp. ( USNM 1).

Figures

Figs. 17–24. Geraeus species, dorsal and lateral aspects; scale bar 1 mm. 17, 18) G. modestus, male; 19, 20) G. coarctatus, male; 21, 22) G. pannuceus, male; 23, 24) G. patagoniensis, female.

Figs. 73–75. Maps of southern United States and Mexico (top) and United States (without northwestern part) and Central America (bottom) showing distributions of G. euryonyx, G. minor, G. nimbatus, G. pannuceus, G. patagoniensis, G. petilior, and Linogeraeus neglectus.