Languria taedata LeConte, 1854

Gimmel, Matthew L., Carlton, Christopher E. & White, William H., 2012, Polymorphism in Languria taedata LeConte, its occurrence in coastal Louisiana Spartina marshes, and clarification of some Motschulsky languriine types (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Languriinae), Zootaxa 3237, pp. 24-34 : 25-31

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.280424
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6170012
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E3825C-FF92-FFDB-69F1-F934FF69FD77
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Languria taedata LeConte, 1854
status

Treatment

Languria taedata LeConte 1854: 160 . Type locality: Sea shore near New York, USA.

Languria rufiventris Motschulsky 1860: 242 . Type locality: New York, USA.

Languria erythrocephalus Blatchley 1924: 167 . Type locality: Moore Haven, Florida, USA. New synonymy.

Type material. Languria taedata LeConte : holotype, male, “[pink disc] // L. taedata \ Lec. [handwritten] // Type. 6757 [number handwritten, red label]” ( MCZ). Type locality: “on the seashore near New York.”

Languria rufiventris Motschulsky : holotype, female, “[pale green square] // Languria \ rufiventris \ Motsch. \ Am. b. New York [handwritten, green label] // HOLOTYPE \ Languria \ rufiventris Motschulsky \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2011 [red label]” ( ZMUM).

Languria erythrocephalus Blatchley : 3 syntypes seen, all female, one designated lectotype, “M. Haven Fla. \ W. S. B. Coll. \ 3-22-22 [town and date handwritten] // COTYPE [blue label] // LECTOTYPE \ Languria \ erythrocephalus Blatchley \ des. M.L. Gimmel 2011” ( PURC); 2 paralectotypes, with same capture label data as lectotype and with “ PARALECTOTYPE \ Languria \ erythrocephalus Blatchley \ det. M.L. Gimmel 2011 [yellow label]”, one with additional labels “ TYPE ” and “ Languria erythrocephalus sp. nov. ”, the other without additional labels.

Notes on synonymy. Since Crotch & Cantab (1873) and Vaurie (1948) did not examine the type of L. rufiventris Motschulsky we borrowed it to confirm its status as a synonym. Examination of this poorly preserved specimen reveals a coarsely and densely punctate metasternum and a red pronotum with a central dark maculation. Unfortunately, the antennal clubs are broken and lost. However, the visible characters mentioned previously are sufficient to confirm that it fits within the concept of L. taedata .

Examination of the syntype series of L. erythrocephalus Blatchley revealed that these specimens fall well within the range of variation exhibited by L. taedata (see “Variation” below). We designate the lectotype to prevent future doubts about the status of this name.

Diagnosis. Languria taedata is readily distinguished from other North American species of the genus by the coarsely punctate metaventrite ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 2 – 3 ), gradual five-segmented antennal club (best seen in Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4 – 6 ), and male with rows of pointed tubercles on the postero-ventral surface of the femora and inside surface of the protibiae ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 2 – 3 ).

Specimens examined (N =135). ALABAMA: Mobile Co.: Mobile, Aug 1924, G. M. Greene collection (1 3, USNM); CONNECTICUT: New Haven Co.: Milford, 14 Aug 1900, coll. G. Dimmock (1 Ƥ, USNM); FLOR- IDA: Alachua Co. : Aug 1968, coll. L. A. Hetrick (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Gainesville, 11 Jul 1956, blacklight trap, coll. J. W. Perry (1 3, FSCA); same except 20 Jul 1964 (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Dixie Co.: 10 miles south of Jena on route 361, 31 Aug 1991, coll. L. R. Davis, Jr. (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Hardee Co.: Zolfo Springs, 30 Dec 1986, coll. G. Johnson (1 3, FSCA); Highlands Co.: Highlands Hammock State Park, 22 Sep 1956, coll. H. V. Weems, Jr. (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Archbold Biological Station, 18 Oct 1979, insect flight trap, coll. H. V. Weems, Jr. (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Archbold Biological Station, 19 Jan 1981, UV light, coll. L. L. Lampert, Jr. (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Archbold Biological Station, 8 miles south of Lake Placid, 30 Jun 1988, blacklight trap, coll. P. Skelley (1 3, FSCA); Indian River Co.: Vero Beach, 15 Apr 1983, Cyperus sp., coll. K. Hibbard (1 3, FSCA); Martin Co.: Stuart, 11 May 1979, coll. E. W. Campbell (1 3, FSCA); Miami-Dade Co.: no further data (2 3, FSCA); 3 Jun 1956, coll. D. R. Paulson (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Miami, 30 May 1954, coll. D. R. Paulson (1 3, FSCA); Homestead, 22 Mar 1944, on corn (1 Ƥ, USNM); Royal Palm Park, 19 Mar 1924, W. S. Blatchley (1 3, PURC); Palm Beach Co.: Belle Glade, 21 Apr 1972, Panicum hemitomon , coll. W. G. Genung (3 3, 2 Ƥ, FSCA); South Bay, Lake Okeechobee, 2 May 1912 (1 3, USNM); Polk Co.: 7 Jul 1962 (1 3, FSCA); Lakeland, 2 Jun 1991, coll. J. Huether (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Sarasota Co. : Toledo Blade Road & I-75, 15 Apr 1989, coll. M. C. Thomas (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Wakulla Co. : 8 Jun 1980, S. alterniflora , coll. P. D. Stiling (1 3, USNM); GEORGIA: Chatham Co.: Savannah, 10 Aug 1944, on millet leaf (7 3, 3 Ƥ, USNM); McIntosh Co.: Sapelo Island, 3 Jun 1963, on Spartina , coll. H. Kale (2 3, 1 Ƥ, USNM); LOUISIANA: Cameron Par.: Cameron, 3 Jun 1992, light trap, coll. A. L. Johnson (1 3, LSAM); Lafourche Par.: Cut Off, 21 May 1975, blacklight trap, V. A. Brou (1 Ƥ, FSCA); Cut Off, 24 Jun 1975, V. A. Brou (1 3, LSAM); same data except 3 Jul 1975 (1 3, LSAM); Galliano, 7 Jul 1993, blacklight trap, coll. D. R. Ganaway (1 3, 3 Ƥ, LSAM); Golden Meadow PMC, 1.5 mi W Galliano, 29°26.914′N, 90°16.476′W, 25 Sep 2004, reared from Spartina alterniflora , coll. R. Richard (15 teneral, LSAM); near Golden Meadow, 6 Aug 2005, coll. V. A. Brou, Jr. (4 3, LSAM); Jct. LA-3235 & Oakridge, 29°23.57′N, 90°16.47′W, 28 May 2006, at lights, coll. M. Gimmel (4 3, 3 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 2 Jul 2007 (1 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 3 Sep 2009, coll. M. Gimmel & J.-S. Park (3 3, 7 Ƥ, LSAM); west of Golden Meadow, 29.37843°N, 90.33653°W, Berlese of Spartina alterniflora , coll. X. Chen (1 3, 1 Ƥ, LSAM); Plaquemines Par.: 26 Jun 1988, coll. B. M. Gregory, Jr. (1 3, LSAM); same, but 30 Jun 1988 (1 3, LSAM); Saint John the Baptist Par.: Edgard, 24 May 1971, UV light, coll. V. A. Brou (1 Ƥ, FSCA); same data except 10 Aug 1981 (1 3, 1 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 15 Aug 1981 (1 3, 2 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 2 Sep 1981 (1 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 8 Sep 1981 (1 3, LSAM); same data except 17 Sep 1981 (1 3, LSAM); same data except 28 May 1982 (1 3, LSAM); same data except 29 May 1982 (2 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 31 May 1982 (1 3, LSAM); same data except 22 Jun 1982 (1 Ƥ, LSAM); same data except 28 Aug 1982 (1 3, LSAM); same data except 30 Aug 1982 (1 3, 1 Ƥ, LSAM); Saint Tammany Par.: 4.2 miles northeast of Abita Springs, sec. 24, T6, SR 12E, 25 Jul 1987, UV light, coll. V. A. Brou (1 3, LSAM); same data except 3 June 1998 (1 Ƥ, LSAM); Terrebonne Par.: north of LUMCON, 29°16´26.02”N, 90°38´45.36”W, 4 Sep 2010, sweeping, coll. X. Chen (1 3, LSAM);. MARY- LAND: Saint Mary’s Co.: 2.3 miles east of Piney Point, 12 Jul 1931, H. S. Barber (1 Ƥ, USNM); Talbot Co.: Wittman, 20 Jul 1980, coll. W. E. Steiner (1 Ƥ, USNM); MISSISSIPPI: Hancock Co.: Point Clear Island, Artesian Pond, 23 Jun 1987, coll. P. K. Lago (1 3, USNM); Point Clear Island, 23 Jun 1987, coll. S. Testa (2 Ƥ, UMIC); NEW JERSEY: Cape May Co.: Anglesea, coll. G. M. Greene (1 3, USNM); Anglesea, 12 Jul 1933, coll. Wickham (1 3, USNM); state record only: 1929 (1 3, USNM); coll. Hubbard & Schwarz (1 Ƥ, USNM); NEW YORK: Kings Co.: “C.I.” [Coney Island?], coll. J. B. Smith, (1 Ƥ, USNM); Queens Co.: Rockaway Beach, 1909, coll. A. Nicolay (2 Ƥ, USNM); Rockaway Beach, 1929 (2 3, 2 Ƥ, USNM); Rockaway Beach, 8 Jul 1948, coll. E. Shoemaker (1 3, USNM); Rockaway Beach, 27 June 1949, coll. E. Shoemaker (1 3, USNM); Aqueduct, 30 Jul 1911, coll. E. Shoemaker (1 Ƥ, USNM); Suffolk Co.: Southold (1 3, UNHC); state record only: coll. M. L. Linell (2 3, USNM); RHODE ISLAND: Washington Co.: Watch Hill, 22 Jul 1909, W. Robinson (1 3, USNM); VIRGINIA: Virginia Beach Co.: 3 miles south of Creeds, 21 Aug 1971, UV light, coll. M. Druckenbrod (1 3, USNM).

Biological notes on the species in Louisiana. Last-instar larvae were collected from Spartina alterniflora stems at Golden Meadow Plant Materials Center, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana on 0 4 December 1995 (M. Muegge). MLG collected early instar larvae ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ) at the same site on 11 July 2007. One was reared to adulthood in a sugarcane borer diet cup. This specimen pupated on 0 7 January 2008 and emerged on 26 January 2008.

Variation. This species can be roughly divided into three adult color morphs, which we have designated Forms A, B, and C. These vary both in pattern of coloration and size. See Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 for geographic distribution of L. taedata by morph.

Form A ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 4 – 6 ). Underside and pronotum reddish testaceous; elytra, scutellum, center of pronotum (often), head, and appendages piceous. Often larger and more robust than other forms. Typical of northern and Mid-Atlantic localities; includes the type specimen of L. taedata .

Form B ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4 – 6 ). Underside, basal half of femora, scutellum, pronotum, and head reddish testaceous; elytra and appendages (except basal half of femora) piceous. Often smaller and more slender than other forms. Typical of freshwater localities in the Gulf Coast states; includes the type specimen of L. erythrocephalus .

Form C ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 4 – 6 ). Completely piceous; occasionally with head, pronotum, and underside slightly lighter in pigment. Generally longer than other forms, but less robust than Form A. Typical of western Gulf Coast localities, but also present on the Georgia coast.

Notes. Vaurie (1948: 133) suggested that Languria erythrocephalus may prove to be conspecific with L. taedata upon examination of material from intervening geographic areas, and this is indeed what we have discovered. The color morphs described above often co-occur in the same locality. For example, both Form A and Form C occur at Cut Off, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, and Form C occurs on the Georgia coast between populations of Form A and Form B. Our morphological examinations of this species do not address the potentially interesting host-plant use scenarios. Where accurate collection records exist, L. taedata is known to occur in saltwater marshes in association with Spartina alterniflora , a typically intertidal species, but the occurrence of the beetle at inland localities suggests that different host plants are being utilized. Genung et al. (1980) found the species (as L. erythrocephalus ) exploiting two grass species, the native Panicum hemitomon Schult. and the introduced Urochloa mutica (Forssk.) T.Q. Nguyen (= P. purpurascens Raddi ). One inland specimen was collected “on corn.” The beetle may be associated with other species of the genus Spartina that occur inland from the Gulf Coast, such as S. spartinae (Trin.) Merr. and S. bakeri Merr. A thorough molecular phylogeographic analysis of this complex species, combined with diligently recorded host data, will be required to determine the interplay between its biogeography, morphology, and natural history. A detailed study of this system would make an excellent thesis or dissertation project.