Embates griseolus (Erichson)

Prena, Jens, 2005, The Middle American species of Embates Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Zootaxa 1100 (1), pp. 1-151 : 1-151

11. Embates griseolus (Erichson)

(Fig. 60–63)

Ambates griseolus Erichson 1847: 131 . Holotype not seen, Peru (current location unknown, possibly Santiago de Chile). Jekel 1883; Hustache 1938 (cat.); Kuschel 1955; Kuschel 1983; Wibmer & O’Brien 1986 (cat.)

Ambates arcuatus Hustache 1939: 178 . Kuschel 1983 (synonymy with A. griseolus ); Wibmer & O’Brien 1986 (cat.)

Ambates arcuatus ssp. immaculatus Hustache 1939: 179 . Kuschel 1983 (synonymy of nominal form with A. griseolus ); Wibmer & O’Brien 1986 (cat.)

Ambates bolviensis Hustache 1950: 7 . Kuschel 1955 (synonymy with A. arcuatus ); Wibmer & O’Brien 1986 (cat.)

Embates [ griseolus ]. Alonso­Zarazaga & Lyal 1999 (global combination of all species of Ambates Schönherr 1836 with Embates Chevrolat 1833 )

Redescription (based on Middle American specimens possibly representing a taxon distinct from the nominal form): Habitus: Fig. 60, total length 4.9–6.2 mm (m=5.3, n=12). Color: integument dark brown; basic vestiture rather dense, dark brown with few light yellow to ochreous scales; scales light yellow to ochreous in thin dorsolateral vitta between head and elytral apices, usually ill­defined in anterior elytral half (Fig. 60); venter with widely spaced light yellow scales. Head: frontal fovea absent, rostrum moderately thick, subcylindrical (Fig. 61), costate dorsomedially, basolateral margin produced, length of rostrum ♂♂ 1.35–1.46 x (m=1.40, n=5), ♀♀ 1.34–1.47 x (m=1.39, n=7) pronotal length, length of ante­antennal portion ♂♂ 0.38–0.40 x (m=0.39, n=5), ♀♀ 0.38–0.40 x (m=0.39, n=7) total rostral length, dorsal margin of antennal scrobe reaching rostral base before eye; length of funicular segments 1 and 2 subequal, club oblong ovate. Pronotum: length 0.78– 0.83 x (m=0.81, n=12) maximum width, widest in basal third, sides rounded or (rarely) subparallel in basal third; disk densely punctate, intervals granulose. Elytra: length 1.52– 1.64 x (m=1.58, n=12) width at humeri, width 1.34–1.43 x (m=1.39, n=12) maximum pronotal width, sides slightly converging in basal half, apices rounded conjointly, preapical callus developed moderately, striae fine, punctures indistinct, interstriae flat, 7 and 9 subcostate. Legs: tibiae curved, ventral margin bisinuate, distally with cluster of brown hairs, tarsal claws arcuate and separate at base. Male: apex of aedeagus round, middle sclerotized, anterolateral membranous portion narrow (Fig. 62), body of aedeagus relatively short, curved in lateral view, apodemes 2.7 x longer than body of aedeagus, flagellum thin, slightly shorter than apodemes, transition to narrowly curved base gradual, basal appendage elongate, minute, not much projecting beyond base (Fig. 63).

Plant association. Not known.

Distribution. Various local populations with slightly deviating color­patterns [see below] occur in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia.

Material examined. PANAMA. Canal Zone : Coco Solo Hospital ( HPSC) . Darién: Cana , 450 m ( CMNC) . Panamá: Cerro Campana , 850 m ( CNCI, CWOB 2 , HAHC, HPSC 3 , JPPC 2 , NMNH) . COLOMBIA. Cundinamarca: Guayabetal ( CWOB) . Total 13 specimens .

Discussion. Embates griseolus represents a complex of several local populations. I have not seen the type of E. griseolus , and the true identity of the nominal form remains uncertain for the time being. The population of Panamanian and Colombian specimens referred to here exhibits an anteriorly fading dorsolateral elytral vitta [similar to E. arcuatus (Hustache) ] and faint traces of a dark elytral macula [similar to E. vanus (Hustache) , although much weaker]. The complex needs to be examined in more detail in connection with other poorly differentiated species near E. apicatus (Voss) and E. rufipes (Kirsch) . The species near Embates rufipes (Kirsch) differ from E. griseolus by greater size, more distal antennal insertion and apically membranous aedeagus.