Margaritabruchus Romero and Johnson

Romero, Jesús & Johnson, Clarence Dan, 2001, Margaritabruchus Cherylae, New Genus And New Species Of New World Bruchidae (Coleoptera), The Coleopterists Bulletin 55 (4), pp. 405-409 : 406

Margaritabruchus Romero and Johnson , new genus

Type Species. Margaritabruchus cherylae Romero and Johnson.

Etymology. Margarita, named for the wife of the second author, Margaret Elkins Johnson (Gr. 5 margarites and L. 5 margarita, a pearl) and the genus Bruchus Linnaeus (Gr. 5 brouchos and L. 5 Bruchus , a genus of beetles). The name acknowledges the enormous unrecognized contributions that Margaret has made to the study of bruchid beetles.

Diagnosis. Male: Hind femur narrow, constricted basally and apically, ventral surface not in a gentle curve, expansion near middle ending in a large, blunt, lateral spine about 0.66 from base ( Fig. 1 ); inner ventral surface without longitudinal carina; lateral margin of femur of some specimens with vague serrulations extending from base to a large, flattened area medially from blunt spine; hook­like spine on lateral margin slightly beyond blunt spine, hook­like spine curved toward base of femur, spine about 0.1 as long as femur at its widest ( Fig. 1 ); lateral margin of femur before and after lateral spine concave to straight, not convex; femur armed on inner margin with about 4 small, subapical acuminate spines each about 0.3 as long as width of tibial base ( Fig. 1 ).

Female: As in male but lateral margin of hind femur smooth, without serrulations; large, blunt area about 0.66 from base at widest portion of femur usually followed on lateral margin by a straight spine about 0.05 as long as width of femur at its widest ( Fig. 2 ), when present, spine not curved toward base of femur ( Fig. 2 ); femur armed on inner margin with 4 small, subapical acuminate spines each about 0.3 as long as width of tibial base.

Figures

Figs. 1–2. Margaritabruchus cherylae. 1) Hind leg of male; 2) hind leg of female.