Camptocerus auricomus Blandford, 1896

Smith, Sarah M. & Cognato, Anthony I., 2010, A taxonomic revision of Camptocerus Dejean (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (148), pp. 1-88 : 32-34

Camptocerus auricomus Blandford

( Fig. 21 , 52)

Camptocerus auricomus Blandford 1896: 125 . Lectotype (here designated): male, PANAMA: Chiriqui: Volcan de Chiriqui, below 4000 ft. (Champion) (BMNH).

Camptocerus striatulus Hagedorn 1905: 547 . Holotype: female, FRENCH GUIANA: Camopi, 1900, (F. Geay) (MNHN). New synonymy.

Diagnosis. The male is distinguished by a small median rounded tubercle on the apical epistomal margin half as high as basal width, by a sub-acute, recurved carina on the basal epistomal margin (Fig. 2d), by the frons bearing 2 thick bands of setae which lie flat against the frons, by the elytral interstriae covered in 2 - 3 rows of uniseriate, variegated scales (often abraded in older specimens), and by the thinner and pointed setae on apical quarter of the declivity.

The female is distinguished from that of C. niger by the hair-like setae on the apical quarter of the declivity and from that of C. orientalis by the presence of a circular, weakly impressed region between upper level of eyes.

Redescription (male). 3.5-4.1 mm long (mean = 3.9 mm; n = 20); 1.8-2.0 times as long as wide. Color uniformly light orange to black. Elytral interstriae bearing tan and dark brown scales often forming a ‘X’ shape. Occasionally, the sides of the ‘X’ are filled with dark brown scales forming a triangle on each elytron.

Epistoma weakly excavated, expanded to less than quarter length of head, apical epistomal margin bearing a small rounded tubercle half as high as base width; surface shagreened; lateral margins angled proximally, bearing a single row of setae; basal epistomal margin bearing a sub-acute, transverse and recurved carina (Fig. 2d). Frons strongly excavated, with the dorsolateral margin of the eyes on the excavation; surface shagreened, lateral fifths and medial fifth glabrous, remaining surface densely covered by 2 thick bands of long, yellow-brown setae, those clearly divided between the median line; single row of setae lining the lateral margins; ventral margin elevated above epistoma; lateral and dorsal margins rounded. Antennal scape elongate and narrowly rounded distally, with a lateral row of setae on ventral margin, those less than half length of scape; segments 2-7 of funicle bearing brushes of setae 1.5 times the length of scape; segments 5-7 of funicle bearing setae on dorsal margin, these less than length of 4 segments; anterior face of the club setose with a partial septum.

Apical pronotal margin broadly rounded (Fig. 5a), area between eyes lined with scales; strigulate; smooth with dense, deep, minute punctures; punctures and vestiture on median line; anterior third bearing long bristles; base and disk bearing short, fine hair-like setae; 2 - 3 rows of short bristles above lateral carinae; base strongly bisinuate (Fig. 8c); carina on lateral margin type F (Fig. 7f).

Scutellum shape type C ( Fig. 12c ).

Elytral sides parallel, narrowing to a smooth apex; base never tumid from interstriae 7-9. Disk with each interstriae bearing 3 rows of semi-erect, spatulate setae and 2 rows on declivity; interstriae 3 times the width of striae; interstrial punctures strongly confused. Declivity occupying apical half of elytra; each interstriae bearing 2 rows of semi-erect, spatulate setae, those transition to uniseriate thinner and pointed setae on apical quarter; striae weakly impressed, punctures each with a hair-like seta arising from the basal margin, those covering puncture. Tenth interstriae without a carina. Metepisternum shape type G ( Fig. 9g ); setae palmately divided into 4 or more filaments. Mesosternum shape type C ( Fig. 10c ).

Male genitalia. Median lobe flat, lateral margins with more sclerotization, proximal third parallelsided, apex broadly acute, apical orifice lightly sclerotized; left side folded dorsally, narrow, weakly arcuate, reaching under right side; right side laterally folded under body. Median struts stout, a quarter of body length. Internal sac central area lightly sclerotized, an accessory of the seminal value with more sclerotization and upside-down “U” shaped ( Fig. 52). Tegmen semi-circular, ventral side elongated proximally. Spicule nearly longer then aedeagus, sickle-shaped.

Female. Similar to male except epistoma less impressed, less than a quarter length of head, unarmed; covered by 5 rows of setae. Frons flat, with a circular, weakly impressed region between upper level of eyes; 3-4 rows of setae lateral to the median line. Each gena with a triangular mycangium (Fig. 4d). Segments 2-7 of funicle bearing setae less than length of 6 segments. Pronotal anterior third covered with long, dense hair-like setae on anterolateral areas; long bristles absent; base and disk covered with short, fine hair-like setae.

Specimens examined. (37M, 24F)

Type Material. Lectotype Camptocerus auricomus , M ( BMNH) ; Paralectotypes (here designated) Camptocerus auricomus 2M, 1F Panama: Chiriqui, Volcan de Chiriqui, below 4000 ft. (Champion) (BMNH). Holotype Camptocerus striatulus , F ( MNHN) .

Other material. COSTA RICA: Limon: Reventazon ebene, Hamburgfarm, 24.ii.1937, (F. Nevermann), 3M (SDEI); Peralta: Cartago, 500 m, 4” limb, 10.iii.1964, (S.L. Wood), 5M, 5F (MSUC); Puntarenas: Gromaco, Rio Colo Brus, quarter inch trail cutting, 23.vii.1963, (S.L. Wood), 1M, 1F (MSUC); No specific locality: ‘ Rio Damites’, 200m, 18.ii.1964, (S.L. Wood), 1M, 1F (MSUC). ECUADOR: Cotopaxi: Pujili Mangulia, vii.1969, (A. Burchardt), 2F, (NHRS). GUATEMALA: Petén: Tikal, 100m, at light at camp, 10.iv.1956, (T.H. Hubbell, I.J. Cantrall), 1M (UMMZ). MEXICO: Veracruz: Uxpanapa (Hidalgotitlan), 27.iv.1982, ex. Protium copalifera [likely Protium copal ], (T.H. Atkinson), 1M, 1F (CASC). PANAMA: Canal Zone: Barro Colorado Island, ex. trap, 17.ii.1978, (Henk Wolda), 1M (STRI); Madden Forest, 3” limb, 2.i.1964, (S.L. Wood), 1M, 1F (MSUC); Chiriqui: Volcan de Chiriqui, below 4000 ft. (Champion), 3M (BMNH); Panama: Parque Nacional Soberanía, Pipeline Rd, 9.166667, -79.75, 95 m, 3.ix.2008, (S.M. Smith, A.D. Smith, A.R. Gillogly), 6M, 6F (MSUC), 4M, 4F (MIUP). VENEZUELA: Mérida: 20 km SW Vigia, 50 m, ex. limb, 21.xi.1970, (S.L. Wood), 7M, 6F (MSUC).

Discussion. Wood (2007) listed Camptocerus striatulus as a synonym of C. niger . C. striatulus is here recognized as a synonym of C. auricomus due to the presence of thinner and pointed setae on apical third of declivity, a character not present in C. niger .

Distribution. Costa Rica, Ecuador (Cotopaxi), French Guiana, Guatemala, Mexico (Veracruz), Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad, Venezuela (Mérida).

Hosts. Cedrela sp. (Meliaceae) , Protium copal (Schltdl. and Cham.) Engl. (Burseraceae) , Protium sp. , Protium glabrum (Rose) Engl. , Protium panamense (Rose) I.M. Johnst. , Rheedia edulis [= Garcinia intermedia (Pittier) , Hammel] ( Clusiaceae ).

Biology. Atkinson and Equihua-Martinez (1986) provide a detailed account of host use and gallery description. Females of Camptocerus auricomus excavate a short circumferential gallery below the bark on both sides of the entrance tunnel. Males use these galleries and the entrance tunnel to turn around without leaving the gallery (Smith, pers. obs.). Camptocerus auricomus aggregate in leaves around host trees and perform maturation feeding on Protium leaves (Smith, pers. obs.)

Figures

Figure 9. Character 35: Metepisternum shape (A) type A (state 0; Scolytus ventralis); (B) type B (state 1; Camptocerus noel); (C) type C (state 2; C. latipilis); (D) type D (state 3; C. opacicollis); (E) type E (state 4; Cnemonyx vestitus); (F) type F (state 5; Camptocerus pilifrons); (G) type G (state 6; C. auricomus); (H) type H (state 7; Cnemonyx errans (Blandford)); (I) type I (state 8; Camptocerus quadridens); (J) type J (state 9; Scolytus propinquus Blandford); (K) type K (state A; Cnemonyx boliviae); (L) type L (state B; C. insignis); (M) type M (state C; Camptocerus costatus); (N) type N (state D; Scolytus excavatus); (O) type O (state E; S. schevyrewi); (P) type P (state F; Scolytopsis peruanus); (Q) type Q (state G; Camptocerus unicornus); (R) type R (state H; C. doleae).

Figure 10. Character 36: Mesosternum shape (A) type A (state 0; Camptocerus aeneipennis); (B) type B (state 1; C. costatus); (C) type C (state 2; C. rectus); (D) type D (state 3; C. mallopterus); (E) type E (state 4; C. latipilis); (F) type F (state 5; Cnemonyx vestitus); (G) type G (state 6; C. boliviae); (H) type H (state 7; Scolytopsis peruanus); (I) type I (state 8; Scolytus propinquus); (J) type J (state 9; S. ventralis LeConte; (K) type K (state A; S. multistriatus (Marsham)); (L) type L (state B; Cnemonyx errans); (M) type M (state C; Scolytus schevyrewi); (N) type N (state D; S. excavatus); (O) type O (state E; Camptocerus zucca); (P) type P (state F; C. unicornus).

Figure 12. Character 38: Scutellum shape (A) type A (state 0; Camptocerus aeneipennis); (B) type B (state 1; C. latipilis); (C) type C (state 2; C. rectus); (D) type D (state 3; C. doleae); (E) type E (state 4; C. opacicollis); (F) type F (state 5; Cnemonyx boliviae); (G) type G (state 6; C. rugulosus); (H) type H (state 7; Camptocerus distinctus); (I) type I (state 8; C. quadridens); (J) type J (state 9; Scolytus schevyrewi); (K) type K (state A; Cnemonyx insignis); (L) type L (state B; C. errans); (M) type M (state C: Scolytus excavatus); (N) type N (state D; Cnemonyx vestitus); (O) type O (state E; Scolytopsis peruanus); (P) type P (state F; Camptocerus unicornus).

Figure 21. Camptocerus auricomus, 3.5 – 4.1 mm, male. Lateral (A), dorsal (B); male head anterior (C), anterior oblique (D); female head anterior (E), anterior oblique (F).