Coelocephalapion gandolfoi Kissinger

Kissinger, David G., 2005, A New Species of Coelocephalapion Wagner (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Apionidae: Apioninae) from Argentina and Chile Associated with the Genus Prosopis L. (Fabaceae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 59 (4), pp. 493-500 : 493-499

Coelocephalapion gandolfoi Kissinger , new species

( Figs. 1 –11)

Description. Length 2.09–2.36 mm; width 0.93–1.12 mm. Dark brownish, elytral intervals 2–5 in basal 1/3, femora and tibiae (especially hind leg) somewhat lighter. Vestiture distinct, composed of fine gold and coarser white scales; elytra with pattern of vague cross bands of lighter or darker scales ( Fig. 1 ). Rostrum of male 0.49–0.59 mm long; 0.87–1.05 as long as prothorax; in dorsal view sides distinctly convergent in basal 1/3, subparallel in apical 1/3 ( Fig. 3 ); in profile curved, sides convergent from base to tip ( Fig. 2 ), punctured throughout, more finely so near tip, in basal 1/3 surface finely alutaceous, punctures bearing scales becoming finer and shorter beyond insertion of antenna, in apical 1/3 surface polished, virtually glabrous, at insertion of antenna ventral margin slightly prominent, ending abruptly in front of anterior margin of eye and before deep subcephalic pocket; male antenna inserted at basal 0.24–0.28 of rostrum at distance in front of eye 1.07–1.34 width of frons, dorsal margin of scrobe close to eye, smoothly merging with high subcephalic ridge, in profile ridge under eye 0.17–0.19 mm wide, with broad bare area beneath eye and 2 or more rows of scales below that ( Fig. 2 ), deep subcephalic pocket extends basad to near basal margin of eye, lacking distinct basal ridge. Rostrum of female ( Figs. 4, 5 ) 0.64–0.73 mm

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long; 1.16–1.22 as long as prothorax; dorsal margin of scrobe and subcephalic ridge much like male except rostrum not as robust at base; female antenna inserted at basal 0.19–0.24 of rostrum at distance in front of eye 1.00–1.36 width of frons. Head with frons 0.11–0.14 mm wide; 0.71–0.94 as wide as dorsal tip of rostrum; in dorsal view frons broadly concave, with distinct raised ridge next to eye; in profile dorsal margin of head convex, distinctly declivitous above basal margin of eye. Prothorax 0.53–0.60 mm long, at base 1.06–1.19 as wide as long; basal margin expanded laterally, sides subparallel to middle, convergent to indistinctly constricted apex; pronotal surface finely alutaceous, with punctures shallow, rounded on bottom, 0.014 –0.021 mm in diameter, with gold scales 0.037 –0.050 mm long by 0.006 mm wide (or less) occurring along basal fringe and along narrow central area, white scales 0.037 –0.062 mm long by 0.006 –0.010 mm wide arranged in sparse longitudinal pattern; basal fovea distinct, narrow, extending over half of pronotum. Elytra at humeri 1.33–1.44 as wide as pronotum base; 2.28–2.72 as long as prothorax; 1.29–1.49 as long as wide; interval 2 at middle of elytra twice width of stria, somewhat convex, with 2–3 irregular rows of minute punctures bearing white or gold scales (dark areas of pattern with fewer rows of fine gold scales), scales similar to those on pronotum, interval 9 with 1 long specialized seta near apex; striae coarse, deep, white scales of striae 1–4 in basal 1/3 tend to be coarser than scales on adjacent interval, on apex striae not more strongly impressed, joining 1 þ 2 þ 9, 3 þ 4, 5 þ 6, 7 þ 8. With functional flight wings.

Male Characters. Metatarsomere 1 on inner apical margin with broad, blunt process 0.014 – 0.017 mm long. Median lobe of aedeagus with apodemes slender, nearly 1/3 length of median lobe, tectum free of pedon for more than 1/2 length of median lobe ( Fig. 8 ); median lobe with breadth and depth similar at base and near ostium, in dorsal view ( Fig. 6 ) width of median lobe at base 0.043 mm, at ostium 0.031 mm, and at apex 0.015 mm; in lateral view ( Fig. 8 ) median lobe nearly flat, apex bulbous, 0.031 mm in width, compressed (Fig. 9); endophallus with 2 pairs of rows of teeth 0.010 –0.026 mm long, row 1 with 23 teeth, row 2 with 14 teeth ( Fig. 7 ). Tegmen in profile with apical region of basal piece at distinct angle to tegminal apodeme (Fig. 11), apical region of basal piece near union with parameres strongly widened (Fig. 10), 2.2–2.4 times as wide as at split of apodeme; in profile sides of parameres with well developed vertical curtain enveloping median lobe, fusion of basal piece and parameres broad, involving base of vertical curtain (Fig. 11); in dorsal view parameres elongate but near base laterally expanded into two broad lobes (Fig. 10); fenestrae continuous medially; apical lobes lacking macrochaetae, forming a single lobe; in profile membranous lobes abruptly directed ventrally at apex, lacking microtrichia.

Distribution. The range is near latitude 338S in the Metropolitana de Santiago Region of Chile and in Argentina between latitudes 268S in the Formosa Province and 398S in the Neuquén Province.

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled [printed white label] ‘‘ Argentina, La Rioja, near dique Los Sauces’ ’ [dique means dam, collection site at 298249S, 668559W (in litt. D. Gandolfo) is approximately 8 km W La Rioja, city at 298249S, 668519W]/ [printed white label] ‘‘GPS130 23.XI.2002 Neser, Gandolfo & McKay’ ’/[printed white label] ‘‘emerged pods Prosopis flexuosa ’’/[printed white label] ‘‘measure 01304 DGKissinger’’/[printed red label] ‘‘ HOLOTYPE Coelocephalapion gandolfoi KIS- SINGER male’’ ( USNM) . Paratypes 173 ( USNM, DGKC and SABCL). 10 males, 9 females, same data as holotype excluding measurement data label. Argentina .

Formosa: 6 males, 4 females, RN8 81 [collection site 258349S, 598169W] 52 km SE C.[omandante] Fontana , GPS154, 29.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. ruscifolia ; 5 males, 5 females, RN8 81, 20 km W G.[ran] Guardia , GPS153, 29.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alba . Chaco : 5 males, 8 females, RN8 4, 25 km N or 10 km N Quitilipi [city at 268529S, 608139W], GPS144, 26 or 27.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alba ; 6 males, 9 females, RN8 5 [collection site 258469S, 608159W] 30 km N Castelli , GPS148, 27.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. ruscifolia . Santiago del

Estero: 3 males, 1 females, RN8 89, near Suncho Corral [town at 278569S, 638259W], GPS138, 26.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alba ?.

Catamarca: 5 males, 14 females, RN8 38 [collection site 288259S, 658379W] 20 km N Catamarca [ San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca], GPS132, 23.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. flexuosa or P. flexuosa ? or P. nigra ?; 7 males, 5 females, RN8 38, 10 km N Chumbicha [town at 288519S, 668149W], GPS131, 23.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. nigra . La Rioja: 14 males, 10 females, RN8 38, near Chamical [town at 328219S, 668189W], GPS128, 22.XI.2002 or 15.X.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay or Cordo, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. flexuosa . San Luis: 6 males, 4 females, RN8 146 [collection site 328359S, 668159W], 42 km S Quines, GPS210, 10.II.2003, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. caldenia ; 4 male 6 female, RN8 146, 41 km S Quines, GPS211, 10.II.2003, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. flexuosa ; 3 males, 4 females, RN8 146, 36 km NE Quines , GPS212, 10.II.2003, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. caldenia .

La Pampa: 6 males, 5 females, RN8 151 [collection site 378359S, 678449W], 9 km N junction of RN8 20 and 151, GPS197, 8.II.2003, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alpataco . Neuquén: 7 males, 2 females, RN8 237 [GPS66862, exact locality unknown, probably near city of Neuquén, P. alpataco occurs there, in litt. D. Gandolfo], 1.II.2003, Cordo, emerged pods P. alpataco .

Non-type Material. Argentina. Salta: 3 males, 4 females, ‘‘ Río Uruoña’ ’, [AcSA no 806G, 15. XII.1983] or [AcSA no 595G, 9.XI.1982], Erb, Moran & Frias, s/vinal [typed notes with specimens indicate on seeds of P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) ; ‘‘vinal’’ apparently is local name for P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) ] ( CIRPON) . Formosa: 4 males, 2 females, RN8 5, near Río Bermejo , GPS149, 27.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. flexuosa ; 1 male 3 female, RN8 11, 43 km S Formosa, GPS151, 28.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alba ?; 1 male, 2 females, RN8 81, 20 km W Formosa, GPS152, 29.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. nigra ?. Chaco: 1 female, RN8 95, 3 km S Río Bermejo , GPS149, 27.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alba ; 1 male, 1 female, RN8 90, 12 km N San Martín , GPS157, 29.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. alba . Santiago del Estero: 2 male, 2 females, [near] ‘‘ Caspi Corral,’’ AcSA no 556G, XII .1984, Erb & Frias, s/vinal [on seeds P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) ] ( CIRPON) ; 2 males, 5 females, [ El ] Saladillo, AcSA no 803G, 12. XII .1981, Erb , Moran & Frias, s/vinal [on seeds P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) ] ( CIRPON) ; 1 male, 5 females, Santiago del Estero, AcSA no 503G, 19.I.1983 [?], Frias & Moran, s/vinal [on seeds P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) ] ( CIRPON) ; 11 males, 6 females, ‘‘7 de Abril’ ’ [Siete de Abril], [labels place in Tucumán Province, MS Encarta places in Santiago del Estero Province at 268169S, 648289W, near border with Tucumán and Salta Provinces ], AcSA no 639G [29.XII.1984, Erb & Frias] or AcSA no 1148G [25.XI.1982, Erb, Moran & Frias], s/ P. alba [on seeds P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) according to letter with specimens] ( CIRPON) .

Tucumán: 6 males, 1 female, San Miguel de Tucumán, AcSA no 623G [laboratory of CIRPON], 19.I.1983 [?], Erb, Moran & Frias, s/vinal [on seeds P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) ] ( CIRPON) . Catamarca: 3 females, RN8 38, 22 km N Catamarca, GPS72, 14.X.2002, Cordo, Gandolfo & McKay, beating P. nigra . La Rioja: 1 male, 3 females, RN8 38, [collection site 308369S, 658369W] 10 km N Salinas Grandes , GPS127, 22.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. flexuosa . San

Juan: 1 male, 1 female, RN8 40, 46 km S San Juan, GPS56’, 5.XI.2002, Cordo & McKay, beating P. flexuosa . Córdoba: 2 males, 6 females, RN8 30, Chancani, GPS125, 21.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, beating P. flexuosa ?; 2 females, RN8 1 near La Paz, GPS121, 21.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. chilensis ; 1 male, 20 km N Villa Dolores, GPS124, 21.XI.2002, Neser, Gandolfo & McKay, beating P. flexuosa ?. San Luis: 3 males, RN8 148, 63 km N Villa Mercedes, GPS206, 9.II.2003, Gandolfo & McKay, emerged pods P. caldenia . Mendoza: 3 females, RN8 173, 20 km S San Rafael, GPS48’, 2.XI.2002, Cordo & McKay, beating P. flexuosa . Chile. Metropolitana de Santiago: 1 male, Polpaico, Algoroba del Pais, D. S. Bullock [no date, specimen squashed] ( USNM); 3 males, Colina, Rosenbaum , 4/6/1956, #4312 Prosopis chilensis [specimens teneral] ( USNM).

Biology. The adults feed and oviposit inside green pods of various species of Prosopis (Fabaceae) ; the larvae develop inside the seeds consuming their contents; pupation takes place inside the emptied seeds (in litt. D. Gandolfo). According to laboratory and specimen label data from the USNM, SABCL, and CIRPON, C. gandolfoi is associated with pods (by rearing) or plants (by sweeping) of the following species of Prosopis : P. alba (Grisebach) , P. alpataco Philippi , P. caldenia Burkart , P. chilensis (Molina) , P. flexuosa DC , P. nigra (Grisebach) , and P. ruscifolia (Grisebach) . Preliminary results indicate that the first individuals of C. gandolfoi shipped to quarantine facilities in South Africa have accepted pods of the North American Prosopis glandulosa Torrey for oviposition (in litt. D. Gandolfo).

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Daniel Gandolfo, a collector of the type series.

Relationships. Kissinger (2000) listed five species groups of the genus Coelocephalapion Wagner that exhibit strong development of the subcephalic ridges in common with C. gandolfoi Kissinger. Of these groups, members of the C. frontellum group, especially C. frontellum (Fall) , C. subornatum (Fall) , and C. tellum Kissinger exhibit characters in common with C. gandolfoi (the characters are referred to by number in the discussion): 1) Members of Fabaceae are the probable host plants:

C. frontellum associated with Acacia greggi Gray ; C. subornatum reared from Acacia roemeriana Scheele pods, Acacia rigidula Benth. and Prosopis sp. ; associated with Mimosa borealis Gray and Prosopis juliflora (SW.) DC. ; and C. tellum reared from larvae ex blooms Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.; 2) with deep subcephalic pocket; 3) basal 1/4 of elytra (at least) with areas of contrasting finer and broader scales that may form contrasting transverse banding except C. frontellum vestiture is uniform; this excludes the case where the denser vestiture is confined to the base of intervals selected from 1–4 or as post-scutellar spot; 4) dorsal margin of scrobe of antenna not produced into an acute dentiform process; 5) endophallus lacks frenalike structures, with 4 rows of teeth, 0.025 mm long; the first and last teeth in the row may be the largest, the teeth are not of uniform length; 6) parameres with distinct vertical curtain joining broadly with the basal piece; 7) rostrum of both sexes is same color as head; and 8) ventral sublateral sulcus of rostrum is not evident or not impressed.

The C. bryanti group differs from the C. frontellum group as follows: 3) vestiture of elytral disk nearly uniform; 5) endophallus with 2 rows of teeth; 6) parameres lacking vertical curtain and narrowly joining basal piece; and 8) ventral sublateral sulcus deeply impressed in both sexes, at least at base.

The C. luteirostre group differs from the C. frontellum group as follows: 1) associated with flowers of Mikania sp. (Compositae) and apparently reared from its seeds; 2) shallow subcephalic pocket; 3) vestiture of elytral disk nearly uniform; 5) endophallus with 2 rows of teeth; and 7) rostrum of both sexes lighter in color than head.

The C. spretissimum group differs from the C. frontellum group as follows: 3) C. aculeatum (Fall) and C. pigrae Kissinger have denser scales on intervals 2 and 4 otherwise vestiture of elytral disk is nearly uniform; and 5) endophallus with 2 rows of teeth, each row with 3–5 hooklike teeth, usually. 0.030 mm long; the hooklike teeth are similar to frena, such as found in Noterapion ( Kissinger, 2002, Figs. 2 , 4 & 5 ), but unlike a frenum, each large tooth has a sclerotized base.

The C. nodicorne group differs from the C. frontellum group as follows: 1) host plants may be Euphorbiaceae ; two species, C. delta (Buchanan) and C. fumitarse (Fall) were reared from seeds of Croton glandulosus L. ( Kissinger, 1968); 3) elytra with dense scales on base of interval 3 and on sutural interval; 4) dorsal margin of scrobe of antenna produced into acute dentiform process; and 5) the teeth of the endophallus tend to be small and uniform in length.

This species can be placed in the ‘‘Key to males of species of Coelocephalapion occurring in North and Central America’’ ( Kissinger, 1968) as follows:

23 Vestiture very fine, golden; endophallus with teeth, 10 microns long; subcephalic ridge low - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. prosolitare (Kissinger)

239 Vestiture in part white scales; subcephalic ridge high; endophallus with teeth. 15 microns long - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23A

23A Length, 1.50 mm; vestiture white, uniform; in profile head with ridge under eye 0.02 mm wide with 1 row of scales; endophallus with narrow teeth. 50 microns long - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. ignotum (Kissinger)

23A9 Length. 1.75 mm; vestiture composed of coarser white and finer gold scales, elytra with distinct transverse banding; in profile head with large ridge under eye. 0.15 mm wide with 2 rows of scales and extensive bare area; endophallus with teeth, 30 microns long - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. gandolfoi Kissinger

Figures

Figs. 1–2. Coelocephalapion gandolfoi, male. 1) Dorsal view; 2) lateral view of head and prothorax. Scale ¼ 0.190 mm.

Figs. 3–5. Coelocephalapion gandolfoi. 3) Dorsal view of head, male; 4) dorsal view of head, female; 5) lateral view of head and prothorax. Scale ¼ 0.190 mm.

Figs. 6–8. Coelocephalapion gandolfoi. 6) Median lobe of aedeagus, dorsal view, scale ¼ 0.034 mm; 7) armature of endophallus, lateral view, ostium to top of page, scale ¼ 0.017 mm; 8) median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view; scale ¼ 0.034 mm. Figs. 9–11. Coelocephalapion gandolfoi. 9) Median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view of apex, scale ¼ 0.017 mm; 10) tegmen, dorsal view, scale¼ 0.034 mm; 11) tegmen, lateral view; scale ¼ 0.017 mm.