Fidia cana Horn, 1892

Strother, M. S. & Staines, C. L., 2008, A revision of the New World genus Fidia Baly 1863 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Adoxini), Zootaxa 1798 (1), pp. 1-100 : 24-26

Fidia cana Horn

( Figs. 2 , 44 , 89 , 110; Map 2)

Fidia cana Horn 1892: 199 (original description); Schaeffer 1904: 228 (key); Clavareau 1914: 76 (catalog); Leng 1920: 293 (catalog); Fattig 1948: 19 (misidentification, see F. longipes ); Schultz 1970: 240 (dissertation); Wilcox 1975: 57 (checklist); Riley et al. 2003: 151 (catalog); Clark et al. 2004: 102 (host plants).

In his description of F. cana, Horn (1892) did not state the number of specimens he had before him. Because he gives a single length measurement, it would appear that he had only one specimen. This cannot be assumed, however, because in descriptions of the six other new species ( Metachroma longulum p. 212, M. aterrimum p. 214, M. parallelum p. 217, Metaxyonycha circumcincta p. 228, Colaspoides opacicollis p. 229, and C. viridimicans p. 230) in this publication, he gave a single length measurement but clearly indicated that he had more than one specimen.

Three specimens of F. cana are housed in the Horn collection at the MCZC. A female bearing the following labels: "TEX / TYPE No. 3772 [red, number handwritten] / F. cana Horn [handwritten] / LECTOTYPE Fidia cana Horn design. M.S.Strother 1993 [red]", exactly matches the length measurement, 5.5 mm., given by Horn and was designated lectotype ( Strother 2003). The specimen is in good condition, pinned through the right elytron but missing the following: left antennomeres 5–11, left metatarsomeres 2–5, entire right protarsus, and right mesotarsomere five. The origin of the "Type No. 3772" label is unknown. Schultz (1970) accepted this specimen as the lectotype but did not publish this designation.

In addition to the lectotype, one male and one female, each bearing the label data, "TEX. / Horn Coll H 10352 / PARALECTOTYPE Fidia cana Horn design. M. S. Strother 1993 [yellow]" are housed in the Horn collection at the MCZC. These specimens are smaller than the measurement given by Horn and were designated paralectotypes ( Strother 2003) .

Description. Males:TL = 4.22–5.33 mm, HW = 1.92–2.37 mm. Females: TL = 5.17–5.65 mm, HW = 2.48– 2.76 mm. Color: Dorsum and venter entirely dark red-brown to black; femora, tibiae, and tarsi red-brown to black, femora and tibiae usually darker distally; pubescence ashy-white. Pronotum: Length subequal to width, widest at middle, sides moderately to only slightly convex in dorsal view, dorsum slightly convex to nearly straight in lateral view; punctures along dorsal midline usually slightly smaller, more closely spaced than on remainder of disc and lateral aspects; pubescence adpressed to recumbent, often forming distinct medial longitudinal stripe and upwardly concave patch on lateral aspect immediately dorsad of each procoxa, pubescence of disc less dense laterad of medial stripe. Mesepisternum: Entirely glabrous or with several adpressed setae, but never as densely pubescent as mesepimeron. Elytra: Intrahumeral callus obsolete to obsolescent; asetose punctate-striae obscure to feebly developed, often more evident laterally and basally; interstices flat, densely punctulate-rugulose; pubescence recumbent, moderately dense to dense, but not completely obscuring surface sculpture. Abdomen: Males with medial area of first and second sterna flattened to feebly concave, each with relatively large, impunctate, glabrous area; last three sterna weakly convex medially, medial area of third and fourth coarsely punctate, especially apically, with numerous, relatively long, suberect, golden setae; last sternum often with shallow, transverse medial impression; pygidium dorsally gently convex in apical ½ with broadly arcuate apex. Females with medial area of all sterna evenly convex, first sternum often with small, medial glabrous area; pygidium dorsally flat to slightly impressed in apical ½ with acutely rounded apex. Legs: Both sexes with femora gradually tapered towards base. Males with tibial spurs of all legs small, lacking visible surface sculpture; pro- and mesobasitarsi subtriangular, moderately expanded; all basitarsi bearing disco-setae. Penis: In posterior view, sides gradually tapered to rounded apex, with large, broadly rounded apical process. In lateral view, eudorsal surface of declivitous part slightly convex; euventral surface straight to feebly concave, apex tapered to acute, euventrally curved point. Sperm guide composed of upper and lower sclerites. Spermatheca: Basal arm type.

Diagnosis. Medium sized (4.22–5.65 mm), entirely dark red-brown to black; pronotal punctation coarse; pronotal pubescence usually denser along midline, often forming medial, longitudinal stripe; mesepisternum glabrous or with only a few setae. Males with all basitarsi bearing disco-setae; penis with broadly rounded, lobelike apical process ( Fig. 89 ).

Males of F. cana differ from all other U.S. species, with the exception of F. humeralis , in having small pro- and mesotibial spurs that lack visible surface sculpture, in possessing disco-setae on all basitarsi, and in lacking an apical emargination of the penis. Females of F. cana are distinguished from all other U.S. species, with the exception of F. humeralis , by having the mesepisternum glabrous or with only a few setae but never as densely pubescent as the mesepimeron. Fidia humeralis usually possesses a red-orange humeral spot or stripe on each elytron, always has the mesepisternum entirely glabrous, and is never entirely dark as is F. cana . In F. humeralis , males possess a small, acutely pointed apical process on the penis, and females possess a similarly shaped process on the apical margin of the last abdominal sternum. In addition, F. humeralis occurs farther west and south (Map 5) than does F. cana (Map 2). Fidia cana may also be confused with the all black F. convexicollis , but the latter, which occurs in the northern and central portions of east Texas, has the pronotum finely punctate and usually distinctly dorsally arched in lateral view and the mesepisternum densely pubescent.

Distribution (Map 2). Fidia cana was only collected in central, southern, and southwestern Texas, west of the 98th meridian, but it probably also occurs in adjacent north-central Mexico. Fattig (1948) recorded F. cana from Clayton, Georgia. Fattig's specimen was not seen, but this record is probably based on a misidentified specimen of one of the eastern species, most likely F. longipes .

Specimens examined (134). UNITED STATES. TEXAS: Bandera Co., Lost Maples State Park, iv:21:1986 (TAMU:1), iv:27:1986 (TAMU:1); Blanco Co., 2.7 mi. S Pedernales Falls St. Pk., v:21:89 (EGRC:9), v:26:1991 (MSS:7); Bosque Co., 3 mi. w. Laguna Park, v:28:1971 (TAMU:1); Brewster Co., Big Bend Park, vi:15:1937 (TAMU:1), Chisos Mts., vi:23:61 (OSUC:1), vi:26:61 (OSUC:1); Burnet Co., Inks Lake St. Pk., v:21:1989 (EGRC:11); Comal Co., N. Braunfels, no date (USNM:7), N. Braunsfls [sic], 6:20 (MCZC:3), New Braunfels, vi–vii (USNM:5), no date (USNM:3); Gillespie Co., 2.7 mi. N Pedernales Falls St. Pk., v:26:1991 (EGRC:3), county only, vi:29:36 (OSUC:1, UCDC:2); Jeff Davis Co., Davis M., vi:8:39 (OSUC:1), Davis Mountains, vi:28:1986 (BYUC:2), Davis Mts., vii:6 (CASC:1), vii:9 (CASC:1), vi:24:56 (OSUC:2), Davis Mts. Resort, vi:30:1986 (BYUC:1); Kerr Co., Kerrville, vi:19:07 (USNM:2), vi:20:07 (USNM:1); Mills Co., Goldthwaithe, v:11:1974 (EGRC:1); Presidio Co., Marfa, vi:28:47 (USNM:30); Randall Co., county only, vii:7:50 (OSUC:1); Val Verde Co., Devil's Riv, v:5:07 (USNM:1), county only, iv:26:1973 (UADE:1); State only, no date (AMNH:1, FMNH:5, UAIC:18, USNM:2).

Temporal Data. Collecting dates ranged from 21 April to 9 July.

Natural History. The only host data given were "grapes", "grape + ivy", and Vitis sp. Sanderson (1906) reported F.cana attacking cultivated grape in Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas, and suggested that the species could become as troublesome a pest as was F. viticida in other parts of the country.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Dorsal habitus of Fidia species. 1. F. albovittata. 2. F.cana. 3. F. chapini. 4. F. clematis.

FIGURES 42–47. Right prothoracic tibia (scale bar = 0.2 mm). 42. F. viticida ♂. 43. F. viticida ♀. 44. F. cana ♂. 45. F. convexicollis ♂. 46. F. longipes ♂. 47. F. rileyorum ♂.

FIGURES 87–89. Distal part of male aedeagus, lateral and dorsal views (scale bar = 0.5 mm). 87. F. xanthonioides. 88. F.dichroma. 89. F.cana.