Lathropus vernalis Casey

Thomas, Michael C., 2010, A review of Lathropus Erichson (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) in Florida and the West Indies, excluding the Lesser Antilles, Insecta Mundi 2010 (120), pp. 1-21 : 10-12

Lathropus vernalis Casey

Fig. 12 , 17 , 26 , 29 , 36 , 46

Lathropus vernalis Casey 1884: 95 Lathropus striatus Casey 1916: 119 , n. syn.

Diagnosis. Length, 1.25mm - 1.78mm. This is one of the two generally dark brown to piceous Figure 33. Pronotal detail, Lathropus pictus Schwarz species treated here. Color alone should separate it from all other species except L. robustulus , from which it differs in having the pronotum distinctly narrowed posteriorly so that the prominent basal angle is even with the anterior angle ( Fig. 26 ); the lateral line of the pronotum is distinct and uninterrupted ( Fig. 26 ); the elytra are proportionally longer; and it has an area of distinctly different surface sculpture laterally at the midline of the pronotum ( Fig. 29 ). The armature of the internal sac is diagnostic ( Fig. 36 ). In the female, the distal part of the gonocoxite is heavily pigmented (Fig. 46) and is clearly visible through the cuticle in specimens in alcohol. This is the only species with such a character among those treated here, but the female of the European L. sepicola (Müller) has both parts of the gonocoxite heavily pigmented.

Distribution. Eastern North America from Canada south to central Florida and west to Oklahoma and Texas.

Specimens examined. 112, CANADA: Ontario: Kent Co.: Tilbury ; USA: Alabama: Dale Co.: Ft. Rucker Military Reservation ; Escambia Co.: 3.4 mi. SW Dixie ; Florida: Alachua Co.:. 2 mi. W Melrose ; 29 o 34 1/2’ N 82 o 29’ W; Hernando Co.: Withlacoochee State Forest , Richloam Unit ; Highlands Co.: 2 mi. S Sebring ; Archbold Biological Station ; Okaloosa Co.: 1.9 mi. WNW Holt ; Okaloosa Co.: 3.8 mi. E Crestview ; Santa Rosa Co.: 1.7 mi. N Munson ; Maryland: Prince George’s Co.: College Park ; Michigan: Washtenaw Co.: Whitmore Lake ; Mississippi: Desoto Co.: hwy. 61, 2.5 mi. SW jct. 302 ; Noxubee Co.: Noxubee N.W. Refuge ; Winston Co.: Noxubee N.W. Refuge ; New Jersey: Burlington Co.: 5 mi. NW Chatsworth ; New York: Albany Co.: Albany pine barrens ; Oklahoma: Latimer Co .; South Dakota: Brookings Co.: McCrory Gardens .

Discussion. Thomas (1993) discussed the history of this name, which is repeated here:

“ LeConte (1866:379) reported the occurrence of Lathropus in North America, based on specimens collected in Washington, D.C. and California, but did not describe any species. LeConte (in Zimmermann 1869:257) pointed out that Zimmermann had used vernalis as a manuscript name, but that the species was still undescribed. Nevertheless, Crotch (1873:45) used the name, crediting it to LeConte, and Hubbard and Schwarz (1878:634, 652) listed “ Lathropus vernalis Lec. ” in their work on the Coleoptera of Michigan. Casey (1884:95) used the name again in connection with a detailed description. This was the first time that vernalis had been used validly and thus Casey is the actual author of Lathropus vernalis , a fact to which he later called attention ( Casey 1916: 118). All previous uses are nomina nuda. Despite this, Leng (1920:200) and Hetschko (1930:45) cited LeConte (1866:379) as the author of vernalis .”

Casey (1884) was not aware that he was providing the first description of this species and he designated no type specimens. Thomas (1993) listed the specimens of Lathropus vernalis in the LeConte collection at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, to which Casey probably had access. I have since examined four specimens in the Casey collection at theUSNM. Label data for them are: “N.J”/”CASEY bequest 1925"/” Lathropus vernalis Lec. ”; “N.Y”/”CASEY bequest 1925"/”CASEY determ. vernalis - 2"; “C.A. Frost Framingham [?]-21-12 Mass.”/”CASEY bequest 1925"/”CASEY determ. vernalis - 3"; “N.J.”// ”CASEY bequest 1925"/”CASEY determ. vernalis - 4". The third specimen cannot be part of the original series as it was collected decades after the description. The other three are within Casey’s stated geographical range of “Atlantic and Mississippi regions.” In the interest of stability, I here select the first listed specimen as lectotype.

I have examined the female holotype of Lathropus striatus Casey , with label data as follow: “Detroit June”/”CASEY bequest 1925"/”TYPE USNM 49147"/” striatus Csy ”/” Lathropus striatus Csy ”. It is conspecific with the lectotype of L. vernalis , new synonym.

The treatment of this species by Thomas (1993) included true L. vernalis plus L. robustulus and an unrecognized new species described below, none of which could be distinguished at the time.

Casey (1916) suggested that L. vernalis and L. sepicola might be conspecific. Based on an examination of two female specimens of L. sepicola I conclude that while the two species are similar they are not conspecific. The European species differs from L. vernalis in having red legs and both gonacoxites deeply pigmented and in lacking the differently sculptured area on the pronotum.

Figures

Figure 9-12. Habitus, Lathropus spp. 9) L. pictus Schwarz. 10) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 11) L. robustulus Casey. 12) L. vernalis Casey.

Figure 13-18. Surface sculpture of head, Lathropus spp. 13) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp. 14) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 15) L. pictus Schwarz. 16) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 17) L. vernalis Casey. 18) L. robustulus Casey.

Figure 25-26. Pronotum, Lathropus spp. 25) L. robustulus Casey. 26) L. vernalis Casey.

Figure 27-32. Pronotal detail, Lathropus spp. 27) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Panama). 28) L. robustulus Casey. 29) L. vernalis Casey. 30) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 31) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 32) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 34-37. Sclerotization of internal sac, Lathropus spp. 34) L. parvulus Grouvelle. 35) L. pictus Schwarz. 36) L. vernalis Casey. 37) L. robustulus Casey.