Linogeraeus capillatus (LeConte)

Prena, Jens, 2009, A Review of the Species of Geraeus Pascoe and Linogeraeus Casey Found in the Continental United States (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (2), pp. 123-172 : 155-157

Linogeraeus capillatus (LeConte)

( Figs. 33–35 , 70 , 76 )

Centrinus capillatus LeConte 1876:311 . Lectotype male, designated here, labeled ‘‘Tex.,’’ ‘‘Type./ 5406,’’ ‘‘ C. capillatus / Lec.,’’ ‘‘ Jan.–Jul. 2005 / MCZ Image/ Database,’’ ‘‘ LECTOTYPE / Prena design. 2008’’ ( MCZ) ; paralectotypes 3, none located.

Geraeus capillatus ; Schwarz in Leng (1920) [see Leng in Sherman (1929:392)].

Centrinaspis capillata ; Casey (1920).

Linogeraeus capillatus ; Kuschel (1983).

Centrinus clientulus Casey 1892:594 . Holotype female, labeled ‘‘Columb/ 21.8. Tex,’’ ‘‘Casey/ bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘Type USNM/ 37851,’’ Casey’s handwriting ‘‘clientula/ Csy.’’ New synonymy.

Geraeus clientulus ; Schwarz in Leng (1920) [see Leng in Sherman (1929:392)].

Centrinaspis clientula ; Casey (1920).

Linogeraeus clientulus ; Kuschel (1983).

Centrinus nubecula Casey 1892:594 . Holotype female, labeled ‘‘Tex,’’ ‘‘Casey/ bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘Type USNM/ 37850,’’ Casey’s handwriting ‘‘nubecula/ Csy.’’ Synonymy by Leng (1920:328), overlooked by authors.

Geraeus nubecula ; Schwarz in Leng (1920) [see Leng in Sherman (1929:392)].

Centrinaspis nubecula ; Casey (1920).

Linogeraeus nubecula ; Kuschel (1983).

Geraeus submaculatus Champion 1908:287 . Lectotype male, here designated, labeled ‘‘Type,’’ ‘‘σ,’’ Sp. figured,’’ ‘‘Temax,/ N. Yucatan, Gaumer.,’’ ‘‘B.C.A. Col. IV.5./ Geraeus / submaculatus/ Champ.,’’ Champion’s handwriting ‘‘ Geraeus / submaculatus/ Ch,’’ ‘‘ LECTOTYPE / Prena design. 2008’’ (BMNH); paralectotypes [at least] 105, from Temax, Mexico and San Gerónimo, Guatemala (BMNH 91, MNHUB 4, USNM 10). New synonymy.

Centrinaspis submaculata ; Casey (1920).

Geraeus puerulus Champion 1909:490 . Lectotype male, here designated, labeled ‘‘σ,’’ ‘‘ Cuernavaca / Mor. Mex. / Wickham,’’ ‘‘ B.C.A. Col. IV.5./ Geraeus / puerulus/ Champ.,’’ Champion’s handwriting ‘‘ Geraeus / puerulus/ Ch,’’ ‘‘ LECTOTYPE / Prena design. 2008’’ (BMNH); paralectotypes, 3 males, 4 females, from Cuernavaca and Puente de Ixtla, Morelos, Mexico ( BMNH 4 , USNM 1 , 2 not located). New synonymy.

Centrinaspis repens Casey 1920:396 . Holotype female, labeled ‘‘Gulfport/ XI-1911 Fla,’’ ‘‘Casey/ bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘Type USNM/ 37823,’’ Casey’s handwriting ‘‘repens/ Csy.’’ New synonymy.

Linogeraeus repens ; Kuschel (1983).

Centrinaspis segregans Casey 1920:400 . Holotype female, labeled ‘‘ Temax / N. Yucatan / Gaumer,’’ ‘‘ Casey / bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘ Type USNM/ 37824 ,’’ Casey’s handwriting ‘‘segregans/ Csy.’’ New synonymy.

Linogeraeus segregans ; Kuschel (1983).

Centrinaspis hilaris Casey 1922:237 . Syntypes, 3 males, 5 females, labeled (1) ‘‘Santarem,’’ ‘‘Casey/ bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘Type USNM/ 45351 ,’’ Casey’s handwriting ‘‘hilaris/ Csy’’; (2–8) ‘‘Santarem,’’ ‘‘Casey/ bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘hilaris-2 [other specimens numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]/ Paratype USNM/ 45351 ’’ (USNM). New synonymy.

Linogeraeus hilaris ; Kuschel (1983).

Recognition. Linogeraeus capillatus can be recognized by the long first desmomere that is shared in the study area only by L. hospes , a species with a different rostrum. The male possesses straight, peg-shaped prosternal spines and blunt, distally flattened metatibial spines. The adventive L. urbanus has a similar color pattern, but differs in the above mentioned characters. The size of L. capillatus is 2.6–4.3 mm.

Distribution. This species occurs from the eastern and central United States to northern South America and in Hispaniola ( Fig. 76 ).

Type locality. Belfrage , Texas .

Material examined. United States: Alabama ( TAMU 1 , USNM 5 ), Arizona ( CMNC 14 , CWOB 15 , JPPC 15 , TAMU 21 , USNM 5 ), Arkansas ( TAMU 1 ) , Florida ( CMNC 39 , CWOB 2 , TAMU 22 ), Georgia ( TAMU 20 ) , Illinois ( CMNC 1 , TAMU 11 ), Louisiana ( TAMU 1 , USNM 9 ), Maryland ( USNM 2 ) , Mississippi ( USNM 9 ) , New Mexico ( TAMU 3 ) , North Carolina ( USNM 1 ) , Oklahoma ( USNM 1 ) , South Carolina ( CMNC 2 , TAMU 4 , USNM 6 ), Tennessee ( USNM 1 ) , Texas ( CMNC 20 , CWOB 7 , TAMU 193 , USNM 41 ) . Brazil ( USNM 5 ) , Colombia ( USNM 11 ) , Costa Rica ( CWOB 2 ) , Dominican Republic ( CMNC 1 , USNM 30 ) , El Salvador ( TAMU 1 , USNM 9 ) , Guatemala ( CWOB 9 , USNM 1 ) , Haiti ( USNM 16 ) , Honduras ( CWOB 16 , TAMU 1 , USNM 11 ) , Mexico ( CMNC 4 , CWOB 107 , TAMU 70 , USNM 24 ) , Nicaragua ( CWOB 3 , TAMU 27 , USNM 3 ) , Panama ( CWOB 11 , USNM 1 ) , Venezuela ( CWOB 100 , USNM 13 ). Total 948 specimens .

Temporal occurrence. April to October.

Plant associations. Poaceae : A. stolonifera (Luckmann and LeSar 1959) ; Z. mays (R. Cave, observation).

Biology. [From Luckmann and LeSar (1959):] ‘‘The weevil overwinters in the adult stage in the soil in fields of redtop. It leaves hibernation in May and soon begins to oviposit in stems of the host plant. The egg stage lasts 8 to 10 days. The larva feeds for 30 to 40 days in an internode of the stem and then crawls into the soil where it remains inactive for another 30 to 40 days before pupating. The pupal stage lasts 10 to 14 days. There is one generation each year.’’

Note. Although a common and easily recognizable species, L. capillatus has rarely been identified in collections; O’Brien and Wibmer (1982) reported it only from New Mexico and Texas. Part of the problem may be the frequent loss of scales and the general variability of the dorsal color pattern. The vestiture is rather uniform in most parts of the United States, whereas the x-shaped pattern is more distinct in humid areas, such as the West Indies or South and Central America.

Figures

Figs. 33–40. Linogeraeus species, dorsal and lateral aspects; scale bar 1 mm. 33, 34) L. capillatus, female; 35) L. capillatus, male; 36) L. urbanus, female; 37, 38) L. urbanus, male; 39, 40) L. perscitus, male.

Figs. 61–70. Geraeus and Linogeraeus species; 61–63, aedeagus, dorsal aspect of apical portion; 64–67, rostrum, dorsal aspect; 68–70, antenna. 61) L. finitimus; 62) L. neglectus; 63) L. tonsilis; 64) L. finitimus, male; 65) L. finitimus, female; 66) L. neglectus, male; 67) L. neglectus, female; 68) G. picumnus, female; 69) G. timidus, female; 70) L. capillatus, female.

Figs. 76–77. Map of United States (without northwestern part) and Central America showing distributions of Linogeraeus appalachensis, L. capillatus, L. crucifer, L. finitimus, and L. urbanus.