Pristoscelis schlingeri, Constantin 1991: 11

Mayor, Adriean J. & Gimmel, Matthew L., 2019, Revision of the Soft-Winged Flower Beetles of the Genus Asydates Casey, 1895 (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Dasytinae: Listrini), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 17) 73, pp. 1-71 : 22-25

Pristocelis [sic] schlingeri Constantin 1991: 11 . Nomen nudum .

Pristocelis [sic] schlingeri Howell 1997: 11–13 , fig. 1. Holotype male from “Deep Canyon, CA”, CAS type #16395, examined. Mawdsley 2003: 155. New synonymy.

Scelopristis schlingeri: Mayor 2004: 86 .

Type Material. Trichochrous ruficauda , holotype ♂ ( Fig. 44 ), deposited in CAS, labeled “Palm Springs \Cal. May 20, 1917 [white printed label] //E P Van Duzee\Collector [white printed label] // Holotype ♂ \ruficauda \Blais. [red handwritten label] // Type ♂ ♀ \ Trichochrous \ruficauda \Blais. [red and white handwritten label] // California Academy \of Sciences \Type No. 2697 [white printed and handwritten label]” .

Pristoscelis volki , holotype ♂ ( Fig. 45 ), deposited in CAS, labeled “E. of L. ELSINORE \RIVERSIDE CO., CAL. [white printed label] //1293. ♂ [white handwritten label] // California Academy \of Sciences \Type No. 16396 [white printed and handwritten label] // HOLOTYPE Pristocelis [sic.] \volki ♂ \Det. by C. D. HOWELL [red printed and handwritten label]” .

Pristoscelis schlingeri , holotype ♂ ( Fig. 46 ), deposited in CAS, labeled “ Deep Canyon \ Riv. Co. Cal. \ v-30-1963 [white printed and handwritten label] // E. I. Schlinger \Collector [white printed label] //Collected on \ Eriogonum [white printed label] // ♂ Univ. Calif. \Insect Survey \Specimen # \308578 [white printed and handwritten label] // California Academy \of Sciences \Type No. 16395 [white printed and handwritten label] // HOLOTYPE \schlingeri \Det. by C. D. HOWELL [red printed and handwritten label]” .

Diagnosis. The dorsal surface of the elytra with pale reclining setae, the setal fringe of the pronotum with some long, projecting setae ( Fig. 16C–D ), and male abdominal ventrite 1 with a distinct median patch of dense pale setae ( Fig. 19B ) distinguish A. ruficauda from all other species of Asydates .

Redescription. Body elongate, graciliform, shiny ( Figs. 4C–D , 8G–H ); head, pronotum, and elytra with sparse, inconspicuous microsculpture. Length 2.1 mm (1.9–2.4 mm, n = 20); width 0.9 mm (0.8–0.9 mm, n = 20). Head, pronotum, elytra, and male venter black; basal antennomeres, elytral apex and epipleura, legs in both sexes, and female ventrites orange; apical antennomeres darker, reddish brown to black; head, pronotum, elytra, and venter occasionally more extensively to nearly entirely orange. Pubescence dense, reclining, pale, whitish to golden; pronotal fringe with some long, projecting setae. Punctation with punctures fine, indistinct on head, pronotum, and elytra. Head: Small, not enlarged, narrower than pronotum, eyes bulging ( Fig. 12C–D ); 1.55 (1.46–1.90, n = 20) times wider than interocular distance. Antennomeres 5–10 weakly serrate; male antennae short, reaching to near middle of pronotum posteriorly, female antennae shorter. Thorax: Pronotum slightly wider than long, 0.85 (0.81–0.91, n = 20) times as long as wide; widest at middle; lateral edges converging to anterior margin, not constricted before anterior margin; anterior and posterior angles obsolete, broadly rounded ( Fig. 16C–D ). Elytra elongate, broadly oval, elytron 3.77 (3.43–4.17, n = 20) times as long as wide, at humeri slightly wider than pronotum; elytral epipleuron distinct at base, becoming obsolete near apex of abdominal ventrite 3 in both sexes; apical margin broadly rounded to sutural angle, which is obsolete, margin inconspicuously serrulate in both sexes. All tibiae with fine, white setae along the external margin; pro- and mesotibiae with only a few stout spines sparsely arranged along external margin in both sexes. Abdomen: Male ventrite 1 with distinct median patch of dense white setae ( Fig. 19B ). Pygidium unmodified, broadly rounded in both sexes ( Fig. 22B ). Median lobe of aedeagus a bowed tube with apex conspicuously bent ventrally ( Fig. 26A–D ); tegmen relatively short and wide, with distinct constriction at base of ring ( Fig. 29B ).

Host Plant Associations. Adults of A. ruficauda have been collected from flowers of plants in the families Asteraceae [ Chaenactis carphoclinia (3), Chaenactis sp. (1), and Stephanomeria pauciflora (1)], Bignoniaceae [ Chilopsis linearis (2)], Euphorbiaceae [no species listed (4)], Fabaceae [ Senegalia greggii (4)], Loasaceae [ Mentzelia involucrata (6)], and Polygonaceae [ Eriogonum fasciculatum (178), E. inflatum (76), and Eriogonum sp. (129)].

Seasonal Distribution. 10 May to 28 August, with a peak in June ( Fig. 40 ).

Geographic Distribution. One of the most widespread species of Asydates , A. ruficauda is known to occur in southern California from the White Mountains east of Big Pine south to Anza Borrego, San Diego County, California, east to southwest Utah ( Fig. 38A ).

Material Examined. Records reported here are based on the examination of 490 specimens. USA: CALIFORNIA: Inyo County: Alabama Hills on Whitney Portal Rd., elev. 1,290 m, N36°35’50.1”, W118°05’48.4”, 1 June 2016, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (10♂♂, 10♀♀, UCRC, 1♂, 1♀, SBMNH); 4 mi. E. Big Pine, v-25-1959, G. H. Nelson, sweeping Eriogonum inflatum (12♂♂, 7♀♀, UCRC); 5.0 mi. NE Big Pine, 8 June 1978, A. J. Mayor, collected on Eriogonum inflatum (10♂♂, 8♀♀, UCRC); CA-168 3 miles northeast of Zurich, 37.21512°, -118.23471°, 1,400 m, ex Eriogonum inflatum , 2 June 2016, leg. M. & L. Gimmel & A. J. Mayor, ML84a (7♂♂, 4♀♀, SBMNH); same except ex Stephanomeria pauciflora, ML 84 (1♂, SBMNH); China Lake Naval W. C., Coso Mts., Silver Peak Springs on west side, 27.vii.99, M. Gates (1♂, UCRC); 10 mi. N. Trona, 10 June 1961, collector G. H. Nelson, Eriogonum inflatum (1♂, 1♀, UCRC); Westgard Pass, 7,300’, 69vii23, C. D. Howell, on Eriogonum ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 2♂♂, UCRC); Westgard Pass Rd. (Hwy. 168) E. of Big Pine, elev. 1,614 m, N37°13’46.0”, W118°12’33.4”, 2 June 2016, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (2♂♂, 3♀♀, UCRC); Westgard Pass, 4 mi. W., vi-19-61, J. Powell Collector (1♂, 7♀♀, UCRC); Los Angeles County: Angeles National Forest, San Antonio Creek, 34.2215°, -117.6656°, 23 June 2007, leg. Caterino & Chatzimanolis (5♂♂, 4♀♀, SBMNH); Angeles National Forest, along Glendora Mtn. Rd., elev. 402 m, N34°10’45.6”, W117°50’42.1”, 28 August 2018, C. B. Watson, collected sweeping flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (1♀, UCRC); Old Ridge Route Rd., N. of Pine Canyon Rd., el. 1,156 m, N34°45’15.0”, W118°42’54.6”, 7 June 2016, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (1♂, 1♀, UCRC); San Dimas Canyon Rd. below dam, elev. 410 m, N34°9’3.1”, W117°46’27.7”, 14 July 2018, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (10♂♂, 10♀♀, UCRC); same except above dam, elev. 511 m, N34°9’42.8”, W117°46’6.9”, 14 July 2018, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (8♂♂, 5♀♀, UCRC); Riverside County: Bautista Canyon at Fairview Ave, elev. 585 m, N33°42’57.4”, W116°53’34.2”, 10 June 2018, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (9♂♂, 13♀♀, UCRC); Top of Berdoo Cyn., iv-14-1963, E. I. Schlinger Collector (1♂, UCRC); Box Canyon Rd. at Shaver’ s Well, elev. 277 m, N33°37’06.6”, W115°55’04.6”, 14 April 2016, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Mentzelia involucrata (4♂♂, 2♀♀, UCRC); 1 mi. S. Bundy Cyn., nr. Menifee Valley, vi-18-72, J. D. Pinto (1♀, UCRC); near Cathedral City, May 6, 46, Timberlake Coll., on Acacia greggii (2♂♂, UCRC); Deep Canyon, v- 10-1963, E. I. Schlinger collector ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 4♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); same except collected on Chaenactis ( P. schlingeri paratype, 1♀, UCRC); same except v-16-1963, E. I. Schlinger collector, collected on Eriogonum ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 2♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); same except v-17-1963 ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 8♂♂, 18♀♀, UCRC); same except v-30-1963 ( P. schlingeri holotype ♂, CAS, paratypes, 11♂♂, 14♀♀, UCRC); same except v-31- 1963 ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 4♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); same except vi-7-1963 ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 10♂♂, 7♀♀, UCRC); same except vi-13-1963 ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 9♂♂, 21♀♀, UCRC); same except vi-21-1963 ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 2♂♂, UCRC); same except 30 May-7 June 1963 (2♂♂, 2♀♀, UCRC); same except vii-1-64, E. I. Schlinger, on Chilopsis ( P. schlingeri paratypes, 1♂, 1♀, UCRC); 3.4 mi. west Desert Center, June 4, 60, on Eriogonum inflatum, Timberlake Coll. (1♂, UCRC); E. of Lake Elsinore, 69vi06, C. D. Howell, on Eriogonum (holotype ♂, allotype ♀, P. volki, CAS , paratypes, 4♂♂, 7♀♀, UCRC); Lake Elsinore on El Toro Cutoff Rd., elev. 465 m, N33° 43.023’, W117° 19.623’, 3 June 2015, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (11♂♂, 11♀♀, UCRC, 2♂♂, 2♀♀, SBMNH); Little San Berd. Mts, Pinon Wells, vi-14-63, P. Estes, on Eriogonum (1♀, UCRC); Menifee Valley (hills on W. end), 33° 39’N, 117° 13’W, 1,800’ el., vi-7/12- 1995, J. D. Pinto, m[alaise] t[rap] (1♂, UCRC); above Palm Desert, Hwy. 74, 3,500’, 30-v-1989, G. H. Nelson, on Eriogonum fasciculatum (11♂♂, 5♀♀, UCRC); Palm Springs, May 20, 1917, E. P. Van Duzee collector (holotype ♂, paratype ♀, T. ruficauda, CAS ); P. L. Boyd Desert Res. Center, 3.5 mi. S. Palm Desert, 20-27-vi1969, S. Frommer, D. Bixler & L. LaPré, pit-fall trap #13, marker #-3 under Chilopsis linearis (1♂, UCRC); same except vi-27-vii-3-69, Saul Frommer, pit-fall trap #3, marker-52, under Acacia greggii (1♀, UCRC); P. L. Boyd Desert Res. Center, Coyote Creek, 18 May 74, S. E. van Vorhis coll. (1♀, UCRC); Riverside, Sycamore Canyon Park nr. Central Ave, elev. 377 m, N33° 57.183’, W117° 19.198’, 2 June 2015, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (10♂♂, 9♀♀, UCRC, 2♂♂, 2♀♀, SBMNH); Riverside, hills on U C Riverside Campus, el. 379m, N33°58’5.4”, W117°19’22.7”, 4 June 2018, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (6♂♂, 3♀♀, UCRC); Riverside, Box Springs Park, Two-Trees Trail, elev. 402 m, N33°59’7.2”, W117°18’18.2”, 19-vii-2018, C. B. Watson, collected sweeping flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (2♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); Santa Rosa Plateau Ecol. Res., 33° 32.524’N, 117° 14.644’W, 590m, v-30/ vi-20-2002, J. Pinto (1♀, UCRC); Sage, 5 mi. W., vii-3-63, E. I. Schlinger Collector (1♂, 1♀, UCRC); Santa Rosa Mts., Alpine Village, el 4000’, vii-14-64, E. Schlinger (6♂♂, 8♀♀, UCRC); Santa Rosa Mts., N. of Pinon Flats, elev. 972 m, N33° 37.082’, W116° 24.789’, 20 May 2014, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (2♂♂, 5♀♀, UCRC); Whitewater Cyn., v-31-63, E. I. Schlinger (2♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); Whitewater Canyon, 31-v-1987, G. H. Nelson, on Acacia greggii (1♀, UCRC); same except 4-vi-1987 (1♀, UCRC); San Bernardino County: 29 Palms Marine Base, Peak NW Sunshine Peak, Powerline Rd., May 23, 2002, leg. G. Pratt & C. Pierce (1♂, UCRC); same except June 22, ’02 (2♀♀, UCRC); same except Powerline Road, day collect, June 26, 2003 (1♀, UCRC); same except night collect (1♀, UCRC); same except Jojoba Cyn NW Cleghorn Pass, 29-Jun-2004 (1♀, UCRC); Big Morongo Canyon, 69-v-15, C. D. Howell (3♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); E. of Cajon Summit on Mariposa Rd., elev. 1291 m, N34°21’00.4”, W117°26’14.3”, 23 June 2016, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (5♂♂, 3♀♀, UCRC, 1♂, 1♀, SBMNH); Calico Mountains on Doran Scenic Dr., elev. 692 m, N34°56’35.6”, W116°51’29.4”, 23 April 2017, A. J. Mayor, collected from flowers of Chaenactis carphoclinia (1♂, 2♀♀, UCRC); China Lake, South Range, Superior Valley, NE end, el. 1028 m, N35° 19.383’, W116° 58.118’, 10 May 2014, A. J. Mayor, collected sweeping flowers of Eriogonum inflatum (9♂♂, 12♀♀, UCRC, 1♂, 1♀, SBMNH); Clark Mts. (w. end), 1,490 m, 35°31’45”N, 115°38’15”W, v-23-2001, swp., John D. Pinto (1♂, 3♀♀, UCRC); Highway 95 south Needles, 20 June 1988, Baumann, Kirschner, Kondratieff, Wells, Whiting (1♂, BYU); Joshua Tree National Park, 49 Palms Oasis Trail, 34.1109°, -116.1072°, hand collected, 27-28 April 2012, leg. M.S. Caterino, A.K. Tishechkin & M.P. Richmond (2♀♀, SBMNH); 4.3 mi. S. of Lucerne Valley on Crystal Creek Rd., N34° 23.039’, W116° 56.739’, 24 May 2015, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (2♂♂, UCRC); NE Superior Valley, 1013 m, N35°19’15”, W116°58’4”, 10 May, 2014, leg. G. Ballmer, on Eriogonum inflatum flwrs. (1♂, 1♀, UCRC); Vanwinkle Spr., in wash, vi-19-65, G. E. Wallace (2♂, 2♀♀, UCRC); Yucaipa, Oak Glen, Pisgah Pk., 720730, C. D. Howell (3♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); San Diego County: Scissors Crossing, vi-26-63, E. I. Schlinger (1♂, UCRC); 0.4 mi. W. of Scissors Crossing on San Felipe Rd., el. 695 m, N33°06’01.5”, W116°28’39.2”, 8 May 2016, A. J. Mayor, collected beating flowers of Eriogonum fasciculatum (5♂♂, 1♀, UCRC); Waterman Cyn., vi-7-63, E. I. Schlinger, on Euphorbiaceae (2♂♂, 2♀♀, UCRC). UTAH: Washington County: Beaver Dam Wash, Lytle Preserve, 37.14°N, 114.02°W, 23 June 2015, S.M. & B.S. Clark (1♂, BYU); same except 37.1427°, -114.0221°, 15 May 2015, S.M. Clark (1♀, BYU).

Remarks. The specific epithet ruficauda is a Latin feminine noun, and as such does not need to agree in gender with the masculine genus name Asydates (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999, ICZN Articles 31.2.1 and 34.2.1).

Variation in adult color of A. ruficauda is substantial. In many populations from the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of California, individuals are black, with the elytral apex and elytral margins in the apical half (or less), legs, and female abdomen orange. This is the color pattern found in specimens of T. ruficauda described by Blaisdell in 1924 and P. schlingeri described by Howell in 1997. In specimens from the inland valleys of southern California, the orange color is more extensive and may include the head in the apical half, the lateral margins of the pronotum and elytra, and most of the ventral surface. This is the color pattern found in specimens described as P. volki by Howell in 1979. In specimens from Bautista Canyon, males may be black only on the disc of the elytra, and some females are entirely orange.

Howell (1997) wrote under the description of P. schlingeri that he regarded P. volki “as invalid, as it was based upon a male, which due to a deformity rather than nature, resembled a Pristocelis [sic].” Presumably, the “deformity” refers to the enlarged male head, although from this comment it is unclear what Howell’ s taxonomic intentions were. However, based on our examination of type material, we regard the species as a junior synonym of A. ruficauda (see below).

In all populations described above, the setal fringe of the pronotum has some long projecting setae ( Fig. 16C–D ), male abdominal ventrite 1 has a distinct median patch of dense, white setae ( Fig. 19B ), and the median lobe of the aedeagus has the apex conspicuously bent ventrally at a nearly 90° angle ( Fig. 26A–D ). These characters differentiate A. ruficauda from all other species of Asydates and are the justification for considering P. volki and P. schlingeri as junior subjective synonyms of A. ruficauda .

Figures

Fig. 44. Trichochrous ruficauda (= Asydates ruficauda), holotype male, dorsal, left lateral, and frontal habitus,

Fig. 45. Pristocelis [sic] volki (= Asydates ruficauda), holotype male, dorsal, left lateral, and frontal habitus, head

Fig. 46. Pristocelis [sic] schlingeri (= Asydates ruficauda), holotype male, dorsal, left lateral, and frontal habitus,

Fig. 16. Asydates species, pronota. A. shoshone: A) Male, B) Female. A. ruficauda: C) Male, D) Female. A. vandykei: E) Male, F) Female.

Fig. 19. Asydates species, ventral view of male abdomen showing dense, white setae concentrated medially on ventrite 1. A) A. kumeyaay, B) A. ruficauda.

Fig. 4. Asydates species, dorsal habitus. A. shoshone: A) Male, B) Female. A. ruficauda: C) Male, D) Female. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 8. Asydates species, lateral habitus. A. tongva: A) Male, B) Female. A. irwini: C) Male, D) Female. A. shoshone: E) Male, F) Female; A. ruficauda: G) Male, H) Female. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 12. Asydates species, frontal view. A. shoshone: A) Male, B) Female. A. ruficauda: C) Male, D) Female. A.

Fig. 22. Asydates species, male pygidium and attached abdominal sternite VIII, ventral view. A) A. irwini, B) A. ruficauda, C) A. vandykei (spiculum gastrale is still attached), D) A. inexpectatus. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 26. Asydates species, median lobe of aedeagus, right lateral view. A. ruficauda: A) CA: Riverside Co.: Lake Elsinore, B) CA: Riverside Co.: Sycamore Canyon Park, C) CA: Inyo Co.: Westgard Pass Road, D) UT: Washington Co.: Lytle Preserve. E) A. washoe, NV: Lyon Co.: 7.2 km south of Sweetwater Summit on Highway 338, F) A. inexpectatus, CA: San Bernardino Co.: 1.6 km north of Hodge. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 29. Asydates species, tegmen of aedeagus (apex directed upward). A) A. shoshone, NV: Elko Co.: 43.5 km south of Wells, B) A. ruficauda, CA: Inyo Co.: Westgard Pass Road, C) A. vandykei, CA: Alameda Co.: Irvington, D) A. washoe, NV: Lyon Co.: 7.2 km south of Sweetwater Summit on Highway 338, E) A. phantasma, UT: Emery Co.: Woodside, F) A. inexpectatus, CA: San Bernardino Co.: 1.6 km north of Hodge. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 40. Seasonalities of adult Asydates species, by month, based on collection records in the Material Examined sections.

Fig. 38. Distribution of Asydates species. A) Localities of examined specimens of A. ruficauda, B) Localities of examined specimens of A. inexpectatus (red triangle) and A. vandykei (black dots).