Epicauta excavata ( Klug, 1825 )

Campos-Soldini, María Paula & Roig-Juñent, Sergio Alberto, 2011, Redefinition of the vittata species group of Epicauta Dejean (1834) (Coleoptera: Meloidae) and taxonomic revision of the species from southern South America, Zootaxa 2824, pp. 21-43 : 26

Epicauta excavata ( Klug, 1825)

Cantharis excavata Klug, 1825: 440 ; Gemminger and Harold, 1870: 2150 (cat.).

Cantharis sulcifrons Chevrolat, 1829: 135 ; Gemminger and Harold, 1870: 2154 (cat.). Epicauta excavata: Borchmann, 1917: 74 ; Denier, 1935: 155 (cat.), 1940: 420 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1945: 483 (cat.). Martínez, 1992: 5 –6 (dist.); Di Iorio, 2004: 168 (cat.).

Type material. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Head and pronotum dark. Head sexually dimorphic: that of male excavate from occiput to vertex. Elytra pale with three dark vittae on disk extended from base to near the apex, fused at apex. Pubescence of head and pronotum sexually dimorphic: female head with yellow setae extending from clypeus along each side of front bordering eyes and ventral area, pronotum pubescence yellow with two dark extended patches towards both sides of disk; head and pronotum of male with pale setae ventrally.

Comparative remarks. Epicauta excavata is similar to E. semivittata in cuticle color of the head, pronotum, and elytra, but differs in the pattern of color of legs: E. excavata is dark and E. semivittata is dark tinged with light brown.

Redescription. Body length 13–17 mm.

Cuticle and pubescence. Cuticle color dark; head sexually dimorphic: that of male excavate from occiput to vertex; elytra pale with three dark vittae on disk extended from base to near the apex, fused at apex (as in Fig. 22). Pubescence: head and pronotum sexually dimorphic: female head with yellow setae extended from clypeus along each side of front bordering eyes and ventral area, pronotum pubescence yellow with two dark extended patches towards both sides of disk; head and pronotum of male with pale setae on the inner side. Elytral pubescence coincident with cuticle color of vittae. Abdomen pubescence with yellow bands.

Habitus. Head quadrate; mandible relatively straight in basal half and gradually curved towards apex ( Fig. 11 ); antennal segments of female with following proportions: 3 (I); 1.6 (II); 4.6 (III); 3.6 (IV); 4 (V); 4 (VI); 3.6 (VII); 3.3 (VIII); 3.3 (IX); 3.33 (X); 3.3 (XI), antennae male 6 (I); 2.7 (II); 4 (III); 5.5 (IV); 6 (V); 6 (VI); 6 (VII); 6 (VIII); 6 (IX); 6 (X); 5.5 (XI). Pronotum 1.1 times as long as wide (L/A: 22–20); impressed at apical third in lateral view. Elytron subequal in width throughout. Legs with adhesive setae of fore tarsal pads uniformly distributed, pads distally bilobed; medial and hind tarsal pads with two longitudinal rows of adhesive setae. Claws with dorsal blade slightly curved from base to apex, ventral blade broader than dorsal near apical third.

Male genitalia. Falobase with superior margin deeply emarginate. Spiculum gastrale with two marginal acuminate prominences directed inwards, deeply emarginate between prominences (Fig. 31). Median lobe rather long, dorsal-hook; uncus slender and pointed ( Fig. 39 ).

Remarks. Epicauta excavata is a new inclusion in the E. vittata group.

Distributions. Map ( Fig. 46 ), well-known in Brazil and less so in Argentina, where it has been recorded from: Jujuy; Salta. New record: Misiones.

Host plant. For Argentina the unique record is on Solanaceae ( Martínez, 1992; Di Iorio, 2004). In Brazil the species is also cited on Solanaceae , as well for Solanum melongena ; Solanum nigrum ; Lycopersicum esculentum ; Capsicum sp., and Ipomea batata ( Martínez, 1992) .

Material examined. 21 specimens from Brazil and 47 specimens from Argentina belong to the following collections: MACN and MLP. Misiones: Pindapoy 27º 35’ 99’’S, 55º 49’ 71’’O; Departamento de Santa María 27º 53’ 88’’S, 55º 21’ 15’’ O; San Ignacio 27º 15’ 88’’ S, 55º 21’ 15’’O.

Figures

FIGURE 46. Distribution map of Epicauta excavata and Epicauta grammica.

FIGURES 6 – 11. Epicauta lopardina, 6. Labial palpi with segment III strongly expanded from the basal third to the apex; 7. Maxillary palpi large (three times width) compressed dorso-ventrally, tapering to the base and expanding to apex. E. leopardina: 8. Prementum with central area having ample concavity; E. clericalis: 9. Prementum straight. Mandible dorsal views: E. leopardina: 10 (b, see arrow); E. clericalis 11 (b, see arrow).

FIGURES 37 – 44. Aedeagus, lateral view: 37. E. bosqi: (a) aedeagus, (dt) dorsal tooth, (h) hook; 38. Epicauta clericalis; 39. E. excavata; 40. E. grammica 41. E. leopardina; 42. E. luteolineata; 43. E. monachica; 44. E. semivittata.