Apodrosus eximius Girón & Franz, 2010

Girón, Jennifer C. & Franz, Nico M., 2010, Revision, phylogeny and historical biogeography of the genus Apodrosus Marshall, 1922 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), Insect Systematics & Evolution 41, pp. 339-414 : 369-372

Apodrosus eximius Girón & Franz sp.n.

( Fig. 10 )

Diagnosis

Apodrosus eximius is characterized by the combination of a mesally constricted rostrum, strongly projected eyes, a long antennal scape which surpasses the posterior margin of the eyes, the presence of a carinate striped projection on the posterior margin of the epistome, an integument covered with gray and light green, iridescent (greenish to reddish) scales, and posterior femora uniformly colored. This species may be differentiated from A. argentatus by its strongly projected eyes, the mesally constricted rostrum, and a more uniformly colored (as opposed to spottily patterned) scale coverage of elytra.

Specimens examined

Holotype ♂ “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, La Altagracia Province, Guaraguao , 0-5 m, 3.VII.2006, 18°19.994′ N, 68°48.710′ W, leg. A. Konstantinov ” ( NMNH) ; paratypes “D. R., La Romana, Bayahíbe, Parque Nacional del Este, Guaraguao Station, main trail, 2 m, N 18°19′52.7″ W 68°48′40.7″/ Jun 01/2008, (RD 1-1), leg. N. Franz, J. Girón, A. Mazo, S. Navarro” (CWOB: 1 ♂, 1 ♀; MHND: 1 ♂, 1 ♀; UPRM: 2 ♂, 2 ♀).

Description

Body length 3.5–4.5 mm; in dorsal view ( Fig. 10A ) 3-times longer than greatest width which is at midpoint of elytra, shape escudate; dorsal outline in lateral view convex. Integument surface smooth; vestiture composed of gray and light green, iridescent (greenish to reddish) scales, with recurvate, semi-erect setae. Eyes ( Fig. 10B ) 1.5-times longer than wide, strongly projected; 0.6-times width and 0.5-times length of head in lateral view, separated from anterior margin of prothorax by 0.6-times greatest diameter of eye; line of anterior margin of eyes slightly impressed; shortest distance between eyes (in dorsal view) 0.4-times greatest width of pronotum; median furrow ( Fig. 10B ) linear, deep, extending from anterior to posterior margin of eyes. Rostrum ( Fig. 10B ) 1.1-times longer than wide, constricted at midpoint; epistome apically with 4 setae situated on each side, extending posteriorly as a longitudinal narrow keel nearly to midpoint of rostrum; nasal plate weakly defined, large, flat. Length of rostrum in lateral view 1.3-times its basal width; antennal insertion at apical third of rostrum; scrobe curved downwards by 40°, directed ventrally at end, extending to anterior margin of eye, separated from it by 1.6-times width of scrobe. Mandibles with 2 lateral setae. Antennae yellowish brown; antennal scape extending beyond posterior margin of eye, not reaching anterior margin of prothorax; funicular antennomere I slightly longer than II; antennal club 0.6-times length of funicle, 2.8-times longer than wide. Pronotum ( Fig. 10A ) subquadrate, slightly wider than long, greatest width at midpoint; dorsal surface slightly depressed at apical third, shallowly puncturate, each puncture with a curved, spatulate whitish seta; posterior margin nearly straight, 1.1-times wider than anterior margin; prothorax in lateral view with dorsal outline 1.6-times length of ventral outline; scutellum suboval, with setiform scales. Mesosternum ( Fig. 10D ) 0.6- times length of prosternum. Metasternum with lateral portions posteriorly produced (in lateral profile roundly produced at third fourth); distance between posterior margin of mesocoxae and anterior margin of metacoxae 0.8-times length of prosternum. Legs with profemora 1.2-times length of pronotum; claws subparallel. Elytra in dorsal view ( Fig. 10A ) 1.6-times their greatest width which is 1.7-times wider than pronotum; anterior margins nearly straight; humeral region 1.7-times width of posterior margin of pronotum; lateral margins slightly diverging until mid length, thereafter roundly convergent; apex roundly truncate; in lateral view ( Fig. 10C ) with dorsal outline convex; posterior declivity gradually descending; striae IX and X completely separated along their entire length; intervals completely covered with scales, scale color gray to pinkish on dorsal surface and pale green along sides; interval X slightly produced along basal fourth; with recurvate, spatulate, grayish setae. Venter ( Fig. 10D ) nearly uniformly covered with greenish scales; VII with anterior margin 1.8-times wider than its length; ♂: IV 1.8-times longer than V and VI jointly, 1.2-times length of VII, VII with posterior margin rounded; ♀: IV 2.4-times longer than V and VI jointly, 1.7-times length of VII, VII with posterior margin mesally narrowed.

Terminalia. Male with tergum VII 1.2-times wider than its mesal length, mesal area with setae on posterior half; anterior margin triangular, mesally rounded; posterior margin emarginate. Tergum VIII 1.4-times wider than long, with anterior margin emarginate; posterior margin nearly straight. Sternum VIII with posterior margin rounded; spiculum relictum absent. Spiculum gastrale with apodeme 1.3-times longer than aedeagus, each arm sclerotized, oval, with parallel inner margins. Tegmen with tegminal apodeme nearly 0.5-times length of aedeagus; tegminal plate not strongly developed. Aedeagus in dorsal view ( Fig. 10E ) 4.3-times longer than its greatest width, slightly constricted near midpoint; apex rounded, mesally acute. Endophallus with a pair of light, elongate, lateral sclerites near apex, with a pair of irregular sclerites positioned apicad of midpoint, and with two lateral rows of lightly sclerotized teeth, teeth more strongly sclerotized basad of base of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 10F ) 8.3-times longer than its greatest width. Aedeagal apodemes 0.8-times length of aedeagus.

Female. With tergum VII 1.1-times wider than long, posterior margin rounded. Tergum VIII nearly trapezoidal, 1.5-times wider than long. Sternum VIII with lamina narrow, semi-circular, occupying posterior one fourth. Coxites+styli 0.8-times length of lamina of sternum VIII, stylus 3-times longer than its greatest width, with 1-2 long apical setae and 2 anteapical, shorter setae. Genital chamber 0.7-times length of sternum VIII. Spermatheca ( Fig. 10G ) 1.6-times longer than wide, y-shaped; ramus apically rounded; surface slightly striate.

Variation

The examined specimens were mostly teneral; scale coloration varies from dark gray to light brown in teneral specimens to light gray and green in fully pigmented specimens.

Etymology

Named from the Latin eximius meaning “exceptional, uncommon” ( Brown 1956), based on the perceived rarity of this species (in comparison to others) during the authors’ 2008 field trip to the Dominican Republic.

Natural history

Apodrosus eximius is known to occur at very low elevations (0-5 m) in the southeastern peninsula of the Dominican Republic (Parque Nacional del Este and Guaraguao; Fig. 18B ). The host plant associations remain unknown.

Figures

Fig. 10. Apodrosus eximius. (A) habitus, dorsal view; (B) head, frontal view; (C) habitus, lateral view; (D) habitus, ventral view; (E) and (F) aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view, respectively; (G) spermatheca. This figure is published in colour in the online version of this journal, which can be accessed via http:// www.brill/ise

Fig. 18. Occurrences of Apodrosus species in (A) the Bahamas (Grand Bahama and Andros Island) and (B) Hispaniola, Mona Island, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.