15. Peridinetus laetus Champion

(Fig. 37, 38, 41, 42)

Peridinetus laetus Champion, 1907: 177 . Seidlitz (1909: 326), Hustache (1938: 9), Blackwelder (1947: 887), Hespenheide (1973: 50), O’Brien & Wibmer (1982: 178), Marquis (1984:539).

Peridinetus sp. 9. Marquis (1990: 107, 1991: 181).

Diagnosis. Peridinetus laetus is one of several species with red anterior, black median and olive posterior portions. Five of them have a large, black, semicircular area on the elytral base and plumose setae in the prosternal channel. Peridinetus laetus and P. pena have a lateral tumidity with erect setae on the pronotum, whereas P. illabes, P. sanguinolentus and P. wyandoti have a laterally rounded pronotum with appressed setae. Female P. l a e t u s and P. pena can be distinguished by details of the dorsal rostral groove, which is more basally and has setae in P. l a e t u s (Fig. 42) and is more medially and lacks setae in P. p e n a (Fig. 45). Male P. l a e t u s usually have a more evenly arched ridge on the seventh interstria than male P. pena and the white spot on the elytral flank is transverse, but these character are somewhat variable and therefore not always reliable for species identification. The studied specimens were 3.3–4.6 mm long (standard length 3.1–4.4 mm).

Distribution. This species has been found in Costa Rica and western Panama.

Plant association. Piper arieianum (Marquis 7 ×), P. garagaranum (Marquis 2 ×), P. phytolaccaefolium (Marquis 1 ×), P. sancti-felicis s.l. (Marquis 1 ×).

Type material. Lectotype female, here designated, labeled “ Type ”, “Sp. figured”, “Bugaba/ Panama / Champion”, “B.C.A. Col. IV.5. / Peridinetus / laetus,/ Champ.” (BMNH). Paralectotype male, same locality data (BMNH 1).

Material examined. Costa Rica. Alajuela: San Ramón de Dos Ríos, 620 m (INBC 2); San Carlos, Pital, Fca. S. Murillo, 100 m (INBC 1). Guanacaste: 9 km S Sta. Cecilia, Est. Pitilla, 700 m (INBC 1). Heredia: Puerto Viejo, Est. La Selva, 100 m (CHAH 2, CWOB 1, INBC 5, USNM 11); P.N. Braulio Carrillo, Est. El Ceibo, 450 m (INBC 1); Sarapiquí, Fca. Flores del Bosque, 50 m (INBC 2). Limon: P.N. Tortuguero, Cerro Tortuguero, 100 m (INBC 2), Est. Agua Fria (INBC 1), Est. Cuatro Esquinas (INBC 4); Sector Cerro Cocori, Fca. E. Rojas, 150 m (INBC 3); R. B. Hitory Cerere, 560–700 m (INBC 2). Puntarenas: P.N. Manuel Antonio, 80 m (INBC 5); P.N. Corcovado (USNM 1), Est. Sirena (CWOB 1, INBC 3), Est. Esquinas (INBC 1); Golfo Dulce, Quebrada Aguabuena, 100 m (INBC 1); Buenos Aires, Est. Altamira, 1400 m (INBC 3); Fila Cruces, Fca. Ilama, 1200 m (INBC 1). Panamá. Chiriquí: Bugaba (BMNH 2). Total 56 specimens.

Note. Champion described P. l a e t u s from Panama obviously being unaware of Chevrolat’s P. sanguinolentus from French Guiana. The South American specimens I have seen have a laterally more rounded pronotum than specimens from Middle America; the dorsobasal groove on the female rostrum is similar in both populations. Because specimens with dorsobasal rostral groove are presently unknown from the Panamanian Isthmus, between the Cordillera de Talamanca and South America, I maintain P. l a e t u s and P. sanguinolentus as distinct species.