Apodrosus viridium 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 : 381-385

Apodrosus viridium Girón & Franz sp.n.

( Fig. 13 )

Diagnosis

Apodrosus viridium is characterized by the combination of a relatively small size (2.5– 3.5 mm), a reduced and linear median furrow on the head, a shiny green uniform scale coverage (excepting the legs which have pink scales), and straight, erect, yellowish setae on the elytra. This species may be differentiated from A. artus by its uniformly green colored dorsal vestiture. It furthermore differs from the similarly colored A. stenoculus by the presence of a linear median furrow on the head, long erect elytral striae, and widely oval (as opposed to narrow, linear) eyes in lateral view.

Specimens examined

Holotype ♀ “ D. R., Santiago, Cordillera Septentrional , 4.0 Km N of Jacagua on Rd. to Pico Diego de Ocampo , 460 m; N 19°32′40.4″, W 70°42′45.9″ / Jun 15-2008 ( RD 16-3 ), Leg. N. Franz, J. Girón, A. Mazo, S. Navarro ” ; paratypes “DOMINICAN REP., Bani, 4 Nov. 1973, J. & S. Klapperich” (CWOB: 1 ♀); “DOM. REP., S. R., 9 Km E. Stgo. Rodriguez, May 28, 1978, C.W. & L. B. O’Brien & Marshall” (CWOB: 4 ♂, 1 ♀); “DOM. REP., S. R., 12 Km E. Stgo. Rodriguez, May 28, 1978, C.W. & L. B. O’Brien & Marshall” (CWOB: 4 ♂, 4 ♀); “DOM. REP., Peravia, 13 Km N.W. Bani, August 6, 1979, G. B. Marshall” (CWOB: 13 ♂, including 1 dissected; 15 ♀, including 1 dissected); “DOM. REP., S. R., 14 Km E. Stgo. Rodriguez, May 27, 1978, C.W. & L. B. O’Brien & Marshall” (CWOB: 13 ♂, 1 ♀).

Description

Body length 2.5–3.5 mm; in dorsal view ( Fig. 13A ) 3.2-times longer than greatest width which corresponds to humeri, shape subrectangular; dorsal outline in lateral view subplane. Integument surface smooth; vestiture composed of green and pink, iridescent (reddish) scales, with straight, erect, yellowish setae. Eyes ( Fig. 13B ) 1.7- times longer than wide, projected, 0.4-times width and 0.8-times length of head in lateral view, separated from anterior margin of prothorax by 0.3-times greatest diameter of eye; line of anterior margin of eyes impressed; shortest distance between eyes (in dorsal view) 0.4-times greatest width of pronotum; median furrow ( Fig. 13B ) linear, apically shallow, basally deep, extending from basal third of rostrum and surpassing posterior margin of eyes though not reaching anterior margin of pronotum. Rostrum ( Fig. 13B ) slightly longer than wide, sides slightly constricted at mid length; epistome apically with 3–5 setae situated on each side, extending posteriorly as a longitudinal narrow keel to almost midpoint of rostrum. Length of rostrum in lateral view 1.6-times its basal width; antennal insertion approximately at mid length of rostrum; scrobe curved downwards by 45°, directed ventrally at end, extending to anterior fourth of eye, separated from it by width of scrobe. Mandibles with 2 lateral setae, pharyngeal process 1.4-times longer than mandible. Maxillae with cardo 3.3-times longer than its greatest width; stipes with 1 long lateral seta; galeo-lacinial complex mesally nearly extending to apex of maxillary palpomere I, with an apical mid-sized setae, followed by 6-7 tongue-like apically rounded, mid-sized setae, 5 lacinial teeth, and a tuft of long fine setae at base of lacinia; maxillary palpomere III slightly longer than I; III longer than II; I and II each with a mesolateral seta. Labium with prementum subquadrate, slightly longer than wide, lateral margins rounded, anterior margin slightly projected in mesal region; in lateral profile with ventral surface slightly depressed at base, then continuously upwardly curved to apex, not strongly sculptured. Antennae yellowish brown; antennal scape extending beyond posterior margin of eye though not reaching anterior margin of prothorax; funicular antennomere I 1.6-times longer than II; antennal club 0.6-times length of funicle, nearly 2.3-times longer than wide. Pronotum ( Fig. 13A ) subquadrate, slightly wider than long, with greatest width near midpoint; dorsal surface shallowly puncturate, each puncture with a short, erect, yellowish seta; posterior margin nearly straight, 1.2-times wider than anterior margin; prothorax in lateral view with dorsal outline slightly convex, 1.4-times length of ventral outline; scutellum subcircular, with scarce scales. Mesosternum ( Fig. 13D ) 0.8- times length of prosternum. Metasternum with lateral portions mesally slightly produced (in lateral profile slightly elevated at midpoint); distance between posterior margin of mesocoxae and anterior margin of metacoxae 0.6-times length of prosternum. Metendosternite with furcal arms 1.2-times longer than stalk, positioned at 120° in relation to horizontal axis; ventral margin of stalk 3.2-times its dorsal width. Legs covered with pink iridescent scales; profemora slightly longer than pronotum; tibiae with long spiniform setae along ventral margin; claws subparallel, with inner margins clearly divergent. Elytra in dorsal view ( Fig. 13A ) 1.9-times their greatest width which is 1.4-times wider than pronotum; anterior margins sinuate; humeral region 1.4-times wider than posterior margin of pronotum; lateral margins parallel; apex roundly narrowed; in lateral view ( Fig. 13C ) with dorsal outline subplane; posterior declivity distinct, rounded; striae IX and X fused along their second third; intervals completely covered with green scales; interval X not produced; with straight, erect setae. Wings nearly 2-times length of elytra, 3.2-times longer than wide; costal margin emarginate along basal half; apex rounded; radial and medial margins slightly and uniformly rounded; Mr short, af weakly defined; cubital margin slightly rounded; 3A almost reaching basal third of length towards margin of wing, not intersecting with 2A. Venter ( Fig. 13D ) covered with scales, denser on sides; VII with anterior margin 1.9- times wider than its length; ♂: IV 1.3-times longer than V and VI jointly, as long as VII, posterior margin of VII rounded; ♀: IV 1.9-times longer than V and VI jointly, 1.6-times longer than VII, posterior margin of VII mesally narrowed.

Terminalia. Male with tergum VII slightly longer than wide, mesal area with simple setae extending from basal fourth to apex; anterior margin rounded, mesally slightly narrowed, posterior margin mesally straight, laterally rounded. Tergum VIII transverse, 1.3-times wider than its mesal length, anterior margin straight, mesally strongly emarginate; posterior margin nearly straight in mid region, laterally widely rounded. Sternum VIII with posterior margin emarginate, with long lateral setae; spiculum relictum present as a forked process with base 1.6-times wider than arms which are 4-times longer than base. Spiculum gastrale with apodeme 1.3-times longer than aedeagus, furcal arms parallelogram shaped, lightly sclerotized. Tegmen with tegminal apodeme nearly 0.6-times length of aedeagus, tegminal plate simple. Aedeagus in dorsal view ( Fig. 13E ) 4-times longer than its greatest width, mesally narrowed; apex rounded, mesally roundly set off. Endophallus with a pair of boomerang-like sclerites positioned nearly at apical third, with a small, horizontally oriented, slightly downwardly curved sclerite basad of midpoint, and with a basal patch of small, light, toothlike sclerotizations and another set of darker, small sclerotizations basad of midpoint of aedeagal apodemes. Aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 13F ) 7-times longer than its greatest width. Aedeagal apodemes slightly shorter than aedeagus.

Female. With tergum VII slightly wider than long; posterior margin mesally emarginate. Tergum VIII subtriangular, 1.5-times wider than long. Sternum VIII with lamina subtriangular, occupying posterior one fourth. Coxites+styli slightly longer than lamina of sternum VIII, stylus 3-times longer than its greatest width, with 2-3 apical setae. Genital chamber 0.6-times length of sternum VIII. Spermatheca ( Fig. 13G ) 1.2-times longer than wide, J-shaped; cornu as long as greatest width of spermatheca; ramus apically truncate, laterally rounded; collum apically irregular; surface of collum and ramus striate.

Variation

Th e examined specimens showed only very slight variations on size and tone of green scales.

Etymology

Noun in apposition. Named for the green iridescent scale coloration and relatively small body size, with viridis meaning “green”, combined with the diminutive suffix -ium ( Brown 1956).

Natural history

Apodrosus viridium occurs at relatively low elevations (150–255 m) in the northwestern and central southern regions of the Dominican Republic ( Fig. 18B ). The host-plant associations remain unknown.

Figures

Fig. 13. Apodrosus viridium. (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.