Eucalandra Faust, 1899

Anderson, Robert S., 2008, A review of the Neotropical genus Eucalandra Faust, 1899 (Coleoptera; Curculionidae: Dryophthorinae), Zootaxa 1791, pp. 57-67 : 57-58

Genus Eucalandra Faust, 1899

Eucalandra Faust, 1899: 25 , type species: Sitophilus setulosus Gyllenhal, 1838 , by original designation ( Faust 1899: 544); Vaurie 1967: 185; O’Brien & Wibmer 1982: 221; Wibmer & O’Brien 1986: 366; Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999: 67; Anderson 2002: 7, 14; Anderson 2003: 415.

Calandra (in part); Champion 1910: 169.

Polytus (in part, error); O’Brien & Wibmer 1982: 221.

Redescription. Length 4.8–10.9 mm; width 1.5–3.3 mm. Body ( Figs. 1–10 ) elongate, moderately robust, slightly dorsoventrally flattened in cross-section. Color black to reddish brown or variously infuscate. Integument matte throughout, with distinct isodiametric microsculpture, variously punctate. Rostrum ( Figs. 11–16 ) moderately long, straight (male) to slightly curved ventrally (female), variously deeply and densely punctate, carinate dorsally or not, males with dorsal surface punctate throughout and/or distinctly microtuberculate to apex, females with punctures small, indistinct, lacking sculpture, cylindrical in cross section. Peduncle of postmentum flat to very slightly convex. Antennae ( Figs. 11 –16 ) inserted basally on rostrum, separated from eyes by width of scape; scape about as long as to slightly shorter than funicle; funicle 6-segmented, segments short and broad, wider than long to slightly longer than wide (1 and 2); club oval, small, about as long as apical 3 to 4 funicular segments, basal glabrous shiny portion various in size, comprising almost entire length of club to about basal half to two-thirds of its length. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, flattened dorsally, variously punctate, with or without scales, scales if present generally concentrated along lateral margin (and along midline in some specimens) or scattered. Elytra moderately long, subparallel, broad, wider than pronotum at base; striae distinctly impressed, linearly arranged; vestiture of broad scales absent or present. Scutellum small, triangular, widest at or near midlength. Front coxae separated by more or less width of club, middle coxae by slightly more, hind coxae separated by about width of coxa or slightly less. Prosternum flat, punctate, evenly sloped anteriorly, prosternal process acuminate, mesosternal process flat, broad, emarginate at middle; mesosternum broadly exposed, in middle about half as long as metasternum; metasternum about as long as ventrites 1–4 combined. Femora sinuate subapically, expanded apically, especially front femora, inner margin of front femur with subapical, broadly rounded tooth; tibiae shorter than femora, variously finely, densely toothed and setose along inner margin, each with single large, gently curved tooth at inner apical angle; tibia (especially on front legs) curved inwardly. Tarsi with tarsites 1–3 with ventral surfaces densely pilose in apical two-thirds to only in area across apical margin, tarsite 3 much wider than 2, distinctly bilobed. Pygidium exposed, more or less vertical in orientation, punctate throughout, setose apically. Abdomen with 5 visible ventrites; ventrite 1 longest, slightly longer than 2 and 5; 3 and 4 short. Aedeagus elongate, ventrally arcuate, laterally with unsclerotized arcuate line dividing it into ventral (pedon) and broader dorsal (tectum) portions, apex not projected, variously emarginated in middle, median struts transversely fused near base, with basal sclerotized area extended medially and fused with base of tectum, struts subparallel to apex; internal sac with no evident internal structures; tegminal strut extended to slightly less half length of median struts. Tergite 8 of male produced and elongate, maximum length slightly more than maximum width at base; with moderately long setae at apex, apex evenly rounded. Paired sclerites of sternite 8 quadrate, length about 1.5 times maximum width. Genitalia of female not examined.

Distribution. Central Mexico south into South America.

Biology. Information about the natural history of Eucalandra species is sparse, but it appears that most of the species are associated with bamboos. The Venezeulan E. boxi was described from specimens reared from larvae found mining in a large wild bamboo, possibly of the genus Guadua ( Marshall 1952) . A number of specimens of E. setulosa were collected on the bamboo Phyllostachys , one specimen from Trinidad was collected on felled bamboo, and specimens have been collected in numbers in Ecuador on felled and split culms of Guadua angustifolia and in association with corn ( Zea mais) and Inga sp. Specimens of E. setulosa have also been intercepted at United States customs ports in bamboo and bamboo packing. The new species, E. alas , was collected in Costa Rica and Panama at mid-elevation montane sites with bamboo present.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Eucalandra, dorsal and lateral habitus. 1 – 2, E. setulosa (Gyllenhal); 3 – 4, E. boxi Marshall; 5 – 6, E. luteosignata (Blanchard); 7 – 8, E. mexicana (Champion); 9 – 10, E. alas Anderson, sp. n.

FIGURES 11 – 16. Eucalandra, lateral view of head, rostrum and antenna. 11, E. setulosa, male; 12; E. setulosa, female; 13; E. boxi, male; 14, E. luteosignata, male; 15, E. mexicana, male; 16, E. alas, male.