Hemicolpus randiae Hespenheide, 2018

Hespenheide, Henry A., 2018, Hemicolpus Heller, 1895 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Conoderinae): A Reconsideration and Description of New Species from Mexico and Central America, The Coleopterists Bulletin 72 (1), pp. 119-125 : 120-124

Hemicolpus abdominalis Hustache, 1938 ( Figs. 1–3 )

Description. Male: Body size 5.20 mm long, 3.10 mm wide. Robust, oval, black, except antennae and tarsi reddish brown, sparsely to somewhat densely covered with scales ( Figs. 1, 2 ); in dorsal view, pronotum with pale brown scales narrowly and erect on midline, recumbent on margins of disc and sides; elytra with scales sparse, white and somewhat semi-erect on disc and along distal fifth of suture, scales pale brown along apical margins; scales black and erect in tuft on prominence on interval 5; inconspicuous darker scales intermixed elsewhere on elytra; scales pale brown on head and base of rostrum, inconspicuous on rest of rostrum; ventrally, scales pale tan and erect on mesepimeron, pale tan and dense on metasternum behind mesocoxae; yellowish brown in oval area of anteromedial portion of abdominal ventrite 1 and on margin of depression on ventrite 2, scales dark brown in depression of ventrite 2, scales erect and pale brown or white at margins of ventrites 3–5; pro- and mesofemora with narrow pale tan and brown scales, paler toward apices, metafemora with inconspicuous darker scales. Head: Width 1.10 mm, convex in dorsal view, eyes contiguous at middle third; rostrum weakly carinate above antennal insertions, finely punctate, cylindrical, very weakly arcuate, 1.40 mm long, antennae inserted at basal third. Pronotum: Length 1.70 mm, width at bas 2.10 mm, lateral margins weakly arcuate from base to apex, convex in lateral view and in cross section, coarsely punctate, carinate along basal 3/4 of midline. Scutellum minute. Elytra: Width 0.5X wider than pronotum, humeri prominent, intervals and striae subequal in width, interval 5 with prominence at apical 3/4. Venter: Mesosternum strongly excavate, longitudinally carinate at lateral margins, anterior margin of metasternum carinate, strongly excavate. In lateral view, abdominal ventrite 1 weakly ascending, very shallowly concave along midline, ventrite 2 strongly angulate in lateral view, strongly concave at posterior margin with deltoid prominences on either side of concavity. Legs: Relatively short, narrow, unarmed. Genitalia: As in Fig. 3 .

Specimens Examined. Brazil: Jatahy, Prov. Goyaz // Coll. Kratz (Syntype, image, SDEI) ; Santa Caterina, Nova Teutonia , 300–500m, 27°11 ′ S 52°23 ′ W, 09.1976, F. Plaumann ( CHAH) . Bolivia: Santa Cruz Dept., Warnes Prov., Rio Selva Resort , 5 km ESE Warnes, 370m, 17°33 ′ S 63°11 ′ W, 28.01.2007, J. Prena, hand collecting ( CHAH) , New Country Record .

Distribution. In his description of the species, Hustache (1938) lists specimens from Brazil - Jatahy, Prov. Goyaz (now Goiás), and Diamantina, Belo Horizonte, in Minas Gerais. The species is also listed from Paraguay (Wibmer and O’ Brien 1986), and the Bolivian record is new.

Biology. This species is currently under study by P. A. S. Veiga of the Departamento de Botânica UNESP - Botucatu, S~ ao Paulo, Brazil (personal communication). The host plant is in the Rubiaceae , as are the hosts of the following new species.

Discussion. Images ( Figs. 1, 2 ) are of a syntype at the SDEI; genitalia figured are from the specimen from Nova Teutonia, Santa Caterina, Brazil. The Bolivian specimen differs in having the pronotum more or less uniformly covered by short, brown and paler scales, the scales on the elytra shorter and more uniformly denser, and the concavity on the second abdominal ventrite shallower, but these differences are not considered significant overall. The rather uniform dorsal surface and the concavity on the second abdominal ventrite with the dark center, bordered by the deltoid prominences, and ringed by erect pale scales give a striking facies, reflected by the species’ name.

Hemicolpus randiae Hespenheide , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2CE10282-DC04-43F4-AEE7-5136B035DBF3 ( Figs. 4–6 )

Description. Holotype male: Body size 4.95 mm long, 3.30 mm wide. Very robust, oval-rhomboidal, black or very dark reddish brown, except antennae and tarsi reddish brown, densely covered with complex pattern of scales ( Figs. 4, 5 ); in dorsal view, pronotum with dark scales in irregular area along midline and pale brown scales narrowly on midline and elsewhere on disc and sides; elytra with scales white and recumbent along distal sixth of suture and semi-erect in narrow transverse band on intervals 3, 5, 7, and 9 at anterior third; scales black and recumbent along suture anterior to white scales and semi-erect posterior to white scales on intervals 3 and 5, and conspicuously on prominence on interval 5, scales pale brown at base of intervals 1–5 and along anterior 2/3 of suture and mixed with darker scales elsewhere on elytra; scales pale tan between eyes and at base of rostrum, inconspicuous on rest of rostrum; ventrally, scales pale brown and erect on mesepimeron, pale tan and dense on metasternum, darker on mes- and metepisterna; medial portions of abdominal ventrites yellowish brown, dark brown on margins of ventrites 1 and 2, scales erect and white at margins of ventrites 3–5, scales erect and alternating black and brown at middle of ventrites 3–4; pro- and mesofemora with narrow pale tan scales, paler toward apices, metafemora with narrow pale tan scales on apical third, dark brown scales on basal 2/3. Head: Width 1.00 mm, narrowly convex in dorsal view, rostrum weakly carinate above antennal insertions, finely punctate, cylindrical, very weakly arcuate, 1.35 mm long, antennae inserted just above middle. Pronotum: Length 1.80 mm, width 2.30 mm, lateral margins nearly straight from base to apex, angulately convex in lateral view, rounded-rhomboidal in cross section, coarsely punctate. Scutellum minute. Elytra: Width 0.4X wider than pronotum, humeri prominent, intervals 3 and 9 raised at erect white setae and slightly beyond, intervals 5 and 7 raised for most of their length, interval 5 with prominence at apical 3/4, elytral intervals broader than striae. Venter: Mesosternum flat, unmodified, anterior margin of metasternum strongly declivous, otherwise unmodified. In lateral view, abdominal ventrite 1 weakly ascending, very shallowly concave along midline on posterior half, ventrite 2 concave along midline and posterior margin. Legs: Relatively short, unarmed. Genitalia: As in Fig. 6 .

Allotype Female. Body size, 5.05 mm long, 3.40 mm wide. As male but rostrum weakly laterally compressed, antennae inserted at basal 1/6; first abdominal ventrite flat in cross section, second abdominal ventrite not depressed, dark at posterior margin.

Specimens Examined. Holotype: Mexico: Intercepted , 20.01.1983, Laredo, 16672, In fruits of Randia echinocarpa (USNM) . Allotype: Same data as holotype ( USNM) . Paratypes: Same data as holotype (60, MTD, USNM) ; Mexico: Chiapas, 3–5 km N Ocozocoautla , 25.07.1988, R.W. Jones (1, CMNC) ; [Colima], Manzanillo, at Nogales , 28.02.1963, J. Mills, 33-24684 (10, USNM) ; [Guerrero] Acapulco, San Diego 1902, 27.11.1972, A.W. Miedema, Randia sp. , 72-19232 (5, USNM) ; N[uevo] L[eón], Monterey, G.E. Reuthinger, 23.09.19463, Laredo, Texas, 64574, 63-23372, in tree seed (2, USNM) ; Sin [aloa], Culiacan, Nogales , 14.11.1949, Nogales, 56215, In Chula nuts ( Randia sp. ) seed pulp, 43-432 (2, USNM) , Sinaloa, at Calexico, Browne & Whitney , 14.01.1964, 64- 3180, Randia echinocarpa (14, USNM) ; Sinaloa, Mazatlan, at Calexico , 1.11.1962, Koenig & Gardner, 62-32785, fruit of Randia echinocarpa (1, USNM) ; Ver [acruz], Veracruz, 29.11.1929, SARH, Coleccion Sanidad Vegetal, 1271/29, fruta Randia (2, CWOB) ; “W. Mexico?” (1, LACM) ; California: Riverside Co., Blythe Inspection Station , 6.01.1995, Klingenmeek Coll., Origin Mexico, Ex Papeche? [sic, Papache] (5, CSCA) ; Mexico: Intercepted, Calexico , 2564, 25.11.1977, in fruits Randia echinocarpa (12, USNM) ; Interception, APSCA 073411732004, Mexico, Port: Calexico , 17.02.2007 (5, USNM) ; USDA Interception, APSCA 110473826008, Origin: Mexico, Otay Mesa , 14.02.2011 (5, USNM) ; USDA Interception, Origin: Mexico, San Ysidro , 12.02.2010, APSCA 100433834002 (1, USNM) ; USDA Interception 0705432, Chicago , 31.01.2006, Origin: Mexico (1, USNM) ; Mexico: at El Paso, Tex. , 20.09.1949, A.K. Pettit, 49-17319, (2, USNM) ; Mexico: 2.11.1952, Laredo, 52-272LB, Randia seeds (4, USNM) ; Mexico: 11.11.1949, Laredo, TX, 50588, Davis, 50-13917, Randia seeds baggage (1, USNM) ; Mexico: 14.11.1949, Laredo, 50-13917, Randia sp. seeds (6, USNM) ; Origin: Mexico, Port: Laredo , 19.12.2000, #0100110, Randia echinocarpa fruit (2, USNM) . Origin: El Salvador, Port: Dallas , 27.01.2003, #0307000, in fruit of indet. plant (13, USNM) . Origin: unknown, Port: Chicago , 28.01.2005, #0501699, in fruit of Cucurbitaceae (4, USNM) .

Biology. This species has been intercepted many times by the USDA at ports of entry into the USA: Arizona (Nogales), California (Riverside Co., Blythe, Calexico, Otay Mesa, San Yisidro), Illinois (Chicago), and Texas (Dallas, El Paso, Laredo). The larval host commonly identified is Randia echinocarpa Moc. & Sessé ex DC. , but may occur in other species of Randia , of which there are a number in Mexico and Central America. The record from “fruit of Cucurbitaceae ” is probably a misidentification of the plant. The very robust body form of this and other Hemicolpus species seems to be characteristic of other undescribed seed-feeding conoderines and such other beetles such as the Bruchinae.

Etymology. Named for the genus of its common larval host.

Discussion. The repeated interceptions are because the host species is used both as food and medicinally (www.plantlives.com/docs/R/ Randia _echinocarpa. pdf). Where known, the interception records are shipments from states in western Mexico or El Salvador; the only field collected specimen is from Chiapas. See further discussion under the following species, with which it has been intercepted four times. Specimens of H. randiae vary from 4.6 to 5.6 mm in length (mean = 5.01 mm, n = 147).

Hemicolpus prenai Hespenheide , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:15C2437D-4695-4F8E-BCAF-198EB60F9F23 ( Figs. 7–9 )

Description. Holotype male: Body size 4.45 mm long, 2.80 mm wide. Very robust, oval, very dark reddish brown, except antennae and tarsi paler reddish brown, densely covered with complex pattern of scales ( Figs. 7, 8 ); in dorsal view, pronotum with dark brown scales in small triangular areas along base lateral to midline and 2 black tufts lateral to midline at distal 2/3, tan scales narrowly on midline and elsewhere on disc and sides; elytra with scales tan and semi-erect along distal fifth of suture and in narrow transverse band on intervals 2–9 at basal third; scales black and semi-erect posterior to pale scales on interval 3, and conspicuously on prominence on interval 5, scales pale brown along basal third of suture and intermixed with darker scales elsewhere on elytra; scales tan around eyes and at base of rostrum, inconspicuous or glabrous on rest of rostrum; ventrally, scales pale brown or tan and more or less dense except sparser and darker on metepisterna and on margins of ventrites 1 and 2, scales erect and yellowish at margins of ventrites 3–5, scales erect and alternating light and dark brown at middle of ventrites 3–4; femora with narrow tan scales, denser and paler in vague bands at middle of meso- and metafemora. Head: Width 0.95 mm, narrowly convex in dorsal view, rostrum weakly carinate above antennal insertions, finely punctate, cylindrical, very weakly arcuate, 1.20 mm long, antennae inserted at basal fourth. Pronotum: Length 1.60 mm, width at base 1.90 mm, lateral margins nearly straight from base to apex, angularly convex in lateral view, in cross section with weak callosities at apical third separated by a narrow depression along midline, coarsely punctate. Scutellum minute. Elytra: Width 0.5X wider than pronotum, humeri prominent, intervals 3, 7, and 9 raised for most of their length, interval 5 raised at base and with strong prominence at apical 3/4; elytral intervals broader than striae. Venter: Mesosternum flat, unmodified, anterior margin of metasternum strongly declivous with weak depression for apex of rostrum. In lateral view, abdominal ventrite 1 weakly ascending, slightly depressed along midline, ventrite 2 rounded-angulate in lateral view and weakly depressed along midline. Legs: Relatively short, unarmed; femora broad. Genitalia: As in Fig. 9 .

Allotype Female. Body size 4.40 mm long, 2.85 mm wide. As male but abdominal ventrite 1 flat in cross section, abdominal ventrite 2 not depressed, dark at posterior margin.

Specimens Examined. Holotype: Interception , APSCA 080991732011, Mexico, Port : Otay Mesa, 29.03.2008, In fruit of Randia sp. ( USNM) ; Allotype: Same data as holotype ( USNM) ; Paratypes: same data as holotype (14, USNM) ; Mexico: Michoacan, 24.2 km NNE La Huacana ( Hwy 120), 4410 ft gps, N19°04 ′′ 51 ′′ W101°46 ′′ 18 ′′, 3.08.2005, C.L. Bellamy CLB932 (1, CSCA) ; Oaxaca, 5 mi SW Oaxaca , 4700 ′, 4.08.1983, R. Anderson / W. Maddison, Acacia thorn scrub (1, CMNC) ; USDA Interception, APSCA 110473826008, Origin: Mexico, Otay Mesa , 14.02.2011 (1, USNM) ; California: Riverside Co., Blythe Inspection Station , 6.01.1995, Klingenmeek Coll., Origin Mexico, Ex Papeche? [sic., Papache] (1, CSCA) ; FL: Miami , Mexico 091720, in unknown seed, 30.01.1990 (4, USNM) ; NY, ex Mex [ico], 19.11.1945, W.T. Owrey, in unidentified seeds, 46-2208 (10, USNM) ; Mexico: Intercepted , 20.01.1983, Laredo, 16672, In fruits of Randia echinocarpa (10, BMNH, USNM) ; Origin : El Salvador, Port: Dallas , 27.01.2003, #0307000, in fruit of indet. plant (3, USNM) . Origin: unknown, Port: Chicago , 28.01.2005, #0501699, in fruit of Cucurbitaceae (2, USNM) .

Biology. The larval host is R. echinocarpa and perhaps other species of Randia . The record from “fruit of Cucurbitaceae ” is probably a misidentification of the plant.

Etymology. Named in honor of Jens Prena who first recognized this species as distinct and helped in several facets of this study.

Discussion. Although superficially similar in the pale, transverse fasciae and the dark prominences on the elytra, H. randiae and H. prenai are easily distinguished by the pronotal prominences on H. prenai , and by differences in the coloration of the metafemora and other details of coloration, the structure of the metasterna, and the male genitalia. There are also differences in size. Specimens of H. prenai vary from 3.7 to 4.7 mm in length (mean = 4.3 mm, n = 46), on average about 15% smaller than H. randiae . It is interesting that they were reared together from the same intercepted lots of fruits/seeds.

Figures

Figs. 1–9. Hemicolpus species. H. abdominalis: 1) Syntype, dorsal habitus; 2) Lateral habitus; 3) Male genitalia (Santa Catarina, Brazil), scale bar = 0.2 mm. H. randiae: 4) Dorsal habitus; 5) Lateral habitus; 6) Male genitalia, holotype, scale bar = 0.2 mm. H. prenai: 7) Dorsal habitus; 8) Lateral habitus; 9) Male genitalia, holotype, scale bar = 0.2 mm.