Metaparia viridimicans ( Horn, 1892 )

Sublett, Clayton A. & Cook, Jerry L., 2021, A Comprehensive Revision of the Genus Metaparia Crotch, 1873 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) and Description of a New Genus, The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (4), pp. 779-811 : 801-803

Metaparia viridimicans ( Horn, 1892) ( Figs. 2i , 49–54 )

Colaspoides viridimicans Horn 1892: 230 .

Colaspoides macrocephalus Schaeffer 1906: 236 (synonym).

Metaparia viridimicans : Schultz 1970: 110 [non-validated combination and synonym; not published].

Metaparia viridimicans : Wilcox 1983: 40 [first publication of combination and synonym from Schultz (1970)].

Metaparia viridimicans : Riley et al. 2003: 146.

Type Specimens. Lectotype here designated, pinned male, left elytron broken: labeled “n.mex/ Wickham// LectoTYPE /3777 [on red paper]//C./ viridimicans/Horn [handwritten]//MCZ/Type/33864

[on red paper, number handwritten]// Jan.–Jul. 2005 / MCZ Image/Database”; deposited in the MCZ.

Redescription. Body ovate, sides subparallel, dorsum convex ( Figs. 49, 50 ). Length 3.28–4.51 mm (males) or 3.23–4.30 mm (females). Width 2.09–3.08 mm (males) or 2.05–2.72 mm (females). Dorsum shining green to blue-green or red-brown to almost black with green sheen; venter dark red-brown with green sheen; legs and antennomeres 1–6 red-brown, antennomeres 7–11 dark brown. Head: IOR 2.19– 2.56 (males) or 2.00–2.56 (females). Frons and clypeus punctate-setose, space between punctures microsculptured; punctures micro to small, medium dense, coarser on clypeus; setae longer on clypeus. Clypeus arched, apex gradually narrowed in apical 1/4, apex emarginate; emargination broadly triangular ( Fig. 51 ). Antennomere 1 rectangular, edges rounded.Antennal sclerite with patch of short, white setae. Mandibles enlarged, lateral face convex, inner dorsal edge with two teeth (males) or not enlarged, lateral face flat, inner dorsal edge flat (females); basal tooth on inner dorsal edge ca. 0.5× size of inner apical tooth. Lateral face punctate-setose and colored like dorsum basally, smooth and red-brown apically. Dorsal face flat, smooth, red-brown. Pronotum: Pronotal ratio 0.52–0.59 (males) or 0.51–0.57 (females). Disc glabrous, with small, dense punctures interspersed with micro, medium dense punctures, space between punctures smooth except with light microsculpturing at anterior corners. Anterior edge setose; setae directed anteriorly. Sides subparallel in basal half and evenly rounded in apical half to evenly curved throughout. Posterior edge margined with lip; lower edge weakly dentate. Scutellar shield: Pentagonal to semi-elliptical, impunctate, smooth to faintly microsculptured; corners rounded. Elytra: Disc punctate-striate-setose, space between punctures smooth; punctures large, dense; space between appears finely wrinkled at 50×; striae weakly geminate basally, single, more distinct apically. Basal calli impunctate, smooth. Sublateral costae faint, terminating at elytra apex. Venter: Prosternal lateral arms convex in ventral half, suddenly tapered in dorsal half; dorsal half straight to weakly concave ( Fig. 2i ). Disc sparsely setose, punctate, subrugulose. Prosternum disc sparsely setose, margined with bead; anterior and posterior edges straight, sides weakly concave, widest posteriorly. Aedeagus: Median lobe subequal to basal hood, weakly arched, apical half nearly flat, sclerotized region around endophallic opening thickened apically, median lobe apex upturned, emarginate; emargination broadly triangular; endophallic opening acuminate to apex ( Figs. 53, 54 ). Spermatheca: Broadly U-shaped, medial half flat, base bulbous, apex evenly rounded ( Fig. 52 ).

Diagnosis. Metaparia viridimicans is easily distinguished from all other species of Metaparia by the prosternal lateral arms strongly tapered in the dorsal half, acuminate apex of the endophallic opening of the median lobe, and broadly U-shaped spermatheca with only the base weakly enlarged. Based on size, color, and body shape, M. mandibuloflexa , M. opacicollis , and M. prosopis are most easily confused with M. viridimicans . Metaparia mandibuloflexa and M. prosopis are separated from M. viridimicans by the male mandibles having a prominent dorsobasal ridge (absent in M. viridimicans ), the prosternal lateral arms not strongly tapered dorsally as in M. viridimicans , the endophallic opening not apically acuminate, and the spermatheca narrowly U-shaped with base not enlarged. Metaparia opacicollis has the head and pronotum evenly microsculptured (smooth in M. viridimicans ), the prosternal lateral arms not strongly tapered dorsally, the endophallic opening not apically acuminate, and the spermatheca with the base not bulbous and with a small sclerotized patch.

Specimens Examined. 117 specimens deposited in BYU, EMEC, EGRC, KSUC, NMNH, OSUC, and TAMU. MEXICO: Michoacán: Apatzingán (2 NMNH) ; Laredo (1 NMNH) . Morelos: Cuatla (1 NMNH) . Tamaulipas: 30.8 mi. S San Fernando (1 TAMU) . UNITED STATES: Texas: Brooks : 2.7 mi. E Falfurrias (3 TAMU) . Cameron : 10 mi E Brownsville on Hwy. 4 (1 BYU) ; 20 mi. E of Brownsville (1 TAMU) ; Brownsville (2 NMNH, 3 OSUC); Esprza Ranch, Brownsville (1 NMNH) ; Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge , 26.21784°N / 97.35614°W (2 TAMU) ; Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge , 26.23291°N / 97.35214°W (2 TAMU) ; Palmitto Hill on Hwy. 4 (2 EGRC) ; Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary , 25.85601°N / 97.41726°W (1 TAMU) ; Cameron Co. (6 OSUC) . Dimmit: Catarina (1 TAMU) . Hidalgo: La Joya (4 BYU) ; 1 mi. S Pharr (1 EGRC) ; Mission (2 NMNH) ; Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge (4 EGRC, 3 TAMU); Hidalgo Co. (1 NMNH, 3 OSUC, 1 TAMU). Jim Hogg: Randado (1 EMEC) . Kenedy : Kenedy Co. (1 TAMU) . Kleberg: Kingsville (3 TAMU) . Nueces: Sunrise RV Park Corpus Christi (1 TAMU) ; Corpus Christi (1 NMNH, 6 OSUC); Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (12 TAMU) ; Lake Corpus Christi (1 OSUC) . San Patricio: Lake Corpus Christi State Park (1 EGRC) ; 6 mi NE Sinton (1 TAMU) . Starr: Falcon Dam (5 EGRC) ; Sullivan (2 EGRC) ; Starr Co. (1 BYU, 23 OSUC, 2 TAMU). Uvalde : 6 mi S Uvalde (1 BYU) ; Rt. 90, 2.8 km WSW Cline, 29-14-14N/100-06-38W (1 BYU) . Val Verde: Del Rio (2 KSUC) ; Val Verde Co. (1 OSUC) . Zapata: Arroya Dolores, Hwy. 83, 14 mi. S of Laredo (1 BYU) . Ambiguous: Uvalde (1 TAMU) .

Distribution. Mexico (Michoacán, Morelos, Tamaulipas), United States (New Mexico, Texas) ( Fig. 74 ).

Temporal Occurrence. March, April, May, June, July.

Remarks. As with M. opacicollis , it is clear that Horn examined multiple specimens. The MCZ has two specimens identified as M. viridimicans bearing type labels: a male labeled “n.Mex./Wickham// Lectotype /3777” and a female labeled “Ariz.// Paratype 3777”. Schultz (1970) correctly speculated that the female labeled as a paratype is actually M. prosopis . The locality labels on the male match the original, so it is designated as the lectotype. Since there is no publication record designating the lectotype and paratype, the paratype label on the female is invalid, and the specimen should be moved to M. prosopis .

We agree with Schultz’s determination that Colaspoides macrocephalus Schaeffer is a synonym of M. viridimicans based on the shape of the mandibles. The type specimen of C. macrocephalus is located in the USNM. We also agree with Schultz’s determination that the proposed type for “ Colaspoides triloba Chittenden ”, which to our knowledge has never been described in a publication, is a female specimen of M. viridimicans .

Figures

Fig. 2. Lateral arm of prosternum of species of Metaparia. a) M. cephalotes, b) M. clytroides, c) M. guatemalensis, d) M. hybrida, e) M. lesueuri, f) M. mandibuloflexa, new species, g) M. opacicollis, h) M. prosopis, new species, i) M. viridimicans. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Left side is anterior edge.

Figs. 49–54. Lectotype of Metaparia viridimicans. 49) Dorsal habitus; 50) Lateral habitus; 51) Head, frontal view; 52) Spermatheca; 53) Median lobe, apical view; 54) Median lobe, lateral view. Figs. 49, 50 scale bars = 1.0 mm; Figs. 51, 53, 54 scale bars = 0.5 mm; Fig. 52 scale bar = 0.1 mm.

Figs. 70–75. Distribution maps for Metaparia and Dispardentium species. 70) M. cephalotes (black circles), M. clytroides (black triangles), M. guatemalensis (gray triangles); 71) M. hybrida (gray triangles), M. lesueuri (black circles), M. mandibuloflexa, new species (black triangles); 72) M. opacicollis (black triangles); 73) M. prosopis, new species (black triangles); 74) M. viridimicans (black triangles); 75) D. laevicollis (black triangles).