Carcinops opuntiae ( LeConte, 1851 ), 1855

Reese, Ellen M. & Swanson, Alexander P., 2017, A Review of the CactophilicCarcinopsMarseul (Coleoptera: Histeridae) of the Sonoran Desert Region, with Descriptions of Six New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (1), pp. 159-190 : 181

Carcinops opuntiae ( LeConte, 1851) ( Figs. 6E , 7H , 12 )

Paromalus opuntiae LeConte 1851: 164

Carcinops opuntiae (LeConte) ( Marseul 1855)

Carcinops bisculpta Casey 1916: 243 ; synonymized by Blackwelder (1939). Incorrect nomenclature; correct name is Carcinops bisculptus .

Carcinops perlata Casey 1916: 244 ; synonymized by Blackwelder (1939). Incorrect nomenclature; correct name is Carcinops perlatus .

Diagnosis. Ground punctures: Micropunctures clustered in groups of 3 or 4 ( Fig. 6 ). Head: Frontal stria continuous with marginal epistomal stria ( Fig. 4B, C ). Pronotum: Marginal stria moderately divergent from anterior edge along midline ( Fig. 4A ). Elytra: Dorsal stria 5 and sutural stria subequal in length to dorsal striae 1–4, fading into a row of punctures basally but reaching or nearly reaching base of elytra ( Fig. 7 ); internal subhumeral striae present and strongly impressed; external subhumeral stria present as strong punctures. First abdominal ventrite: Lateral disc tristriate ( Fig. 2E ). Aedeagus: Parameres strongly sinuate with rounded apices ( Fig. 9E ).

Geographic Distribution and Habitat. This species is widely distributed in California, occuring as far north as Berkeley. It has also been collected in Arizona, southern Texas (Brownsville), Sonora, and Baja California Sur. The holotype was collected from decaying Opuntia sp. in San Diego, CA, where it is also associated with decaying Y. whipplei and F. cylindraceus . In Arizona, Sonora, and Baja California Sur, C. opuntiae utilizes a range of columnar cactus species such as C. gigantea , P. pringlei , L. schottii , and S. montanus .

Taxonomic Notes. Blackwelder (1939), citing “Wenzel in litt.”, synonymized C. bisculptus and C. perlatus under C. opuntiae as he did C. nigrus under C. consors . Wenzel’ s unpublished “ type notes” on the subject are useful here. With regard to C. perlatus, Wenzel stated “I believe actually that [ C. perlatus ] is an abnormally broad variant of [C.] opuntiae .” And with regard to C. bisculptus : “Differs from typical [C.] opuntiae as stated by Casey, but I am inclined to regard it as a variant of [C.] opuntiae , unless genitalia prove to be distinct.” Examination of type aedeagi seems to confirm Wenzel’ s speculations. The parameres of the C. perlatus and C. bisculptus types exhibit the same central constriction and general shape as C. opuntiae specimens.

Material Examined. 171 specimens. MEXICO: Veracruz: Rinconada, on cactus, 29.VI.1941, C. H. Seevers ( FMNH, 2). Jalisco: El Molino, 26.VII.1941, on cactus, C. H. Seevers ( FMNH, 2). Sonora: Arroyo Santa Barbara nr. Alamos, 27.09443°N 108.71266°W, 900m, 30.V.2007, ex. necrotic Stenocereus montanus, A. Swanson ( APS, 7; DNA voucher: APS 180); El Sahuaral nr. Guaymas, 27.991909°N 110.83943°W, sea level, 20.III.2007, ex. necrotic Pachycereus pringlei, A. Swanson ( APS, 7; DNA voucher: APS 140); San Carlos, 27.97979°N 110.99825°W, sea level, 19.III.2007, ex. necrotic Pachycereus schottii, A. Swanson ( APS, 2; DNA voucher: APS 139). Baja California: Ensenada, 6.I.1934 ( CASC, 10). Baja California Sur: 14 mi. S. El Arco Mine, 23.VI.1938, Michelbacher and Ross ( CASC, 11); 15 mi. N. San Ignacio, 24.VI.1938, Michelbacher and Ross ( CASC, 3); Santiago, 8.VII.1938, Michelbacher and Ross ( CASC, 8); nr. La Paz, 23.8257°N 110.272°W, sea level, 7.XII.2012, ex. necrotic Stenocereus thurberi, E. Reese ( EMR, 5; CAL, 1; LSAM, 1); nr. La Paz, 23.8379°N 110.1908°W, sea level, 8.XII.2012, ex. necrotic Pachycereus pringlei, E. Reese ( EMR, 2); nr. La Paz, 23.4735°N 109.5657°W, sea level, 8.XII.2012, ex. necrotic Stenocereus thurberi, E. Reese ( EMR, 4); nr. La Paz, 23.83567°N 110.28077°W, sea level, 25.VI.2013, ex. necrotic Pachycereus pringlei, E. Reese ( EMR, 23); nr. La Paz, 23.8259°N 110.28036°W, sea level, 25.VI.2013, ex. necrotic Pachycereus pringlei, E. Reese ( EMR, 1); nr. La Paz, 24.29981°N 110.31649°W, sea level, 26.VI. 2013, ex. necrotic Lophocereus schottii, E. Reese ( EMR, 1); nr. La Paz, 24.31059°N 110.31549°W, sea level, 26.VI.2013, ex. necrotic Pachycereus pringlei, E. Reese ( EMR, 1). USA: California: California: “[gold], “ Type 6905”[red label], “ P. opuntiae LeC” ( MCZ); San Diego Co., Poway, F. E. Blaisdell ( CASC, 2); San Diego Co., Cleveland Natl. Forest., 32.81963°N 116.19227°W, 3,000 ft., 24.VI.2007, ex. decaying Yucca whipplei, A. Swanson ( APS, 1; DNA voucher: APS 136); San Diego, 19.IV.1889 ( CASC, 4); Poway ( CASC, 1); Lakeside ( CASC, 2); Los Angeles, 12.I.1912 ( CASC, 8); Pasadena, various dates and collectors ( CASC, 7, FMNH, 2); San Bernadino Natl. Forest, 34.1741°N 116.9844°W, nr. Deer Ck., 25–26.V. 2004, M. Caterino ( SBMNH,1); Kern Co., Walker Pass, 24.XII.1938 ( CASC, 8); Berkeley, 12.II. 1934, F. R. Platt ( CASC, 2); Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 33.1466696°N 116.276726°W, sea level, 25.III.2013, ex. necrotic Ferocactus cylindraceus, E. Reese ( EMR, 4; FMNH, 2). Arizona: “Ari”, “CASEY/ 1925/ bequest”, “ TYPE USNM / 38479”, “ bisculpta / Csy. ” ( USNM); Santa Catalina Mts., 32.3118°N 110.7179°W, 1,200 m, 23.IX.2006, ex. necrotic Carnegiea gigantea, A. Swanson ( APS, 2); vic. of Tucson, various localities, dates and collectors, ( CASC, 11; FMNH, 20; UAIC, 3); Pinal Co., 20 mi. S. Florence, ex. dying Saguaro, 20.VIII.1978, W. Suter ( FMNH, 44). Texas: “Brownsville/ Texas/ Wickham”, “CASEY/ bequest/ 1925”, “ TYPE USNM / 38480”, “ perlata / Csy. ” ( USNM).

Figures

Figs. 3–6. Head morphology of Carcinops kumeyaay, with arrows showing key character states: 3) C. kumeyaay; 4) C. corticalis; 5) C. curtus. Photographs by E. Reese. 6) Ground punctation patterns on the pronotum of species in the subgenus Carcinopsida (Carcinops wenzeli). Photograph by A. Swanson.

Figs. 7–8. 7) Long elytral striae highlighted on Carcinops kumeyaay; 8) Short fifth and sutural elytral striae highlighted on Carcinops yaqui. Photographs by E. Reese.

Fig. 12. Carcinops gilensis morphology. A) Dorsal view, B) Ventral view. Photographs by E. Reese.

Fig. 2. Variation of the lateral disc of the first abdominal ventrite in Carcinops species. A) Single stria present (C. torquatus), B) Single stria with microsculptures present (C. rugulus), C) Bistriate (C. consors), D) Bistriate (C. yaqui), E) Tristriate (C. wenzeli). Photographs by A. Swanson.

Fig. 9. Aedeagal morphology of Carcinops species, with parameres toward the top of the page and basal pieces toward the bottom. A) C. consors, B) C. gilensis, C) C. corticalis, D) C. papagoanus, E) C. opuntiae, F) C. curtus, G) C. rugulus, H) C. torquatus, I) C. yaqui, J) C. wenzeli. Photographs by A. Swanson.