Eleodes (Promus) goryi Solier, 1848

Smith, Aaron D., Dornburg, Rebecca & Wheeler, Quentin D., 2014, Larvae of the genus Eleodes (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae): matrix-based descriptions, cladistic analysis, and key to late instars, ZooKeys 415, pp. 217-268 : 243-245

Eleodes (Promus) goryi Solier, 1848 Figs 10B , 11C

Material examined.

Larval Eleodes goryi specimens were reared from adults with the following collecting information: "USA: TX: Hidalgo County / Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley / State Park, fm2062 Mission / N26°10.37', W098°22.93' / 02.Sept.2011, Aaron Smith". A total of 460 eggs and larvae were reared and examined for this study, with 25 surviving until the 2nd instar or beyond. The following description is based on a detailed examination of three 8-11th instar specimens.

Description.

TL: 25.0-25.4 mm, HW: 2.0-2.1 mm, PL: 2.0-2.1 mm, PW: 2.2-2.4 mm.

Head. Prognathous or weakly declined; weakly dorsoventrally flattened; width nearly equal to prothorax; sides rounded; strongly constricted before occipital foramen; color ferruginous to dark brown, more heavily pigmented than body segments; punctation minute, moderately dense, separated by 2-4 puncture diameters. Epicranial suture stem length approximately one-third head capsule length; frontal arms U-shaped, not obscured by sculpturing. Frons faintly rugose. Epicranial plates faintly rugose dorsally; lateral portions moderately setose; ventral portion of each plate with row of six or more long setae along anterior margin near buccal cavity confluent with setae on lateral portions of plates, and a patch of short setae medially, forming a triangular pattern with its base near the anterior margin. Two stemmata present on each epicranial plate, pigmented spots often faded. Clypeus trapezoidal, swollen, darker medially in basal half, minutely punctate, punctation moderately dense, separated by 2-4 puncture diameters. Labrum swollen, sides rounded, basal half more darkly pigmented, medial setal row with six to seven erect setae, subapical setal row with six to seven erect setae, anterior margin straight to weakly emarginate. Epipharynx ( Fig. 10B ) anterior setal row with six stout spiniform setae, anterolateral margins with micro-setation; six anterior sensory papillae present, arranged in two irregular rows; four subanterior sensory papillae present, arranged as a transverse row subtended by two spinose setae; eight posterior sensory papillae present, arranged in an irregular cluster. Tormae strongly asymetrical with left torma larger. Ligula apex densely microsetose, two long subapical setae present ventrally. Hypopharyngeal sclerome pentagonal, tricuspidate. Gula distinct, trapezoidal, widest in basal half, length subequal or greater than maximum width. Antenna three segmented, cylindrical, first segment subequal to second.

Thorax. Thoracic tergites light tan, prothoracic sternite anterior to legs ferruginous to medium brown, thoracic sternites posterior to prolegs medium brown. Prothoracic tergum wider than long, 1.2 × or more length of meso- or metaterga; anterior transverse striated band present, darker than protergal disc; lateral margins with distinct granulated band, darker than protergal disc. Posterior transverse striated band present on all thoracic tergites, unicolorous brown. Meso- and metathoracic tergites wider than long, each with a heavily sclerotized transverse line present on anterior fifth. Thoracic tergites sparsely setose on dorsal surfaces, lateral margins more densely setose. Mesothoracic spiracle simple, ovate, approximately 1.5 × size of abdominal spiracles; reduced metathoracic spiracle visible, less than one-fourth size of mesothoracic spiracle. Legs. Prothoracic leg slightly longer, much thicker than meso- and metathoracic legs; prothoracic tarsungulus strongly sclerotized, sickle-shaped; prothoracic trochanter with two stout ventromedially spines; prothoracic femur with ventromedial row of two spines and three to five longer setae, dorsal surface with faintly indicated basal sclerotized band; prothoracic tibia with ventromedial row of three to four spines or spinose setae, dorsal surface slightly more sclerotized than ventral surface. Mesotibia with three ventromedial spines.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites and sternites 1-7 light tan, with slightly darker transverse striated bands present along posterior margins of segments I-VIII, forming near contiguous unicolorous band around segments. Abdominal tergite 8 more darkly pigmented than preceding segments. Abdominal sternite I moderately clothed in long erect setae from anterior margin to near midline. Abdominal laterotergites with lateral margins distinctly pigmented. Abdominal segment IX (pygidium) triangular in dorsal view, gradually reflexed to apex, urogomphi absent, apex lacking a distinct tooth, moderately clothed in short and mid length erect setae, dorsally more sclerotized in apical two-thirds with faint maculations; marginal row of 18-20 socketed spines present, arranged as single row around posterior two-thirds to one half of segment. Abdominal sternites I-VIII lacking longitudinal tomentose bands along lateral margins. Pygopods short, subconical, each with 11-15 erect setae.

Diagnosis.

Eleodes goryi larvae can be separated from the other currently known Eleodes species based on the darkly pigmented eighth and ninth abdominal tergites. It is further distinguished by the pentagonal hypopharyngeal sclerome, lack of a caudal tooth on the pygidium, and the presence of 3-4 ventromedial spines on the protibia.

Figures

Figure 10. Epipharynges of four Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Litheleodes) extricatus B Eleodes (Promus) goryi C Eleodes (Promus) subnitens D Eleodes (Tricheleodes) pilosus. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 11. Ligulas of three Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Melaneleodes) carbonarius B Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus C Eleodes (Promus) goryi. Scale bars = 200 µm.