Eleodes (Eleodes) caudiferus LeConte, 1858

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 : 228-230

Eleodes (Eleodes) caudiferus LeConte, 1858 Figs 2C , 5A , 13A

Material examined.

Larval Eleodes caudiferus specimens were reared from adults with the following collecting information: "USA: Arizona: Navajo Co. / dunes ~4mi N Chilchinbito / off route 59, el. 1738m / N36.58143, W110.06973 / 26.August.2010, ADSmith". A total of 85 eggs and larvae were reared and examined for this study, of which 53 survived untill the 2nd instar or later. The following description is based on a detailed examination of eleven 3-5th instar specimens.

Description.

TL: 7.8-12.8 mm, HW: 1.0-1.4 mm, PL: 1.0-1.8 mm, PW: 1.3-1.7 mm.

Head. Prognathous or weakly declined; weakly dorsoventrally flattened; width narrower than prothorax; sides rounded; strongly constricted before occipital foramen; color dark tan, same or nearly the same as on body segments; punctation minute, moderately dense, separated by 2-4 puncture diameters. Epicranial suture stem length approximately one-fourth to one-third head capsule length; frontal arms sinuate, not obscured by sculpturing. Frons rugose. Epicranial plates rugose dorsally; lateral portions densely 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, puncta tion moderately dense, separated by 2-4 puncture diameters. Labrum swollen, sides rounded, basal half more darkly pigmented, medial setal row with 10-14 erect setae, subapical setal row with 10-14 erect setae, anterior margin straight to weakly emarginate. Epipharynx anterior setal row with eight or more 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 symetrical or weakly asymmetric. Ligula apex densely microsetose, two long subapical setae present ventrally. Hypopharyngeal sclerome pentagonal, tricuspidate. Gula distinct, trapezoidal, widest in basal half, length less than maximum width. Antenna three segmented, cylindrical, first segment subequal to second.

Thorax. Thoracic tergites ferruginous, prothoracic sternite anterior to legs ferruginous, thoracic sternites posterior to prolegs light brown. Prothoracic tergum subquadrate, 1.5 × 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, with sclerotized transverse line on anterior fifth absent, dense transverse band of short setae present near anterior margins of both tergites. 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 spines ventromedially; prothoracic femur with ventromedial row of five to six spines, dorsal surface with faintly indicated basal sclerotized band; prothoracic tibia with ventromedial row of five to six spines or spinose setae, dorsal surface slightly more sclerotized than ventral surface. Mesotibia with row of three ventromedial spines.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites and sternites light tan to ferruginous, with slightly darker transverse striated bands present along posterior margins of segments I-VIII, forming near contiguous unicolorous band around segments. Abdominal sternite I tomentose in anterior third, setae denser along near lateral margins. Abdominal laterotergites with lateral margins distinctly pigmented. Abdominal segment IX (pygidium) triangular in dorsal view, gradually reflexed to apex, urogomphi absent, apex attenuated and sclerotized, rarely forming a small tooth, sparsely clothed in short and mid length erect setae, sclerotized uniformly throughout, lacking maculations; marginal row of 28-38 socketed spines present, forming two or three irregular rows around posterior two-thirds to one half of segment, narrowing to single row around apex. Abdominal sternites I-VIII with longitudinal tomentose bands present along lateral margins. Pygopods short, subconical, each with 17-24 erect setae.

Diagnosis.

Eleodes caudiferus larvae can be separated from the other currently known Eleodes species by the presence of longitudinal tomentose bands along the lateral margins of abdominal sternites I-VIII.

Figures

Figure 2. Dorsal habitus of four Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Caverneleodes) wheeleri; B Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus C Eleodes (Eleodes) caudiferus D Eleodes (Eleodes) tribulus. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 5. Lateral habitus of three Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Eleodes) caudiferus B Eleodes (Eleodes) tribulus C Eleodes (Litheleodes) extricatus. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 13. Abdominal sternites I and II for two Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Eleodes) caudiferus B Eleodes (Litheleodes) extricatus. Scale bars = 1 mm.