Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle, 1876:495

Thomas, Michael C., 2014, A review of New World Laemophloeus Dejean (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae): 2. Neotropical species with antennal club of three antennomeres, Insecta Mundi 2014 (363), pp. 1-38 : 11-12

Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle, 1876:495

Fig. 11 , 44-48

Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle, 1876:495

Laemophloeus distinguendus Sharp, 1899:518 , New synonym

Laemophloeus floridanus Casey, 1884: 45 (synonymy by Thomas 1986: 60)

Types: Of Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle : Thomas (1993) designated the lectotype from Grouvelle material in the MNHN. Of Laemophloeus floridanus Casey : Thomas (1993) reported that the type was lost, but Casey’s description sufficed to synonymize it under Grouvelle’s species. Of Laemophloeus distinguendus Sharp, I have examined a number of Biologia specimens in the BMNH, including a pair of specimens ( Fig. 44 ) with data as follows: “[male symbol] [female symbol] Laemophloeus distinguendus Types D.S. Bugaba” [on card with specimens]/”Type” [red-bordered circle]/”Bugaba, Panama. Champion.”/”B.C.A., Col., II, (1). Laemophloeus distinguendus ”. Laemophloeus distinguendus Sharp does not differ in any appreciable way from L. megacephalus Grouvelle and is here synonymized under that species.

Diagnosis. The following combination of characters is diagnostic for this species: Length, 1.9mm - 2.8mm; males with a tuft of setae on the dorsal surface of the antennal scape ( Fig. 45-46 ), and epistomal emarginations over the antennae ( Fig. 46, 48 ); parameres ( Fig. 47 ) with two pairs of setae, the inner, basal pair long and stout and widely separated, the outer pair shorter and more slender. Females cannot be separated from those of L. suturalis .

Distribution. Caribbean, North, Central and South America.

Neotropical specimens examined. 39, BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz: 3.7km SSE Vera Cruz , Hotel Flora & Fauna ; COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Villa Neily ; JAMAICA: Clarendon: Milk River Bath ; MEXICO: Veracruz: Lake Catemaco , “Coyame” ; 10mi S Coatepec ; PANAMA: Chiriqui: Puerto Armuelles ; Coclé: Cerro La Vieja Lodge , Chiruigi Arriba ; Darien: Cana Field Station ; Panama: Las Cumbres ; SURINAME: Brokopondo: Ston Eiland Eco-Resort near Brownsberg ; Para: near Overbridge River Resort ; Paramaribo: Weg Naar Zee , Bennie’s Park ; TRINIDAD: Diego Martin: Petit Valley ; San Juan- Laventille: Curepe , Santa Margarita Circular Road ; Tunapuna-Piarco: Arima-Blanchissuese Rd. All in FSCA .

Discussion. This is the most widely distributed species of New World Laemophloeus , occurring from the eastern U.S. south throughout Central America and the Caribbean and South America to Bolivia. Curiously, although widespread it does not appear to be very abundant in the Neotropics and I have seen relatively few Neotropical specimens of it compared to the other Neotropical species, L. lecontei and L. suturalis , that also occur in the Nearctic.

Neotropical specimens tend to be uniformly testaceous or with the circum-scutellar region of the elytra indistinctly infuscate. Nearctic individuals tend to be more strongly marked.

Figures

Figure 11. Habitus, Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle, male.

Figures 44-48. Laemophloeus megacephalus Grouvelle. 44) Types of L. distinguendus Sharp. 45) Male antennal scape. 46) Head, male. 47) Aedeagus. 48) Head, male, anterior oblique view.