Haag-Rutemberg, 1880 : 30
Cantharis leopardina : Burmeister, 1881: 24
Berg, 1881 : 304
Bruch, 1914 : 404
Borchmann, 1917 : 77
Denier, 1935 : 156
Bosq, 1934 : 327
Blackwelder, 1945 : 483
Viana and Williner, 1974 : 11
Martínez, 1992 : 7
Di Iorio 2004 : 169
Redefinition of the vittata species group of Epicauta Dejean (1834) (Coleoptera: Meloidae) and taxonomic revision of the species from southern South America
Campos-Soldini, María Paula
Roig-Juñent, Sergio Alberto
Zootaxa
2011
2824
21
43
Hagg-Rutemberg, 1880
Hagg-Rutemberg
1880
[151,715,1894,1920]
Insecta
Meloidae
Epicauta
Animalia
Coleoptera
6
27
Arthropoda
species
leopardina
Lytta leopardina Haag-Rutemberg, 1880: 30. Cantharis leopardina: Burmeister, 1881: 24(rev.); Berg, 1881: 304(rev.). Epicauta leopardina: Bruch, 1914: 404(cat.); Borchmann, 1917: 77(cat.); Denier, 1935: 156(cat.); Bosq, 1934: 327(cat.); 1942: 11 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1945: 483(cat.); Viana and Williner, 1974: 11(dist.); Martínez, 1992: 7(dist.); Di Iorio 2004: 169(cat.).
Typematerial. Adams and Selander (1979)indicate that the typematerial is a series of syntypesfrom Córdoba, Argentina; it is deposited in the Haag-Rutemberg collection, in Zoologisches Sammlung der Bayerischen Stattes Munich. These specimens were not examined.
Diagnosis.Maxillary palpi, labrum, antennal segments I, II and part of segment III light. Elytra with three dark vittae on a pale background, both inner vittae much abbreviated, middle one much broadened distally to form irregular blotches, with additional basal blotch resulting from fusion of the middle and outer vittae; elytral pubescence is coincident with cuticle color.
Remarks.The pattern of elytra pale with three dark vittae like blotches, is quite distinctive and permits an easy recognition of this species.
Redescription. Body length 10–23 mm. Cuticle and pubescente.Cuticleof head and pronotum brown; head with light patch on forehead, and two light supra-ocular patches ( Fig. 16); maxillary palpi, labrum and segments I, II and basal third of segment III of antennae light. Elytra pale with three dark vittae, both inner vittae much abbreviated, and the middle one much broadened distally to form irregular blotches, with an additional basal blotch resulting from fusion of the middle and outer vittae (Fig. 23). Legs pale tinged with brown. Pubescenceof head sparse (13–19 setae by lineal mm); pronotum and elytron dense (28–34 setae by lineal mm); pubescence of head dark brown with pale setae on marginal area, pronotum pale with two dark brown extended patches on disk, elytra pubescence is coincident with cuticle color. Abdominal pubescence uniformly light brown. Habitus.Head0.91 times as long as wide (L/A: 21–33); mandible strongly curved apically (as shown by arrow in Fig. 21); antennae sexually dimorphic, male with segments V, VI, and VII bulged; antennal segments of female with following proportions: 4 (I); 2 (II); 2 (III); 4.3 (IV); 3 (V); 2.3 (VI); 2.3 (VII); 2 (VIII); 3 (IX); 3 (X); 3.4 (XI); antenna of males: 4 (I); 1.6 (II); 4.3 (III); 2.6 (IV); 2.3 (V); 2 (VI); 2 (VII); 3 (VIII); 2.5 (IX); 2.5 (X); 4 (XI). Pronotum0.8 times as long as wide (L/A: 40–50), impressed on apical third in lateral view. Elytronsubequal in width throughout. Legswith tarsal segments with two longitudinal rows of adhesive setae. Clawswith dorsal blade slightly curved from base to apex, ventral blade slightly curved, broader than dorsal near apical third. Male genitalia. Falobasewith superior margin with deep concavity. Spiculum gastrale(as in Fig. 33). Median lobeslender, pointed at apex, dorsal-hook; uncusshort, moderately robust ( Fig. 41). Intra-specific variation.Variation occurs in body length, form of head and pronotum patches. This species presents a wide range of size, some specimens double the size of others. In the same specimens different sizes of the pale patches are present on the forehead, supraocular patches and pronotum.
Distribution.Map ( Fig. 47). Known from Argentina, Bolivia, and Brasil. In Argentinait is recorded from Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Córdoba; Entre Ríos; La Rioja; Mendoza; Neuquén; Salta; San Luis; Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; and Tucumán. New records: Misiones. Host plant.Host plant citations for this species are: at native vegetation in Amaranthus quitensisand Portulacasp.( Martínez, 1992); Beta vulgarisL. var rapacea, Beta vulgaris var cyclaand Solanum tuberosum( Hayward, 1942; 1960); Cichorium endivia( Hayward, 1942; 1960, Adams and Selander, 1979); Helianthus annus( Rizzo, 1977); Lycopersicum esculentum( Hayward 1942, 1960; Adams and Selander 1979); Medicago sativa( Hayward, 1942; 1960); Nicotiana tabacum( Bosq, 1942; Hayward, 1942; 1960); Portulacasp. ( Adams and Selander, 1979); Solanum dulcamara( Adams and Selander, 1979); Solanum eleagnifolium( Adams and Selander, 1979).
Material examined.Fifty-six specimens are recorded from Argentinabelonging to the following collections: MALP, MCNFA, IMLA. Buenos Aires. Catamarca; Córdoba: Villa María ( 32º 24’ 82’’ S, 63º 14’ 12’’ W). Chaco: Gancedo ( 27º 29’ 48’’ S, 61º 40’ 21’’ W). Entre Ríos: La Paz ( 30º 45’ 02’’ S, 59º 38’ 44’’ W). Mendoza. Misiones: El Dorado ( 26º 23’ 88’’ S, 54º 37’ 52’’ W); San José 27º 46’ 27’’ S, 55º 46’ 76’’ W). Neuquén. Santa Fe: Rosario ( 32º 57’ 96’’ S, 60º 40’ 84’’ W). Salta: Talapampa ( 25º 32’ 66’’ S, 65º 34’ 05’’ W). Santiago del Estero: San Ignacio ( 25º 41’ 07’’ S, 62º 56’ 74’’ W), Río Salado ( 27º 50’ 59’’S, 63º 28’ 06’’ W), Negra Muerta ( 27º 30’ 83’’ S, 64º 08’ 95’’ W). Tucumán: San Pedrode Colalao ( 26º 13’ 95’’ S, 65º 28’ 89’’ W). FIGURES 1–5. Epicauta leopardina: 1.fore tibia with a marked depression on inner apical third; 2.Male gonoforceps: ventral view and lateral view; pl (parameral lobes), fb (falobase), Y-shaped, arrow indicating a narrow median strip which diverges apically and runs along the ventromedial surface of each pl. E. bosqi: 3.Pygidium: narrowly emarginated; E. excavata: 4.Pygidium: apex incised; E. clericalis: 5.Pygidium: entire. FIGURES 6–11. Epicauta lopardina, 6.Labial palpi with segment III strongly expanded from the basal third to the apex; 7.Maxillary palpi large (three times width) compressed dorso-ventrally, tapering to the base and expanding to apex. E. leopardina: 8.Prementum with central area having ample concavity; E. clericalis: 9.Prementum straight. Mandible dorsal views: E. leopardina: 10(b, see arrow); E. clericalis 11(b, see arrow). FIGURES 12–17.Head cuticle color: 12. E. excavate; 13. E. semivittata, E. missionum; 14. E. clericalis, E. luteolineata; 15. E. bosqi; 16. E. leopardina, E. monachica, E. rutilifrons; 17. E. grammica. FIGURES 18–27.Elytra cuticle color: 18. E. bosqi; 19. E. clericalis; 20. E. grammica; 21. E. luteolineata; 22. E. excavata; 23. E. leopardina; 24. E. monachica; 25. E. semivittata; 26. E. rutilifrons; 27. E. missionum. FIGURE 28.Female genitalia: ( a) spca: spermathecal capsule; ( b) ga: accessory gland; ( c) spdu: spermathecal duct; ( d) ca: calyx; ( e) ov: ovary; ( f) va: vagina; ( g) va: valvifer; ( h) stylus; ( i) bsva: ventrolateral basal stem. FIGURES 29–36.Spiculum gastral: 29. E. bosqi; 30. E. clericalis; 31. E. excavata; 32. E. grammica; 33. E. leopardina; 34. E. luteolineata; 35. E. monachica; 36. E. semivittata.