Lechriops Schoenherr, 1825: c.586

Anzaldo, Salvatore S., 2017, Review of the genera of Conoderinae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 683, pp. 51-138 : 78-79

Lechriops Schoenherr, 1825: c.586 Figs 10 , 19 , 82

= Gelus Casey, 1897: 667 [Syn.: Champion, 1906: 91]. Type species: Cryptorhynchus oculatus Say, 1824 [by subsequent designation: Sleeper 1963: 210].

Type species.

Rhynchaenus sciurus Fabricius, 1801 [by original designation].

Gender.

Masculine.

Diagnosis.

Most species of Lechriops can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: the second antennal funicular article is longer than the first, the mesoventrite has a rostral channel that is bordered laterally by carinae, and the metafemora are carinate and ventrally toothed ( Champion 1906b: 91). The anterior margin of the metaventrite is also usually excavated to receive the apex of the rostrum (Fig. 10 ; Champion 1906b: 91, Hespenheide 2009: 334), and the region of the mesoventrite lateral to the longitudinal carinae is often with dense multifid setae.

Notes.

Many species have a white elytral sutural spot (as in Fig. 82b ), but this is not exclusive to Lechriops (see Hespenheide 2009).

Keys .

See Hespenheide 2003: 351 (for the seven U.S. species) and Champion 1906b: 91 (for Central America). Also Sleeper 1963: 210 (for U.S. species), Blatchley and Leng 1916: 418 (for Northeastern U.S. species, as Gelus ) and LeConte and Horn 1876: 260 (for U.S. species, as Piazurus ).

Phylogenetic relationships.

Some species look superficially very similar to species of Eulechriops , Macrocopturus , and Hoplocopturus , but the above combination of characters will separate most species. Champion (1906b: 91) considered Lechriops to be very close to Macrocopturus and in both genera he described species similar to the other genus ( L. copturoides Champion, 1906 and Macrocopturus furfuraceus (Champion, 1906), the latter of which "forms a sort of connecting-link between Copturus [= Macrocopturus ] and Lechriops " ( Champion 1906b: 69)).

Host associations.

Some species in the U.S. and Mexico (the L. californicus species group of Hespenheide 2003) are associated with various species of conifers in the genera Pinus L. and Pseudotsuga Carrière ( Pinaceae Spreng. ex Rudolphi). Some Central American species have been reared from petioles and stems of Cecropia and Coussapoa ( Urticaceae ) ( Jordal and Kirkendall 1998: 159, LaPierre 2002). The Puerto Rican Lechriops psidii Marshall, 1922 is known to feed on guava fruits ( Myrtaceae : Psidium guajava L.) ( Marshall 1922: 70), but the placement of that species in Lechriops is suspect (though no specimens have been observed) due to the unmodified mesoventrite and lack of a femoral tooth.

Described species.

Forty-nine species are known from the focal region [including two more described by Hespenheide 2003] and an additional 42 species are known exclusively from South America ( Wibmer and O’Brien 1986: 263, including four more described by Rheinheimer 2011].

Range.

Canada, U.S.A., Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe; South America. A new species of Lechriops was recently described from India ( Khairmode and Sathe 2015), though the position of the species in this genus or in the tribe Lechriopini is doubtful.

Figures

Figures 10 - 18. Variation in the mesoventrite. 10 Lechriops californicus [ASUHIC 0024146] showing relatively parallel carinae marking the lateral margin of the rostral channel and a closure of the channel on the metaventrite 11 Microzygops nigrofasciatus [ARTSYS 0000797] with tubercles anterior to the mesocoxae and slight, arcuate carinae on the anterior region of the mesoventrite (encircling the central scaled region) 12 Paramnemyne decemcostata [ARTSYS 0000798] showing tuberculate posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite and a transverse carina near the posterior margin of the metaventrite 13 Pseudolechriops klopferi [SSAC 0001060] showing a deep ovoid receptacle on the meso- and metaventrite 14 Turcopus viscivorus [ARTSYS 0000530] showing a receptacle on the mesoventrite with prominently carinate posterior margin 15 Lissoderes subnudus [SSAC 0001066] showing a completely unmodified mesoventrite covered with multifid setae 16 Peltophorus adustus [ASUHIC 0031514] showing a ventrally expanded posterior margin of the mesoventrite to receive the rostrum in repose 17 Philenis fuscofemorata [ARTSYS 0000659] with tubercles at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite and a deep depression at the posterior margin in between 18 Philinna bicristata [ARTSYS 0000799] showing slight lamellate processes at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite as well as transversely flattened projections behind the procoxae.

Figures 19 - 36. Variation in the metatibial apex. 19 Mesotibial apex of Lechriops vestitus illustrating parts of the tibial apex: a) posterior apical angle with large, curved uncus; b) middle of the apex with produced, rounded inner flange; c) anterior apical margin with premucro; d) oblique ridge of premucro; e) apical setal tuft 20 Male Trichodocerus brevilineatus [ARTSYS 0000609] with a tibial uncus arising at the middle of the apex 21 Cratosomus punctulatus mexicanus [ASUHIC 0031510] with thick fascicles of golden setae near the anterior apical margin and a dense setal brush at the posterior apical face 22 Pseudopiazurus centraliamericanus [ASUHIC 0086627] with a large, subapical premucro 23 Piazurus laetus [SSAC 0001077], showing a typical tibial apex for that genus 24 Acoptus suturalis [ASUHIC 0016915] 25 Cylindrocopturinus pictus [SSAC 0001288] with a pointed, premucro-like inner flange 26 Pseudolechriops klopferi [SSAC 0001060] showing an elongate, uncus-like inner flange. 27 Arachnomorpha circumlineata [ARTSYS 0000535] 28 Archocopturus medeterae [ASUHIC 16884] 29 Cylindrocopturus adspersus [ASUHIC 0016896] with a rounded, produced inner flange 30 Helleriella longicollis [ASUHIC 0065241] with a very short uncus 31 Lissoderes cecropiae [ASUHIC 0064707] with an elongate uncus and minute premucro 32 Phileas granulatus [ARTSYS 0000528] with the middle of the apex (between uncus and premucro) sunken 33 Peltophorus adustus [ASUHIC 0012325] with a short uncus and posterodistal setal comb extending halfway to the base of the tibia 34 Zygops erythropygus [ASUHIC 0086640] with short posterodistal setal comb. 35 Philenis flavipes [ASUHIC 0065102] 36 Philinna bicristata [ARTSYS 0000799] with a small tooth at the anterior apical angle.

Figures 79 - 82. Lateral and dorsal habitus images of Lechriopini. 79 a-b Eulechriops minutus [ASUHIC 0024145] 80 a-b Euzurus ornativentris [ARTSYS 0000800]. 81 a-b Hoplocopturus varipes [SSAC 0001086] 82 a-b Lechriops vestitus [SSAC 0001114]. Scale bars = 2 mm.