Arachnomorpha Champion, 1906b: 47

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 : 86-87

Arachnomorpha Champion, 1906b: 47 Figs 27 , 47 , 93

Type species.

Arachnomorpha circumlineata Champion, 1906 [by original designation].

Gender.

Feminine.

Diagnosis.

Arachnomorpha can be distinguished from the zygopine genera with a flattened mesoventrite, concealed pygidium and short second funicular article by the broad interocular space between the top of the eyes (Fig. 47 ), with the eyes closer together below the space than above, the costate elytral intervals, the carinate and ventrally unarmed hind femora and minute premucro (Fig. 27 ). Additionally, Arachnomorpha circumlineata is part of a “shiny-black” ant-mimicry complex ( Hespenheide 1995), with the cuticle in large part glabrous and black with patches or stripes of white or opalescent scales. This mimicry complex, among the New World Conoderinae , is so far known only in Arachnomorpha , Microzurus , Lissoderes and Philides . The observed undescribed Microzurus species [SSAC0001290] also has sharply costate elytral intervals but can be easily distinguished from Arachnomorpha by the concealed scutellum and modified mesoventrite.

Phylogenetic relationships.

Champion (1906b: 47) posits a relationship with the South American Mnemyne and Hespenheide (1987: 42) notes the similarity with Lissoderes . Of the zygopine genera with a concealed pygidium and a short second funicular article, only Arachnomorpha and Lissoderes have sclerolepidia, although apparently of a different type ( Lyal et al. 2006: 229). Arachnomorpha and Lissoderes additionally have a minute premucro of the tibial apex, but differently shaped eyes, antennal insertion on different parts of the rostrum (basal third in Arachnomorpha ), and a different body shape. The genera of Zygopini that have a concealed pygidium and a second funicular article that is not longer than the first ( Arachnomorpha , Archocopturus Heller, 1895, most Cylindrocopturus , Helleriella , Larides Champion, 1906, Lissoderes , Phileas , and Zygopsella Champion, 1906), with the exception of Cylindrocopturus , are all small genera (five described species or less) that are very distinct in body shape and/or coloration likely owing to their participation in different mimicry complexes, and are otherwise difficult to separate by external characters. Of those genera, large pronotal punctures are also shared with Archocopturus and Zygopsella .

Host associations.

Unknown.

Described species.

One.

Range.

Costa Rica, Panama.

Figures

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 46 - 54. Variation in eye shape. 46 Poecilogaster brevis [ARTSYS 0000805] with relatively vertical, separated eyes 47 Arachnomorpha circumlineata [ARTSYS 0000535] showing subcontiguous eyes separated at the top by a broad interocular space 48 Archocopturus medeterae [ASUHIC 0086637] with subcontiguous eyes separated at the top by a thin lanceolate space 49 Cylindrocopturus quercus [ASUHIC 0016905] with vertical, separated eyes 50 Helleriella longicollis [ASUHIC 0065241] with widely separated eyes and a very thin rostrum 51 Larides cavifrons [ASUHIC 0016882], showing a strongly depressed interocular space 52 Male Lissoderes cecropiae [ASUHIC 0064708] showing oval, subcontiguous eyes and an apical antennal insertion on the rostrum 53 Philenis fuscofemorata [ARTSYS 0000659] showing ovoid eyes and slender antennae 54 Zygopsella ruficauda [ARTSYS 0000526] with a sinuous lateral and mesal margin of the eyes which is strongly inflexed at the lower lateral margin.

Figures 91 - 94. Lateral and dorsal habitus images of Lechriopini and Zygopini. All scale bars = 1 mm unless otherwise specified. 91 a-b Psomus armatus [ARTSYS 0000533] 92 a-b Turcopus viscivorus [ARTSYS 000530]; scale bar = 2 mm 93 a-b Arachnomorpha circumlineata [ARTSYS 0000535] 94 a-b Archocopturus laselvaensis [ASUHIC 0086633].