Helleriella Champion, 1906b: 32

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 : 89-90

Helleriella Champion, 1906b: 32 Figs 30 , 50 , 96

Type species.

Helleriella longicollis Champion, 1906 [by monotypy].

Gender.

Feminine.

Diagnosis.

The slender rostrum (Fig. 50 ), elongate pronotum, linear scales, and a very short tibial uncus (Fig. 30 ) separates Helleriella from the zygopine genera with a concealed pygidium, flattened mesoventrite and second funicular article that is not longer than the first. The eyes are somewhat widely separated, especially near the top, strongly inflexed along outer margin towards bottom where it is sharply acuminate, the femora are non-carinate, with or without a ventral tooth, and are short and thick in some species.

Notes.

The species of Helleriella have been suggested to belong to different mimicry complexes, including clytrine chrysomelids, Zacryptocerus ants, and possibly red-eyed flies and other species of ants ( Hespenheide 1980).

Phylogenetic relationships.

Hespenheide (1980: 330) suggests a relationship with Cylindrocopturus due to the "...elongate, compressed habitus... the pronotum distinctly narrower than the elytra, and an investiture of scales that are predominantly linear and only overlap end-to-end in contrast to broad, completely overlapping, encrusting scales of most Cylindrocopturus ."

Keys .

Hespenheide 1980: 329 and 1998: 3.

Host associations.

Associated with several species of "swollen thorn Acacia " ( Fabaceae : Mimosoideae DC.) ( Hespenheide 1980). Larvae live and feed in thorns not occupied by ants ( Hespenheide 1980).

Described species.

Five species are known, including one described by Hespenheide (1998).

Range.

Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador ( Hespenheide 1980: 325), Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica.

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 95 - 98. Lateral and dorsal habitus images of Zygopini. Scale bars = 2 mm unless otherwise specified. 95 a-b Cylindrocopturus quercus [ARTSYS 0000819]; scale bars = 1 mm 96 a-b Helleriella longicollis [ASUHIC 0065241] 97 a-b Larides cavifrons [ASUHIC 0016882] 98 a-b Lissoderes subnudus [SSAC 0001136]; scale bars = 1 mm.