Griburius errans ( Suffrian, 1852 )

Sassi, Davide, 2023, Revision of the Griburius scutellaris (Fabricius, 1801) species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae), Zootaxa 5315 (6), pp. 501-548 : 523-525

Griburius errans ( Suffrian, 1852)

( Figs 6 ; 12e )

Scolochrus errans Suffrian, 1852: 120 (original description); Suffrian, 1858: 389 (taxonomic notes); Jacoby 1880: 61 (taxonomic notes).

Griburius errans: Clavareau, 1913: 89 (catalogue); Blackwelder, 1946: 639 (catalogue).

Types. Suffrian reported that he was able to study a single female. A female in BMNH matches the original description, therefore it is here accepted as the holotype of the species. HOLOTYPE: ♀, pinned, // “ errans Chevr. Pil. Yucatan ” [white label, handwritten] // “ errans Chevr Suff Yucatan ” [white label, handwritten] // “E. Coll. Chev. t ” [white label, printed] // “62” [white label, printed] // “67.56” [white label, printed] // “ Griburius errans ( Suffrian, 1852) ( Scolochrus errans ) HOLOTYPUS D. Sassi det.” [red label, printed] // (BMNH).

Type locality. Yucatán ( Mexico) .

Additional material examined. HONDURAS: Cortés: Villanueva 30.V.2021 & 11.VIII.2022 (2, GBIF) . MEXICO: CAMPECHE: Escarcega 24.VI.1962 trap light (1, USNMNH) ; 18.5 mi N Escarcega 1.VIII.1980 (2, TAMU) . QUINTANA ROO: 10 mi N Chetumal 18.V.1985 (1, ERPC) ; Nuevo Xcán 6.VI.1959 (1, AMNH) ; Bacalar VIII.2021 (1, GBIF) ; “ Campeche ”, (2, MLHU) . CHIAPAS: Bonampak 24.VII.1988 (1, ERPC) . YUCATÁN: “ Yucatan ” gift of F.C. Bowditch (1, USNMNH) ; Colonia Yucatan 14.VIII.1952 & 21.VIII.1952 (2, AMNH) ; Chichén- Itzà 10.VIII.1990 (1, ERPC) ; Dolores Otero 10.VI.1952 (2, AMNH) ; Piste 8.VI.1959 (3, AMNH) ; Piste 12.IX.1952 (1, AMNH) ; Temax (4, USNMNH) ; Yzamal (1, USNMNH) ; Tixkokob 5.VII.1952 (2, AMNH) ; Chuminopolis 7.VII.1952 (1, AMNH) ; Hunucma 3.VII.1952 (1, AMNH) ; Cordeleira Mayapan 7.VII.1952 (1, AMNH) .

Distribution. Honduras, Mexico. New for Honduras.

Diagnosis. This species is usually well distinguishable from the others in the dorsal colouring, often uniformly yellow, chestnut or dark brown. In the lighter-coloured specimens the typical pattern of dorsal dark markings can be detectable, reminding of the chromatic arrangement in G. larvatus , G. decoratus and G. rileyi . However, the dark spots are usually brown rather than black, the posterior sutural spot on elytron is missing, the pronotal black spots are replaced by two “fuzzy” angular areas of a pale brown shade.

Description of male. BL = 4.1–4.5 mm, BW = 2.7–2.9 mm, PL = 1.5–1.6 mm, PW = 2.4–2.6 mm. Interocular distance 4.4–4.9 % of BL.

Head ( Fig. 6d ) totally yellow to chestnut with brownish patches on vertex, surface between upper lobes of eyes and insertion of antennae; sometimes head surface totally dark brownish. Labrum light yellow. Vertex bright, sparsely and shallowly punctured with very short, recumbent, whitish setae. Surface of frontoclypeal area bright as well, with sparse, well-impressed punctation and scattered very short setae. Mid-cranial suture well detectable on lower part of vertex and between upper lobes of eyes. Upper lobes of eyes close to each other along midline, but always separated by distinct strip of frons space. Ocular lines narrow, marked by row of punctures, strictly adhering to ocular rim up to ocular canthus. Ocular canthus large not differentiated in punctation and setosity from the remainder of frontoclypeal surface. Antennae ( Fig. 6m ) rather short with antennomeres 3–5 yellowish, bright, subcylindrical; antennomeres 6–11 progressively darkened, dull, more flattened and more diffusedly setose.

Pronotum totally chestnut to dark brown with chestnut lateral margins. Pronotal shape roughly elliptical, scarcely transverse, only weakly flattened on disc. Lateral margins narrow, not visible from above, regularly curved so that maximum width nearly at middle. Surface moderately shiny with scattered, fine punctation at middle of disc. Punctures coarser and more deeply impressed along sides and in proximity of posterolateral impressions. Posterolateral impressions well impressed and obliquely arranged, marked by some strong punctures at bottom of depression. Pronotal posterior margin thickened along posterolateral impressions.

Scutellum yellow to dark brown with lighter margins, subtriangular with apex shortly truncated. Surface minutely and sparsely punctured, with few, very short setae.

Elytron chestnut with darker bottom of punctures to dark brown with scattered irregular lighter patches to totally dark brown. Epipleuron yellowish. Elytral outline short with sides almost straight and convergent posteriorly. Lateral margins narrow, simultaneously visible from above only along posterior half. Elytral surface slightly flattened on disc, moderately shiny, with strong punctation arranged in almost regular rows, well visible up to posterior clivus. Intervals flat. Postscutellar area fairly raised. Humeral callus prominent, impunctate. Epipleuron smooth, impunctate, with convex surface.

Pygidium yellow, sometimes with blurred, darker patch at center. Surface matt, covered with close shallow punctures and appressed, pale setae.

Ventral parts yellowish to dark chestnut, with irregular darker patches. In darker specimens metathorax at times blackish. Hypomera, mesepimera and mesepisterna almost bare, shiny, with scattered punctures. Remainder of ventral surface of thorax matt, covered with rather dense, short, regularly distributed setae and fine, shallow punctures. Prosternal process large, with sides almost straight between anterior coxae, then converging in large, round apex; surface almost flat or feebly depressed at middle, covered with coarse, shallow punctures and sparse, long, semi-erect setae. Legs usually totally yellowish. In darker specimens at times femora partly blackish.

Median depression on fifth abdominal ventrite very shallow and hardly detectable, but with fewer setae and punctures than remainder of ventrite surface.Ventrite posterior margin very feebly notched. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 6h–n ) with apex short and large, with median short, acute denticle. Ventral outline marked with low, slightly curved carina. Setose depressions shallow, extended from apical rim to one third of aedeagal shaft, with surface covered by small punctures and long arcuate setae.

Female. Habitus in Fig. 6a–b (HT). BL = 4.2–5.8 mm, BW = 3.0– 4.1 mm, PL = 1.6–2.2 mm, PW = 2.7–3.6 mm. Interocular distance 10.3–11.9 % of BL.

Females are larger with eyes ( Fig. 6c ) smaller and more separated along midline.

The fifth abdominal ventrite in females has a large, rounded and deep pit. The bottom of the pit is glabrous, matt, impunctate but covered with tiny wrinkles. The vasculum of the spermatheca ( Fig. 6p ) is scarcely pigmented, sickle-shaped with slightly swollen proximal lobe. The distal lobe is long, slender, evenly curved, tapered with a rather acute apex mildly bent downwards. The ampulla is not pigmented, lengthened. The duct insertion on the ampulla is short and not pigmented. The sperm gland insertion is long and arched upwards. The duct is uniform in size, slender, quite rigid, not coiled but with a series of turns forming a small tangle at some distance from the vasculum, then almost straight. The insertion on the bursa copulatrix is simple, neither swollen nor pigmented.

Figures

FIGURE 6. G. errans. a–b: habitus, dorsal and lateral view (HT); c: frontal view, female (HT); d: frontal view, male (Campeche, Mexico); e–g: colour variations (e: female, Bonampak, Mexico; f: male, Campeche, Mexico; g: female, Cordeleira Mayapan, Mexico); h–n: median lobe of aedeagus in ventral (h), dorsal (k) and lateral (n) view [0.7 mm]; m: antenna [1.2 mm]; p: spermatheca [0.3 mm]. hd: setose depressions; pli: pronotal posterolateral impression. Square brackets: length of scale segment.

FIGURE 12. Distribution maps for the Griburius scutellaris species-group. a: G. albilabris; b: G. biverrucatus; c: G. boucardi; d: G. decoratus; e: G. errans; f: G. larvatus. Black markings: data from specimens analyzed during the study. Red markings: data from the public database Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF.com).