Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica Tang, Skelley and Taylor, 2024

Tang, William, Skelley, Paul E., Taylor B, Alberto S. & Salzman, Shayla, 2024, Review of Pharaxonotha Reitter (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) inhabiting cones of the cycad Zamia L. (Cycadales) in Panama, with descriptions of five new species, Insecta Mundi 2024 (43), pp. 1-40 : 18-21

Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica Tang, Skelley and Taylor , new species

Figures 7A–J

Diagnosis. Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica can only be distinguished from other members of the genus by a combination of characters: Body length 2.27–3.24 mm, on average greater than most members of the clarkorum species group, except P. fortunensis ; head width/pronotal width = 0.72–0.77, within the range typical for the majority of Panamanian species; pronotal L/W = 0.69–0.75 (mean = 0.72) on average smaller than other Panamanian species; elytra L/W with a strong tendency to be larger in females, in males = 1.63–1.73, in females = 1.71–1.75; apical third of spermatheca swollen ( Fig. 7J ); inhabiting cones of Zamia pseudoparasitica , a true epiphyte living on branches of trees, typically 7-20 m above the forest floor at elevations from 100–1000 m asl.

Description. Length 2.27–3.24 mm, width 0.91–1.27 mm (n = 20). Body in dorsal view elongate-oval ( Fig. 7A–C ), greatest width at middle of elytra; in lateral view convex dorsally ( Fig. 7B ). General body color entirely orange-brown; dorsal surface punctate, shining and appearing glabrous, short procumbent hairs associated with punctation on pronotum and elytra, ventrally shining and appearing glabrous except mesoventrite and abdomen mostly covered with short procumbent setae.

Head not broad, width = 0.72–0.77× pronotal width; in dorsal view conical, gradually narrowed anteriorly, surface flat to slightly convex, finely, moderately punctured, average distance between closest punctures 2–3× width of puncture; head width 0.53–0.71 mm; dorsal interocular distance 0.31–0.40 mm, head width/dorsal interocular distance ratio 1.66–1.80, ventral interocular distance 0.21–0.32 mm, head width/ventral interocular distance ratio 2.19–2.53. Eye with large black facets, about 3× diameter of head punctures. Antennal length slightly shorter than pronotal width, 1.5× head width; antennomere I (scape) fairly large, slightly elongate; antennomere II slightly shorter than III; IV–VIII small, width equals length; club fairly large, IX and X similar in length; XI enlarged, 1.6× longer than X, globular with rounded apex ( Fig. 7E ). Clypeus weakly concave anteriorly, moderately punctate. Mentum ( Fig. 7E ) finely punctate, submentum more coarsely punctured, 2–3× diameter of those on mentum, distance between nearest punctures approximately 1× own diameter, each puncture with a short seta. Gular area smooth, without punctation or setae, border with submentum marked by change in punctuation and with a shallow transverse depression.

Thorax with pronotum transversely quadrate in dorsal view, length/width ratio 0.69–0.75; with distinct marginal beads laterally and basally, anteriorly with fine marginal bead medially; convex; anterior angles broadly rounded, not projecting forward; posterior angles weakly developed, with small denticle at angle; lateral carina parallel-sided or evenly shallowly arcuate for entire length; posterior margin slightly projecting medially, projection beginning approximately by pair of small, dark pores in margin located 1/4 width from posterior angles, each pore marks base of a distinct sulcus extending anteriorly onto disc 1/4 length of pronotum. Prosternum in ventral view convex, with few scattered punctures; anterior margin slightly emarginate, finely denticulate with row of long, anteriorly directed setae, longest setae approximately 1/3 length of eye; prosternal process expanded apically, truncate and convex at apex. Hypomeron laterally with few minute punctures, medially lacking distinct longitudinal striations. Scutellar shield distinctly transverse pentagonal, posterior margin weakly rounded. Elytra in dorsal view elongate-oval, convex; length/width ratio 1.63–1.73, greatest width near midlength; with distinct marginal line basally; 10 complete striae of moderate puncture size; scutellary striole extending 1/4 elytral length, with 10–15 punctures; punctures of elytral striae as large as pronotal punctures, weakly impressed; intervals of striae with fine, shallow punctures, 1.2× size of strial punctures; all punctures of elytra bearing a single short seta; seta only visible in profile, extending slightly out of puncture. Mesoventrite with strong punctation, distance between nearest punctures approximately equal to diameter of punctures, puncture depth moderate. Metaventrite glossy, with strong lateral punctation separated by 2–3× own diameter; medial surface finely punctured, separated by 5–6× own diameter; entire surface convex, metathoracic discrimen extending approximately 3/4 metaventrite length. Legs narrow, relatively similar in length and shape. Procoxa oval; mesocoxa globular; metacoxa transversely elongate-oval; trochanters obliquely truncate apically; femora robust, moderately compressed laterally; tibiae shorter than femora, gradually dilated to obliquely truncate apices; protibia with apical lateral tooth distinct, with apical fringe of short spinules of concave ventral apical margin usually lacking near lateral tooth; meso- and metatibia with apical fringe of short spinules on anterior margin, finer setae on posterior margins.

Abdomen. Ventrite I with intercoxal process narrow, with triangular point anteromedially; lateral edges slightly projected, lateral and posterior margins arcuate, converging posteriorly; anterior and posterior margins of ventrites more or less straight; ventrite I longer medially than II; II–IV subequal in length; V slightly longer than IV with lateral margins converging posteriorly to a rounded apex; apical margin bearing short, sparse setae; all ventrites bearing moderate, shallow punctation across surface, distance to nearest puncture approximately 2× diameter of puncture, punctures bearing mostly reclining setae; ventrite V with setae length nearly uniformly approximately 2× diameter of puncture; I–IV each with 2 or more median pairs of longer, semi-erect sensory hairs (difficult to see in poor lighting, often abraded). Male genitalia similar to all others in the genus ( Fig. 7F–H ), with dorsoventrally flattened tegmen, elongate cylindrical median lobe, and long coiled flagellum.

Female. Similar to male, except elytral length/width (EL/EW) = 1.71–1.75, with strong tendency to be larger in females. Genitalia elongate ( Fig. 7I ); gonostylus set apically on gonocoxite, gonostylus length = 4–5× width. Spermatheca with basal third narrow, length> 9× maximum width of basal third, apical third swollen, nearly 2× maximum width of basal third ( Fig. 7J ).

Type locality. PANAMA: Coclé, El Copé.

Range. Known from Panama, Coclé province, El Copé. Host range extends into Bocas del Toro, Colón and Veraguas provinces ( Stevenson 1993) and this beetle likely occurs in these regions as well.

Materials examined. Holotype (by designation) male of Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica with the following labels: 1) [rectangular; white; printed in black ink] “ PANAMA, Coclé Prov., El Copé, ex male cone Zamia pseudoparasitica, Alberto Taylor IX-22-2004 ”. 2) [rectangular; red; printed in black ink] “ HOLOTYPE ♂ Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica Tang, Skelley and A.S. Taylor 2024 ”. Deposited in the FSCA.

Additional paratypes (184). Allotype ( FSCA) and 91 Paratypes same label data. PANAMA: Coclé Prov., El Copé, ex male cone Zamia pseudoparasitica, Alberto Taylor , 800m asl, wet premountain forest, IX-2-2002 (12) ; IX-22,28-2003 (23); IX-24-2004 (16); X-2-2016 (41). Paratypes to be deposited in: ANIC, FSCA, NHMUK, NZAC, RHTC, SEMC, STRI, MIUP, TAMU, USNM .

Etymology. The host plant, Zamia pseudoparasitica , is an epiphyte appearing to parasitize trees on which it lives, but have a commensal relationship with them. These beetles appear to parasitize the cones of the host plant, but instead act as pollinators. Thus, as with the host species, the specific epithet is a feminine adjective reflecting the beetles’ role as a false parasite.

Remarks. Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica is placed here in the “recent radiation” of species using Zamia cycads as hosts ( Tang et al. 2018b, 2020). As a member of the clarkorum species group it appears most similar to P. fortunensis , based on the swollen apical third of the spermatheca. Unlike other members of the clarkorum species group, P. pseudoparasitica co-occurs in the male cones of its host with a species of Notorhopalotria weevil, N. taylori Tang and O’Brien ( O’Brien and Tang 2015).

Confusa species group

Adult diagnosis. Spermatheca not elongate, total length <6× the maximum width of the basal third, C-shaped, width throughout its length not varying more than about 1.5X the central thickness of the basal third; head width/pronotal width (HW/PW) = 0.66–0.86 (mean for each species = 0.76–0.78); head width/dorsal interocular distance (HW/DI) = 1.68–1.97 (mean for each species = 1.76–1.86); ventral interocular distance/head width (HW/VI) = 2.13–2.83 (mean for each species = 2.36–2.58).

Remarks. Genetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene places the confusa species group within the recent radiations of Pharaxonotha (Tang et al. 2018, 2020). Within the Panamanian fauna, the confusa species group is quite similar to the clarkorum species group in external morphology. The confusa species group is formed based on spermatheca morphology, by analysis of the 16SrRNA gene in Pharaxonotha from nearly all Zamia species in Panamanian ( Tang et al. 2018b, 2020) as well as analysis of 368 nuclear genes in a subsample of these populations (Salzman et al. unpublished data). Distribution of this group is disjunct with one species, P. confusa , recognized in the Pacific drainage of the western province of Chiriqui extending into the adjoining Costa Rican province of Puntarenas on the Z. fairchildiana - Z. pseudomonticola complex. Another member of this species group, P. panamensis , is recognized on the Atlantic drainage from central to eastern Panama on five morphologically diverse hosts: Z. nana , Z. dressleri , Z. obliqua , Z. elegantissima and Z. stevensonii .

Figures

Figure 7. Pharaxonotha pseudoparasitica (A–E: female allotype). A-C) Dorsal, lateral and ventral habitus. D–E) Head, dorsal and ventral views. F) Tegmen attached to median lobe, (top to bottom) ventral and lateral views. G) Parameres of tegmen, (top to bottom) ventral and lateral views. H) Male genital capsule, ventral view. I) Extended ovipositor. J) Spermatheca.