Pseudolechriops dimorpha Hespenheide & LaPierre

Hespenheide, Henry A. & Lapierre, Louis M., 2006, A review of Pseudolechriops Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Conoderinae), Zootaxa 1384, pp. 1-39 : 11-13

3. Pseudolechriops dimorpha Hespenheide & LaPierre , new species

Fig. 3 , a–e

Diagnosis: Black except rostrum and legs reddish brown (or posterior legs darker), posterior tibiae flattened and weakly arcuate on posterior margin; from above rhomboidal in shape with elytra conspicuously wider than base of pronotum; sides of pronotum moderately densely covered with setae, disc with pattern of yellowish setae; elytra with conspicuous basal transverse fascia of white setae and with small transverse chevron of white setae across suture beyond the middle; rostra of males and females strongly sexually dimorphic in shape, that of male with white setae on basal 1/2; México and Guatemala.

Description: Holotype male: Dark reddish brown, except tarsi, tibiae, femora, antennae and rostrum paler reddish brown, rostrum, beneath darker, metasternum nearly black; from above ( Fig. 3 a), indistinct pattern of narrow white setae on elytra at bases of elytral intervals, slightly longer on interval 2, spot of narrow white setae at middle on intervals 1 and 2; pronotum with narrow yellowish setae on disk, and broader white setae on sides, from above in vague oblique patch on basal 2/3 from posterior corners toward middle; head with narrow yellowish setae on dorsum and with white setae between eyes on lower 4/5 and on expanded portion of rostrum, rostrum glabrous and polished below expanded portion; beneath moderately densely and uniformly covered with white setae, sparser on abdomen; femora and anterior and middle tibiae rather densely covered with fine white setae, setae on hind tibiae dark and inconspicuous, appearing glabrous; 2.4 mm long.

Head prominent, about 3/5 as long as pronotum, eyes arcuately rounded, nearly as wide as pronotum at apex; from front, eyes narrowly separated, closest below apex and separated above narrowest separation by narrow medial depression; area between eyes on lower 1/2 weakly concave, ventral extensions of interior margins of eyes slightly raised to form weak ridges ending interrupted by a small notch at end of antennal scape and then continuing on to rostrum, rostrum highly modified ( Fig. 3 c) with tongue-shaped, weakly concave surface on basal half, the surface with weak medial and sublateral depressions and extending just beyond antennal insertions, from side ( Fig. 3 b) surface forms shallow acute angle with plane of front, rostrum thickest at apex of surface, apically subcylindrical, antennae inserted at middle. Pronotum from above nearly cylindrical, somewhat wider at base than apex, weakly constricted near apex, sculpture of disc indistinct, weakly carinate along midline. Elytra together about 1/2 broader than pronotum and only slightly longer than wide, giving a rhomboidal appearance, lateral margins weakly arcuate, apices conjointly rounded. Mesosternum with well-defined groove with high ridges to receive rostrum continuing to excavate and carinate anterior margin of metasternum; metasternum with medial polished depression along midline to abdomen, narrower anteriorly. Abdomen with first ventral sternite broadly depressed along midline, second sternite also weakly depressed on anterior 1/2, separation between first and second sternites indistinct at middle. Femora with minute tooth on inner margin just beyond the middle and posterior femora carinate; posterior tibiae conspicuously broadened and flattened for 3/4 length ( Fig.

3b). Aedeagus transparent yellowish- ( Fig. 3 e).

Allotype female: Ground color black except anterior and middle legs and rostrum reddish brown; setae on front inconspicuous and rostrum glabrous and polished ( Fig. 3 d); setae on sides of pronotum orange-yellow; setae on legs finer and less dense and conspicuous. Otherwise as male, except first abdominal segment indistinctly depressed along midline; 2.7 mm long.

Holotype male: Guatemala: Alta V. Paz, Trece Aguas, 25.03.[year?], Schwarz & Barber (USNM).

Allotype female: Guatemala: same data as holotype but 28.03.[year?] (USNM). Paratypes: Guatemala: Zacapa, 3 km S La Union, 1400m, 0 9.06.1993, H. & A.

Howden (1, CMNC). Honduras: Cortés, Lago de Yojoa, Isla Venado, 28.08.1994, R. Cave, S. Peck, en petiola de Cecropia (1, EAPZ), 25 km N Cofradia, P.N. Cosuco, 15.09– 0 7.10.1994, S.& J. Peck, cloud forest, flight inter. trap, 94–62 (CMNC). México: Chiapas, Mpio. Berriozabal, 6 mi N Berriozabal, 1000m, 0 6.08.89, R. Jones (1, TAMU); Vera Cruz, Est. Biol Los Tuxtlas, 18o 35’ N 95o 05’ W, 25, 26, 28.04.1991, H.A. Hespenheide (3, BMNH, CHAH, UNAM), Catemaco, 11.04.1967, H.R. Burke (1, TAMU).

Etymology: The name refers to the strong sexual dimorphism in the form of the rostrum between males and females.

Discussion: Pseudolechriops dimorpha is the only currently known Mexican species, although P. megacephalus occurs in Guatemala and may also occur in Mexico. The only male other than the holotype measures 2.4 mm long; females measure 2.7–3.35 mm long (mean = 3.03 mm for 7 specimens). This species has not been reared.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Pseudolechriops dimorpha, new species: a. dorsal habitus, b. lateral habitus and hind leg, c. front of head of male, d. front of head of female (a – d, line = 1.0 mm), e. dorsal (left) and lateral (right) views of entire male aedeagus and apex (above; line = 0.5 mm).