Eleodes curvidens Triplehorn & Cifuentes

Triplehorn, Charles A. & Ruiz, Paulina Cifuentes, 2011, A new species of Eleodes (Eleodes) from Mexico, with ecological and phenological notes (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Zootaxa 2937, pp. 66-68 : 66-67

Eleodes curvidens Triplehorn & Cifuentes , n. sp.

Figures 1–2

Description. Holotype, female: broadly oval, robust, black, shiny. Head finely and sparsely punctate, epistomal margin subtruncate, labrum deeply notched, rugosely punctured; eyes narrow, elongate; antennae stout, three antennomeres extending caudad beyond pronotal base; mentum trapezoidal, coarsely, densely punctate. Pronotum 1.25 x broader than long, lateral margins arcuate, narrowing slightly toward base, widest anterior to middle, both basal and apical angles rounded, apical margin shallowly emarginate, basal margin rounded, surface with extremely minute, widely spaced punctures; hypomera smooth with a few wrinkles and minute punctures; prosternal process convex between procoxae. Elytra robust with rounded lateral margins, strongly convex from side to side, surface with ill-defined striae of fine punctures. Ventral surface smooth, finely, densely punctate, abdominal sterna finely wrinkled; legs stout, femora shiny, finely punctate, tibiae all muricately punctured, profemur with strong, abrupt emargination at apical 1/5, all tarsi with stout setae on plantar surfaces. Length: 20 mm; width: 11mm.

Allotype, male: similar to female, but more slender and elongate, and with strong profemoral teeth which are curved downward at apex. Length: 22 mm; width: 9 mm.

Types. Holotype, female: Mexico, Morelos, Quilamula, Sierra de Huautla, 18°30’37.1”N 99°00’10.7” O, 1167 m. a. s. l., P. Cifuentes, coll. Allotype: same data as holotype. Both holotype and allotype deposited in the Colección Nacional de Insectos, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Delegación Coyoacán, Mexico, D. F. (CNIN). Paratypes: 15 males, 9 females all with same data as primary types, but different collecting dates (Jan 20 to April 22) deposited in NMNH, OSUC.

Remarks. The type series is the only record for this species that we have encountered in our studies, except for: one female labeled “ Mexico, Gro, Taxco, 25 June, 1970, Peter M. Jump” (OSUC); one male labeled “ Mex. Puebla, Acatlan, 45 mi. n., VII-30-63, J. Doyen” (CISC); 1 female labeled “ Mex, Puebla, 8 mi. s. of Izúcar de Matamoros, XII-10-1948, E. S. Ross” (CASC); and 1 female labeled “ México, Michoacán, S. Jose Purúa, 4800’, VII-27-1955, G. H. Dieke” (OSUC). These are not designated as paratypes, but appear to be conspecific.

Variation. Except for size and slight difference in elytral punctures, there is little variation in the type series and other specimens examined. Females: Length: 18–20 mm, width: 8.5–11 mm. Males: 18.5–22 mm, width: 7.8–9 mm.

Etymology. The name, a noun in apposition, is derived from Latin (curvi=bent; dens=tooth) in reference to the downcurved profemoral tooth in the male.

Ecology and Phenology. Specimens were collected in Quilamula, a small community located in the state of Morelos, Mexico, that occurs in a marginal zone of the Sierra de Huautla Biosphere Reserve. Primary vegetation in the site corresponds to dry tropical forest, and is characterized by a marked seasonality. In general, the rainy season occurs from June to September, and the dry season from October to May ( Dorado et al., 2005).

The habitat at the type locality of Eleodes curvidens n.sp. is relatively well preserved and has extensive tree cover. Cattle were rarely seen there. The dominant tree species is Lysiloma divaricatum (Jacq.) J. F. Macbr. , and the dominant herbaceous species is Oplismenus burmannii (Retz.) P. Beauv.

Unbaited pitfall traps were used to collect specimens. Sixteen traps were set the third week of each month from December, 2006 to November, 2007. They were arranged in 4 columns by 4 rows separated by 11.5 m in two sites, one better preserved than the other (i.e. with differences in plant communities such asspecies composition, and individual density). Eleodes curvidens was the dominant tenebrionid species present in the traps. Twenty five individuals were collected (three more were collected by hand in April). The species was present mainly during the dry season from December to April and in November. A sympatric species, Eleodes ponderosus Champion , was the second most abundant species (17 individuals) and was also present during the dry season: December, January, March, April and November and in two months of the rainy season: August and October. It is remarkable that both species were present mainly during the dry season. Food abundance at this time of year could be the reason. In dry tropical forests, the peak of litter production (composed of leaves, seeds, and fruits) takes place during the dry season, as well as flowering and fruiting episodes, and seed dispersion with different intensities ( Bullock and Solis-Magallanes, 1990; Lawrence, 2005). At least in more arid environments such as grasslands and shrubland, Eleodes species feed on plant detritus and predate on seeds ( Crawford, 1981; Thompson, 1985; Wiens et al., 1995). It is noteworthy that both species were collected only in the more preserved site and were absent in the site with the poorer plant structure where cattle are kept, and the dominant tree is the secondary vegetation species Acacia cochliacantha Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. A lack of shelters, such as pieces of bark, and food may explain this pattern. Doyen and Tschinkel (1974) for example, reported that some species of Eleodes were found with more frequency under decomposing trunks than in other kinds of substrates such as herb cover, pine needles or bare soil.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Eleodes curvidens, n. sp. 1, paratype female (OSUC 254746), dorsal habitus; 2, paratype male (OSUC 254745), dorsal habitus.