Lathropus chickcharnie Thomas, 2010

Thomas, Michael C., 2010, A review of Lathropus Erichson (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) in Florida and the West Indies, excluding the Lesser Antilles, Insecta Mundi 2010 (120), pp. 1-21 : 12-14

Lathropus chickcharnie Thomas , n. sp.

Fig. 4 , 10 , 16 , 24 , 30 , 38 , 51 , 62

Diagnosis. Length, 1.09mm - 1.28mm. The combination of the following character states is diagnostic for this species: body orange-testaceous, with transverse dark bands at base, middle, and apex of elytra ( Fig. 4 ); pronotum relatively narrow with lateral margins not distinctly undulating ( Fig. 24 ); sublateral line partially effaced; pronotum densely, confusedly punctate ( Fig. 30 ); male genitalia as in Fig. 38 .

Description. Holotype, sex not determined, in FSCA, with label data: “ BAHAMAS: Andros Uncle Charlies Blue Hole 7 June 2001 R. Turnbow”.

Body elongate-oval; orange testaceous, mouthparts paler; elytra with dark transverse bands at base, apical two-thirds, and at apex ( Fig. 4 ). Length, 1.30mm.

Head 2.00× wider than long; surface sculpture extremely coarse ( Fig. 16 ); setae bifurcate; epistome prolonged, comprising 0.37 total length of head measured along midline from front of eyes to front of head capsule, emarginate; antennal scape and pedicel subequal in length, scape and pedicel almost equal in width; antennomeres III-VIII quadrate, about equal in length; antennomeres IX-X broader and longer than preceding flagellar antennomeres; XI longer than X; eye slightly convex, about 0.62 length of head.

Pronotum ( Fig. 24 ) 1.33× wider than long; surface sculpture extremely coarsely areolate-rugose ( Fig. 30 ); setae as on head; broadest at about middle, broader across base than at apex; sublateral line faint, almost effaced; anterior angles rounded, not produced; posterior angles almost right, moderately produced; broad teeth on lateral margins barely indicated.

Elytra 1.61× longer than combined width; broadestnear midlength; margins narrowly explanate; microsculpture coriarious.

Genitalia. Sclerotization of internal sac of male genitalia as in Fig. 38 .

Variation. The degree of development of the lateral pronotal denticles varies from barely indicated to not discernible.

Distribution. Bahamas.

Type material. Paratypes, 18, with label data as follows: 9, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Uncle Charlies

Blue Hole, 7 June 2001 R. Turnbow” ( RHTC) ; 1,

“ BAHAMAS: Andros Island Uncle Charlie’s Blue

Hole 7-VI-2001; beating coll. M. C. Thomas”

( FSCA); 8, “ BAHAMAS: Great Abaco Marsh

Harbour, Pinewoods Nursery 22-XII-1990 R. Keys blacklight trap” ( FSCA, USNM).

Etymology. This species is named after the chickcharnie, a mythical forest creature unique to

Andros Island in the Bahamas. It is used as a noun in apposition.

Discussion. Most of the Andros Island specimens of this species were collected by beating small,

burned hardwood trees on which was growing an orange, powdery fungus.

Figures

Figure 1-4. Habitus, Lathropus spp. 1) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Panama). 2) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Cayman Islands). 3) L. pictus Schwarz. 4) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 9-12. Habitus, Lathropus spp. 9) L. pictus Schwarz. 10) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 11) L. robustulus Casey. 12) L. vernalis Casey.

Figure 13-18. Surface sculpture of head, Lathropus spp. 13) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp. 14) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 15) L. pictus Schwarz. 16) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 17) L. vernalis Casey. 18) L. robustulus Casey.

Figure 19-24. Pronotum, Lathropus spp. 19) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Panama). 20) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Cayman Islands). 21) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp. 22) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 23) L. pictus Schwarz. 24) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 27-32. Pronotal detail, Lathropus spp. 27) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Panama). 28) L. robustulus Casey. 29) L. vernalis Casey. 30) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 31) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 32) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 38-40. Sclerotization of internal sac, Lathropus spp. 38) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 39) L. jamaicensis.Thomas, n. sp. 40) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 51-56. 51) Lathropus chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp., elytral cell. 52) N. gen, n. sp., elytral cell. 53) Lathropus jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp., antennal club. 54) N. gen, n. sp., antennal club. 55) Rhabdophloeus sp., Brazil, pronotum. 56) Rhabdophloeus sp., Brazil, antennal club.