Auletobius cassandrae (LeConte)

Young, Julia Janicki Daniel K., 2021, Survey of the Attelabidae of Wisconsin (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea), Insecta Mundi 2021 (891), pp. 1-61 : 25-26

Auletobius cassandrae (LeConte)

( Fig. 27–28 )

Diagnosis. Auletobius cassandrae can be recognized by the deeply impressed, round to quadrate, weakly-rowed elytral punctures, by the antennae that are inserted in basal ¼ of rostrum, by the head that is constricted behind the eyes, by the bicolored pubescence that is yellow and white with the irregular white cross bands on the elytra, by the smaller size (around 2.0 mm), and by the small bulbous area on declivity of each elytron that bears an inconspicuous setose sex patch in the males.

Description. Length 1.8–2.2mm. Integument dark reddish brown; head and pronotum usually darker than elytra. Elytral vestiture consisting of yellow and white setae, the white setae forming irregular cross bands; vestiture of head and pronotum consisting of setae all white or intermixed with yellow. Head strongly convex, transversely impressed behind eyes; surface with small, close, rather weakly impressed punctures. Rostral length about 1.4× pronotal length, in lateral view nearly straight and distinctly flattened apically; in dorsal view narrower basally, more-or-less parallel-sided anteriad antennal insertion and sometimes slightly constricted at apical ¼; surface glabrous, minutely reticulate, with scattered, fine, shallow punctures. Antennae inserted in basal ¼ of rostrum. Pronotum very slightly longer than wide, widest at middle; weakly arcuate laterally, very weakly constricted before apical margin; disc convex, with large, deeply impressed, close punctures; interpuncture space shining. Elytral length 1.4× width, width at base 1.6× pronotal width; striae with punctures large, deeply impressed, placed in even rows; interstriae as wide as or slightly narrower than striae, shining, with scattered minute points; disc weakly impressed on basal quarter, somewhat inflated behind; on declivity each elytron bears an inconspicuous setose sex patch in males. Sexual dimorphism present in elytra.

Natural history. This species is a specialist on sweetfern ( Comptonia peregrina ). Further information on A. cassandrae can be found in Hamilton (1983b).

Phenology. In Wisconsin, adults have been collected from May to September.

Collecting methods. Twenty-eight Wisconsin specimens were examined during this study from eight counties, forming nine county records. It is most commonly collected by sweeping fields of sweetfern. One specimen was collected in a Malaise trap, and another by sweeping forest floor.

Distribution. United States. AL, CT, FL, GA, IL, MA, ME, MI, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, TX, WI. Canada. NS, PQ.

Wisconsin county records. This species was previously recorded from Oneida County ( O’Brien and Wibmer 1982; Hamilton 1983; Downie and Arnett 1996). Bayfield, Florence, Jackson, Juneau, Marinette, Oconto, Oneida, Shawano, Wood.

Figures

Figures 27–28. Auletobius cassandrae (LeConte). 27) Habitus, dorsal view. 28) Habitus, lateral view.