Acanthoscelides sousai Johnson, 1983, 1989

Napoles, Romero, de, Aracely, Cruz & Kingsolver, John M., 2009, Seed beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) associated with Acacia cornigera (L.) Willd., with description of a new species of Acanthoscelides Schilsky, Insecta Mundi 2009 (93), pp. 1-11 : 6

Acanthoscelides sousai Johnson, 1983

This species is easy to recognize by its characteristic pattern of pubescence. In collections it is poorly represented, because it is difficult to collect. A reason may be high competition for host plants. In A. cornigera , there is a complex of nine competing bruchid species. For example, in a sample of pods from this host collected at Campo Exp. Colegio de Postgraduados, km 21 carr. Cárdenas-Coatzacoalcos, Tabasco, Mexico, 23/X/2007, we found 33 specimens of A. oblongoguttatus and only one specimen of A. sousai . In its second host plant ( A. gentlei ) there are two species of Mimosestes ( M. brevicornis and M. viduatus ) also in competition with A. sousai .

Host plants. OLD RECORDS: Acacia cornigera (L.) Willd., Acacia gentlei Standley , and Mimosa dormiens Humb. and Bonpl. ex Willd.

Distribution. OLD RECORDS: Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico (Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz).