Metamasius gallettae Anderson

Anderson, Robert S., 2002, The Dryophthoridae of Costa Rica and Panama: Checklist with keys, new synonymy and descriptions of new species of Cactophagus, Mesocordylus, Metamasius and Rhodobaenus (Coleoptera; Curculionoidea), Zootaxa 80, pp. 1-94 : 57-59

Metamasius gallettae Anderson , new species

( Figs. 72-73 , 76-79 )

Identification. Metamasius gallettae is best defined by a combination of character states. It is very similar to M. octonotatus , M. dasyurus , and related species, but can be recognized by the relatively short, strongly curved rostrum in both sexes ( Fig. 76 ); pygidium in both sexes not carinate and with only a transverse patch of uniformly fine short hairs across the apical margin ( Fig. 79 ); widely separated front coxae; inner margins of tibiae of both sexes with dense, fine short setae arranged in a pectinate manner ( Fig. 78 ), except for the front tibia of males where the setae are slightly longer and wispy; and, the very widely dilated and deeply emarginate third tarsal articles.

Description.— Male, length, 8.3­8.7 mm; width, 3.4­3.8 mm. Female, length, 8.2­9.3 mm; width, 3.3­3.9 mm. Color variable, red with black; head black, rostrum red, infused dorsally with black; pronotal disc black, or dark red with black median fusiform maculation, posterolateral angles, and oblique line extended from lateral margin at anterior onethird onto flank to dorsal margin of coxa; elytra black with various extent of red across basal margin, in complete or laterally incomplete “C” shaped macula at midlength, and subapically on intervals 1­6; scutellum black or black with red; legs red, apices of femora infuscate. Venter black, or black with red laterally on metasternum and ventrites.

Rostrum slightly shorter than pronotum; elongate, cylindrical, narrow, evenly rather strongly curved, very finely, densely, shallowly punctate basally, punctures finer and sparser apically, apical one­quarter glabrous and impunctate; base of rostrum abruptly expanded in dorsal view at point of antennal insertion, but narrowed again before eyes; in lateral view slightly wider at base, expansion gradual, basal expanded area short, about one­fifth total rostral length. Rostrum glabrous ventrally; peduncle flat, vaguely bituberculate at extreme apex. Scrobe with posterior margin separated from anterior margin of eyes by about width of base of scape. Antenna with scape more or less one­half length rostrum; club slightly laterally compressed, elongate­oval; apical pilose part subequal to length basal glabrous part. Pronotum with lateral margins subparallel in basal two­thirds, convergent subapically, tubulate to apex; disc and flanks uniformly moderately deeply punctate throughout, some specimens with median area or line with shallower, sparser punctures or impunctate; flat, but with slight subapical and subbasal impressions; anterolateral margin immediately behind eyes with some punctures coalescent, surface somewhat crenulate. Pronotal length slightly greater than width. Elytra one and two­thirds times length pronotum; intervals impunctate, very slightly convex in two or three irregular rows, flat; striae with distinct, moderately deep, small punctures. Scutellum elongate, “V” shaped, length about one and two­thirds times width at base, flat. Pygidium flat to slightly convex, not tumescent; coarsely deeply irregularly punctate throughout; apex narrowly subtruncate; apical margin with multiple rows of dense, fine hairs arranged in a transverse patch, not carinate or otherwise setose. Ventrally with front coxae separated by almost width of coxa; prosternum densely, regularly punctate, flat between and anterior to front coxae, at most very slightly swollen anterior to coxae. Lateral portions of meso­ and metasternum finely sparsely punctate; middle of metasternum and ventrites 1 to 5 moderately deeply, densely punctate; punctures finer and shallower medially on metasternum and ventrites 1 to 3; last ventrite flat with subapical median round patch of very dense, short, fine hairs, hairs slightly longer and more obvious in male. Legs moderately long, densely regularly punctate, especially on outer face of femora; femora slightly clavate, moderately long, hind femur almost reaching apex of pygidium; inner margins of middle and hind tibiae of male very slightly, imperceptibly, inwardly expanded subbasally, straight in female; all tibiae with very fine, uniformly short, stout, peglike setae throughout length arranged in pectinate manner, except for front tibia of male where setae longer, finer, wispy. Tarsi each with third article very widely dilated, completely pilose ventrally; all tarsi with third articles symmetrical and with apical margins deeply emarginate.

Variation.—There is some variation in the color pattern of this species, mainly in the extent of black on the pronotum and elytra.

Sexual dimorphism.—Males and females are difficult to separate in this species. Males have a slightly longer, slightly more densely puncate rostrum, a front tibia with the inner margin with longer and wispy hairs, the last ventrite with a slightly more obvious patch of fine, short hairs, and an impressed middle of ventrite 1.

Material examined.—Male HOLOTYPE labelled “ Panama: Darien / Estacion Ambiental Cana / Cerro Pirre, 1200m / 4­7.VI.1996 / J.Ashe & R. Brooks / F.I.T. #105 (CMNC). Female ALLOTYPE labelled as holotype, except “ 1380m, F.I.T. 107” (CMNC). PARATYPES (3, 10). Labelled as holotype, except 1450m, F.I.T. 108 (1, 6). ECUADOR. PICHINCHA PROVINCE. Santo Domingo, Tinalandia Resort, 0°13’S, 79°09’W, 760m, 18­24.V.1997, C. & K. Messenger (2, 4). Paratypes in CMNC, CWOB, INBC.

Distribution.— Panama (Darien), Ecuador (Pichincha).

Natural history.—Adults were collected in montane cloud forest and montane evergreen forest transition between 1200­1450m in Panama as well as in montane evergreen forest at 760m in Ecuador. No other information is available on natural history.

Derivation of specific name.— Through the support of the Nature Discovery Fund at the Canadian Museum of Nature, by Mark Dallas, this species is named after Galletta Nurseries of Arnprior, Ontario, Canada.

Figures

FIGURES 72 - 75. Metamasius species. 72 - 73. Metamasius gallettae Anderson. 72. Dorsal habitus. 73. Lateral habitus. 74 - 75. Metamasius hooveri Anderson. 74. Dorsal habitus. 75. Lateral habitus.

FIGURES 76 ­ 79. Metamasius gallettae Anderson. 76. Lateral view of head, male. 77. Antenna. 78. Hind leg, male. 79. Pygidium, male.