Apodrosus andersoni Girón & Franz, 2010

Girón, Jennifer C. & Franz, Nico M., 2010, Revision, phylogeny and historical biogeography of the genus Apodrosus Marshall, 1922 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), Insect Systematics & Evolution 41, pp. 339-414 : 356-359

Apodrosus andersoni Girón & Franz sp.n.

( Fig. 7 )

Diagnosis

Apodrosus andersoni is characterized by the combination of a shield-shaped body which is widest at the second third of the elytra, the absence of a carinate striped projection on the posterior margin of the epistome, an antennal scape that surpasses the posterior margin of the eyes, a posteriorly strongly produced metasternum (in lateral profile), a fusion of elytral striae IX and X along their second third, a flat surface along interval X of the elytra, an irregularly colored vestiture composed of brown, coppery and green, iridescent (greenish to yellowish) scales and with erect setae, and a continuously and uniformly rounded aedeagal apex. This species may be differentiated from A. artus by its shield-shaped body (particularly in females) with diverging lateral margins of the elytra, accompanied by erect (as opposed to recurvate) elytral setae. Furthermore, it differs from A. earinusparsus by having a lighter coloration and a shorter and shallower median furrow on the head, as well as a fusion of elytral striae IX and X along their second third.

Specimens examined

Holoptye ♀ “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Pedernales, 60 Km. N.W. Cabo Rojo, 1200 m, Las Abejas, cloud forest , 30.IX.1991, sweep, Masner & Peck, 91-354 ” ( CMNC) ; paratypes, same label information as holotype (CMNC: 2 ♂, including 1 dissected, 1 dissected ♀).

Description

Body length 3–3.5 mm; in dorsal view ( Fig. 7A ) 2.4-times longer than greatest width which is apicad of midpoint of elytra, shape escudate; dorsal outline in lateral view convex. Integument surface smooth; vestiture composed of brown, coppery and green, iridescent (greenish to yellowish) scales, with erect setae. Eyes ( Fig. 7B ) 1.5-times longer than wide, projected; 0.5-times width and 0.6-times length of head in lateral view, separated from anterior margin of prothorax by 0.7-times greatest diameter of eye; line of anterior margin of eyes slightly impressed; shortest distance between eyes (in dorsal view) 0.3-times greatest width of pronotum; median furrow ( Fig. 7B ) linear, deep, extending from mid-length of rostrum and slightly exceeding posterior margin of eyes. Rostrum ( Fig. 7B ) 1.1-times longer than wide, constricted at midpoint; epistome apically with 2–4 setae situated on each side; nasal plate not defined. Length of rostrum in lateral view 1.4-times its basal width; antennal insertion at midpoint of rostrum; scrobe curved downwards by 60°, directed ventrally at end, extending to anterior margin of eye, separated from it by width of scrobe. Mandibles with 2 lateral setae. Antennae light brown; antennal scape extending beyond posterior margin of eye, not reaching anterior margin of prothorax; funicular antennomere I 1.5-times longer than II; antennal club 0.6-times length of funicle, 2.9-times longer than wide. Pronotum ( Fig. 7A ) subquadrate, slightly longer than wide, greatest width at midpoint; dorsal surface shallowly puncturate, each puncture with a curved, spatulate brown seta; posterior margin nearly straight, 1.1-times wider than anterior margin; prothorax in lateral view with dorsal outline 1.8-times length of ventral outline; scutellum oval and glabrous. Mesosternum ( Fig. 7D ) 0.8-times length of prosternum. Metasternum with lateral portions posteriorly produced (in lateral profile gradually ascending towards posterior third, thereafter descending roundly, posterior face covered with scales); distance between posterior margin of mesocoxae and anterior margin of metacoxae 0.7-times length of prosternum. Legs with profemora 1.2-times length of pronotum. Elytra in dorsal view ( Fig. 7A ) 1.6-times their greatest width which is 1.6-times wider than pronotum; anterior margins sinuate; humeral region 1.5-times width of posterior margin of pronotum; apex acutely rounded; in lateral view ( Fig. 7C ) with dorsal outline convex; posterior declivity gradual; striae IX and X fused along their second third; intervals completely covered with scales, forming a coppery/green irregular pattern, with brown spots on intervals I, III and V near midpoint of elytra; interval X flat; with erect, linear, apically truncate, brown setae. Venter ( Fig. 7D ) with elongate, scattered, greenish scales, denser at sides of segments III and IV; VII with anterior margin 1.9-times wider than its length; ♂: IV 1.1-times longer than V and VI jointly, as long as VII, VII with posterior margin rounded; ♀: IV 1.4-times longer than V and VI jointly, 1.7-times length of VII, VII with posterior margin mesally narrowed.

Terminalia. Male with tergum VII 1.4-times wider than its mesal length, with setae on posterior margin; anterior margin rounded; posterior margin nearly straight. Tergum VIII 1.4-times wider than its mesal length; anterior margin nearly straight; posterior margin widely rounded. Sternum VIII with spiculum relictum as a forked process with base 1.8-times longer than wide, arms narrow, linear, 1.2-times longer than base. Spiculum gastrale with apodeme 1.6-times longer than aedeagus, each arm sickleshaped. Tegmen with tegminal apodeme nearly 0.7-times length of aedeagus; tegminal plate simple. Aedeagus in dorsal view ( Fig. 7E ) 4-times longer than its greatest width, slightly constricted apicad of midpoint; apex straight, laterally rounded. Endophallus with a pair of light plates near apex and a pair of parentheses-shaped sclerites positioned near midpoint. Aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 7F ) 8.6-times longer than its greatest width. Aedeagal apodemes 1.2-times length of aedeagus.

Female. With tergum VII suboval, slightly longer than wide, posterior margin rounded. Tergum VIII subtriangular and nearly as wide as long. Sternum VIII with lamina semicircular, occupying posterior one fourth. Coxites+styli nearly as long as lamina of sternum VIII, stylus 3-times longer than its greatest width, with 2 long and 2–3 shorter apical setae. Genital chamber 0.7-times length of sternum VIII. Spermatheca ( Fig. 7G ) 1.5-times longer than wide, J-shaped; ramus apically truncate, laterally rounded; collum short, narrower than ramus, apically truncate; surface striate.

Variation

Little variation was noted among the examined specimens, other than a sexually dimorphic body shape with the males being slightly narrower than females.

Etymology

Patronymic; named after weevil taxonomist Dr. Robert Anderson (Canadian Museum of Nature) whose strong support is gratefully acknowledged.

Natural history

Apodrosus andersoni is known to occur in a cloud forest habitat at 1200 m in Cabo Rojo, in northwest section of the Pedernales province, Dominican Republic ( Fig. 18B ). The host plant associations remain unknown.

Figures

Fig. 7. Apodrosus andersoni. (A) habitus, dorsal view; (B) head, frontal view; (C) habitus, lateral view; (D) habitus, ventral view; (E) and (F) aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view, respectively; (G) spermatheca. This figure is published in colour in the online version of this journal, which can be accessed via http:// www.brill/ise

Fig. 18. Occurrences of Apodrosus species in (A) the Bahamas (Grand Bahama and Andros Island) and (B) Hispaniola, Mona Island, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.