Sicoderus tinamus (LeConte)

Anderson, Robert S., 2018, The genus Sicoderus Vanin 1986 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Erodiscini) in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4497 (3), pp. 301-345 : 334-335

Sicoderus tinamus (LeConte)

( Figures 77–78 , 83 . Map 9)

Erodiscus tinamus LeConte 1884: 30 . Holotype male (MCZC), Cape Jupiter, Florida, not examined. Blatchley and Leng 1916: 249. Voss 1935: 11. O’Brien and Wibmer 1982: 101.

Erodiscus tinamus tinamus ; LeConte 1884. Sleeper 1954: 350.

Erodiscus tinamus cazieri Sleeper 1954: 349 . Holotype not examined. O’Brien and Wibmer 1982: 101. New Synonymy.

Sicoderus tinamus ; Vanin 1986: 591. Anderson 1999: 135.

Description: Length male, 3.4–6.0 mm, female, 3.6–5.7 mm. Integument black, shining. Eyes narrowly separated by a distance of about 2 ommatidia. Rostrum 1.00–1.06x length elytra in male, 1.04–1.17x length elytra in female. Antennal insertion slightly beyond middle in male, at about middle in female. Prothorax constricted anteriorly, globose, widest at about middle; punctures regularly spaced, moderately large and deep, widely separated on disc but larger, deeper on flanks forming very vague striolae (Florida, Bahamas [most]) or large and deep, closely spaced on disc as well as on flanks, forming distinct striolae ( Bahamas, Crooked Island); sparse erect setae present or not. Elytra in dorsal view widest at about midlength, lateral margins slightly convergent anteriorly and posteriorly; humeri present, weakly angulate; setae present. Strial punctures large, deep; striae not impressed throughout length. Membranous wings present. Abdominal ventrite 1 of male slightly raised in middle near posterior margin to small tubercle with small transverse patch of setosity at tip, of female, evenly convex. Ventrite 5 of male with median circular impression, of female evenly convex, not setose in either sex. Legs with all femora with inner margin with well-developed small tooth, somewhat acute on front femora; tarsal claws with small basal tooth. Aedeagus (fig. 83) subparallel-sided, internal sac with pair of elongate basal sclerites subparallel, narrowly conjoined apically. Female not dissected.

Material examined: BAHAMAS: Abaco, Man-O-War Cay , 15–30.viii.1971, H. & A. Howden (2 males, 3 females; CMNC) . Andros Island, Fresh Creek, Androsia Factory , 26.iv.1994, R. Anderson, beating dry coppice (2 females; CMNC) . Maidenhair Coppice, 2.1 mi S, 0.7 mi E Staniard Creek , 5.v.1994, R.Anderson, beating interior coppice (2 males, 3 females; CMNC) . London Ridge, 2.7 mi N, 0.8 mi E. Forfar Field Station , 28.iv.–1.v.1994, R. Anderson, beating high interior coppice (7 males, 4 females; CMNC) . North Blanket Sound, Forfar Field Station , 1.v.1994, R. Anderson, beating coastal coppice (1 male, 1 female; CMNC) . Pigeon Cay , 1–6.v.1994, R. Anderson, beating coastal coppice (1 male, 1 female; CMNC) . Uncle Charlie's Blue Hole , 3–7.vi.2001, M.C. Thomas, beating (1 male, 1 female; CWOB) . Captain Bill's Blue Hole , 27.vii.2006, R.H. Turnbow, beating (1 female; CWOB) . Eleuthera Island, New Postsmouth , 28.iii.1953, G. Rabb (1 female; USNM) . New Providence Island, 22.ix.1975, C.W. & L.B. O'Brien, beating Coccoloba (1 male; CMNC) . South Bimini Island, 18.VI.1950, Cazier & Rindge (1 male [paratype Erodiscus tinamus cazieri ]; FSCA) . Crooked Island, Portland Harbour , 29–30.III.1965, B.D. Valentine & R.W. Hamilton (12 males, 10 females; CMNC, FSCA) . UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Florida, Dade County, Miami, Camp Mahachee , 17.x.1990, R. Anderson, beating (1 female; CMNC) . Everglades National Park, Royal Palm Hammock, 28.vii.–15.xi.1985, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (1 male; CMNC). Old Cutler Hammock , 10.xii.1986, S. Peck & J. Klimaszewski, litter (1 male; CMNC) . Charles Deering Estate Park , 15– 16.x.1990, R. Anderson, beating (1 male; CMNC) . Matheson Hammock , 20.vi.1965, C.W. O'Brien, beating (1 male; CMNC) . Paradise Key , 7.iv.1951, H. & A. Howden, on Psychotria (2 males; CMNC) . Monroe County, Fat Deer Key, various dates, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (1 male, 2 females; CMNC) . Big Pine Key, Watsons Hammock, various dates, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (1 male, 1 female; CMNC). Big Pine Key, Cactus Hammock, various dates, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (1 male, 2 females; CMNC). No Name Key, various dates, S. & J. Peck, malaise- FIT (5 males, 7 females; CMNC). Big Pine Key, Long Beach, 20.x.1990, R. Anderson, beach washup (2 females; CMNC). Long Key State Recreation Area , 23.x.1990, R. Anderson, sweeping (1 male; CMNC) . Vaca Key, Marathon, various dates, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (2 females; CMNC). North Key Largo , various dates, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (2 males, 1 female; CMNC) . Big Torch Key , 19.xi.1985 – 26.ii.1986, S. & J. Peck, malaise-FIT (1 female; CMNC) . Vaca Key, Marathon, Crane Point Hammock, 17.v.1990, R. Anderson, beating (1 male; CMNC).

Comments: Despite not finding any consistent differences between specimens from the type series of S. tinamus cazieri (Sleeper) from the Bahamas and S. tinamus tinamus from Florida in punctation and body color, and the two having a similar internal sac of the aedeagus, Vanin (1986) left the two as separate subspecies. Based on Vanin’s comments about lack of consistent differences, and my own examination of numerous specimens from the Bahamas (including a paratype of Erodiscus tinamus cazieri ) and elsewhere, I do not recognize the subspecies as distinct and place S. tinamus cazieri as a new junior subjective synonym of S. tinamus .

Specimens from Portland Harbour, Crooked Island, Bahamas have pronotal punctures that are large, deep and subcontiguous dorsally and laterally forming distinct striolae whereas in other S. tinamus the pronotal punctures are much smaller and finer dorsally, not forming dorsal striolae. Otherwise, I cannot find any significant differences in other external structural features or in male genital structure between the two forms and here consider them conspecific.

Figures

FIGURES 77–80. Species of Sicoderus. 77. Sicoderus tinamus, dorsal habitus. 78. Sicoderus tinamus, lateral habitus. 79. Sicoderus truncatipennis, dorsal habitus. 80. Sicoderus truncatipennis, lateral habitus.

FIGURES 81–84. Species of Sicoderus. 81. Sicoderus striatolateralis, aedeagus, dorsal view. 82. Sicoderus thomasi, aedeagus, dorsal view. 83. Sicoderus tinamus, aedeagus, dorsal view. 84. Sicoderus truncatipennis, aedeagus, dorsal view.