Sicoderus caladeler Anderson, 2018

Anderson, Robert S., 2018, The genus Sicoderus Vanin 1986 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Erodiscini) in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4497 (3), pp. 301-345 : 312

Sicoderus caladeler Anderson , n. sp.

( Figures 15–16 , 22 . Map 1)

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D3BA25EB-DC83-4D83-8A7C-7D2BC2E1CD6F

Description: Length male, 3.4–4.9 mm; female, 2.7–4.8 mm. Integument black, shining. Eyes separated by a distance about 2/3 width rostrum at midlength. Rostrum 1.21–1.32x length elytra in male; 1.12–1.32x length elytra in female. Antennal insertion slightly beyond apical 1/ 3 in male, at about apical 1/ 3 in female; antennae with article 2 of funicle long, 1.66–2.00x as long as article 3. Prothorax constricted anteriorly, globose, widest at about middle; punctures dense, large and deep, subcontiguous, forming striolae on disc and laterally on flanks (Gran Piedra) or small and individually distinct dorsally, slightly larger and subcontiguous lateraly forming weak lateral striolae (Loma del Gato); erect setae absent. Elytra in dorsal view widest at midlength, lateral margins convergent both anteriorly and posteriorly; humeri fully reduced, not at all angulate; setae absent. Strial punctures evident, small, shallow; striae very slightly impressed throughout length. Membranous wings absent. Abdominal ventrite 1 of male slightly raised in middle near posterior margin with a small patch of setosity at tip; of female, uniformly convex in middle near posterior margin. Ventrite 5 of male flattened medially towards apex; of female, uniformly convex. Legs with all femora simple, ventral margin lacking any trace of tooth; tarsal claws simple, no basal tooth. Aedeagus (fig. 22) subequal in width towards apex and base, internal sac with pair of elongate basal sclerites curved inwardly. Female not dissected.

Material examined: 12 males, 14 females. Holotype male ( CMNC), labelled CUBA: Santiago de Cuba Province, Parque Nacional Gran Piedra , 1000–1100m, 20.003 -75.613, 26-28.I.2012, R. Anderson, general collecting. Paratypes . Data as holotype (4 males, 3 females; CMNC, WIBF). Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Gran Piedra Trail , 1180m, 20.011 -75.627, 29.I.2012, R.Anderson, wet pluviselva litter, 2012-014 (1 female; CMNC). Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, 19.9989 -75.5989, 4–8.V.2012, F. Cala Riquelme, A. Deler Hernandez, pluviselva litter (4 males; BMNH, CMNC). Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Segundo Chorrito, km . 8, 600m, 7.XII.1995, S. Peck, tree base litter, 82 (1 male; CMNC). Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Isabelica, 6–7.XII.1995, 1110m, L. Masner, sweep (1 female; CMNC). Loma del Gato, Cobre Range, 3–7.VII.1936, about 3000’, Cuba 1936 Darlington Collector (2 males, 5 females; ASUHIC, FSCA, MCZC). Loma (Pico) del Gato, 26–28.v.1959, M.W. Sanderson, C59-5 (4 females, CMNC, INHS).

Derivation of species name: This species is named after my Cuban colleagues and friends Franklyn Cala Riquelme and Albert Deler Hernandez of Santiago de Cuba. Without the help of these two men and the support of their institution, none of our recent fieldwork in Cuba could have taken place. The name should be considered an arbitrary combination of letters.

Natural History: Adults were collected in wet pluviselva (cloud forest) litter (1000–1180 m) and beating vegetation around the main hotel at Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Cuba.

Comments: Specimens from the type locality of Gran Piedra (east of Santiago de Cuba) have the pronotal punctures large, deep and subcontiguous forming distinct dorsal and lateral striolae whereas specimens from the Cobre Range, Loma del Gato (ca. 20.010 –76.037; west of Santiago de Cuba) have the dorsal punctures smaller and individually distinct, not forming striolae. Males from both localities have been examined and no differences in genital structure can be seen. This is one of two species (the other being S. tinamus from Crooked Island, Bahamas) where there appears to be significant geographic variation in pronotal punctation without any other external differences or differences in male genital structure. Note that a second locality to the northeast of Santiago de Cuba named Loma del Gato is at 20.1304 –75.6877. Elevations in this area do not exceed 350m and this is not the locality of these specimens.

Figures

FIGURES 13–16. Species of Sicoderus. 13. Sicoderus bipunctiventris, dorsal habitus. 14. Sicoderus bipunctiventris, lateral habitus. 14a. Inset, ventrite 2 showing large, deep pits. 15. Sicoderus caladeler, dorsal habitus. 16. Sicoderus caladeler, lateral habitus.

FIGURES 21–24. Species of Sicoderus. 21. Sicoderus bipunctiventris, aedeagus, dorsal view. 22. Sicoderus caladeler, aedeagus, dorsal view. 23. Sicoderus championi, aedeagus, dorsal view. 24. Sicoderus contiguous, aedeagus, dorsal view.