Lymantes Schönherr, 1838

Anderson, Robert S., 2016, A Taxonomic Revision of the GenusLymantesSchönherr, 1838 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae: Lymantini) in the United States Ofamerica, The Coleopterists Bulletin 70 (1), pp. 111-124 : 111-124

Lymantes Schönherr, 1838

Lymantes Schönherr 1838: 1085 . Type species: Lymantes scrobicollis Gyllenhal, 1838 . O’ Brien and Wibmer 1982: 85; Howden 1992: 11; Alonso- Zarazaga and Lyal 1999: 205; Anderson 2002: 792. Gender: Masculine

Metopotoma Casey 1892: 689 . Type species: Metopotoma repens Casey, 1892 . Hatch 1971: 309; O’ Brien and Wibmer 1982: 85. Gender: Feminine. New synonymy.

Typhloglymma Dury 1901: 243 . Type species: Typhloglymma puteolatum Dury, 1901 . Blatchley and Leng 1916: 523; Sleeper 1965: 145 (synonymy). Gender: Neuter.

Anculopus Van Dyke 1927: 12 . Type species: Anculopus foveatus Van Dyke, 1927 . Gender: Masculine. New synonymy.

Stewpeckia Osella 1980: 369 . Type species: Pseudoalaocybites monophthalma Osella, 1980 . Kuschel 1987: 14 (synonymy). Gender: Feminine.

Dioptrophorus Faust, 1892 (part): Kuschel 1987: 14; Alonso-Zarazaga and Lyal 1999: 205; Anderson 2002: 792.

Diagnosis. Lymantes is distinguishable among Lymantini by the generally elongate body form; black or red-brown to orange-red, shiny but cuticle often obscured by encrusted dirt; lacking scales, with at most short, scattered, fine setae on dorsum. USA species lack dense fine micropilosity; dorsum deeply, densely, regularly punctate; eyes moderately to markedly reduced to a few facets on slight ocular swelling or eyes entirely absent; pro- and mesocoxae narrowly separated by about one-quarter or less width of coxa, metacoxae widely separated by width of coxa to about 1.33 times width of coxa; thoracic and abdominal venter deeply, densely, regularly punctate; females with sternite VIII V-shaped basally, lacking basal apodeme.

Description. L e n g t h 2. 5–5.9 m m, w i d t h 1.1–2.3 mm. Cuticle black or red-brown to orange-red, shiny and polished, cuticle often obscured by encrusted dirt, without distinct microsculpture. Vestiture only of fine, suberect setae on dorsum, most obvious on elytral declivity. Rostrum separated immediately behind base from head by deep constriction; dorsally and laterally deeply punctate; punctures large and somewhat linearly arranged at base, slightly smaller and shallower towards apex, ventrally variously punctate anteriorly, gular region narrowed posteriorly to various extent, defined laterally by 2 fine proximal ridges which may coalesce; sexually dimorphic in dorsal view, males with scrobes broadly visible, rostrum slightly expanded at point of antennal insertion to apex, females with scrobes not or very narrowly visible, rostrum of more or less uniform width throughout; point of antennal insertion at more or less apical 1/ 3 in female, very slightly more apical in male. Scrobes deep, lateral, descended posteriorly immediately in front of eye, narrowly separated by posterior extension of gular area. Eyes absent or present, if present slightly to greatly reduced in size, if greatly reduced, situated on low ocular swelling dorsolaterally on rostrum at base as distinct or indistinct row(s) of less than 10 facets. Head round, shiny, globular; lacking punctation or vestiture. Antennae with funicle composed of seven articles; articles 1–6 short, robust, slightly longer than wide (basally) to slightly wider than long (apically), successively wider towards apex; 7 closely appressed to club, enclosing base of club in one species, and distinctly wider than 6. Club with basal article shiny, glabrous, apical articles densely finely setose. Pronotum robust; variously regularly punctate; each puncture bearing a small to minute seta; in dorsal view, tabulate apically, constricted laterally at subapex; slightly constricted also in basolateral region; lateral margins subparallel throughout most of length, maximum width slightly less than width of elytra. Elytra fused, elongate in dorsal view; striae impressed, demarcated by lines of small to large punctures variously encroaching on elytral interstriae; interstriae glabrous, narrow to very narrow, very slightly longitudinally tuberculate in 1 species, not carinate, punctation variable, lacking or very sparse, shallow and indistinct. Wings absent. Scutellar shield absent. Legs moderately long and narrow, not robust. Pro- and mesocoxae very narrowly separated, metacoxae widely so. Femora simple, widest at apical 1/3 to 1/4, not markedly clavate; punctation and vestiture variable. Tibiae more or less straight, not distinctly spatulate; punctation and vestiture variable, fine setae present, scattered; uncus large, moderately curved inwardly; apex of inner margin with variably developed small 2 nd tooth; apical comb short, of short, fine, brownish spines. Tarsi fine, small, appearing 4-segmented; segments 1–3 subequal in length and width; 3 shallowly bilobed; 4 slightly longer than 3; claws simple, minute; ventral tarsal pilosity very sparse. Prosternum immediately anterior of procoxae slightly swollen; meso- and metasternum with large, distinct punctures; mesepisternum and mesepimeron deeply punctate, metepisternum and metepimeron absent. Abdomen with 5 visible ventrites; 1 and 2 fused, the others free; 1 with broad anterior projection between metacoxae, flat, medially longer than 2 but laterally subequal in length, deeply punctate; 3 and 4 very short, subequal in length, impunctate; 5 more or less as long as 3 and 4 combined, variably punctate. Genitalia of female with sternite VIII V-shaped, lacking basal apodeme; tergite VIII broadly triangular in shape, apical margin simple, not serrate or toothed; pygidium with apical margin simple, broadly rounded, coxites lacking styli, spermatheca small and compact. Genitalia of male with penis pedon short and robust, basal arms (struts) long, generally longer than pedon, apex broadly rounded, in lateral view slightly uniformly arcuate ventrally; internal sac moderate, extended to basal 1/3 of basal arms, with some to extensive internal sclerotization.

Distribution. Members of the genus are found from El Salvador north to the USA. Within the USA, species are found in the western coastal states of Washington, Oregon, and California, also Arizona, Texas, and various parts of the eastern USA as far north as Ohio and as far south as Florida. See GoogleEarth ® MAP of the distribution of the USA species; colors of placemarkers are as follows: L. scrobicollis , yellow; L. repens , blue; Lymantes nadineae Anderson , white; Lymantes fowleri Anderson , new species teal; Lymantes obrieni Anderson , new species, green.

While only one species of the genus has been described from El Salvador, numerous undescribed species are known from Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. A complete revision is beyond the scope of this study.

Natural History. Adults of Lymantes are generally collected in Berlese- or Winkler-processed samples of leaf litter. One species, L. nadineae , is known from caves in central Texas, and specimens of other species have been collected in litter at cave entrances. Eyes are moderately to markedly reduced in all known species, and the cave species lacks eyes entirely. Immature stages and any further details of life history are not known.