Carcinops papagoanus Casey, 1893

Reese, Ellen M. & Swanson, Alexander P., 2017, A Review of the CactophilicCarcinopsMarseul (Coleoptera: Histeridae) of the Sonoran Desert Region, with Descriptions of Six New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (1), pp. 159-190 : 169-170

Carcinops papagoanus Casey, 1893 ( Figs. 9D , 10D , 14 )

Carcinops papagoana Casey 1893: 554 . Incorrect nomenclature; correct name is Carcinops papagoanus .

Carcinops uteana Casey 1916: 242 ; synonymized by Mazur (2011). Incorrect nomenclature; correct name is Carcinops uteanus .

Carcinops sobrina Casey 1916: 243 ; synonymized by Mazur (2011). Incorrect nomenclature; correct name is Carcinops sobrinus .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: Head: Frontal stria terminating at clypeolabral suture; marginal epistomal stria absent ( Fig. 3A ). Pronotum: Marginal stria very close to anterior margin ( Fig. 3B ). Elytra: Dorsal stria 5 and sutural stria shorter than dorsal striae 1–4, terminating in basal third of elytra ( Fig. 8 ); subhumeral striae absent or reduced to rows of faint punctures. First abdominal ventrite: One stria present, smooth surface texture ( Fig. 2A ). Aedeagus: Parameres strongly sinuate with slightly rounded tips ( Fig. 9D ).

Geographic Distribution and Natural History. Carcinops papagoanus is known from California, Arizona, and Utah where it is found in association with decaying basal stems of plants in the subfamilies Agavoideae and Nolinoideae , including Yucca whipplei (Torr.) Baker , Yucca schottii Engelm. , and D. wheeleri . It frequently co-occurs with C. opuntiae and C. wenzeli in California and Arizona, respectively. Though C. papagoanus has been largely absent from collections of cactus necroses, two specimens were found in a rotten F. cylindraceus in southern California.

Taxonomic Notes. Mazur (2011) synonymized C. uteanus and C. sobrinus under C. papagoanus with no stated explanation. Examination of the types for the three names as well as morphological and molecular data from additional specimens collected near the type localities of C. sobrinus (San Diego, CA) and C. papagoanus (Benson, AZ) supports the current nomenclature. Californian specimens, including the C. sobrinus syntype, are slightly more finely and sparsely punctate than Arizonan specimens or the C. uteanus syntype (female, Leeds, UT). However, given the distance separating these populations, some minor variation is to be expected, and the aedeagi are indistinguishable. Also, sequences from the two populations are separated by relatively short branches in the gene trees for CAD and COI, typical of intraspecific genetic distance.

Material Examined. 68 specimens. MEXICO: Baja California: Ensenada, 6.I.1934 ( CASC, 3). USA: Arizona: “Ari. [red dot]”, “CASEY/ bequest/ 1925”, “papagoana-2/ PARATYPE USNM / 38478”, “ LECTOTYPE / Carcinops / papagoana Casey / A. Swanson des. 2008” ( USNM, 1); “Ariz.” ( CASC, 2); Santa Cruz Co., Santa Rita Mts., Madera Cyn., 31.72428°N 110.87340°W, 1,600 m, 10.III.2007, ex. decaying Yucca sp. , A. Swanson ( APS, 2; DNA voucher: APS 134); Santa Cruz Co., Sycamore Cyn., 31.4096°N 111.15423°W, 1,400 m, 11.XI.2006, ex. decaying Dasylirion wheeleri, A. Swanson ( APS, 3). California: Kern Co., Walker Pass, 24.XII.1938 ( CASC, 25); Los Angeles, 12. I.1912, 21.V.1932 ( CASC, 2), Los Angeles Co., ( CASC, 3); Pasadena ( FMNH, 2, compared with types– R.W. Wenzel); Pasadena, March and July ( CASC, 9); San Diego Co. ( CASC, 4); San Diego Co., Poway, F. E. Blaisdell ( CASC, 2); San Diego Co., Cleveland Natl. Forest., 32.81963°N 116.19227°W, 3,000 ft., 24.VI.2007, ex. decaying Yucca whipplei, A. Swanson ( APS, 8; DNA voucher: APS 135); Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 33.1466696°N 116.276726°W, sea level, 25.III.2013, ex. necrotic Ferocactus cylindraceus, E. Reese ( FMNH, 1; EMR, 1; DNA voucher: EMR 348).

Figures

Fig. 9. Aedeagal morphology of Carcinops species, with parameres toward the top of the page and basal pieces toward the bottom. A) C. consors, B) C. gilensis, C) C. corticalis, D) C. papagoanus, E) C. opuntiae, F) C. curtus, G) C. rugulus, H) C. torquatus, I) C. yaqui, J) C. wenzeli. Photographs by A. Swanson.

Fig. 10. Dorsal photographs showing head and pronotal morphology of Carcinops species. A) C. consors, B) C. gilensis, C) C. corticalis, D) C. papagoanus, E) C. curtus, F) C. yaqui, G) C. kumeyaay, H) C. opuntiae. Photographs by E. Reese.

Fig. 14. Carcinops papagoanus morphology. A) Dorsal view, B) Ventral view. Photographs by E. Reese.

Figs. 3–6. Head morphology of Carcinops kumeyaay, with arrows showing key character states: 3) C. kumeyaay; 4) C. corticalis; 5) C. curtus. Photographs by E. Reese. 6) Ground punctation patterns on the pronotum of species in the subgenus Carcinopsida (Carcinops wenzeli). Photograph by A. Swanson.

Figs. 7–8. 7) Long elytral striae highlighted on Carcinops kumeyaay; 8) Short fifth and sutural elytral striae highlighted on Carcinops yaqui. Photographs by E. Reese.

Fig. 2. Variation of the lateral disc of the first abdominal ventrite in Carcinops species. A) Single stria present (C. torquatus), B) Single stria with microsculptures present (C. rugulus), C) Bistriate (C. consors), D) Bistriate (C. yaqui), E) Tristriate (C. wenzeli). Photographs by A. Swanson.