Phrynocepha deyrollei Baly 1876

Gilbert, Arthur J., 2011, A review and clarification of the alticine genera Hemiphrynus Horn 1889 and Phrynocepha Baly 1861 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), Insecta Mundi 2011 (200), pp. 1-57 : 34-39

Phrynocepha deyrollei Baly 1876

( Fig. 7-8 , 12 , 57 , 65 , 74 , 78 )

Phrynocepha deyrollei Baly 1876: 444 . Jacoby 1884: 292. Heikertinger and Csiki 1939: 215. Blackwelder 1946: 699. Wilcox 1975: 107. Furth and Savini 1996: 64. Furth 2006: 233.

Type Specimens. Holotype. Male [ BMNH] labeled: “TYPE/ H.T.” [printed on circular white with red border], “ Mex ….” [handwritten and partially unreadable on green], “Baly Coll.” [printed on white], “ Phrynocepha / deyrollei / Baly / Mexico ” [handwritten on blue].

Redescription. Male [BMNH, holotype]. Body length 6.40 mm; width at elytral humeri 2.47 mm; form elongate. Elytra bluish-black; head, pronotum, legs yellow-orange. Head elongate, with a non-carinate curvature ventrally extending from eye to front edge of clypeus ( Fig. 7 ), appearing “jowl-like;” genal length 1.67x longer than maximum length of eye; vertex darker than rest of head, indistinctly reticulate with coarse, coalescing punctures; postclypeus appearing deeply, acutely emarginate, with thickened, “v-shaped” prefrontal ridge; an acute frontal carina extends between antennal fossae, curving upward between antennal fossae before descending to front edge of postclypeus; anteclypeus entire, same color as labrum; labrum quadrate, lighter in color than rest of head; labral notch indistinct; antennal fossae separated by distance slightly narrower than antennal fossa (fossal width measured from inside edges); frontal tubercles distinct, separated by coronal suture; area in front of antennal fossa with sunken appearance, bordered by obtuse lateral carina extending from eye to front edge of postclypeus, also with less obvious frontogenal suture; interocular distance 2.10x wider than width of both eyes combined; eyes nearly round, very small relative to head; antennae stout, 0.75x length of body; antennomeres 1-2 orange; 3-4 bicolored, orange to brown; 5-11 dark brown; antennomeres 1 and 3 longest, approximately equal in length; antennomere 2 shortest; antennomeres 4-5 subequal in length; antennomeres 6-11 subequal in length. Pronotum reticulate with moderate, inconspicuous, separated punctures; lateral margins widest behind middle, tapering to apex, narrowest at anterior margin, maximum length at midline; posterior and anterior projections flat; basal depression faint, poorly delimited, over 1/2 width of pronotum; two small depressions on each side of anterior margin along longitudinal midline. Scutellum black, obtusely triangular, impunctate. Elytra distinctly reticulate, irregularly, moderately punctate; punctures conspicuous; obvious humeral costa extending about 1/3 length of each elytron; humeral depression obvious. Prosternal intercoxal process grooved, approximately 1/3 width of procoxa, elevated ventrally over plane of prosternum, even with plane of tip of procoxae, separating procoxae and curving downward to mesosternum. Procoxae globose. Procoxal cavities open. Mesosternum black. Legs orange; tarsi bicolored, orange to brown, darker than femora or tibiae; pro- and mesofemora enlarged, not distinctly sulcate; tarsomere 1 of protarsi enlarged, heart-shaped, wider than 3; tarsomere 1 of mesotarsi enlarged, more elongate than tarsomere 1 of protarsi, but still wider than tarsomere 3 of mesotarsi; tarsomere 1 of metatarsi enlarged, more elongate than tarsomere 1 of pro- or mesotarsi, wider than tarsomere 3 of metatarsi; all tibiae stout, sulcate, expanded apically with central carina. Abdomen black, shiny, coarsely punctured, moderately pubescent; last abdominal ventrite shallowly, broadly emarginate. Aedeagus (from non-type specimen) nearly uniformly arched; basal piece about 19% total length of aedeagus ( Fig. 57 ); ventral end slender, without subapical notch or subapical lobe; tip simple, acutely pointed ( Fig. 65 , 74 ).

Female. Similar to male, except anterior margin of clypeus less obviously emarginate in most individuals; all tibiae similar, slender, gradually expanded apically; tarsomere 1 not widened on any of the legs; fifth abdominal ventrite entire.

Variation. Male: length 4.64 – 7.00 mm; width at humeri 1.88 – 2.76 mm. Female: length 4.64 – 6.71 mm; width 1.82 – 2.71 mm. The degree of clypeal emargination varies among individuals, with males more often with an obvious emargination than females. The stout or slender appearance of the antennae, as represented by the fourth antennomere (length to width ratio), varies. In the specimens selected, the ratio of the fourth antennomere of the male is stout, approximately 3.2x longer than wide, while in the female the ratio of the fourth antennomere is even more stout, approximately 2.3x longer than wide.

Remarks. Phrynocepha deyrollei and four other species, P. marciae , P. natalieae , P. pueblae (new species below) and P. punctulata , compose a group of five species with a black mesosternum. Phrynocepha deyrollei can be separated from all of these, except P. pueblae , by the distinctly emarginate postclypeus ( Fig. 43 ) and the shape of the aedeagus. In addition, it can be separated from P. natalieae by its larger size and the enlarged heart-shaped first tarsomere of the protarsi of the male. The uniformly punctate prothorax ( Fig. 48 ) is unlike the irregularly, coarsely punctate prothorax of P. marciae ( Fig. 51 ) and the smooth, impunctate prothorax of P. punctulata ( Fig. 54 ). External morphological characters separating P. deyrollei and P. pueblae are unreliable. Dissection of the aedeagi is needed to separate these two species. See “Remarks” for other species

Distribution. The occurrence of P. deyrollei begins in the state of Zacatecas and continues south over a large area of the western half of Mexico into Guatemala. The Mexican states include Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico D. F., Michoacan, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, and Zacatecas. Collection records occur between 3,800 and 9,186 feet elevation. Additionally, Furth (2006) reported this species from Morelos. The collection record for Veracruz is based on two specimens in the British Museum from Jalapa. A state was not indicated on the label. Selander and Vaurie (1962) indicated that some specimens collected by Höge may have been mislabeled. Either Oaxaca or Veracruz may be the state in which these specimens were collected. Considering the distribution for all other specimens, the state of Oaxaca seems the most logical choice for the collection locality. However, a collection record for P. deyrollei from Veracruz is not inconceivable. The state of Oaxaca will remain as the assumed collection locality since the correct state cannot be irrefutably determined.

Pallister (1953) records this species from the states of Chihuahua and Durango. Both records are incorrect. These records were based on a series of 61 specimens from Santa Clara, Chihuahua, one specimen from Namiquipa, also near Santa Clara in Chihuahua, and one specimen from Palos Colorados, Durango. Most of these specimens were examined for this study. The single specimen from Namiquipa is actually a female of H. elongatus , and the single specimen from Palos Colorados is a female of H. intermedius . Of the 61 specimens mentioned by Pallister from Santa Clara, 53 were examined by the author. Of the 53 specimens, 28 (13 males and 15 females) are H. elongatus and 25 (17 males and 8 females) are H. intermedius . The occurrence of both species of Hemiphrynus at a single locality also occurs at a site 3 miles south of Alto in New Mexico (see H. elongatus ). Furth (2006) also reported this species from Chihuahua and Durango. However, these localities were based on the incorrect identifications in Pallister (1953).

Host. Two collection records by one collector indicated that the specimens were collected in an Acacia - oak woodland. Another collection record by Dr. William F. Barr assigns a white flowered Acacia as the host. Two other specimens collected by Dr. Gayle Nelson were collected from Mimosa . A single specimen from Oaxaca records mesquite. It would appear that Acacia , Mimosa or other related genera in the Fabaceae are the adult hosts of the beetle. The single specimen collected from Brickelia sp. ( Asteraceae ) is most likely an inadvertent association.

Specimens Examined. In addition to the holotype, other specimens examined included 83 males and 103 females. GUATEMALA. B. Verapaz, 19-24 km N Salama 25-31 May 1989, 4,500ft, J. E. Wappes (1) [ USNM] ; MEXICO. AGUASCALIENTES: 10 mi. ne Calvillo , 5 July 1984, Carroll, Schaffner ,

Friedlander (1) [ TAMU] ; 13 miles west of Aguascalientes, 5 July 1984, Carroll, Schaffner, Friedlander (3) [ TAMU] ; 10 mi. n. Calvillo, Hwy 70, 5 July 1984, J. B. Woolley, 84/18 (20) [ TAMU] ; 14 mi. w. Aguascalientes, 10 July 1983, Kovarik, Harrison, Schaffner (5) [ TAMU] ; 13 mi. w. Aguascalientes, Hwy 70, 5 July 1984, J. B. Woolley (6) [ TAMU] ; GUANAJUATO: Salle Coll. (5) [ BMNH] ; GUERRERO: Texaco [Taxco?], 20 July 1956, Vincent D. Roth Coll. (1) [ AMNH] ; 12 miles south Chilpancingo , 12 July 1966, P. M. and P. K. Wagner (1) [ TAMU] ; 29.9 km. S Chilpancingo , 22 July 1987, [2,400ft.], R. Turnbow (2) [ RHTC] ; hwy. 134, 79.8 km. NE jct. hwy. 200, 16 July 1985, R. Turnbow (3) [ RHTC], (1) [ TAMU] ; 4 mi. w. Chilpancingo , 15 July 1984, Elev. Approx. 4,000 ft., J. B. Woolley (3) [ TAMU] ; Tasco [Taxco?] [5,830ft.] (7) [ ZMHB] ; HILALGO: Tula, Höge (2) [ ZMHB], (1) [ BMNH] ; JALISCO: Hwy 54, 17 miles north of Guadalajara , 6 July 1984, J. B. Woolley (1) [ TAMU] ; 6.1 mi. N Autlan, 7 mi. W at San Francisco Microwave Tower , 4,680ft., 31 July 1996, Wm. Godwin (1) [ TAMU] ; La Quemada , 27 July 1954, M. Cazier, W. Gertsch, Bradts Collectors (1) [ AMNH] ; MEXICO: Zuluapan 10.5 km NE, 1276 m [3,828ft.], 23 August 1991, J. Rifkind Coll. (1) [ AJGC] ; 6 km. SW Zuluapan , 23 August 1991, on white flower Acacia, W. F. Barr (3) [ WFBM] ; same data as previous, except on Brickelia (1) [ WFBM] ; 6.6 m. SW Temascaltepec , 20 August 1991, 2024m [6,072ft.], W. F. Barr (1) [ WFBM] ; 3 km. SW Santa Tomas de los Plantanos , 21 August 1991, W. F. Barr Collector, beating (1) [ WFBM] ; 3 mi. N. of Valle De Bravo , 30 June 1965, Collectors G. H. and D. E. Nelson (1) [ AJGC] ; same data as previous except On Mimosa sp. (2) [ AJGC] ; Mexico City, Höge (1) [ BMNH] ; Mexico, Salle Coll. (2) [ BMNH] ; Tejupilco, Temescaltepec , ca. 4,000 ft., 1932, B. M. 1959-100, H. E. Hinton and R. L. Usinger Collectors (1) [ BMNH] ; MICHO- ACAN: 14.3 km. S. Uruapan , 1370-1465m [4,110 - 4,395 ft.], 29 July 1988, R. S. Anderson, oak- Acacia woodland, 88-10 (3) [ EGRC] ; 10 mi. S. Uruapan, 7 July 1985, Woolley and Zolnerowich (1) [ TAMU] ; 10.6 mi. s. Uruapan , 8 August 1978, Plitt and Schaffner (1) [ TAMU] ; Huetamo, Höge (1) [ BMNH] ; 29 mi on Chiapa Road from Morella Highway , 5 September 1938, 2500 feet, L. J. Lipovsky (1) [ KSBS] ; 2 mi. S Tzitzio , 9 August 1963, Naumann and Willis (1) [ KSBS] ; OAXACA: vic. Monte Alban , 26/ 27 July 2005, J. Rifkind (1) [ CSCA] ; 9 miles NE Mitla , 20 July 1985, J. Woolley, G. Zolnerowich, 86/079 (1) [ TAMU] ; 4 mi. ne. Miltepec , 21 July 1984, Carroll, Schaffner, Friedlander (7) [ TAMU] ; 9 miles ne. Mitla , 20 July 1985, Jones, Schaffner (3) [ TAMU] ; Oax. , 5,034 ft., 14 July 1955, P. and C. Vaurie (6) [ AMNH] ; 3 km NW Huajuapan de Leon , 1860m [5,580ft.], 7 July 1992, Coll. C. Bellamy (1) [ TAMU] ; 10 mi. n. Miltepec , 26 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, Schaffner (2) [ TAMU] ; 2.7 mi. NW El Cameron , 27 July 1972, ME-65, R. R. and M. E. Murray (1) [ TAMU] ; 16.1 mi. nw. Totolapan , 21 July 1974 Clark, Murray, Ashe, Schaffner (1) [ TAMU] ;. 7 mi. NW of Huajuapan de Leon , 7 July 1992, B. K. Dozier (12) [ FSCA] ; 3 mi. NW of Huajuapan de Leon (1) [ FSCA] ; Fry Coll. , 1905-100 (4) [ BMNH] ; Fry Coll. , 1905- 100, 71130 (1) [ BMNH] ; Salle Coll. , 863 (1) [ BMNH] ; Salle Coll. (1) [ BMNH] ; W. Huajuapan de Leon , 28 June 1961, 5,000 ft., U. Kans. Mex. Exped. (1) [ KSBS] ; Oax , Baly Coll. (1) [ BMNH] ; Huajuapan de Leon , 28 June 1971, G. B. Marshall, mesquite, Texas Tech U. mesquite project, 41, (1) [ TTUZ] ; 10 mi. W. Tamazulapan, 28 June 1971, Ward and Brothers (1) [ TTUZ] ; PUEBLA: 4.4 mi. SW Acatepec , 26 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe and Schaffner (1) [ TAMU] ; 1 mi. n. of Atlixco , 29 June 1955, R. E. Beer and party (1) [ KSBS] ; QUERETARO: 14.5 km. N. Quereterro [Queretaro] on #57, 1920m [5,760ft.], 26 July 1988, R. S. Anderson, Acacia woodland, 88-2 (6) [ EGRC], (2) [ TAMU] ; 3 mi. W Queretaro , 10 July 1975, CA, WE, BW Triplehorn (2) [ BYUC] ; Mipo: Pinal de Amoles, 5 km NE. Madroño , 21˚07.42′,99˚41.17′, 14 June 2009, 2,800m [9,186ft.], on ground, AM, CW and LB O’Brien (1) [ BYUC] ; Univ. Auto. Queretero [Queretaro], 2 km. SE. Juriquillo , 20˚42.06, 100˚38.02′, 14 June 2009, 1,926m [6,319ft.], on ground, AM, CW and LB O’Brien (1) [ BYUC] ; 16 mi. N. Quetetero [Queretaro], 29 June 1971, CW & L O’Brien & Marshall (1) [ TTUZ] ; SAN LUIS POTOSI: 55 km. NE Villa de Zaragoza , 14 July 1985, R. Turnbow (1) [ RHTC], (1) [ TAMU] [specimen labels indicates Guerrero as the state] ; 24.5 km. NE Villa de Zaragoza, 14 July 1985, R. Turnbow (1) [ TAMU] [specimen label indicates Guerrero as the state] ; Hwy 134, 25 km NE Villa De Zaragoza , 14/ 16 July 1985, J. E. Wappes (2) [ TAMU], (6) [ USNM] [specimen label indicates Guerrero as the state] ; TLAXCALA: Capulalpam [Calpaulalpan? misspelled on label] (2) [ BMNH] ; UNKNOWN STATE: L. Conradt (1) [ USNM] ; Tepetlapa (2) [ ZMHB] ; Coll. J. Flohr (3) [ZMHB]; Höge (6) [ ZMHB] ; In (?), Coll. J. Flohr (2) [ ZMHB] ; Yolotepec , Salle Coll. (2) [ BMNH] ; Parada , Salle Coll. (2) [ BMNH] ; [locality unknown] (2) [ BMNH] ; VERACRUZ: Jalapa , Höge (2) [ BMNH] ; ZACATECAS: 39.7 km. S. Juchipala [ Juchipila ?], 1524m [4,572ft.], 88-26, 6 August 1988, R. S. Anderson, Acacia thorn scrub (2) [ TAMU] .

Figures

Figures 5-10. Male heads (fgs = frontogenal suture, jl = jowl, lc = lateral carina). 5) Hemiphrynus intermedius, lateral view. 6) H. intermedius, frontal view. 7) Phrynocepha deyrollei, lateral view. 8) P. deyrollei, frontal view. 9) P. pseudocapitata, lateral view. 10) P. pseudocapitata, frontal view.

Figures 11-12. Male third and fourth antennomeres. 11) H. intermedius. 12) P. deyrollei.

Figures 56-59. Aedeagi, lateral view. 56) Phrynocepha capitata. 57) P. deyrollei. 58) P. kendrae. 59) P. marciae.

Figures 64-71. Tips of aedeagi, ventral view. 64) Phrynocepha capitata. 65) P. deyrollei. 66) P. kendrae. 67) P. marciae. 68) P. pueblae. 69) P. pulchella. 70) P. punctulata. 71) P. pseudocapitata.

Figures 72-77. Tips of selected aedeagi, lateral view. 72) P. pueblae. 73) P. pueblae. 74) P. deyrollei. 75) P. capitata. 76) P. kendrae. 77) P. marciae.

Figures 78-79. Distribution of Phrynocepha in Mexico.

Figures 43-46. Frontal view of faces of Phrynocepha. 43) P. deyrollei. 44) P. marciae. 45) P. pueblae. 46) P. punctulata.

Figures 47-50. Pronota of Phrynocepha. 47) P. capitata. 48) P. deyrollei. 49) P. kendrae. 50) P. laevicollis.

Figures 51-54. Pronota of Phrynocepha. 51) P. marciae. 52) P. pseudocapitata. 53) P. pueblae. 54) P. punctulata.