Hemiphrynus elongatus ( Jacoby 1884 ) Gilbert, 2011

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 : 12-15

Hemiphrynus elongatus ( Jacoby 1884) NEW COMBINATION

( Fig. 1 , 15 , 21, 27, 34, 81-82)

Phrynocepha elongata Jacoby 1884: 292 (tab. 18, Fig. 1, 2 ). Heikertinger and Csiki 1939: 215. Blackwelder 1946: 699. Wilcox 1975: 107. Furth and Savini 1996: 64. Furth 2006: 233.

Type Specimens. Lectotype (here designated and labeled). Male [ BMNH] labeled: “Cordova” [printed on white], “ Mexico./ Salle Coll.” [printed on white], “ Phrynocepha / elongata Jac. / [male symbol]” [handwritten on blue], “B. C. A., Col. VI, 1./ Phrynocepha / elongata ,/ Jac.” [printed on white], Phrynocepha / elongata Jac. / Det. D. G. Furth [handwritten and printed on white], BMNH ‘05/ #12901 [printed on white].

Paralectotypes (two here designated and labeled). Female [ BMNH] labeled: “Type/ H. T.” [printed on circular white with red border], “Cordova” [printed on white], “ Mexico./ Salle Coll.” [printed on white], “935” [printed on blue], “Type./ Sp. figured.” [printed on white], “B. C. A., Col. VI, 1./ Phrynocepha / elongata ,/ Jac.” [printed on white], “ elongata / [female symbol]/ Jac.” [handwritten on blue]. Female [ MCZC] labeled: “Cordova” [printed on white], “ Mexico / Salle Coll.” [printed on white], “1 st Jacoby/ Coll.” [printed on white], “ elongata Jac. / cotype” [handwritten on blue], “Type/18746” [printed and handwritten on red].

Of the two specimens figured in the “Biologia Centrali-Americana” ( Jacoby 1884), the first appears to be the male. Since this specimen is figured first and, as a male specimen, has most of the defining characters of the species, this specimen is designated as the lectotype. The other specimens in the BMNH and the MCZC become paralectotypes. Three other specimens in the MCZC from Oaxaca labeled as “ syntypes ” and cited by Jacoby in the original description actually represent H. corrugatus (see “Remarks” for H. corrugatus ). Another specimen included with non-type material was found in the BMNH collection and was labeled as a “ syntype ” of P. elongate [ elongatus ]. Although the collection labels are the original labels and match the data presented in the “Biologia Centrali-Americana” ( Jacoby 1884), the “ syntype ” label is of a more recent origin. This specimen from Cordova [Cordoba], Veracruz is actually a female specimen of H. sydneyae , new species below. Four additional specimens in the BMNH collection labeled as B. C. A. specimens from Oaxaca are also specimens of H. sydneyae (see “Type Specimens” for H. sydneyae ).

Redescription. Male [BMNH, lectotype]. Body length 6.29 mm; width at elytral humeri 2.24 mm; form elongate. Elytra dark blue; head, pronotum, legs yellow-orange. Head not elongate, without a ventral “jowl-like” area; genal length 0.52x length of eye; vertex reticulate, deeply, coarsely punctate, central portion with deep, inverted “v-shaped” pit, sides of pit ridged, ridges continuing forward to lateral margins of frontal tubercles; postclypeus truncate anteriorly, elevated, broadly triangular; frontal carina narrowing between antennal fossae, smooth, impunctate; labrum orange, rectangular with corners rounded, shining, impunctate with 6 long setae; frontal tubercles distinct, elevated, separated by coronal suture; area in front of antennal fossa without sunken appearance, without lateral, obtuse carina; antennal fossae separated by distance approximately equal to width of antennal fossa (fossal width measured from inside edges); interocular distance 1.70x wider than width of both eyes combined; antennae stout, 0.65x length of body; antennomeres 1-4 orange; 5-6 brownish-orange; 7-11 dark brown; antennomere 2 shortest; antennomere 3 slightly shorter than 4, although nearly equal; other antennomeres approximately equal in length. Pronotum transverse, densely, coarsely punctate with punctures not coalescing, widest at middle; lateral margin evenly curving anteriorly to rectangular lateral tooth; basal margin vaguely sinuate, gradually curving forward to lateral margins; posterolateral tooth blunt, rounded, indistinct; basal depression obsolete, with only vague lateral depressions where basal depression would end if present. Scutellum elongate, dark brown, shining, obtusely triangular, impunctate. Elytra strongly reticulate, impunctate; humeri distinct. Prosternal intercoxal process slightly elevated ventrally above plane of prosternum, but not to level of ventral tip of procoxae, narrowly, inconspicuously separating procoxae. Procoxae conical, nearly contiguous. Procoxal cavities open. Mesosternum black. Legs including tarsi, orange; pro- and mesofemora not as enlarged as metafemora; tarsomere 1 of protarsi expanded, wider than 3, about equal in length to 2-4 combined; mesotarsi similar to protarsi; tarsomere 1 of metatarsi longer than 2-4 combined, longer than tarsomere 1 of pro- or mesotarsi; all tibiae with a central longitudinal carina along entire length. Abdomen black, reticulate, impunctate, sparsely pubescent, not shining; last ventrite shallowly emarginate, with tip orange. Aedeagus sharply bent nearly 90 degrees ventrally near point two-fifths from tip ( Fig. 27 ); basal piece about 36% total length of aedeagus; ventral end widened subapically, narrowing uniformly to obtuse tip ( Fig. 34 ).

Female. Female characters were obtained from paralectotype specimens. The size is similar to that of the male (see “Variation”). The tarsomere 1 of all tarsi in the female is not enlarged. In the male, the femora and tibiae of all legs are stout and the fifth abdominal ventrite has an orange patch at the tip. The female has femora and tibiae that are less stout and the fifth abdominal ventrite is entire and completely dark.

Variation. Male: length 4.59 – 6.29 mm; width at humeri 1.88 – 2.24 mm. Female: length 4.76 – 6.47 mm; width 1.88 – 2.53 mm. The stout or slender appearance of the antennae, as represented by the fourth antennomere (length to width ratio), varies. In the specimens selected for this species, the male and female antennae are stout and the ratio of the fourth antennomere is about 2.4x longer than wide for both sexes.

Remarks. When Horn (1889) described his new genus Hemiphrynus for H. intermedius , he also suggested that Hemiphrynus was the proper placement for H. elongatus . With the exception of the stout antennae, H. elongatus does possess all of the characteristics of the genus and should be included in Hemiphrynus . The stout antennae of both the male and female will separate this species from all other Hemiphrynus . In addition, the enlarged first tarsomere in the male will further separate this species from H. intermedius . Hemiphrynus intermedius is the only other species of Hemiphrynus that shares the same geographical area and is possibly an adult feeder on the same plant genus. See the remarks for the other species for additional differences.

Three specimens labeled as “ syntypes ” of H. elongatus in the MCZC are not conspecific with the lectotype of H. elongatus and are herein described as H. corrugatus (see “Remarks” for H. corrugatus ). The stout antennomeres of the male constitute the only character that could have led anyone to believe that these three specimens were “ syntypes ” of H. elongatus . The stout male antennomeres may also be the reason H. elongatus was originally described as a species of Phrynocepha .

The species name is changed herein from elongata to elongatus to agree with the gender of the new genus in which it is placed.

Distribution. Known from the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, and Veracruz and in the U.S.A. from southern New Mexico. Furth (2006) reports this species from Tlaxcala. Specimens from the Chihuahua and Durango localities were collected above 6,000 feet elevation.

A series of 22 identically labeled specimens collected three miles south of Alto, New Mexico in the W. F. Barr Entomological Museum Collection at the University of Idaho is a mix of both H. elongatus (10 males and 8 females) and H. intermedius (2 males and 2 females). The adult host for H. elongatus is unknown. The adult host for H. intermedius is oak (see “Host” for H. intermedius below). Similar situations exist with these two species in Chihuahua, Mexico (see “Distribution” for P. deyrollei below) and at the Ventanas locality in Durango (see “Specimens Examined” for both H. elongatus and H. intermedius ). The occurrence of H. elongatus in New Mexico represents a new record for the United States. Three attempts were made by the author to collect this species at the Alto/Ruidoso site (Alto and Ruidoso are contiguous localities), once each in May, July and August of different years. No Hemiphrynus were collected during the May and August visits. In July of 2010, H. intermedius was very abundant but no specimens of H. elongatus could be found. It is unlikely that the WFBM specimens are mislabeled, as these two species were also collected in Santa Clara, Chihuahua, Mexico inhabiting the same locality at the same time. The WFBM specimens were collected in mid-June and H. elongatus was more abundant than H. intermedius (18 specimens compared to 4 specimens). It is possible that H. elongatus emerges earlier than H. intermedius and there is a brief period of overlap.

Host. Unknown.

Specimens Examined. In addition to the lectotype and the paralectotypes from Cordova [Cordoba] [VERACRUZ], other specimens examined included 29 males and 29 females. MEXICO. CHIHUAHUA: Santa Clara , 2 July 1947, D. Rockefeller Exp. Cazier [6,000ft.] (20) [ AMNH] ; same data as previous except D. Rockefeller Exp. Gertsch (8) [ AMNH] ; Santa Clara, Namiquipa Dist. , 6,500ft., 3 July 1947, D. Rockefeller Exp. Michener (1) [ AMNH] ; Pinos Altos, Hepburn (1) [ BMNH] ; DURANGO: Ciudad, Durango Höge. (3) [ ZMHB], (4) [ BMNH] ; Canelas (1) [ ZMHB] ; Ventanas, Höge (1) [ NHMB] ; USA. NEW MEXICO: Lincoln Co .; 3 mi. S Alto , 20 June 1968, S. M. Hogue, R. L. Penrose collectors [8,500ft.] (14) [ WFBM], (4) [ AJGC] ; Otero County, Mayhill , 28 June 1969, W. F. Chamberlain [6,700ft.] (1) [ TAMU] .

Figures

Figures 1-4. Habitus of adult Hemiphrynus. 1) Hemiphrynus elongatus, male. 2) H. intermedius, male. 3) H. sulcatipennis, male. 4) H. sydneyae, female.

Figures 13-18. Frontal view of faces of Hemiphrynus. 13) H. barri. 14) H. corrugatus. 15) H. elongatus. 16) H. intermedius. 17) H. smithi. 18) H. sydneyae.

Figures 25-28. Aedeagi, lateral view. 25) Hemiphrynus barri. 26) H. corrugatus. 27) H. elongatus. 28) H. intermedius.

Figures 32-38. Tips of aedeagi, ventral view. 32) H. barri. 33) H. corrugatus. 34) H. elongatus. 35) H. intermedius. 36) H. sulcatipennis. 37) H. smithi. 38) H. sydneyae.