Floromadane PRENA, 2009

Prena, Jens, 2009, Floromadane, a new genus of baridine weevils associated with Rubiaceae in Costa Rica and Panama (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 59 (1), pp. 239-246 : 240-243

Floromadane PRENA , gen. n.

Recognition:

Species of Floromadane concur with CHAMPION’s (1907) concept of Optatini in being broadly triangular, having dentate femora and the pygidium covered by the elytral apices. The included species can be distinguished from those of related genera by the following character states: (1) antennal club moderately elongate, neither short oval as in Pardisomus nor very elongate and spindleshaped as in Telemus PASCOE and Macroptatus CHAMPION , (2) proxocae contiguous, (3) prosternal channel obsolete, (4) ventral tooth of profemur reduced, (5) rostrum moderately thick, round in cross-section, (6) elytral interstriae costate at least on apical half, 2 and 3 raised near middle, (7) sclerolepidia of type 2a or possibly reduced type 3 according to classification of LYAL et al. (2006), often partially or entirely absent, (8) all life stages associated with plants in the Rubiaceae .

Description:

Size:Total length 3.7-6.5 mm, standard length 3.6-6.1 mm, width 1.8-3.7 mm. Color: Integument reddish to dark brown, scales yellowish to white forming color pattern or not ( Fig. 1-6 ). Head: Frontal fovea present, eyes separated by width of rostrum at base, rostrum rather slender, subcylindrical, scrobes lateral and slightly descending, antenna inserted near midlength, scape slender and clavate, funicle 7-segmented, club oval and pubescent, mandibles little protruding and curved, with two teeth of equal size. Prothorax: Pronotum bell-shaped, anterior portion tubular and moderately projected over frons, disk gently to strongly arched; prosternal channel obsolete, frontal portion emarginated, fore coxae contiguous. Scutellum: Flat, as long as wide, anterior margin slightly sloping, apex convex, flushing with elytral margins. Elytra: Shape subtriangular, in profile slightly arching with basal third depressed, humeri prominent and much wider than pronotum, elytral apices conjointly rounded, subapical callus moderate, striae narrow, deep, and continuous, interstriae costate at least on apical half, 2 and 3 raised and costate near middle. Legs: Length subequal, meso- and metafemora 1-dentate ventrally, profemoral tooth more or less reduced, claws small, subconnate or separate at base. Sclerolepidia: Digitate, split in two lobes (type 2a or possibly reduced type 3 according LYAL et al. 2006). Stridulatory organs: 0-2 pairs of sclerotized plectra near base of tergite 7. Male genitalia and associated structures ( Fig. 7-13 ): Aedeagus as in Fig. 7-9 , apodemes slender, approximately 2.5× longer than body of aedeagus, internal sac long, ejaculatory duct modified to sclerotized flagellum, base of flagellum abruptly curved, with basal appendage attached to internal sac, duct inserted at distal base of flagellum ( Fig. 10 ); tegmen as in Fig. 11 ; sternite 8 membranous, medially unpigmented ( Fig. 12 ); sternite 9 curved subdistally, lateral arm rudimentary ( Fig. 13 ). Female genitalia and associated structures ( Fig. 14-15 ): Sternite 8 symmetric, distally forked into weakly sclerotized arms and embedded in unpigmented membrane; hemisternite pigmented, stylus with numerous (20+) distal setae and sensilla; bursa conspicuously tapered; spermatheca sclerotized, cornu slender, U-shaped, tapered distally, ramus subterminal, shape and size variable, nodulus inconspicuous; spermathecal duct unpigmented, approximately as long as sternite 8, inserted distally in bursa.

Distribution:

The three currently recognized species occur on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica and in Panama, Central America.

Etymology:

The name of the new genus is an acronym derived from the forenames of our able field assistants in the ALAS project: FLOR CASCANTE, RONALD VARGAS, MAYLIN PANIAGUA, DANILO BRENES, and NELCI OCONITRILLO. The gender is masculine.

Type species:

Floromadane atrorubens PRENA.

Figures

Fig. 1-6: Floromadane, habitus, dorsal and lateral views. 1-2. F. atrorubens; 3-4. F. pictulus; 5-6. F. tumens.

Fig. 7-13:Floromadane atrorubens, male genitalia andassociated structures. 7-8. aedeagus, lateral and dorsal views; 9. apex of aedeagus, dorsal view; 10. base of flagellum; 11. tegmen; 12. sternite 8; 13. sternite 9. Scale bar 0.1 mm for Fig. 10 and 0.5 mm for all other figures.

Fig. 14-15: Floromadane atrorubens, female genitalia and associated structures. 14. genital tract, lateral view; 15. sternite 8 and tergite 8, ventral view. Scale bar 1 mm.