Embates justini (Chevrolat)

Prena, Jens, 2005, The Middle American species of Embates Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Zootaxa 1100 (1), pp. 1-151 : 1-151

49. Embates justini (Chevrolat)

(Fig. 164–167, 246)

Ambates justini Chevrolat 1877: 343 . Holotype female, Colombia, labeled: “Honda”, “N ’ Grenade / J ’Goudot”, “Typus”, “ Ambates / justini/ Chevr.”, “228/58” (NHRS). Hustache 1938 (cat.); Blackwelder 1947 (cat.); Wibmer & O’Brien 1986 (cat.)

Embates [ justini ]. Alonso­Zarazaga & Lyal 1999 (global combination of all species of Ambates Schönherr 1836 with Embates Chevrolat 1833 )

Redescription. Habitus: similar to Fig. 168, total length 6.3–8.7 mm (m=7.4, n=16). Color: integument castaneous to piceous; scales beige in broad dorsolateral pronotal and elytral vittae (Fig. 164), scales cupreous or brown elsewhere, light­absorbing when viewed from above; venter with beige scales on prosternum and along flank. Head: frontal fovea absent, rostrum moderate, subcylindrical (Fig. 165), sides attenuated between apex and antennal insertion, subcostate dorsomedially, basolateral margin edged, length of rostrum ♂♂ 1.25– 1.30 x (m=1.27, n=7), ♀♀ 1.27–1.37 x (m=1.31, n=9) pronotal length, length of ante­ antennal portion ♂♂ 0.42–0.46 x (m=0.44, n=6), ♀♀ 0.43–0.50 x (m=0.47, n=8) total rostral length, dorsal margin of antennal scrobe reaching rostral base before eye; funicular segment 2 longer than 1, club oblong ovate. Pronotum: length 0.88–0.94 x (m=0.91, n=16) maximum width, sides subparallel or slightly rounded in basal half, then roundly narrowed, anterior portion tubulate; disk densely punctate, intervals rugose, subcostate dorsomedially or not. Elytra: length 1.89–2.04 x (m=1.96, n=16) width at humeri, width 1.20– 1.32 x (m=1.26, n=16) maximum pronotal width, sides subparallel or very slightly converging in basal half, apices rounded separately, preapical callus developed moderately, striae fine, punctures indistinct, interstriae flat, 9 subcostate. Legs: moderately stout, tibia slightly bisinuate, ventral margin with distal cluster of cupreous hairs, tarsal claws arcuate and separate at base. Male: apex of aedeagus round, anterolateral portion membranous, middle sclerotized (Fig. 166 or as Fig. 169), body of aedeagus elongate, basal third angular in lateral view, apodemes 2.2 x longer than body of aedeagus, flagellum very thin, half as long as apodemes, transition to base gradual, basal appendage of moderate length, fused laterally with base of flagellum, not much projecting beyond base (Fig. 167).

Plant association. Not known (probably species of Piper with the shoot­apex emerging from within the leaf­base at flowering nodes).

Distribution. Northern Costa Rica to Colombia (Fig. 246).

Material examined. COSTA RICA. Guanacaste: Guanacaste N.P., Est. Cacao, 1000– 1400 m ( INBC 2 , JPPC) ; Guanacaste N.P., Est. Pitilla, 9 km S Santa Cecilia , 700 m ( INBC) . Puntarenas: R.B. Carara, Sector Laguna Meándrica, 100 m ( INBC) ; Est. Quebrada Bonita, 50 m ( JPPC) . PANAMA. Canal Zone: Gamboa 2 mi SSE ( CMNC, HPSC 2 , JPPC 2 ) . Coclé: La Mesa ab. El Valle, 850 m ( HPSC) . Colón: Piña Beach ( CHAH) . Darién: Río Tuquesa , 20 m ( HPSC) . Panamá: Cerro Campana , 820 m, VI/1975, V/1980 ( CWOB, HPSC) . COLOMBIA. Cundinamarca: Honda, 230 m ( NHRS) . Total 17 specimens .

Discussion. Embates justini has not been recognized in any collection since its description. The above records extend its known range of distribution into Middle America, to the northwestern spur of the Cordillera Central. Recent collections from South America are not known to me. Two specimens from Colombia (BMNH) belong to E. justini in the wider sense, with the elytral vitta more or less disintegrated to three single fasciae.