Embates pullus Prena, 2005

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

35. Embates pullus Prena sp. n.

(Fig. 133–135, 259)

Holotype male (dissected), Costa Rica , labeled: “Sirena, Corcovado N.P./ Puntarenas Province / COSTA RICA. 0–100 m./ G. Fonseca. Nov 1989 / 270500, 508300”, CRI000 114108 ( INBC).

Paratypes 2 (1 male, 1 female), labeled: “Est. Sirena, P.N. Corco­/ vado, 0–100 m, Prov. Punt.,/ COSTA RICA. G. Fonseca / Oct 1989,/ L­S 270500, 508300”, CRI000 659864 ( JPPC); “ COSTA RICA. Prov. Puntarenas,/ Golfito, P.N. Corcovado, Est. Sirena,/ Send. Espavel, Bque Primario. 0–100m./ 15 FEB 2001. A. Azofeifa. de Luz. / L S_508300_270500 #61465”, INB0003128178 ( INBC) .

Description. Habitus: total length 5.9–7.2 mm (m=6.4, n=3). Color: integument piceous, antenna and legs dark rufous; basic vestiture of light yellow, ochreous and brown scales, scales velvety black in ill­defined elytral macula between interstriae 2–4, scales white to light ochreous in dorsolateral pronotal vitta and ante­ and post­macular elytral fasciae (Fig. 133); venter with whitish scales except on distal 3 ventrites. Head: frontal fovea absent, rostrum moderate, subcylindrical, curved evenly, costate dorsomedially, subcostate dorsolaterally, basolateral margin slightly edged, length of rostrum ♂♂ 1.05–1.12 x (n=2), ♀ 1.20 x pronotal length, length of ante­antennal portion ♂♂ 0.38–0.39 x (n=2), ♀ 0.44 x total rostral length, dorsal margin of antennal scrobe reaching rostral base before eye; funicular segment 2 longer than 1, club oblong ovate. Pronotum: length 0.89–0.95 x (m=0.92, n=3) maximum width, sides rounded, widest in basal third, front tubulate; disk very densely punctate, intervals granulose. Elytra: length 1.72–1.79 x (m=1.75, n=3) width at humeri, width 1.20–1.33 x (m=1.27, n=3) maximum pronotal width, sides subparallel in basal half, apices rounded conjointly, preapical callus developed, striae moderate, punctures indistinct, interstriae flat, 9 costate. Legs: tibiae slightly curved, ventral margin slightly bisinuate, distally with indistinct fringe of light hairs, tarsal claws flat and connate at base. Male: apex of aedeagus blunt, anterolateral and median portions membranous (Fig. 134), body of aedeagus of moderate length, curved in lateral view, apodemes 2.3 x longer than body of aedeagus, flagellum as long as aedeagus and apodemes combined, transition to curved base gradual, basal appendage large, hatchet­shaped, projecting beyond base (Fig. 135).

Plant association. Not known.

Distribution. Costa Rica, Pacific side, Península de Osa (Fig. 259).

Specific epithet. The name is a Latin adjective meaning “dark colored”.

Discussion. The relationship of E. pullus to other species of Embates remains uncertain. Meristic and morphological data indicate a relationship to the Mexican E. caecus and several South American species, among them E. sagax . The color­pattern bears similarities to those of E. pusillus and E. ornativentris .