Embates galbinus Prena, 2005

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

33. Embates galbinus Prena sp. n.

(Fig. 124–127, 258)

Holotype male, Costa Rica , labeled: “ COSTA RICA: Prov. Heredia:/ 6km ENE Vara Blanca, 1950–/ 2050m, 10°11'N 84°07'W / 15.– 16.2.2003 / INBio­OET­ALAS transect”, “handcollecting/ leg. Jens Prena ”, INB0003230241 ( INBC).

Paratypes 10 (8 males, 2 females), labeled: as holotype except INB0003230242 ( JPPC) , 9.3.2000 ( JPPC) ; “ Costa Rica, HEREDIA: 5/ km N San Isidro, Cerro / Zurquí , 1800 m,/ 13.2.2000, leg. Prena ” ( JPPC) ; “ COSTA RICA, Cartago:/ 4 km NE Cañon, Genesis 2,/ 2300m, 9°42'N 83°54'W,/ 7.iii.2003, leg. J. Prena ” ( JPPC) ; “ COSTA RICA, Puntarenas:/ Fundación Dúrika , shelter, 2100m, 9°29'N 83°29'W,/ 2–3.iii.2003, leg. J. Prena ” ( CWOB, INBC, JPPC 2 ) ; “ PANAMA. Chiriqui / 6 km. N.E. Boquete / 14– 19.VI.1996, 1650 m/ J.Ashe & R.Brooks/ F.I.T. #180” ( CMNC) ; “ PANAMA. Chiriqui / 12 km. N.E. Santa Clara / Cerro Pando , 8° 54.74' N / 82° 43.29' W, 1875 m / 17–18.VI.1996, R. Brooks/ F.I.T. #185” ( CMNC) .

Description. Habitus: Fig. 124, total length 4.6–7.4 mm (m=6.2, n=11). Color: integument rufous, lateral portions piceous; basic vestiture of yellowish scales which turn white toward metasternum, separated from lateral portions by dark scales on pronotum and below preapical callus. Head: frontal fovea minute, rostrum slender, subcylindrical (Fig. 125), costate dorsomedially, basolateral margin slightly edged, length of rostrum ♂♂ 1.17– 1.29 x (m=1.24, n=9), ♀♀ 1.27–1.35 x (n=2) pronotal length, length of ante­antennal portion ♂♂ 0.37–0.40 x (m=0.39, n=9), ♀♀ 0.43 x (n=2) total rostral length, dorsal margin of antennal scrobe reaching rostral base well before eye; funicular segment 2 longer than 1, club oblong ovate. Pronotum: length 0.96–1.03 x (m=0.99, n=11) maximum width, subparallel or rounded (large specimens) in basal third, then more or less gradually converging, anterior portion tubulate, punctation dense and shallow. Elytra: length 1.77–1.89 x (m=1.81, n=11) width at humeri, width 1.36–1.48 x (m=1.43, n=11) maximum pronotal width, sides subparallel in basal fourth, then increasingly narrowed toward apex, apices rounded conjointly, preapical callus rather strongly developed, not costate, striae fine, punctures moderate, interstriae flat, none costate. Legs: tibiae slightly curved or straight, distally with cluster of cupreous hairs, tarsal claws arcuate and separate at base. Male: apex of aedeagus round, middle sclerotized, anterolateral portion membranous (Fig. 126), body of aedeagus of moderate length, basal third angular in lateral view, apodemes 2.2 x longer than body of aedeagus, flagellum thin, nearly as long as aedeagus including apodemes, transition to curved base gradual, basal appendage elongate, fused subdistally with base of flagellum, projecting far beyond base (Fig. 127).

Plant association. Piper pittieri (Prena 7), P. obliquum (Prena 2).

Distribution. Costa Rica and Panama, evergreen montane forests between 1650 and 2350 m (Fig. 258).

Specific epithet. The name is a Latin adjective meaning “greenish yellow”.

Discussion. Embates galbinus is related to E. peperomiae , with which it occurs in cloud forest habitats of the Cordilleras Central and Talamanca. The species is quite distinct through its color­pattern.