Coptoborus ricini (Eggers, 1932) Smith & Cognato, 2021

Smith, Sarah M. & Cognato, Anthony I., 2021, A revision of the Neotropical genus Coptoborus Hopkins (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae, Xyleborini), ZooKeys 1044, pp. 609-720 : 609

Coptoborus ricini (Eggers, 1932) comb. nov. Figure 14A-C, M

Xyleborus ricini Eggers, 1932: 298.

Theoborus ricini (Eggers): Wood and Bright 1992: 661.

Xyleborus solitariceps Schedl, 1954: 45. Synonymy: Wood 1989: 176.

Type material.

Holotype Xyleborus ricini (NMNH), examined. Holotype Xyleborus solitariceps (NHMW), examined.

New records.

Bolivia: Santa Cruz Dist., Potrerillos del Guenda, Perserva Natural, 17°40'S, 63°27'W, 370 m 17-22-OCT-2007, J & F Romero, ex: MV/BL (CSCA, 1); as previous except: Cline & Wappes (CSCA, 1). Peru: Madre de Dios Dept., Los Amigos Biological Station, 12°34.9S, 70°6.04W, Smith, Hulcr, 26.iv.-2.v.2008, sample Peru 40b, 4 cm diameter twig (MSUC, 7); as previous except: sample Peru 40a, 1 cm diameter twig (MSUC, 3).

Diagnosis.

2.3-2.5 mm (mean = 2.4 mm; n = 5), 2.3-2.67 × as long as wide. This species is distinguished by the elytral apex broadly rounded and entire, posterolateral margin continuously and smoothly carinate to striae 6 and not extended posteriad, and declivity broadly and shallowly impressed between interstriae 3.

Similar species.

C. coartatus .

Distribution.

Bolivia* (Santa Cruz), Brazil (Bahia, Paraná), Colombia (Cauca, Santander, Tolima), Costa Rica ( Limón, Puntarenas), Dominican Republic, Honduras (Francisco Morazán), Jamaica, Mexico (Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz), Peru* (Madre de Dios), Puerto Rico, United States (Florida), Venezuela (Miranda). Introduced to Africa (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, São Tomé and Príncipe, Uganda, Zaire).

Biology.

This species has been recorded from many hosts in the Neotropics including: Terminalia sp. ( Combretaceae ), Hevea brasiliensis , Ricinus communis ( Euphorbiaceae ), Albizia gummifera , Dioclea megacarpa , Tetrapleura tetrapetra ( Fabaceae ), Theobroma cacao ( Malvaceae ), Swietenia sp. ( Meliaceae ), Maesa rufescens ( Primulaceae ), Citrus aurantifolia ( Rutaceae ) ( Wood and Bright 1992). African hosts are listed in Schedl (1963: 289). Wood reported collecting the species from dying branches 3-7 cm in diameter as well as large boring in large limbs and stumps ( Wood 1982, 2007) but it has also been collected in twigs as small as 1 cm in diameter.

Figures

Figure 14. Dorsal, lateral, frontal and declivital view of Coptoborus ricini, 2.3 - 2.5 mm (A-C, M), C. ripley holotype, 3.5 mm (D-F, N), C. sagitticauda holotype, 2.3 mm (G-I, O), C. sarahconnor holotype, 2.3 mm (J-L, P). All photographs by SMS.