Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus LeConte, 1851

Smith, Aaron D., Dornburg, Rebecca & Wheeler, Quentin D., 2014, Larvae of the genus Eleodes (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae): matrix-based descriptions, cladistic analysis, and key to late instars, ZooKeys 415, pp. 217-268 : 227-228

Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus LeConte, 1851 Figs 2B , 4C , 9B , 11B

Material examined.

Larval Eleodes armatus specimens were reared from adults with the following collecting information: "USA: CA: Riverside Co. / Palm Desert, 38th Ave / off Washington St. / N33.7721, W116.3071 / 10.X.2010, ADSmith"; "USA: AZ: Maricopa Co. / Phoenix, E. Eugie Ave / & 7th St. N33°36.665' / W112°03.849', 418 m., / 25 May 2011, R.Dornburg." A total of 1805 eggs and larvae were reared and examined for this study, with 128 persisting to the 2nd instar or later. The following description is based on a detailed examination of fifteen 8-11th instar specimens

Description.

TL: 21.0-35.0 mm, HW: 2.4-3.8 mm, PL: 2.4-3.4 mm, PW: 2.9-4.6 mm.

Head. Prognathous or weakly declined; weakly dorsoventrally flattened; width nearly equal to prothorax; sides rounded; strongly constricted before occipital foramen; color ferruginous, more heavily pigmented than body segments; punctation minute, dense, separated by 1-2 puncture diameters. Epicranial suture stem length approximately one-fourth head capsule length; frontal arms sinuate, not obscured by sculpturing. Frons weakly rugose. Epicranial plates weakly rugose dorsally; lateral portions moderately setose; ventral portion of each plate with row of six or more long setae along anterior margin near buccal cavity confluent with setae on lateral portions of plates, and a patch of short setae medially, forming a triangular pattern with its base near the anterior margin. Two stemmata present on each epicranial plate, pigmented spots often faded. Clypeus trapezoidal, swollen, darker medially in basal half, minutely punctate, punctation moderately dense, separated by 2-4 puncture diameters. Labrum swollen, sides rounded, basal half more darkly pigmented, medial setal row with seven to eight erect setae, subapical setal row with seven to eight erect setae, anterior margin straight to weakly emarginate. Epipharynx ( Fig. 9B ) anterior setal row with six stout spiniform setae, anterolateral margins with micro-setation; six anterior sensory papillae present, arranged in two irregular rows, each with two posterior papillae and one near the anterior margin; four subanterior sensory papillae present, arranged as a transverse row subtended by two spinose setae; eight posterior sensory papillae present, arranged in an irregular cluster. Tormae asymmetric, left torma smaller. Ligula apex lacking microsetae, two long subapical setae present ventrally, eight or more subapical setae present dorsally. Hypopharyngeal sclerome pentagonal, tricuspidate. Gula distinct, trapezoidal, widest in basal half, length less than maximum width. Antenna three segmented, cylindrical, first segment longer than second.

Thorax. Thoracic tergites light tan to ferruginous, prothoracic sternite anterior to legs ferruginous, thoracic sternites posterior to prolegs light brown. Prothoracic tergum wider than long, 1.2 × or more length of meso-, metaterga; anterior transverse striated band present, darker than protergal disc; lateral margins with distinct granu lated band, darker than protergal disc. Posterior transverse striated band present on all thoracic tergites, unicolorous brown. Meso- and metathoracic tergites wider than long, each with a heavily sclerotized transverse line present on anterior fifth. Thoracic tergites sparsely setose on dorsal surfaces, lateral margins more densely setose. Mesothoracic spiracle simple, ovate, approximately 1.5 × size of abdominal spiracles; reduced metathoracic spiracle visible, less than one-fourth size of mesothoracic spiracle. Legs. Prothoracic leg slightly longer, much thicker than meso- and metathoracic legs; prothoracic tarsungulus strongly sclerotized, sickle-shaped; prothoracic trochanter with two stout spines ventromedially; prothoracic femur with ventromedial row of six to ten spines, dorsal surface with faintly indicated basal sclerotized band; prothoracic tibia with ventromedial row of eight to eleven spines or spinose setae, dorsal surface slightly more sclerotized than ventral surface. Mesotibia with five to seven ventromedial spines.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites and sternites light tan to ferruginous, with slightly darker transverse striated bands present along posterior margins of segments I-VIII, forming near contiguous unicolorous band around segments. Abdominal sternite I moderately clothed in long erect setae from anterior margin to near midline. Abdominal laterotergites with lateral margins distinctly pigmented. Abdominal segment IX (pygidium) triangular in dorsal view, gradually reflexed to apex, urogomphi absent, apex forming a distinct tooth, sparsely clothed in short and mid length erect setae, sclerotized uniformly throughout, lacking maculations; marginal row of 22-24 socketed spines present, arranged as single row around posterior two-thirds to one half of segment. Abdominal sternites I-VIII lacking longitudinal tomentose bands along lateral margins. Pygopods short, subconical, each with 11-15 erect setae.

Diagnosis.

Eleodes armatus larvae can be separated from the other currently known Eleodes species by presence of an apical tooth on the pygidium and the absence of stout spiniform setae on the anterolateral margins of the epipharnyx.

Figures

Figure 2. Dorsal habitus of four Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Caverneleodes) wheeleri; B Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus C Eleodes (Eleodes) caudiferus D Eleodes (Eleodes) tribulus. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 4. Lateral habitus of three Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Blapylis) nigropilosus B Eleodes (Caverneleodes) wheeleri C Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 9. Epipharynges of four Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Melaneleodes) carbonarius B Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus C Eleodes (Eleodes) hispilabris D Eleodes (Eleodes) tribulus. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 11. Ligulas of three Eleodes species: A Eleodes (Melaneleodes) carbonarius B Eleodes (Eleodes) armatus C Eleodes (Promus) goryi. Scale bars = 200 µm.