Temnocerus guatemalenus ( Sharp 1889 )

Hamilton, R. W., 2010, Central American Temnocerus Thunberg, 1815 (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (128), pp. 1-42 : 17-20

Temnocerus guatemalenus ( Sharp 1889)

( Fig. 17, 18 , 66 , 89 )

Rhynchites debilis Sharp, 1889 , new synonymy

Type locality. Guatemala, Chiacaman

Type depository. The Natural History Museum, London, England ( BMNH)

Specimens examined. GUATEMALA: Holotype male with the following data: Chiacaman, Guat., Rhynchites guatemalenus , type D.S. [on card with mounted specimen]; Type [circular label with red margin]; Chiacam [sic], Guatemala; B.C.A. Col. iv-3, Rhynchites guatemalenus Sharp ; Sharp Coll. 1905- 313 [upside down on pin]. 2 females, Guatemala, Sta. Catarina Pinula, 1800 m, ii. vi.1991, H & A Howden; 1 male, Baja Verapaz, 6.6 km W. Chilasco, 1880 m., 26.v.1991, H & A Howden; 1 female, km 127-129 on Rd to Coban, 1250 m. Baja Verapaz, 20.v.1991, H & A Howden ( CMNC). 1 male, 8 mi. E Chimaltenango, vi-7-1974, 6400’, O’Briens & Marshall ( CWOB). BELIZE: 1 male and 2 females, S.C., Mile 20 Southern Highway, Aug. 19, 1977, CW & L O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, Cayo, St. Augustine, Aug. 21, 1977, CW & L O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, Orange Walk Distr. Rio Bravo Conservat. Area Vic. La Milpa Field Station , vii.8-13.1996, W.B. Warner, J. Shuey, P. Kovarik, and O’Brien; 1 female, Cayo, 22 mi. SE. Belmopan, Aug. 18, 1977, CW & L O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB). HONDURAS: 1 male, El Paraiso, El Barro, Danli, 14 November, 1988, R.D. Cave Collr. ; 1 male, Fco. Morazan, Tegucigalpa, Mateo, 3 Sep 1989, Cordia curassavica, Floracion, R. Cordero. 14 rcol. ( RDCC). 1 female, Olancho, 22 km S La Union, 30- Nov. 1995, R. Turnbow; 1 female, Fra., 34 mi. N. Talanga, vi-12-1974, 2400’, CW & L O’Brien & Marshall; 2 females, Com., Lago Yojoa, July 19, 1974, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 2 males, Cho., 982 m. 1 km W San Marcos de Colon, July 24, 1977, O’Briens & Marshall; 1 male, Atl., 6 km SW Tela, Aug. 6, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, Ola., 5 mi. SE. Catacamas, vi-14-1974, C.W. & L. O’Brien; 2 males, Cop., 2 mi. S. Nueva Arcadia, vii-24-1974, 2000’, O’Briens & Marshall; 1 male and 2 females, Francisco Morazan, Cerro Uyuca, 15 July 2001, 4500’, R. Turnbow; 1 female, Com., 21 km NW. Siguatepeque Ch. 5 Rd., Aug. 1, 1977, O’Briens & Marshall, 1 male, Atl., 10 km W. La Ceiba, Aug. 6, 1977, CW & L O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB). 1 male, Chamelecon, Cortes, 1. ix.1993, Mimosa pigra var. pigra, M. Martinez (ANIC) . MEXICO: 1 female, Chiapas, Hwy 199, 3.5 km S Rio Tulija, 29-v-1987, DA Rider & E.G. & T.J. Riley; 1 male and 1 female, Veracruz, 8 km S Santecoma [Santacomapan], 7 Sep 1982, Clark & Cave; 1 male, Chiapas, 8 km NE Rizo de Oro, 23 Aug 1982, Clark & Cave; 1 male, Ver. 5 mi. SE. Montepio, 23 Aug. 1982, 50’, C.W. & L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer; 1 male, Ver., Los Tuxtlas, Biol. Sta. UNAM, 23 Aug. 1982, 250’, C & L. O’Brien & Wibmer; 1 male, Chiapas, 12.5 mi. S. Palenque, 23.vi.1985, Askevold & Heffern; 1 female, Chiapas, Romulo Calzada, 6-iii-1988, R. Barba, E. Barrera, A. Cadena; 1 female, Chiapas, 3.5 n. Ocosingo , Hwy #199, 23.vi.1985, Askevold & Heffern ( CWOB). 2 male, Oaxaca, 11 mi. n. Matias Romero , July 6, 1971, Clark , Murray , Hart , Schaffner ; 1 female, Oaxaca, 32.8 mi. northwest Jalapa del Marques , July 13, 1971, Clark , Murray , Hart , Schaffner ; 1 male and 1 female, Oaxaca, 3 mi. se. Rio Hondo , July 17, 1981, Bogar , Schaffner , Friedlander ; 1 male and 4 females, Chis. [Chiapas], 3 mi. S. Solusuchiapa, vi-15-65, Burke , Meyer , Schaffner ( TAMU). 1 male, Oaxaca, 17 mi. SW. Valle Nacional , 24. vi. 83, 3700’, S & J Peck; 4 males and 1 female, Oax., 13 km. S. Tuxtepec, 60m, 26.vi.83, Kaulbars ; 1 male, Q. Roo, Kohunlich Ruins , 30 mi. E. Chetumal, 15.vii.1983, 350’ mix palm forest, Anderson ( CMNC). 3 males and 2 females, Veracruz State, Tlalixcoyan , 18-19 Aug. 2003, on Mimosa pigra, R. Segura, M. Martinez, T. Heard ; 4 males and 6 females, Ver., Alvarado , 16-iii-86, ex. Sida acuta, KLS Harley ; 2 male and 1 female, Veracruz, Boca del Rio , 18/04/91, on flower Mimosa pigra var. pigra, R. Segura & M. Martinez (ANIC) ; 1 male and 3 females, Veracruz, 12 Feb 2007, from Mimosa pigra , ex. quarantine colony, tested for control of M. pigra, M. Segura & M. Martinez, Brisbane Australia ; 2 males and 2 females [same as previous except 8 Dec. 2003]; 2 males and 3 females [same as previous except 4 May 2004]; 4 males and 1 female [same as previous except El Nanche, 7 June 2005]; 2 males and 3 females [same as previous except 26 July 2005]; 3 males and 2 females, [same as previous except 19 October 2005]; 2 males and 3 females [same as previous except 19 Dec 2005]; 3 males and 2 females [same as previous except 23 Dec 2007]; 2 males and 3 females [same as previous except 21 Aug 2008]; 2 males and 3 females, Guerrero, 30 Aug 2005 ( RWHC). PANAMA: 1 male, P. Panama, Santa Rita , Cerro Cama , 7-xii-1975, S. Martinez ( CWOB).

Description. Color and pubescence: Body black throughout with faint bluish or brassy luster. Pubescence composed of short reclinate pale brownish setae; abdominal ventrites with more numerous erect to semi-erect setae through middle. Size: Male (n = 44) 2.1 × 0.9 mm to 2.3 × 0.9 mm; Female (n = 32) 2.1 × 0.9 to 2.4 × 1.1 mm. Head quadrate about as wide as long, moderately punctured; punctures small round; interspaces minutely granulose; eyes large, oval, moderately protuberant; frons about twice as wide as rostral base. Rostrum distinctly longer than head, subequal in length to pronotum, with weak median basal channel, densely punctured from base to near apex, distinctly widened at apex, arcuate in lateral view, only slightly flattened apically. Antenna inserted at basal 1/3; scape and funicular segment 1 ovoglobose, subequal in length; funicular segment 1 more clavate and robust; segments 2-4 subequal, narrowly clavate; segments 5-7 shorter, bead-like; club abruptly widened; basal and middle segments subequal; terminal segment smaller, weakly acuminate. Pronotum slightly longer than wide, widest just behind middle, densely punctured; interspaces minutely granulose. Elytra about twice as long as pronotum, widest behind middle; humeri simple; striae quadrate, moderately impressed, becoming smaller posteriorly; intervals weakly raised, with row setigerous punctures; interspaces between striae with single setigerous puncture. Thoracic pleura and sterna with dense, coarse, setigerous punctures. Abdominal ventrites moderately set with setigerous punctures; punctures small; some interspaces minutely granulate.

Distribution. Adults of this species are recorded from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama ( Fig. 89 ). The type locality given by Sharp (1889) is Chiacam, Guatemala which is now known as Chiajan.

Comments. Temnocerus guatemalenus is recognized by the small, round, rather widely spaced head punctures and the minutely granulose interspaces that have a silky appearance ( Fig. 17, 18 ). Temnocerus guatemalenus is closely related to T. pusillus but the dense pronotal punctures of that species differ from the moderately punctured pronotum of T. guatemalenus . The bluish luster mentioned by Sharp in the original description is very faint in all specimens examined. The aedeagus ( Fig. 66 ) has the median lobe distinctly narrowed with the pedon apex narrowly truncate. The tectum is spearhead-shaped. The tegminal cap piece is finger-like with the small pigmented apex bearing a cluster of very short setae. The endophallic bands are short, linear and weakly defined. The aedeagus is very similar to that of T. pusillus ( Fig. 79 ) and supports a close relationship for these two species. In this paper, specimens described as T. debilis by Sharp are conditionally grouped here with T. guatemalenus and seem to differ only in having a more brassy luster to the upper surface.

Plant association. Adult specimens have been associated with Mimosa pigra (L.) in the family Fabaceae . In a host specificity study, females oviposited only in M. pigra (Tim Heard, ANIC, 2005 communication). Single records from Sida acuta (Burm.) in the Malvaceae and Cordia curassavica (Jacq.) in the Boraginaceae are most likely not hosts.

Figures

Figure 11-22. Heads of Temnocerus species, frontal view, male left and female right. 11-12) T. cyaneus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 13-14) T. ellus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 15-16) T. giganteus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 17-18) T. guatemalenus (Sharp). 19-20) T. guerrerensis n.sp., holotype and allotype. 21-22) T. herediensis n.sp., holotype and allotype.

Figure 59-86. Aedeagal tegmen and median lobe of Temnocerus species, dorsal view, 64X. 59) T. abdominalis (Voss). 60) T. chiapensis n. sp. 61) T. chiriquensis (Sharp). 62) T. confertus (Sharp). 63) T. cyaneus n. sp. 64) T. ellus n. sp. 65) T. giganteus n. sp.; 66) T. guatemalenus (Sharp). 67) T. guerrerensis n. sp. 68) T. herediensis n. sp. 69) T. mexicanus n. sp. 70) T. michoacensis n. sp. 71) T. minutus n. sp. 72) T. niger n. sp. 73) T. oaxacensis n. sp. 74) T. obrieni n. sp. 75) T. oculatus (Sharp). 76) T. potosi n. sp. 77) T. pseudaeratus n. sp. 78) T. pueblensis n. sp. 79) T. pusillus (Sharp). 80) T. regularis (Sharp). 81) T. rostralis n. sp. 82) T. rugosus n. sp. 83) T. salvensis n. sp. 84) T. tamaulipensis n. sp. 85) T. thesaurus (Sharp) 86) T. yucatensis n. sp.

Figure 87-90. Distribution of Temnocerus species. 87) T. abdominalis, red; T. chiapensis, blue; T. chiriquensis, black; T. rostralis, green. 88) T. confertus, red; T. ellus, blue; T. giganteus, black. 89) T. guerrerensis, blue; T. guatemalenus, red; T. herediensis, black. 90) T. mexicanus, red; T. michoacensis, blue; T. minutus, black.