Temnocerus thesaurus ( Sharp 1889 )

Hamilton, R. W., 2010, Central American Temnocerus Thunberg, 1815 (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (128), pp. 1-42 : 39-40

Temnocerus thesaurus ( Sharp 1889)

( Fig. 55, 56 , 85 , 94 )

Type locality. Mexico, Tabasco, Teapa

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

Specimens examined. MEXICO: Holotype [male?] with the following data: Teapa, Jan. 1888, Smith, Rhynchites thesaurus type D. S. [hand written on card with specimen]; TYPE [circular label with red margin]; Teapa, Tabasco, H. H. S.; B. C. A. Col. iv.3, Rhynchites thesaurus Sharp ; Sharp coll. 1905-313 [label upside down on pin] ( BMNH). BELIZE: 1 male, Cayo District nr Teakettle Bank Pook’s Hill, 9- Jan-2003, sweeping, CR Bartlett; 1 female, Bel. [Belize], Mile 32, Western Highway, Aug. 14, 1977, C W & L O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB). COSTA RICA: 1 female, S. J. Escazu, 8 Feb 1987, G. E. Bohart ( CWOB). GUATEMALA: 1 male, Zacapa, 7 km S San Lorenzo, 18-vi- 1993, 900 m, beating Quercus , H & A Howden ( CMNC). 1 female, Chiq. [Chiquimula], Esquipula, 2 July 1985, W.E. Clark ( CWOB). HONDURAS: 1 female, com., Hwy. 1, 13 km. NW Comayagua, July 26, 1977, C.W. & L.B. O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, Cho. [Choluteca], 1 km W. San Marcos de Colon, July 24, 1977, 982 m, O’Briens & Marshall, C.W. O’Brien; 1 male, Com. [Comayagua], 13 km N. Comayagua, Hwy. 1, July 18, 1977, O’Briens & Marshall; 1 female, Francisco Morazan, El Rincon, 1 Dec. 1995, R. Turnbow; 1 male, [Francisco Morazan], El Par, 13 km NW. El Zamorano , July 27, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 1 female, F. Morazan, Dept. 8 Rincon, 15-x-1993, F.W. Skillman, JA.; 2 males, El Par, 13 km NW El Zamorano, July 27, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 3 males, 1078 m. Com., Siguatepeque, July 13, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 39 males and 27 females, com., Siguatepeque, July 15, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male and 4 females, Com., 2 km E. Siguatepeque, July 19, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, com., 3 km. SE. Siguatepeque, July 14, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, D.C. 6 mi. NW. Tegucigalpa, 4900’, vi-10-1974, O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male, com., 13 km. N. Comayagua, Hwy. 1, July 18, 1977, O’Brien & Marshall; 1 female, com., 10 km. E. Siguatepeque, July 19, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 2 females, com., 7 km. E. Siguatepeque, July 19, 1977, CW & LB O’Brien & Marshall; 1 female, Cho. 982 m. 1 km W. San Marcos de Colon , July 23, 1977, O’Briens & Marshall; 1 female, com., 21 km NW. Siguatepeque Ch. 5 Rd., Aug. 1, 1977, O’Briens & Marshall ( CWOB). MEXICO: 1 male, Oax., Temascal, vi-30-64, C.D. Johnson; 1 female, Nay., Is. Maria Madre, Rd. Balleto-La Antena, 26- 3-1984, 210 m, beating dry branches, A.N. Garcia Aldrete ; 1 female, Chis., 13 mi W. Tuxtla Gutierrez 3300’, Aug. 1, 1974, O’Brien & Marshall; 1male and 1 female, V.C., Palma Sola, 19-vii-1972, P. Reyes C.; 1 female, Veracruz, 1 km SW Coneja, 7 Sep 1982, Clark & Cave; 1 female, Ver., 29 mi. SE Jalapa 900’, Dec. 26, 1963, C.W. O’Brien; 1 female, Oaxaca, Temescal, vii-6-1965, G.H. Nelson & Family; 1 male, S.L.P. [San Luis Potosi], 2.4 mi. N. state border of Hidalgo & S.L.P., Jan-4-81, G. Riley; 1 female, SLP, Hwy. 85, 8 mi. N. Tamazunchale 700’, 24 July 1982, CW & L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer; 2 male and 1 female, Hgo., 1000’, Hwy. 105, 2 mi. NE. Tehuetlan, 7 May 1983, C.W. & L. O’Brien & GB Marshall; 1 female, Chiapas, 4 mi e Rizo de Oro , Hwy 190, 21-vi-1985, Askevold & Heffern; 1 female, Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta, 25 Jan 1984, G.E. Bohart; 1 female, Chiapas, 4 mi E Rizo de Oro, Hwy. 190, 21-vi-1985, Askevold & Heffern; 5 males and 5 females, Chiapas, S. Cristobal de las casas, 11-11-2001, on Mimosa sp. , 1-2 m. tall, C.W. O’Brien; 1 male, Chis., 7 mi. SE. Teopisca, 6800’, vi-5-1974, C.W. & L. O’Brien & Marshall; 1 male and 2 female, Chiapas, Palenque ruins, 28 February 1985, leg. D. G. Furth; 1 male, Chiapas, Chincultik, 29 Aug 1982, Clark & Cave, C.W. O’Brien; 1 female, Chis., 24 mi NW. Comitan, 7100’, vii-31- 1974, C & L O’Brien & Marshall; 1 female, Ver., Topilito (nr. Palma Sola), 19-vii-1972, G. Halffler et. al. ( CWOB). 1 male, Guerrero, 34.6 km S.W. Xochipala, 2030 m, 17.vii.1992, oak pastureland, 92-016, R.S. Anderson; 1 male, Chiapas, 6 Km SW Ocosingo , 29-vii-1983, 1050 m, R.S. Anderson; 1 male, Chiapas, 6 km SW Ocosingo, 22- ix-1991, 1400 m, wet oak/pine forest litt [litter], 91-116, R. Anderson; 1 male and 1 female, Chiapas, 6 km SW Ocosingo, 29-vii-1983, 1050 m, oak/pine forest, R. S. Anderson ( CMNC). 1 female, Oaxaca, Oax., vii-20-37, M. A. Embury ( CASC). 6 females, Oaxaca, 19 mi. S. San Miguel Suchixtepec , vii-17-1985, 85/069, Woolley & Zolnerowich; 1 female, Oaxaca, 6 mi NE Mitla, 20-vii-1985, Woolley & Zolnerowich; 1 female, Oaxaca, 9 mi NE Mitla, 20-vii-1985, 85/079, Woolley & Zolnerowich; 5 males, Oaxaca, 19 mi. S San Miguel Suchixtepec, vii-17-1985, 85/069, Woolley & Zolnerowich; 1 male, Oaxaca, 6 mi. NE Mitla, vii-20-1985, Woolley & Zolnerowich; 1 male, Oaxaca, 9 mi. NE Mitla, 20-vii- 1985, 85/079, Woolley & Zolnerowich ( TAMU).

Description. Color and pubescence: Body brownish black with distinct bronze to brassy luster. Pubescence composed of short fine inconspicuous reclinate setae. Size: Male (n = 78) 1.8 × 0.7 mm to 2.4 × 1.0 mm; Female (n = 71) 1.8 × 0.7 mm to 2.3 × 1.0 mm. Head subquadrate, slightly wider than long, moderately punctured, interspaces minutely granulose; frons.33 times wider than rostral base; eyes large, oval, moderately protuberant. Rostrum longer than head, slightly widened beyond antennal insertions, weakly depressed apically, with median dorsal channel in basal 1/3; channel minutely granulose, with small cup-like depression at junction of rostrum and head, moderately punctured laterally, smooth and shiny mid-dorsally beyond basal channel. Antennae longer than rostrum, inserted at basal 1/3 of rostrum; scape and funicular segment 1 ovoglobose, subequal, funicular segments 2-4 sub-equal, narrow, weakly clavate; segments 5-7 short bead-like; club segments subequal; terminal segment slightly longer and apically acuminate. Pronotum longer than wide, widest just beyond middle, densely punctured; interspaces minutely granulose, with single row of minute round granules. Scutellum small, rectangular, slightly wider than long, minutely punctured. Elytra about as long as pronotum, widened slightly behind middle; humeri simple; striae subquadrate, distinct throughout, moderately impressed; intervals weakly convex, with single row small setigerous punctures; strial interspaces with single small setigerous puncture. Thoracic pleura and sterna with moderately set coarse setigerous punctures. Abdominal ventrites weakly concave through middle, moderately set with small setigerous punctures throughout.

Distribution. A widespread species with specimens recorded from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica ( Fig. 94 ).

Comments. Temnocerus thesaurus is the most abundant species of Temnocerus in Central America based on the specimens available for this study. Adults are identified by their bronze to brassy luster and the following rostral characters: basal mid-dorsal channel, small cup-like depression at the mid-dorsal junction of the rostrum and head and the smooth shiny mid-dorsal strip extending from the end of the basal channel to the rostral apex. The aedeagus ( Fig. 85 ) has a slightly narrowed median lobe with the pedon apex weakly rounded. The tectum is spearhead-shaped and narrowly pointed. The tegminal cap piece is narrowly finger-like with sub-parallel sides and the knob-like pigmented apex bears a cluster of very short setae. Endophallic bands are short, linear and weakly defined.

Figures

Figure 47-58. Heads of Temnocerus species, frontal view, male left and female right. 47-48) T. rostralis n.sp., holotype and allotype. 49-50) T. rugosus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 51-52) T. salvensis n.sp., holotype and allotype; 53-54) T. tamaulipensis n.sp., holotype and allotype. 55-56) T. thesaurus (Sharp). 57-58) T. yucatensis 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 91-94. Distribution of Temnocerus species. 91) T. rugosus, red; T. obrieni, black; T. oaxacensis, blue; T. niger, green. 92) T. pseudaeratus, black; T. potosi, blue; T. cyaneus, green; T. oculatus, red. 93) T. pueblensis, red; T. pusillus, blue; T. regularis, black; T. salvensis, green. 94) T. tamaulipensis, red; T. thesaurus, blue; T. yucatensis, black.