Epicauta (Macrobasis) lauta rossi Werner

Pinto, John D. & Clark, William H., 2022, New Records of Meloidae (Coleoptera) from the Baja California Peninsula, with Description of a New Species of Lytta Fabricius, The Coleopterists Bulletin 76 (1), pp. 45-53 : 46-47

Epicauta (Macrobasis) lauta rossi Werner

The nominate subspecies of Epicauta lauta Horn is fairly widespread in southwestern North America ( Pinto 1991; Werner et al. 1966) but it has not been recorded from the Baja Peninsula. Epicauta l. rossi has previously been known only from Baja California Sur ( García-París et al. 2007).

Baja California: El Arco , 3.2 km S (28°N, 113°23′W; 290 m); viii-17-1982; UVL trap; 10; W. H. Clark, P. E. Blom, D. Ward Jr; CIDA, CICESE. El Arco, 34 km NE (Rancho Mina; 28°13′N, 113°10′W; 550 m); viii-16-1982; UVL trap; 2; W. H. Clark, P. E. Blom, D. W. Ward, Jr, Earthwatch Team; CIDA. Rancho Santa Ines, 9 km NW (29°46′N, 114°46′W); ix-8-1993; UVL; 22; W. H. Clark; CIDA. Rancho Laguna Chapala, 5.4 mi .

E (25°26′N, 114°19′W; 800 m); ix-6-1993; UVL; 1; W. H. Clark; CIDA. New state record .

Epicauta (Epicauta) pedalis LeConte

Previously known only from Baja California Sur ( Pinto 1991).

Baja California: Cataviña area (29.79660°, −114.76176°; 670 m); x-1-2017; ex. Solanum hindsianum ; 3; W. H. Clark, D. W. Ward Jr (#464); CIDA. New state record .

Epicauta (Epicauta) tenebrosa Werner

Epicauta tenebrosa is an uncommonly collected species previously known only from southern Arizona and northern Sonora ( Pinto 1991).

Baja California: Rancho Santa Ines , 9 km NW (29°46′N, 114°46′W; 550 m); ix-1-1989 / iv-26- 1990; pitfall trap; 1; W. Clark, P. Blom; CIDA. New peninsular record .

Epicauta (Macrobasis) tenella (LeConte)

Epicauta tenella is a widespread southwestern desert species in the USA ( Pinto 1991; Werner et al. 1966). It has been recorded from Baja California Sur by several authors (e.g., Werner et al. 1966) but without specific localities.

Baja California: San Felipe; vii-19-1991; at UV light; 1; W. H. and M. Clark; CIDA. San Felipe , 15 km NW (31.13239°, −114.94160°; 96 m); ix-10- 2015; 2; W. H. Clark; CICESE, CIDA. New state record .

Baja California Sur: San José del Cabo , 10 mi. SW; vii-9-1938; 1; Michelbacher, Ross; CAS ( Radford 1960) .

Lytta (Poreospasta) auriculata Horn

Lytta auriculata is a common chaparral and desertic southern California and Arizona species ( Selander 1960). The only previous record for the peninsula was based on three specimens and given as “Metero Beach” by Selander (1960). Selander questionably assigned the locality to the northern state but it was not located. We have examined two of these specimens (EMEC); both are on the same pin. The third specimen was not located. Clearly, the label was misread as “Metero Beach”. The first letter of the locality is illegible but the remainder is indicated as “_stero Beach”. It seems likely that the label was intended to read “Estero Beach” which is in Ensenada.

Baja California: Cataviña; iv-17-1965; 1; D. Cavagnaro, C. and E. Ross, V. Vesterby; CAS. El Rosario, 1 mi. E (100′); iv-1968; 1; S. Williams; CAS. Ensenada; v-31-1954; 1; LACM. [E?]stero Beach; iv-24; 2; EMEC. Laguna Chapala, “dunas” (29.36708°, −114.36019°); iii-30-2017; 1; E. Lopez-Reyes, F. Ceccarelli; CIDA. Meling Ranch, 8 mi. W; iii-17-1972; on fls. of Argemone ; 1; J. Doyen; EMEC. Rancho Santa Ines, 9 km NW (29°46′N, 114°46′W; 550 m); iii-24-1993, iii-28/29-2004, iv-4-1985 [on Opuntia echinocarpa (now Cylindropuntia ganderi subsp. catavinensis Rebman )], v-1-1995 (ex. Malaise trap); 11; W. H. and M. Clark/W. Clark, D. Ward/W. and M. Clark/ G. Hoheisel, D. Ward Jr; CIDA, CICESE. San Antonio de las Minas; iv-18-2009; 1; G. Flores; CICESE. San Pedro Martir, 3 mi. E Meling Ranch (2,500′); v-26-1958; on Sphaeralcea ; 3; J. Powell; EMEC. Santo Domingo, nr, 5.7 mi. E Hamilton Ranch; iv-24-1963; 2; H. Leach, P.Arnaud Jr; CAS. Sierra San Pedro Martir, 4 mi. E Socorro; v-27- 1958; 1; J. Powell; EMEC. San Pedro Martir; vi-4- 1958; 1; W. Patterson; EMEC. San Pedro Martir, Socorro Grade; vi-9-1953; 1; J. Figg-Hublyn; CAS. San Telmo (mine), 1 km SE (29°35′N, 114°46′W); vi-18-1990 / iii-19-1991; pitfall trap; 1; W. and E. Clark; CIDA. Socorro; vi-4-1949; on Mexican poppy fl.; 2; F. Keen; OSAC. Valle de Trinidad, nr. Zapopita; iv-9/14-1961; 1; Truxal; LACM.

Baja California Sur: Rancho Tablon, 13 km S Guillermo Prieto ; iv-16/18-1983; 2 (1 ex Malaise trap); C. and E. Slansky / M. Wasbauer; JHC. New state record .

Lytta (Poreospasta) lugens (LeConte)

Lytta lugens was previously known only from southern California ( Selander 1960).

Baja California: Laguna Hansen ; vii-10-1938; 1; LACM. Sierra Juarez, 5 mi. N La Huerta (3,600′); vi-9-1970; on Lotus sp. ; 1; E. Sleeper; CAS. New peninsular record .

Lytta (Paralytta) magister Horn

Lytta magister is a relatively common species in the southwestern USA deserts and has been record- ed from NW Sonora ( Selander 1960).

Baja California: Agua Caliente, nr. Valle Chico (30.65580°N, 115.16940°W; 520 m); iv-21-2015; on Encelia infl.; 1; W. Clark, R. Westcott; CIDA. Mesa Escondida, 8 mi. NNW Cataviña (29.8027°N, 114.7355°W; 872 m); iv-3-2016; 1; D. Ward Jr; CIDA. San Felipe, ca. 28 km S (30.76809°, −114.79587°); ii-16-2019; 1; ( ID verified from photo provided by Jorge H. Valdez Villavicencio). New peninsular and state record .

Baja California Sur: Isla San Marcos ; iv-22- 1952; 2; J. Figg-Hoblyn; CAS ( Radford 1960, unpublished). La Paz, 21 mi. W; ii-29-1960; 5; D. Porter; CAS. New peninsular and state record .

Lytta (Paralytta) margarita (Fall)

When Lytta was revised by Selander (1960) specimens of L. margarita were unknown in collections.

The unique male holotype from Isla Santa Margarita (Fuchs Collection), probably originally in the CAS, was presumed lost by Selander, likely destroyed in the San Francisco fire. The only additional record of this distinctive species, an individual from Guerrero Negro, was noted but without details by Pinto (1985). Records that have accumulated since the original description are provided here.

Baja California Sur: Guerrero Negro ; iii-18- 1967; D. Verity; 1; UCRC . Isla Santa Margarita , “frente”; iii-10-1981; 2; J. Mathieu; UCRC . Puerto Argudin ; iii-10-1981; ex. Abronia gracilis ; 2; J. Mathieu; UCRC . San Ignacio , 69.5 km NW; v-29- 1973; 1; E. Sleeper; CAS .

Lytta (Paralytta) nitidicollis (LeConte)

Lytta nitidicollis is a chaparral species occurring primarily in southwestern California ( Selander 1960). Fall (1901) recorded the species from the Baja Peninsula but did not indicate specific localities. Selander (1960) questionably assigned Fall’s record to the northern state.

Baja California: Ensenada ; iv-6-1938; 1; W. Simonds; CAS ( Radford 1960, unpublished) . San Pedro Martir , 3 mi. W. Socorro; v-26-1958; 18; J. Powell; EMEC . Sierra San Pedro Martir Natl Prk (1 km W Meling Ranch); vi-14-1976; 1; R . Kewin; CAS. Sierra San Pedro Martir Natl Prk (Observatory Rd, 32 mi. E Hwy 1); vi-20-1975; 1; R . Kewin; CAS.