Apotomoderes menocrater Franz, 2010

Franz, Nico, 2010, Revision and phylogeny of the Caribbean weevil genus Apotomoderes Dejean, 1834 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae), ZooKeys 49 (49), pp. 33-75 : 49-53

Apotomoderes menocrater Franz , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D196352B-4B83-4A30-9633-6A2BF03A25D6

Figs. 9 , 10

Diagnosis. Apotomoderes menocrater is most readily separated from other congeneric species by the larger, subfoveate punctures in the posterior half of the pronotum ( Fig. 9A, 9C ). Other diagnostic features include a more elongate shape and more tubular pronotum (particularly in males), the presence of grey metallic scales (though see comments on variation), only moderately protruded and more evenly convex eyes ( Fig. 9B ), the presence of a patch of suberect scales near the mesal anterior end of the declivity in females ( Fig. 9D ; shared with A. anodontos ), the apparently V-shaped uncinate rami along the ostium of the aedeagus (Fig. 10A), and the strongly curved cornu of the spermatheca (Fig. 10C).

Description - male. Length 5.40–9.05 mm, width 2.00– 3.50 mm, length/width ratio 2.58–2.70 (N=10), more elongate than oval, widest at humeri. Linear piliform scales relatively sparse, transparent white or yellow to light brown. With variable patterns of creamy white, gray metallic (several hues), light rusty brown (less abundant), and variously grayish or light to dark brown scales, particularly the creamy white and gray metallic scales have an underlying, greenish-turquoise-pinkish-yellowish iridescence (“opal gray”; cf. Lacordaire 1963b: 82). Rostrum length 0.70–1.12 mm, rostrum/pronotum length ratio 0.38–0.42, rostrum length/width ratio 0.78–0.80, depressed region basad of epistoma covered with pale pink metallic scales, thereafter increasingly with creamy white and variously brownish scales. Head ( Fig. 9C ) with eyes (only moderately) protruded, almost evenly globular, posteriorly not abruptly curved, rostrum and head in lateral view only moderately angulate. Pronotum ( Fig. 9C ) length/width ratio 1.00–1.22, pronotum/elytra length ratio 0.42–0.48, pronotum equilateral to elongate, relatively narrow and only slightly globular (subtubular in small males), anteriorly slightly constricted, punctures in posterior half of pronotum larger, subfoveate, scales dorsally predominantly darker (grayish and brown), laterally with wider, irregularly shaped and variously interspersed stripe of creamy white scales. Metendosternite more elongate than in A. lateralis (less laterally expanded), ventral margin nearly 2× wider than dorsal width of stalk, furcal arms diverging at nearly 30° in relation to medial keel. Profemur/pronotum length ratio 1.06–1.10, profemur with anteromesal tooth only moderately large (in comparison with males of congeneric species), triangular, protibia/profemur length ratio 0.96–1.00, anteromesal projection and associated teeth of protibia only weakly projected, basally rounded, scales predominantly creamy white and variously brown, interspersed with pale turquoise and pinkish metallic. Elytra length/width ratio 1.78–1.92, more narrowly triangular in general appearance, widest at humeri, thereafter slightly yet continuously narrowed (attenuate), elytra predominantly with creamy white, gray metallic, and brown scales, each color varying in abundance and micro-patterns, in some specimens interspersed with light rusty brown and pale blue metallic scales, punctures with or without a creamy to transparent white scale. Wing/body length ratio 1.23–1.35, wing length/ width ratio 3.30–3.62 (N=2).

Terminalia with sclerites of sternum VIII diamond-shaped, posterior margin strongly angulate. Spiculum gastrale with furcal arms apically strongly curved out-

Figure |0. Terminalia of A. menocrater : A aedeagus, ventral and lateral view B sternum VIII, female C spermatheca.

wards. Aedeagus (Fig. 10A) with median lobe length/width relation 7.08–8.00 (N=5), lateral margins subparallel in basal 5/6 (greatest width near mid region), thereafter nearly straight and converging to very small, lobe-like, apically narrowly rounded projection. Median lobe in lateral view only slightly (though homogeneously) curved, mid region (second and third fourth of entire length) nearly straight, greatest width near base of ostium, apically with a small, very narrow lobe-like projection that is minimally expanded and reclined. Internal sac with 2 moderately sclerotized, uncinate, apically obliquely truncate rami, positioned in ostium and reclined mesally, creating the impression of a V-shaped transparent area in apical half of ostium.

Female. Largest specimens longer and wider than males, length 6.26–11.88 mm, width 2.15–4.60 mm, length/width ratio 2.58–2.92 (N=10), otherwise very similar to males. Rostrum length 0.75–1.33 mm, rostrum/pronotum length ratio 0.42–0.46, rostrum length/width ratio 0.78–0.80. Eyes slightly smaller than in males. Pronotum ( Fig. 9A ) length/width ratio 1.00–1.02, pronotum/elytra length ratio 0.37–0.39, pronotum less globular than in males, subtubular. Profemur/pronotum length ratio 1.06– 1.10, profemoral tooth slightly smaller than in males, protibia/profemur length ratio 0.95–1.02, anteromesal projection and associated teeth only weakly developed. Elytra ( Figs. 9A, 9D ) length/width ratio 1.86–2.08, lateral margins subparallel in anterior half, thereafter gradually and roundly converging, mesal interval and stria I at point

just posteriad of anterior end of declivity with a small, subcircular, slightly elevated (convex) tuft with longer, suberect, linear, transparent white scales.

Terminalia with sternum VIII (Fig. 10B) with posterior 2/5 (lamina) triangular, anterior margins rounded, not projected, lateral margins sinuate, expanded (“alate”) in anterior half, posterior setae relatively sparse. Spermatheca (Fig. 10C) U-shaped, ramus and collum angled at nearly 45°, subcontiguous, collum very short, ramus moderately long, corpus reduced, overall (“swollen”), cornu very long, very strongly angled/ curved at basal 2/5, thereafter more gradually curved and continuously narrowed towards end which is positioned on the same plane yet oriented at nearly 180° in relation to proximal end of spermatheca.

Variation. This species is perhaps the most externally variable within the genus. Specimens differ in size by a factor of nearly two, and this variation is partly mirrored in larger specimens having a slightly more globular (as opposed to subtubular) pronotum and more conspicuously “armed” prolegs. The size, abundance and extension of subfoveate punctures on the pronotum are variable. However, the most dramatic intraspecific differences are manifested in the scale patterns and colors, ranging in general appearance from almost entirely “silver” (light opal gray scales) to tan and darker brown, yet also (less commonly) reddish or rusty brown, with many combinations of larger or more localized micro-patterns (resulting in a checkered appearance).

Material examined. Male holotype “ D. R. Pedernales, Las Cuevas, Bahía de las Águilas Station, afternoon & night collecting (incl. Hg & UV lights), 40 m, N 17°51'43.8’’ W 71°38'18.3’’ / Jun 08/2008 (RD 8–3), Leg. N. Franz, J. Girón, A. Mazo, S. Navarro ” ( UPRM). Paratypes, same label information as male holotype ( CMNC: 1 male, 1 female; CWOB: 3 males, 3 females; FSCA: 1 male, 1 female; MNHD: 1 male, 1 female; NMNH: 1 male, 1 female; UPRM: 12 males, 3 females; WIBF: 1 male, 1 female) ; “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Pedernales Prov., Cabo Rojo , 18 May 1992, R. Turnbow” ( CMNC: 1 female) ; “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Pedernales Prov., Cabo Rojo, 20 May 1992, R. Turnbow ” ( CMNC: 1 male, 1 female); “DO- MINICAN REPUBLIC, Pedernales Prov., Cabo Rojo , 21 May 1992, R. Turnbow ” ( CMNC: 1 male); “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Pedernales, 23–24 km. N Cabo Rojo, 535 m, 11 July 1996, R. Turnbow ” ( CMNC: 1 male); “REPUBLICA DO- MINICANA, Pedernales, Oviedo, dry forest, 5–8-VI-2001, H. Takizawa ” ( MNHD: 1 male); “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Prov. Pedernales, Cabo Rojo, Alcoa, 1–3-VII- 1998, R. E. Woodruff, Lignum vitae leaves” ( FSCA: 2 males, 1 female); “DOMINI- CAN REPUBLIC: Pedernales Prov., PN Jaragua, 3 km S. of Los Tres Charcos, 99 m. ; 17°48.063' N, 71°26.809' W, 16-VI-2005; Gino Nearns ” ( FSCA: 1 male); “REPUB- LICA DOMINICANA, Pedernales, midway Oviedo-Cabo Rojo, dried busch [sic], 10-VI-2001, H. Takizawa ” ( MNHD: 1 male); “DOM. REP.: Prov. Pedernales, Cabo Rojo , 24–28 AUG 1988, in pool & at light, 0–10 m, M. A. Ivie, T. K. Philips & K. A. Johnson colrs.” ( WBIF: 3 males); “DOMIN. REP: Pr. Pedernales, 0.5 km N. Cabo Rojo, 18°00' N, 71°39' W, 140 ft., 10 JULY 1993, D. S. Sikes & R. P. Rosenfeld, uv light’’ ( WBIF: 1 male) ; “DOMIN. REP: Prov. Pedernales, P. N. Jaragua, Savana del Plato , 17°55.480' N, 71°30.983' W, 12.2 km N. Oviedo, 28 JULY 1999, G. Domini- ci, beating pimenta’’ ( WBIF: 1 male); “DOMIN. REP: Pr. Pedernales, P. N. Jaragua, “El Papayo”, 17°54.252' N, 71°30.688' W, 29 JULY 1999, 195 m, G. Dominici, on Pimenta’’ (WBIF: 2 males, 1 female) .

Etymology. Named for the characteristic, subfoveate punctures on the pronotum that resemble a moon crater landscape, with mene signifying “moon” and krater signifying “vessel, crater” (Brown 1956).

Natural history. Apotomoderes menocrater is known to occur in the lower elevation coastal dry forest habitats of the southwestern Pedernales province of the Dominican Republic: Jaragua National Park, Cabo Roho, Los Tres Charcos, and Oviedo (Fig. 18). The species likely also occurs in southern Haiti (cf. Lacordaire 1963b: 82). Label information (G. Dominici) suggests an association of adults with “lignum vitae” (“guayacán”; Guaiacum officinale Linnaeus – Zygophyllaceae ) and “pimenta” (“allspice”; Pimenta Lindley – Myrtaceae ); although the specific host plant associations remain unknown.

Figures

Figure 9. Habitus of A. menocrater: A female, dorsal view B female, lateral view C male, head and pronotum, dorsal view, showing subfoveate punctures D female, declivity with patch of suberect setae, lateral view.