Cactophagus lingorum Anderson

Anderson, Robert S., 2002, The Dryophthoridae of Costa Rica and Panama: Checklist with keys, new synonymy and descriptions of new species of Cactophagus, Mesocordylus, Metamasius and Rhodobaenus (Coleoptera; Curculionoidea), Zootaxa 80, pp. 1-94 : 34-37

Cactophagus lingorum Anderson , new species

( Figs. 25­26 , 29­32 )

Identification.—This species is recognized by its dorsal color pattern ( Figs. 25­26 ), slen­ der form, densely pilose broadly carinate pygidium ( Fig. 32 ), and virtually completely pilose and widely dilated third tarsal articles. This species has the superficial appearance of C. laetus (Erichson) but the latter has the intervals in the region of the subapical callus of the elytra distinctively modified, tumescent and merged, less extensive pilosity on the venter of the third tarsal articles, and an evenly convex pygidium.

Description.— Male, not known. Female, length, 9.5­11.1 mm; width 3.3­3.7 mm. Color black except for pronotum with very broad orange maculation on each side of midline throughout length of pronotum, and small round lateromedian orange spot on flanks; elytra with pair of large orange maculations covering nearly entire disc with the exception of humerus, interval 10 and various lengths of the apical portions of intervals 1­9 which are black in an obliquely defined posterolateral area.

Rostrum about three­quarters length pronotum; elongate, moderately robust, cylindrical and shining in apical one­half, evenly curved, moderately coarsely punctate laterally and dorsally at base, otherwise shallowly, finely punctate throughout; apical one­third glabrous and virtually impunctate; base of rostrum very slightly and gradually expanded, basal expanded area about one­fourth total rostral length. Rostrum glabrous ventrally; peduncle with slight to moderately developed anteriorly directed anterior tooth; bilamellate. Scrobe with posterior margin about twice width of base of scape from anterior margin of eyes. Antenna with scape about one­half length rostrum; club very slightly laterally compressed, elongate­oval; apical pilose part about two­fifths length of entire club.

Pronotum with lateral margins subparallel in basal one-half, moderately convergent from midlength to apex; sparsely and shallowly punctate throughout; moderately deeply transversely impressed postmedially. Form of pronotum elongate-narrow, length slightly less than one and one-third times width. Elytra one and two-thirds times length pronotum; with striae vaguely punctate (moreso laterally) and intervals impunctate, flat. Scutellum elongate, narrow; length about one and one-half times width at base, flat. Pygidium broadly carinate in apical two-thirds, not tumescent; densely setose along low median carina and in apical one-third generally; punctate throughout; apex subacuminate. Ventrally with front coxae separated by about one-fifth to one-sixth width of coxa; prosternum flat between and anterior to front coxae. Mesosternum and lateral portions of metasternum and ventrites shallowly punctate; middle of metasternum and ventrites 1 and 2 virtually impunctate, shining; last ventrite of female flat at middle, apex deflexed ventrally. Legs moderately coarsely punctate and finely setose throughout; femora slightly clavate, moderately long and narrow, hind femur barely reaching apex of ventrite 4; inner margins of all tibiae with only very short, peglike setae arranged in pectinate manner; all tibiae straight. Tarsi each with third article very widely dilated, completely pilose ventrally except for very narrow midline at base; middle and hind tarsal third articles asymmetrical, inner lobe smaller than outer; apical margin of third articles truncate.

Variation.The bright and distinctive pronotal and elytral patterns are consistently

similar among specimens from the northern portion of Costa Rica. One tentatively conspecific specimen from Parque Internacional La Amistad Pacifico near the Panama border has a different color pattern but is otherwise identical in all other structural respects. In this specimen, the orange pronotal lines are much narrower and the elytra has less extensive orange maculations. The elytral maculations in this specimen are broadly "c­shaped" and resemble those of M. shchepaneki and M. circumdatus .

Material Examined.—Female HOLOTYPE labelled “Est. La Casona, 1520m, / Res. Biol. Monteverde, / Prov. Punt. Costa Rica / N. Obando, Oct. 1991, / L­N­ 253250,449700”, INBio barcode 502152 (INBC). PARATYPES (4). COSTA RICA. ALAJUELA PROVINCE. Reserva Biologia San Ramon. Estacion Biologia San Ramon, San Ramon (27km.N., 8km.W.), 10°13’30”N, 84°35’30”W, 850­950m, 29.vi.­6vii.1999, R. Anderson, wet premontane forest, 99­108 (1). GUANACASTE PROVINCE. Estacion Pitilla, Santa Cecilia (9 km S.), 700m, Jun 1989 (1; 7694). PUNTARENAS PROV­ INCE. Monteverde, Estacion Biologia Monteverde, 10°18'53" N, 84°47'49" W, 1800m, 13.VI.2001, R. Anderson, cloud forest, on stems/roots of epiphytic Araceae (1). Santa Elena, Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, 10°20'42" N, 84°47'53" W, 1650m, 11.VI.2001, R. Anderson, cloud forest (1). Paratypes in CMNC, INBC.

An additional tentatively conspecific specimen, not a paratype, has been examined from Costa Rica, Limon, Parque Internacional La Amistad Pacifico, Refugio Valle de Silencios, 2400m, 341400N, 577250E, 18.IV.2001, Roger Gonzalez Tenorio (INBC).

Distribution.— Costa Rica (Alajuela, Guanacaste, Puntarenas).

Natural history.— Adult specimens were collected at 700­950 m in wet premontane evergreen forest, and at 1520 m, likely in upper montane evergreen forest or perhaps cloud forest. A single specimen was beaten from the roots and stems of epiphytic Araceae . The tentatively conspecific specimen from La Amistad Pacifico was collected at 2400 m.

Derivation of specific name.— Through their support of the Nature Discovery Fund at the Canadian Museum of Nature, this species is named after the Ling family of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Frank Ling is presently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Figures

FIGURES 25 - 28. Cactophagus species. 25 - 26. Cactophagus lingorum Anderson. 25. Dorsal habitus. 26. Lateral habitus. 27 - 28. Cactophagus morrisi Anderson. 27. Dorsal habitus. 28. Lateral habitus.

FIGURES 29 ­ 32. Cactophagus lingorum Anderson. 29. Lateral view of head, female. 30. Antenna. 31. Hind leg, female. 32. Pygidium, female.