Embates bicoctura Prena, 2005

Prena, Jens, 2005, The Middle American species of Embates Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Zootaxa 1100 (1), pp. 1-151 : 1-151

13. Embates bicoctura Prena sp. n.

(Fig. 64–66, 242)

Holotype male (dissected), Mexico, labeled: “MEX: Oax. 30.6 km. S./ Suchixtepec 1294 m 87­16/ 12.vii.87 R. Anderson / wet oak­pine forest” ( CMNC).

Paratypes 3 (1 male, 2 females), Mexico, labeled: “ MEXICO. Oaxaca / 5 miles south/ Candelaria Loxicha / July 18–19, 1974 / Clark, Murray ,/ Ashe , Schaffner ” ( JPPC); “MEX­ ICO. Oaxaca / 4.7 mi. s. San/ Gabriel Mixtepec/ July 16, 1985 / Jones, Schaffner” ( TAMU); “ MEXICO. Oaxaca, 2 mi / N Candelaria Loxicha/ VII­17­1985, Woolley/ & Zolnerowich, 85/068” ( TAMU) .

Description. Habitus: Fig. 64, total length 4.8–5.4 mm (m=7.3, n=4). Color: integument piceous, basic vestiture of ochreous and light yellow scales, the latter variously clustered; elytra with subcircular macula of black velvety scales immediately behind middle (Fig. 64); scales light yellow and dense at base of rostrum, in dorsolateral and lateral pronotal vittae which extend along distal edge of mesosternum and mesepisternum, in indistinct transverse line on pronotal disk, around elytral macula, and on venter (except median portion). Head: frontal fovea minute or absent, rostrum moderately thick, subcylindrical, costate (♂♂) or subcostate (♀♀) dorsomedially, basolateral margin edged, length of rostrum ♂♂ 1.17–1.26 x (n=2), ♀♀ 1.24–1.25 x (n=2) pronotal length, length of anteantennal portion ♂♂ 0.33 x (n=2), ♀♀ 0.37 x (n=2) total rostral length, dorsal margin of antennal scrobe reaching rostral base well before eye; funicular segment 2 slightly longer than 1, club ovate. Pronotum: length 0.83–0.88 x (m=0.86, n=4) maximum width, sides parallel in basal half, then abruptly narrowed and tubulate in front; disk densely and moderately deeply punctate, intervals variously confluent to transverse wrinkles. Elytra: length 1.70–1.74 x (m=1.72, n=4) width at humeri, width 1.24–1.37 x (m=1.31, n=4) maximum pronotal width, sides subparallel in basal half, then increasingly narrowed toward apex, apices rounded conjointly, preapical callus well developed, striae fine, punctures relatively large and distinct, interstriae flat, 9 costate in distal half. Legs: tibiae slightly curved, ventral margin slightly bisinuate, distally with cluster of cupreous hairs, tarsal claws flat and connate. Male: apex of aedeagus round, middle sclerotized, anterolateral portion membranous (Fig. 65), body of aedeagus of moderate length, curved in lateral view, apodemes 1.7 x longer than body of aedeagus, flagellum very thin, as long as apodemes, transition to curved base abrupt, basal appendage moderate, fused laterally with base of flagellum, projecting beyond base (Fig. 66).

Plant association. Not known.

Distribution. Southern Mexico, Pacific side (Fig. 242).

Specific epithet. The name is a Latin compound noun meaning “two brands” or “two stigmata”.

Discussion. Embates bicoctura has been confused in collections with E. caecus and E. biguttatus . The species seems to be restricted to the Pacific side, while the other two occur on the Atlantic side. It shares the subconnate claws with E. caecus , and can be distinguished from all other “oculate” species by the narrow lateral vitta above the procoxae. The specimens of the type series agree in all details. However, two syntypes of E. biguttatus , from Yolotepec, seem to belong to E. bicoctura at least in the wider sense. They are noticeably larger (6.5–7.8 mm) and deviate in details of the color­pattern. This type of deviation is paralleled in other species of Embates and Ambates , and may or may not be an effect of the temperature conditions during metamorphosis. Because of this uncertainty, I have not included those two specimens from Yolotepec in the type series of E. bicoctura .