Lacconotus (Alcconotus) pinicola Horn

Pollock, Darren & Majka, Christopher G., 2012, Review of the Nearctic genus Lacconotus LeConte (Coleoptera, Mycteridae, Eurypinae), ZooKeys 162, pp. 1-24 : 12-14

Lacconotus (Alcconotus) pinicola Horn comb. n. Figs 2 –36811–121415– 16

Lacconotus pinicola Horn 1879: 338. - Type locality: Veta Pass [= La Veta Pass?], Colorado. LeConte 1879: 500, 506; Austin 1880: 41; Snow 1882: 44; Cockerell 1893: 334; Coquillett and Orcutt 1900: 54 [= pallidus?]; Wickham 1902: 297; Woodworth 1913: 194; Seidlitz 1917: 99; Leng 1920: 240; Blair 1928: 33; Van Dyke 1928: 257; Spilman 1951: 50, fig. 15; Hatch 1965: 88; Arnett 1983: 3; Campbell 1991: 267; Poole and Gentili 1996: 315; Pollock 2002: 532.

Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke 1928: 256; Fall 1901: 32 (as Lacconotus pinicola ), 177; Leng and Mutchler 1933: 36; Spilman 1951: 50; Crowson and de Viedma 1964; Pollock 2002: 531 (fig. 2.112), 532. syn. n.

Types.

( Lacconotus pinicola , all in MCZC).-lectotype (here designated), female, labeled: "Veta Pass 27.6 Col / 592 / [red] Type 7976 / [handwritten] Lacconotus pinicola (Schwz) / J.L. LeConte Collection / LECTOTYPE ♀ Lacconotus pinicola Horn 1879; design. D.A. Pollock 1994". paralectotype. female, labeled: "Col / [blue] Para-Type 8047. / G.H. Horn Collection", in MCZC.

Types.

( Lacconotus pallidus , all in CAS).-holotype, male (CAS type # 2585), labeled "Mt. Wilson Cal. 6.13.3 / 7701 / Van Dyke Collection / Holotype [along left margin of label covered in red ink] ♂ Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke". ALLOTYPE, female, labeled "Carmel, Monterey Co VI-4-1916 Cal. / Van Dyke Collection / Allotype [along left margin of label covered in red ink] ♀ Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke". Four PARATYPES. Male, labeled "Carmel, Monterey Co VI-4-1916 Cal. / Van Dyke Collection / Paratype [along left margin of label] ♂ Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke". Male, labeled "ParaisoSpgsCal V.28 1924 L.S. Slevin / L.S. Slevin Collection / Paratype [along left margin of label] Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke". Female, labeled "ParaisoSprings V.31 1916 Cal. / L.S. Slevin Collection / Paratype [along left margin of label] Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke". Female, labeled "Paraiso Springs V.29 1916 Cal. / CHAMISAL / L.S. Slevin Collection / Paratype [along left margin of label] Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke".

Diagnosis.

Lacconotus (Alcconotus) pinicola may be distinguished from Lacconotus punctatus by the following features: body color ranging from testaceous to dark brown, uniform dorsally (Figs 2-3); antennae relatively long, subserrate; male sex patch on ventrite 2 small, oval, densely pubescent (Fig. 6); distribution in western North America (Fig. 15).

Re-description.

(see Horn 1879 and Van Dyke 1928) - With general features of subgenus Alcconotus (as described above) with the following: TL 4.8-7.5 mm; GEW 1.5-2.3 mm; TL/GEW 2.8-3.4. Dorsal body surface uniformly testaceous to dark brown or piceous (Figs 2-3), without any color contrast; antennomeres 5-10 relatively elongate, subserrate; antennal sensilla not completely surrounding opening of antennomere, restricted to triangular side of antennomeres; wing membrane distinctly pigmented, veins very conspicuous (Fig. 8); male sex patch longitudinally oval, occupying about 2/3 length of ventrite 2, densely covered with short setae (Fig. 6), not bulbous or contrasting in color; tegmen of male genitalia (Fig. 11) short, parameres stout; bursa copulatrix (Fig. 14) very large, spherical.

Notes.

Van Dyke (1928) established Lacconotus pallidus (as distinct from Lacconotus pinicola ) based on its lighter color, relatively narrower pronotum, shorter relative length of the elytra, and deeper punctation. However, upon examination of the type series and other specimens, we have determined that the only feature of Van Dyke’s that withstands scrutiny is the habitus color. As well, more detailed examination has revealed that the male and female genitalia and male sex patch are virtually identical between Lacconotus pinicola and Lacconotus pallidus . One feature, mentioned by Van Dyke (1928) that does seem noteworthy is the somewhat restricted distribution of Lacconotus pallidus in southern California. We herein consider Lacconotus pallidus a pale “form” of Lacconotus pinicola .

Lacconotus (Alcconotus) pinicola is newly recorded from Arizona, Utah, and Baja California Norte in Mexico (see Appendix A). Published records of Lacconotus pinicola are from British Columbia ( Hatch 1965), California ( Fall 1901; Van Dyke 1928), Colorado ( Horn 1879; Cockerell 1893; Van Dyke 1928), western Nevada ( Horn 1879), and New Mexico ( Snow 1882, 1906; Knaus 1907). The range of the species (Fig. 15) shows it to be widely distributed in the southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) extending south to Baja California Norte in Mexico, and in southeastern British Columbia. Specimens should be sought in intervening areas in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to ascertain if these populations are actually disjunct.

A number of specimens examined were found on ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex. C. Lawson), including one specimen which was recorded as emerging from a dead Pinus ponderosa branch. It has also been found on Engelmann spruce ( Picea engelmanni Parry ex Engelm.), scrub oak ( Quercus turbinella Greene), and cherry ( Prunus sp.). Specimens have been collected at UV lights, with malaise and flight-intercept traps, and by beating vegetation. Fall (1901: 177) wrote "...rare during May and June; found always on oaks, notwithstanding its name." The larva of Lacconotus pinicola has been illustrated by Lawrence (1991), but not described in detail. The phenology information that is available (Fig. 16) indicates that adults can be found between 13 May and 29 August with two specimens having been found in the autumn (6 October and 6 November). The peak in adult numbers appears to be in the first half of July.