Lathropus rhabdophloeoides Thomas, 2010

Thomas, Michael C., 2010, A review of Lathropus Erichson (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) in Florida and the West Indies, excluding the Lesser Antilles, Insecta Mundi 2010 (120), pp. 1-21 : 18

Lathropus rhabdophloeoides Thomas , n. sp.

Fig. 8 , 14 , 22 , 31 , 40 , 47-50 , 60, 61

Diagnosis. Length, 1.12mm - 1.74mm. The adults of this species are similar to those of L. jamaicensis , differing primarily in their less developed sublateral line ( Fig. 31 ) and in the armature of the internal sac ( Fig. 40 ).

Description. Holotype, female, in FSCA, with label data: “ BAHAMAS: Andros Island Uncle Charlie’s Blue Hole 7-VI-2001; beating coll. M.C. Thomas”

Body ( Fig. 8 ) elongate-oval; dark testaceous, mouthparts paler. Length, 1.72mm.

Head 1.80× wider than long; surface sculpture extremely coarse ( Fig. 14 ); setae bifurcate; epistome prolonged, comprising 0.36 total length of head measured along midline from front of eyes to front of head capsule, emarginate; antennal scape and pedicel subequal in length, scape broad, pedicel narrower; antennomeres III-VIII quadrate, about equal in length; antennomeres IX-X broader and longer than preceding flagellar antennomeres; XI longer than X; eye slightly convex, about 0.54 length of head.

Pronotum ( Fig. 22 ) 1.40× wider than long; surface sculpture extremely coarsely areolate-rugose ( Fig. 31 ); setae as on head; broadest at basal third, broader across base than at apex; sublateral line sinuate, strongly carinate ( Fig. 22 ); anterior angles obtuse, not produced; posterior angles almost right, not produced; lateral margins with four broad denticles.

Elytra 1.53× longer than combined width; broadest near midlength; margins broadly explanate; microsculpture coriarious.

Genitalia. Sclerotization of internal sac of male genitalia as in Fig. 40 .

Variation. The degree of development of the lateral pronotal denticles varies from well developed to not discernible.

Distribution. Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Virgin Islands.

Type material. Paratypes,75, with label data as follows: 1, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Island Cpt. Bill’s Blue Hole ; 27-VII-2006; MC Thomas beating vegetation” ( FSCA) ; 1, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Forfar Field Station bl trap, 26 July 2006 R. Turnbow” ( RHTC) ; 1, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Island Forfar Field Sta., Stafford Creek , 4-VI-2001, M.C. Thomas, blacklight trap in coastal coppice” ( FSCA) ; 1, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Is. Maidenhair Coppice 9-VI-2001 M.C. Thomas ” ( FSCA) ; 8, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Is. Maidenhair Coppice 10-VI-2004 M.C. Thomas ” ( FSCA) ; 6, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Island Uncle Charlies Blue Hole 7-VI- 2001 coll. M.C. Thomas beating” ( FSCA) ; 24, “ BAHAMAS: Andros Uncle Charlies Blue Hole 7 June 2001 R. Turnbow” ( RHTC) ; 26, “ BAHAMAS: Great Abaco Marsh Harbour, Pinewoods Nursery 22-XII-1990 R. Keys blacklight trap ” ( FSCA, USNM) ; 4, “ BAHAMAS: Great Abaco Marsh Harbour, Pinewoods Nursery 17-XI-1990 R. Keys blacklight trap ” ( FSCA) ; 1, “ BAHAMAS: Great Inagua, Northwest Point , 9 July 2007 R. Turnbow” ( RHTC) ; 1, “ BAHAMAS: Long Island Stella Maris 7-I-1977 Coll: R.M. Baranowski blacklight trap ” ( FSCA) ; 1, “ BAHAMAS: Long Island Hard Bargain 27-VI-1972 coll. F.D. Bennett blacklight trap” ( FSCA) .

Other specimens examined. In addition to the type series from the Bahamas, another 67 specimens were examined from the British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Florida in the USA. Label data for those specimens are summarized in Table 1. All are deposited in the FSCA and RHTC.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to its resemblance to members of the genus Rhabdophloeus Sharp. Discussion. There are a number of Florida specimens that are similar to this species in being unicolored testaceous but which have different genitalia. Their status is still uncertain and they are not dealt with in this review.

Figures

Figure 5-8. Habitus, Lathropus spp. 5) L. parvulus Crouvelle (Panama). 6) L.parvulus Grouvelle (Cayman Islands). 7) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp. 8) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 13-18. Surface sculpture of head, Lathropus spp. 13) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp. 14) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 15) L. pictus Schwarz. 16) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 17) L. vernalis Casey. 18) L. robustulus Casey.

Figure 19-24. Pronotum, Lathropus spp. 19) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Panama). 20) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Cayman Islands). 21) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp. 22) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 23) L. pictus Schwarz. 24) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 27-32. Pronotal detail, Lathropus spp. 27) L. parvulus Grouvelle (Panama). 28) L. robustulus Casey. 29) L. vernalis Casey. 30) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 31) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp. 32) L. jamaicensis Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 38-40. Sclerotization of internal sac, Lathropus spp. 38) L. chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp. 39) L. jamaicensis.Thomas, n. sp. 40) L. rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp.

Figure 47-50. Lathropus rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp., mouthparts. 47) Labrum. 48) Maxilla. 49) Labium. 50) Mandible.

Figure 57-61. 57) Carinophloeus raffrayi (Grouvelle), elytral cell. 58) C. raffrayi (Grouvelle), antennal club. 59) N. gen, n. sp., pronotal detail. 60) Lathropus rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp., procoxal cavity. 61) Lathropus rhabdophloeoides Thomas, n. sp., mesocoxa and surrounding sclerites. 62) Lathropus chickcharnie Thomas, n. sp., bifurcate setae of head.