Apiomerus cazieri Berniker & Szerlip, 2011

Berniker, Lily, Szerlip, Sigurd, Forero, Dimitri & Weirauch, Christiane, 2011, 2949, Zootaxa 2949, pp. 1-113 : 15-18

Apiomerus cazieri Berniker & Szerlip , sp. nov. Figs 1–16, Map 2

Type data: Holotype: 1 ♂; [ USA:] Arizona: Yuma Co. : 37 mi S of Quartzsite [33.12661 ° N 114.23186 ° W], 26 Jul 1966 / Bebbia juncea (Benth.) Greene / J.M. Davidson, M.A. Cazier Collectors / Univ. Calif. Insect Survey Specimen # 176095 / Apiomerus cazieri Szerlip Det. by S.L. Szerlip 1977 / HOLOTYPE ♂ Apiomerus cazieri n. sp. Berniker & Szerlip Det. by: Berniker & Szerlip 2011 / ( UCR _ENT 00009838) ( AMNH).

Diagnosis: Recognized by their relatively small size (11.5–14.4 mm), fore tibia with orange and black bands, orange posterior pronotal and scutellar margin, orange connexivum ( Fig. 1B), and the dorsolateral lobes of the endosoma not clearly divided into proximal and distal portions ( Fig. 6B).

Description: Male: Small, total length 11.5–14.2 mm. COLORATION: HEAD: Black or red. THORAX: Anterior and posterior pronotal lobes black or orange-red, margin of posterior pronotal lobe orange, scutellum black or red with orange margin, thoracic pleura black with orange circle on supracoxal lobes, corium orange to dark red, fore tibia with orange and black bands, midleg solid black or banded with orange, hind leg orange to black. ABDO- MEN: Orange to black, connexivum orange, pygophore orange to black ( Figs 1B, 14B). STRUCTURE: HEAD: about 3/4 as long as pronotum, about 4 times width of one eye, length of eye in dorsal view about 1/4 of head length. THORAX: pronotum 1.3 times wider than long, anterolateral angle acute, disc of anterior lobe with paired greatly convex lobes, posterior margin straight. ABDOMEN: pygophore about 1/4 length of abdomen; rami of the median process of the pygophore U-shaped in caudal view, ramus as long as base width ( Figs 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B). GENITALIA: distal portion of tergite 9 with setae on anterior margin, posterior margin of dorsal phallothecal sclerite pointed in dorsal view ( Fig. 8A), apex in dorsal view narrow, less than half the width of dorsal phallothecal sclerite, endosomal struts fused at base and apex, but not medially, dorsolateral lobes a single folded sclerite, not divided into proximal and distal portions ( Fig. 8A), median basal sclerotization tongue-shaped ( Fig. 8A), distal dorsal lobe with two parallel rows of strong denticles ( Figs 6B, 7B).

Female: total length 12.72–14.42 mm. STRUCTURE: ABDOMEN: syntergite 9/10 with distal margin flat ( Fig. 11B). GENITALIA: gonapophysis 8 with two distinct sclerotizations ( Fig. 15B), bursa copulatrix with one narrow, transverse sclerotized fold ( Fig. 14B).

Etymology: Named for the late Dr. Mont A. Cazier of Arizona State University who guided Szerlip in his early studies and whom Szerlip credits with sparking his interest in Apiomerus .

Biology: Specimens of Apiomerus cazieri have been collected during all months except January and at elevations ranging from sea level to 2130 m. They have been found in can traps on Ephedra sp. (Ephedraceae) , Juniperus sp. (Cupressaceae) , Larrea tridentate (Zygophyllaceae) , Nolina sp (Ruscaceae) , Pinus sp. (Pinaceae) and Yucca sp. (Asparagaceae) and collected on Bebbia juncea (Asteraceae) , Eriogonum sp (Polygonaceae) , Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae) and Trixis californica (Asteraceae) . Individuals have been found feeding on honey bees and in front of ant nests ( UCR _ENT numbers 995 and 979).

Distribution: Desert and semi-desert areas of southeastern California, Nevada , Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Also found in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts in the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Nayarit, and the Baja California peninsula (Map 2).

Discussion: Apiomerus cazieri is one among several species of the pictipes and crassipes species groups which exhibit considerable polychromatism. Apiomerus cazieri has four distinct color forms here referred to as orange, black, red, and striped ( Fig. 16B). The species is sympatric with A. californicus , A. cooremani , A. montanus , A. peninsularis , A. spissipes , and A. wygodzinskyi in different parts of its distribution range. It can be distinguished from most of these species by its small size, with the exception of A. peninsularis , which is similar in total body length, but can be distinguished by differences in coloration ( Fig. 1). At the southern limit of its range, A. cazieri is sympatric with both A. cooremani and A. wygodzinskyi , but is distinctly smaller than A. cooremani , and does not resemble either (see Fig. 1). The black and orange forms are the most commonly occurring forms of A. cazieri and are not easily confused with any other species of the crassipes group. The black form is found throughout most of its distribution range with the exception of the Baja peninsula and Texas. The orange form is slightly more restricted in range, and is found only in the Sonoran Desert (southeastern California, Arizona, Sinaloa, Sonora) and Chihuahua. The red form is sympatric with and may be confused with red forms of A. spissipes , but can be distinguished by size and male genitalia (see A. spissipes discussion). This form, like the orange, is found in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan desert areas (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Sonora, Chihuahua), although it is not known to be present in southeastern California.

The situation for the striped form, which occurs on the Baja peninsula, is somewhat more complicated. These specimens could be argued to belong to A. peninsularis , the only other species of the crassipes group found in the area. Unfortunately, A. cazieri and A. peninsularis have near identical genitalia and cannot be distinguished simply by genitalic dissection. Individuals of A. peninsularis are highly uniform in coloration across their entire distribution, in comparison to A. cazieri . For this reason, we consider these few individuals (10 in total) from the Baja peninsula as a fourth form of A. cazieri , an already established variable species, rather than a new form of A. peninsularis . Further collection in the region, specifically in the state of Baja California, where very few specimens have been collected, may determine whether these specimens represent a new species of Apiomerus , a variation of A. peninsularis or whether they are, as suggested here, a variation of A. cazieri .

Paratypes: See Appendix; 209 specimens examined.

Apiomerus cooremani Costa Lima, Campos Seabra & Hathaway, n. stat. Figs 1–16, Map 3

Apiomerus crassipes cooremani Costa Lima et al. 1951: 350 (original description); Synave 1968: 4 (checklist); Maldonado 1990: 4 (catalog).

Type data: Lectotype (here designated): 1 ♂; [ MEXICO:] Guanajuato [: unknown] E. Duges / Coll. R. I. Sc. N. B. Mexique / Apiomerus crassipes cooremani C.L., C. R.H., C.A.C. S. / cotypo / 33 / det. a.a. Costa Lima / Paratype / LECTOTYPE ♂ Apiomerus cooremani Costa Lima, Campos Seabra & Hathaway 1951 Det. by: Berniker & Szerlip 2011 / ( UCR _ ENT 00038045 ) ( ISNB) .

Diagnosis: Recognized by the relatively large size (14.9–17.5 mm), black abdominal venter, orange to red posterior pronotal margin, red hemelytra ( Fig. 1C), median process of the pygophore forming a wide, deep U ( Fig. 2C), and distal dorsal lobe of the male endosoma with two parallel rectangles of heavily sclerotized denticles ( Fig. 6C).

Redescription: Male: Large, total length 14.9–16.9 mm. COLORATION: HEAD: Black. THORAX: Pronotum usually uniformly black, occasionally with anterior pronotal lobe red, or red anteriorly, posterior lobe sometimes red ( Fig. 16C), margin of posterior pronotal lobe orange to red, scutellum black or red with orange to red margin, thoracic pleura black with red circle on supracoxal lobes, corium red, foreleg dark red or black, femur red ventrally, mid and hind legs dark red to black. ABDOMEN: black, connexivum orange to red, pygophore black to red. STRUCTURE: HEAD: slightly shorter than pronotum, about 4 times width of one eye, length of eye in dorsal view about 1/4 of head length. THORAX: pronotum 1.5 times wider than long, anterolateral angle truncate, disc of anterior lobe with paired, greatly convex lobes, posterior margin straight. ABDOMEN: pygophore about 1/5 length of abdomen, median process of pygophore deep, broad U-shaped in caudal view, ramus longer than base width ( Figs 2C, 3C, 4C, 5C). GENITALIA: distal portion of tergite 9 with setae on entire distal portion, posterior margin of dorsal phallothecal sclerite pointed in dorsal view ( Fig. 8A), apex in dorsal view narrow, less than half the width of dorsal phallothecal sclerite, endosomal struts fused at base and apex, or almost fused at apex, but not medially, dorsolateral lobes divided into proximal and distal portion, proximal lobe semi-circular; distal lobe entire, elongated ( Fig. 8B), median basal sclerotization tongue-shaped ( Fig. 8A), distal dorsal lobe with two parallel rectangles of heavily sclerotized denticles ( Figs 6C, 7C).

Female: Total length 15.4–17.5 mm. STRUCTURE: ABDOMEN: syntergite 9/10 with distal margin emarginate ( Fig. 11C). GENITALIA: gonapophysis 8 with two distinct sclerotizations ( Fig. 15C), bursa copulatrix with two narrow, transverse sclerotized folds ( Fig. 14C).

Biology: Specimens examined have been collected between June and October and between 1220 and 2680 m in elevation.

Distribution: Mexico: states of Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Distrito Federal, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacán, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas (Map 3). Generally located along the Sierra Madre Occidental and in the Central Plateau as far south as the Sierra Transvolcanica.

Discussion: Apiomerus cooremani was originally described as a subspecies of Apiomerus crassipes by Costa Lima et al. (1951). The authors considered the shape of the median process of the pygophore to be intermediate between A. crassipes and A. pictipes , but did not believe it to warrant species status. The rami of the median process are very wide in A. cooremani and indeed almost approach the configuration seen in A. pictipes ( Figs 2C, 4C, 5C), which belongs to a different species group ( pictipes group). However, A. cooremani exhibits features that place it firmly in the crassipes species group, such as the nearly vertical orientation of the median process of the pygophore in lateral view ( Fig. 2C), acute apex of the rami, strongly curved parameres ( Fig. 9C), sclerotizations of the endosoma ( Figs 6C, 7C), and sclerotized folds in the bursa of females ( Figs 14C, 15C). Neither male nor female genitalia of A. cooremani resemble those of A. crassipes ; the species distributions do not overlap, and color characters easily distinguish the two species. The elevation to species rank is further supported by features that are unique to this species, one of which is the broad U-shape of the median pygophore process, which is not seen in any other member of the group. Another unique trait is the heavily sclerotized denticles on the distal dorsal lobe of the endosoma ( Fig. 6C). These rows of denticles are wider and more distinct than in other species of the crassipes group (see Fig. 6).

Apiomerus cooremani is found only in Mexico, and shares its range, at least in part, with A. cazieri , A. montanus , A. spissipes , A. rufipennis and A. wygodzinskyi . It most closely resembles A. montanus and A. spissipes among these species. Individuals of A. cooremani are much larger than A. cazieri or A. rufipennis , and can be distinguished from A. cazieri , A. rufipennis and A. wygodzinskyi by color and male genitalia. Apiomerus cooremani can be distinguished from A. spissipes and A. montanus by its larger size, and by the black abdominal venter, in contrast to the striped abdomen of A. spissipes and A. montanus . In addition, in the majority of specimens examined, A. cooremani has the posterior pronotal lobe and the connexivum margined in orange, a character never seen in A. montanus , and seen only in the red form of A. spissipes found in Arizona and New Mexico.

Like A. californicus , the variation in color is minor in this species, compared to others in the crassipes and pictipes species groups and the color variation is limited to the pronotum and corium (see Fig. 16C). The majority of individuals which have a mostly red pronotum are from the state of Chihuahua in Mexico.

Type designation: Costa Lima, Campos Seabra, and Hathaway (1951) described A. crassipes cooremani from two specimens, one male, and one female, in the Royal Institute of Natural Science of Belgium, collected in Guanajuato, Mexico. They did not designate types, and as such, these two are syntypes . We have designated the male as the lectotype and female as the paralectotype.

Material examined: See Appendix; 138 specimens examined.