Calligrapha billbergi Stål, 1860

Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2021, Systematic revision of Calligrapha s. str. Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae), Zootaxa 4953 (1), pp. 1-111 : 35-39

Calligrapha billbergi Stål, 1860

( Figs 2f , 5d , 6 )

Calligrapha billbergi Stål, C. 1860 . Öfv. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Förh. 17, p. 461.

Chrysomela billbergi: Stål, 1865 , Mon. Chrysom. Amer., 3, p. 266.

Calligrapha billbergi: Gemminger & Harold, 1874 , Cat. Coleopt., 11, p. 3432.

Calligrapha billbergi: Jacoby, 1882 , Biol. Centr.-Amer., 6, 1, p. 206.

Polyspila billbergi: Weise, 1916 , Col. Cat., 68, p. 39.

Calligrapha billbergi: Blackwelder, 1946 , Checklist Col. Amer., 4, p. 674.

Calligrapha billbergi: Benítez-García et al., 2017 , Rev. Mex. Biodiv., 88, p. 339.

According to the revision published by Stål (1865), the type of Calligrapha billbergi , which he described a few years earlier and possibly based on a single specimen ( Stål 1860), was originally from the collection of Auguste Chevrolat, apparently collected by George Mniszech. Stål’s collection in the Swedish Naturhistoriska riksmuseet has no representatives of this species, and he might have studied specimens on loan from the previous authors or seen them in one of his visits to Paris while preparing the manuscript ( Stål 1862; Reuter 1878). Knowing the fate of Chevrolat’s specimens is challenging, since his collection was divided in lots and sold separately to different individuals and institutions ( Cambefort 2006), including some of the main Natural History collections in Europe, such as Stockholm, Paris or London ( Horn et al. 1990). We know the type is not in Stockholm, and there is no registry that it may be or have been in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris either (GBIF dataset: http://collections.mnhn.fr/ipt/resource?r=mnhn-ec). In fact, it is very likely that it arrived to the British Museum of Natural History through the purchase of the collection of Rev. Hamlet Clark in 1867, which included some 5,600 Chrysomelidae with specimens from Chevrolat, among others (page 565; Günther 1906). The BMNH includes one specimen with handwritten labels reporting a nomem nudum by Chevrolat never referred in any catalogue (therefore unlikely added by any other than Chevrolat himself), the valid name by Stål, as well as the code 67-56, which may make reference to a lot number (no. 56) and year (1867) of acquisition. This specimen thus possibly corresponds to one of the leaf beetles in Clark’s collection, and potentially originating in Chevrolat’s collection. Considering that this specimen fits at perfection the original description, notably in its dimensions, I am inclined to believe that it is none other than the specimen that Stål used to describe the species, and therefore the holotype, by monotypy.

Holotype ( Fig. 5d ), by monotypy: macularia Chv. [green label], billbergi Stål, Chrys. billbergi Stål Mexico, 67-56 ( NHM).

Description. Body elliptic, relatively short and rather convex. Head and pronotum dark metallic green; clypeus, mandibles, scutellum, coxae, femora and tibiae dark brown; apex of mandibles, elytral margin and markings, epipleura, ventral surfaces and large ventral spot on femora dark brown with faint bronzy metallic shine; labrum, antennae, mouth appendages and tarsi reddish brown; pale areas of elytra dark golden yellow. Length: 8.0 mm; width: 5.4 mm.

Head large, deeply inserted into prothorax; surface finely microreticulate, strongly punctured on epistome and near eyes; supraocular furrow deep, straight, short above upper margin of eye; frontal suture fine, joining broadly bisinuous clypeal suture. Eyes relatively small, dorso-ventrally elongated, entire and finely faceted. Clypeus short, transverse, surface finely microreticulate, punctured mostly in anterior half, with few punctures near suture. Labrum relatively long, sides converging to round angles, and with anterior deflexed border moderately emarginate; surface very finely microsculptured, with row of setigerous punctures in front of middle and long nearly straight, slightly convergent setae. Mandibles large, robust, not very long, about twice as long as labrum; sides nearly straight, slightly convergent anteriorly before strong curvature at middle; surface with large punctures and recumbent long pale yellow setae. Maxillary palpi long; apical palpomere subtrapezoidal, longer than broad, with sides parallel before weakly convex and obliquely truncate apex, curved toward base; previous palpomere with obliquely cut apex, wider than base of last segment and strongly narrowed at base; first palpomere elongate, clavate, with obliquely truncate apex.Antennae short, reaching humeri, markedly clavate with club formed by last five antennomeres; antennomeres 1–6 slender, smooth, with scattered semierect setae, and antennomeres 7–11 thickened, with surface rugose and covered by fine short setae and scattered semierect longer setae; scape long, slightly compressed dorso-ventrally, anteriorly covex, wider in distal half, and slightly bent posteriorly; pedicel longer than wide, slightly enlarged apically, about half as long as scape; third antennomere longest, slender, weakly clavate; antennomeres 4–6 clubshaped, progressively shorter and gradually wider at apex, with sixth antennomere shortest; seventh antennomere about as long as fourth, with sides markedly divergent; antennomeres 8–10 subequal, slightly longer than wide at apex, and widened apically; eleventh antennomere about as long as third, as wide as previous antennomeres, tapering to blunt end in apical third.

Pronotum markedly transverse, more than twice wider at base than long at middle, rather convex in transverse section, widest at base; sides straight and parallel in basal half and regularly curved toward strongly produced anterior angles, finely margined, with margins visible from above except anteriorly owing to lateral convexity of anterior angles; anterior angles reaching middle of eyes, wider at base, with large trichobothrium at angle and long setae bent dorsolaterally and posteriorly; anterior border biconcave, slightly advanced over frons, finely and entirely margined; posterior angles obtuse, with large trichobothrium at angle and setae bent obliquely forward; posterior border straight at sides and broadly curved medially; surface finely microreticulate, with double punctation of sparse strong and minute punctures on disc, and larger, deep round punctures at sides and on anterior angles; deep, slightly elongate punctures near base of pronotum at sides, occassionally confluent with margin. Hypomera triangular, convex on disc and transversally impressed posteriorly; hypomeral suture wide and deep, from basal angle to base of anterior angle, nearly parallel to pronotal margin in basal 2/3, and regularly diverging from margin at apex; surface smooth, shiny, transversally wrinkled at base, with short oblique wrinkles from suture toward disc. Prosternum relatively long anterior to procoxae, with anterior margin regularly concave and margined; surface microsculptured, mostly unpunctured, irregular with oblique deep impressions in front of procoxae; prosternal process narrow, convex, expanded posteriorly, with median longitudinal carina apically and truncated straight at apex. Scutellum large, lancet-shaped, about as long as wide at base, with sides weakly curved and round at apex; surface microreticulate, unpunctured. Mesepimera and mesanepisterna finely microreticulate and with scattered shallow punctures. Metanepisterna slender, with relatively narrow raised anterior and external margins, shagreened; surface of disc microsculptured, with strong round punctures anteriorly and almost rugose in apical third. Metaventrite shiny on disc, with finely impressed discrimen, leathery at sides with fine sparse punctures and fine, short appressed setae, punctures stronger near anterior angles and behind mesocoxae; posterior border between metacoxae at wide obtuse angle.

Elytra about 0.75x as long as body, relatively broad and convex, wider than pronotum basally, broadly round at humeri, with sides feebly curved, broadest at middle and regularly curved toward sutural angle; surface of elytra rather smooth, with sparse fine punctures with dark background on pale areas, somewhat stronger around and within dark markings, but darkened area spreading out from punctured perimeters; scutellar row of small punctures confused, reaching and confluent with sutural row; premarginal row of tight small punctures reaching humeral area, regular except across subhumeral and midlateral spots. Dark elytral markings of elytra ( Fig. 5d ) include: (i) relatively broad sutural stripe from base of elytra to sutural angle, continuous, broadly surrounding scutellum and gradually narrowing posteriorly; (ii) subsutural stripe split in postscutellar small elliptic and slightly oblique free spot, and stripe completely confluent with sutural stripe, basally at level with subhumeral spot, gradually narrowing posteriorly, strangled before apical declivity and preapical elongate enlarged area; subsutural stripe not reaching apex of elytron and expanded apically as small lateral lobe; (iii) basal spot of arcuate band large, elongate, slightly oblique posteriorly toward suture and confluent with subsutural stripe in posterior 2/3; apical spot of arcuate band large, round, narrowly connected laterally with subsutural stripe before narrowed area in apical declivity; (iv) humeral spot large, crescent-shaped, elongate and completely covering humeral callus, detached from base of elytron and entirely confluent internally with humeral lunule; (v) humeral lunule shaped as sigmoidal stripe, narrowly confluent with basal dark margin of elytron at internal humeral declivity, smoothly curved toward suture and recurving parallel to it in apical third, reaching level of apical third of basal spot of arcuate band but narrowly separated it; (vi) spot enclosed by humeral lunule large, piriform, with basal end aligned with basal end of postscutellar spot of subsutural stripe, closer to humeral lunule than to subsutural stripe and basal spot of arcuate band; (vii) subhumeral spot nearly as big as apical spot of arcuate band, roundish and completely fused laterally with dark margin of elytron, without punctures delimiting perimeter; (viii) midlateral spot as big as basal spot of arcuate band, subrectangular, entirely confluent laterally with dark margin of elytron; (ix) spot of apical declivity slightly smaller than apical spot of arcuate band, round, at level with widest part of preapical enlargement of subsutural stripe, free but narrowly separated from stripe on right elytron and touching it on left elytron of type; (x) apical spot medium sized, as big as spot of apical declivity, round, free; (xi) five additional medium to large spots on disc and lateral declivity; large roundish discal spot aligned with apex of humeral lunule and gap between spots of arcuate band; three irregular roundish spots forming triangle at lateral declivity of elytron with two spots aligned between previous spot and subhumeral spot, and third spot with previous spot and base of midlateral spot; large irregular spot seemingly fusing two spots with narrower connecting bridge occupying space at apicolateral declivity of elytron. Epipleura broad in basal half, progressively narrowing behind middle, nearly horizontal, margined at inner border; surface leathery, unpunctured.

Femora slender, enlarged at middle, shiny, with minute sparse punctures and fine short translucent setae; tibiae feebly curved, nearly as long as corresponding femora, finely carinated at internal angle and at sides of external furrow in apical half, with sparse elongate punctures and semierect setae, ventral rugose area at apex with dense short golden pubescence gradually thinning along ventral surface toward base of tibiae; tarsi slightly shorter than corresponding tibiae, with first tarsomeres longer than wide at apex, third tarsomeres broader than first, weakly bilobed, and onychia longest, slightly clavate and curved ventrally, with sharp simple claws diverging basally at acute angle. First abdominal ventrite as long as metaventrite, second less than half as long, ventrites 3–4 progressively shorter, and last visible ventrite longer than second; surface of ventrites finely microsculptured, almost smooth, densely, finely punctured basally and at sides, with apical row of punctures and roundish fovea laterally; last ventrite weakly emarginate at apex and moderately punctured on all surface. Penis ( Fig. 2f ) relatively short and stocky, nearly as broad in lateral view as wide at middle in dorsal view; rather regularly curved in lateral view, tapering ventrally to apex at level with maximum width of gonopore; apical third markedly and gradually widened around ostium in ventral view, reaching maximum width at mid level of dorsal opening; apical border wide, nearly straight, with broad round anterior angles; gonopore transverse, bound basally by wider than long, slightly bilobed dorsal flap.

Material examined (24 specimens).

MEXICO

MCZ: (1) three specimens, Huauchinango, Mexico; (2) one specimen, Mexico, Sallé Coll., 1st Jacoby Coll.; (3) one specimen, Süd-Mexico, C. Höge leg. ded., 1.ii.1888, Jacoby 2nd Coll.; (4) one specimen, Mex. MfN: (1) one specimen, Mexico, Carizol IX, Purpus S.V. NHM: (1) one specimen, Mexico, Sallé Coll., 628, Calligrapha billbergi Stål apud Sallé, Sp. figured, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (2) one specimen, Mexico, Bowring, 63- 47*. NMNH: (1) one specimen, Mexique, F. Monrós Collection 1959, Calligrapha billbergi Stål F. Monrós det. 1957; (2) four specimens, Mexico, VC, Veracruz, 16.ii.1965, Brown et al. on Tillandsia, Bro 88415, 65-10750, Calligrapha billbergi Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2003; (3) six specimens, Mexico, Veracruz, 22.0 mi E Jalapa, Rte. 140, 1000’, 9.iii.1966, in bromeliads, George E. Ball & D.R. Whitehead collectors [one with: Calligrapha billbergi Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011]; (4) one specimen, Mexico, Vera Cruz, 30.i.67, Gonzalez et al., #Brownsville 90584, Lot#: 67-4687, host: Tillandsia sp., Calligrapha sp. Det. R.L. White, Calligrapha billbergi Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. ZSM: (1) one specimen, Mexico, Carizol [El Carrizal], viii, Purpus, S.V., billgerbi St., Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke.

UNKNOWN

MfN: (1) one specimen: Billbergi St.; (2) one specimen: [no data].

Variation. This species is rare in collections and I have not seen much material to comment on phenotypic variability, but some traits, particularly in the appearance and confluence patterns of elytral markings have shown some diversity. For example, the basal spot of the subsutural stripe can be so close to the sutural stripe as to touch it; the apical spot of the arcuate band can appear as a free round spot or confluent laterally with the subsutural stripe as in the type; also, the spot of apical declivity can be fused laterally with the subsutural stripe, and the basal additional spot of lateral declivity of elytra can be confluent with the apex of humeral lunule. Finally, the original description of the type mentions a large spot in apical declivity of elytra laterally appearing as two spots fused, as reported in the description above. In fact, most specimens show these two spots free.

Distribution. Calligrapha billbergi Stål is a Mexican endemism of Central Veracruz and northern Puebla, with a relatively narrow range in central Mexico, in the Gulf region in areas of Veracruz Montane, Moist and Dry Forests ( Fig. 6 , black circles).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal (apex), ventral and lateral views of the penises of Calligrapha polyspila (Germar) (a), C. matronalis Erichson (b), C. melasomina Bechyné (c), C. multiplagata (Achard) (d), C. multiplagata cochabambana Bechyné (e), and C. billbergi Stål (f). Scale = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Dorsal and lateral views of the lectotype of Calligrapha multiplagata (Achard) (a), the holotype of C. multiplagata cochabambana Bechyné (b), the holotype of C. melasomina Bechyné (c), and the holotype of C. billbergi Stål (d). Scale = 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Calligrapha billbergi Stål (black cirles) and of C. serpens Bowditch (white circles) in Central Mexico.