Sapotes caseyi Jones & O’Brien, 2007

Gotoh, Hiroki & Lavine, Laura C., 2007, Fig. 3 in Genetic Control of Color Polymorphism in the Stag Beetle Cyclommatus metallifer Boisduval (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 24 (2), pp. 208-223 : 220-221

Sapotes caseyi Jones & O’Brien , new species

Figs. 2C , 3E, 3F , 5C, 5D, 5G

Type Series. Holotype. MEXICO: N.L., 14 mi. W. Monterrey 3,800’, VIII-14- 1971, C&L O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB) (female) . Paratypes. MEXICO :

Coahuila. Hwy. 40, 12 mi. NE Saltillo , 4,300’, 12 Sept 1982, C.&L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer ( CWOB, UAQE, USNM, TAMU, CNIN, CMNC) (17 females) ; 23 mi. W. Saltillo , 4,000’, Aug. 21, 1971, O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB) (4 females) ; 23 mi. W Saltillo , 4,000’, Aug. 21, 1974, C.W. & L. O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB) (2 females) ; 20 mi. N. Saltillo , 4,900’, 8-21-1971, C&L O’Brien & Marshall ( CWOB) (1 female) ; Nuevo León, 14 mi W. Monterrey , 3,800’, VII-21- 1971, C&L O’Brien,& G. Wibmer ( CWOB, UAQE, CNIN) (7 females) ; 27 mi SW Monterrey , 3,800’, VIII-21-1974, CW & L O’Brien, & Marshall, on Xanthocephalum microcephalum (CWOB) (7 females) ; 19 mi SW Monterrey, 3,600’, Aug. - 21-1974, CW & L O’Brien, & Marshall ( CWOB) (2 females) .

Description. Body oblong, females length 4.0– 5.4 mm (mean 4.6 ± 0.43); width 1.8–2.3 mm (mean 2.06 ± 0.22). Integument covered with dense, grey to black, imbricate rounded, shiny scales, varying from white, tan, grey or black and occasionally with metallic hue, especially ventrally. Setae dark brown to tan, 0.1 mm in length, angled at approximately 45 ° on elytra, smaller and irregularly spaced on prothorax and head. Head in lateral view with only slight depression between rostrum and frons. Setae on frons short (0.05 mm) and vertex evenly spaced. Rostrum with distinct, narrow, medial sulcus extending from base of rostrum to edge of rostral disc, and two narrow lateral sulci, subparallel, extending from just above rostral disc and abruptly arching at 90 ° to base of eyes, often occluded by scales. Rostral disc semicircular, with irregularly spaced circular scales, dense basally, becoming sparse apically. Setae dorsally short and inclined laterally, below scrobes stouter (0.07–0.1 mm), curved and translucent. Dorsal and ventral margin of scrobe well defined and passing base of eye. Eyes large, oblong, 1.5 times high as wide (ca. 0.22 X 0.31 mm). Antennae densely clothed with round scales and setae. Scape approximately 3/4 length of funicle plus club. Funicular antennomere 1 as long as 2 and 3 combined. Club with three divisions, each ringed with small setae at junctures and clothed with fine pubescence. Prothorax wider than long in dorsal view (1.2–1.7 mm wide; 1.0– 1.3 mm long), widest at basal third. Anterior margin with postocular lobes well developed, bearing vibrissae located from base to apical margin of eye, and shorter than width of second funicular segment. Punctures on disc shallow (0.07 mm). Usually with white band of setae in lateral view just below disc. Setae sparsely scattered dorsally and smaller than on head and elytra. Scutellum triangular (0.12 X 0.12 mm) and inclined, densely clothed with flat, white to grey scales. Elytra length 2.6–3.5 mm, rounded in dorsal view with raised, collar-like basal margin, narrowed at base, then widening and sides almost parallel for 3/4 length. In lateral view, slightly and broadly curved dorsally, sharply curving to straight declivity at approximately 80 °. Intervals nearly flat, punctures distinct and covered with scales. Setae 0.09–0.15 mm, curved and inclined approximately 30 °, aligned in single linear rows in center of intervals; punctures shallow and filled with scales. In dorsal view, basal margin slightly concave and carinate ( Fig. 3F ). Scales highly variable in color and in patches of white, grey and tan.

Abdomen ventrally clothed in dense, rounded, imbricate scales with regularly spaced, white setae (0.1–0.125 mm). Sternum 1 approximately twice length of 2, with apical margin between metacoxae only slightly depressed longitudinally, without deep punctures. Sternum 2 subequal in length to combined length of 3 and 4. Sternum 5 wider than long, and broadly rounded at apex. Legs. Procoxae contiguous; mesocoxae separated by distance less than width of second funicular segment; metacoxae separated almost twice width of one metacoxa; femur unarmed; tibia mucronate, protibia with two to three feebly developed spines on apical half of inner margin; corbel of metatibia closed, heavily clothed with flattened, white scales; tarsi anteriad with scales and setae, pubescent beneath, with tarsomere 3 bi-lobed. Female genitalia. Ovipositor with weakly sclerotized cylindrical tube, 1.0 mm in length by 0.46 mm in width ( Fig. 5C ), with 15 to 25 setae in apical third. Sternum 8 simple, 0.6 by 0.3 mm, with 25 to 35 setae in apical rounded portion ( Fig. 5D ); total length with apodeme approximately 1.8 mm. Spermatheca C-shaped, and approximately 0.22 mm in length; portion connected to spermathecal duct wider and with two openings ( Fig. 5G ).

Diagnosis. This species appears to be closely allied with S. puncticollis and S. longipilis . However, individuals of S. caseyi are generally smaller than these other species and have fewer than five teeth on the inner margin of the protibia. The setae of S. caseyi on the elytral declivity are less than or equal to the length of the second funicular segment (0.1 mm or less), which distinguishes this species from S. longipilis . Sapotes caseyi can be differentiated from S. puncticollis by the following characteristics: (1) S. caseyi is generally smaller S. puncticollis (4.0– 5.4 mm versus 5.0–6.0 mm, respectively); (2) the setae on the prothorax of S. caseyi are short, barely extend beyond the punctures, and are irregularly oriented and blunt, whereas those of S. puncticollis are longer, tapered, curved and uniformly oriented; (3) the apical 1/4 of the metafemur of S. puncticollis is solidly white and demarked linearly by darker cells proximally, whereas this portion of S. caseyi is more mottled with darker cells and not set off linearly; and (4) the elytra are more rounded laterally and enclose more of the metepisternum so that in most specimens of S. caseyi (90%) it does not reach the base of the hind coxae as it does in S. puncticollis and S. longipilis . No distinct differences were found in the morphology of the female genitalia among the species.

Biology. This species was collected at night above 1,000 m altitude in the high desert areas in the states of Nuevo León and Coahuila. Label data indicate that some were collected on threadleaf snakeweed, Xanthocephalum microcephalum (DC.) Shinners (Asteraceae) (Correll and Johnston 1979), upon which they were presumably feeding. No males were found among the 41 specimens examined, suggesting that this species may be parthenogenetic or that the presence of males is highly seasonal.

Etymology. This species in named in honor of Colonel Thomas L. Casey (1857– 1925) who described the genus Sapotes , as well as many other North American Curculionidae .

Figures

Fig. 2. A–E. Size and arrangement of teeth on inner margin of protibia of species of Sapotes: A. S. longipilis; B. S. puncticollis; C. S. caseyi; D. S. setosus; E. S. sordidus.

Fig. 3. A–J, habitus of species of Sapotes. A. lateral view of male S. sordidus (4.46 mm); B. dorsal view of male S. sordidus; C. lateral view of male S. setosus (3.36 mm); D. dorsal view of male S. setosus; E. lateral view of female S. caseyi (4.32 mm); F. dorsal view of female S. caseyi; G. lateral view of female S. puncticollis (5.09 mm); H. dorsal view of female S. puncticollis; I. lateral view of female S. longipilis (5.04 mm); J. dorsal view of female S. longipilis.

Fig. 5. A–I, male and female genitalia of Sapotes. Reference line to the right of figures equal to 0.5 mm. A–B. apical portion of male median lobe of S. longipilis; A. dorsal and B. lateral view. C. ovipositor of S. caseyi. D. sternum 8 of S. caseyi. E–I, spermathecae of Sapotes species, with length from tip of arm to ducts: E. S. puncticollis (0.27 mm); F. S. longipilis (0.35 mm); G. S. caseyi (0.30 mm); H. S. sordidus (0.28 mm); I. S setosus (0.23 mm).