Rhoptobaris piercei Prena, 2012

Prena, Jens, 2012, A Review of RhoptobarisLeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae) from North and Central America, The Coleopterists Bulletin 66 (3), pp. 233-244 : 241

Rhoptobaris piercei Prena , new species ( Figs. 7, 8 )

Orthoris cylindrifera of authors (not LeConte 1876). Pierce (1907b: 283; 1907c: 381; 1916: 10); Champion (1909: 497); Böving (1927: 157).

Diagnosis. Rhoptobaris piercei is very similar to the somewhat larger and more slender R. canescens , but has only one row of setae on each elytral interstria and noticeably protruding sclerolepidia. Rhoptobaris scolopax has a less curved rostrum and a much longer seventh tergite in the female.

Description. As in the generic description above, with the following specific character states: Rostrum moderately and rather evenly curved, 1.08–1.14X (male) or 1.12–1.20X (female) longer than pronotum, lateroventrally with row of erect setae; funicle approximately as long as antennal club; elytral interstriae with 1 row of white or brown, slender, decumbent setae set in minute pores; prosternum slightly tumescent in front of coxae without median depression; tibia dorsally with appressed setae, ventrodistal spine distinct and projecting beyond distal setae; sclerolepidia projecting, peg-like; female with pygidium (tergite VII) slightly wider than long; body of aedeagus ca. 2.3X longer than wide; total body length 2.2– 3.2 mm, width 0.9–1.3 mm.

Distribution. This species occurs in Mexico and reaches the United States in southern Arizona and Texas.

Biology. Pierce bred this species from stems and roots of M. oligosperma and apparently once from a pod of an unidentified Mentzelia species. He noted in his manuscript that the plant occurred at stony places around Dallas, mostly along railroad cuts. The weevils oviposited in the stem, and the larvae ate through the heart of the stem into the tuberous root, going not more than one-half inch [1.3 cm] into the root, where they pupated in a cell of frass. Larvae were found as early as 26 June, and adults were taken 2 April. After the larvae entered the root, usually their feeding caused the plant to weaken and break off at the crown. This made the finding of the later stages difficult in the field. Larvae, pupae, and adults were found in their cells from 25 July to 7 August. An adult was found alive in its cell 4 October in roots isolated 24 July. Some of the above data were published under Orthoris cylindrifera in Pierce (1907b, c).

Etymology. The name is a patronym given in honor of Dr. William Dwight Pierce (1882–1967).

Material Examined. Holotype: male, labeled “Hunter/ No 1339”, “Bred Mentzelia / oligosp. stem”, “P. 1906. 24/ II.2 7/25”, “Dallas TX/ VI.26.06”, “ Orthoris / oligospermae/ Type Pierce”, “ HOLOTYPE / Rhoptobaris / piercei Prena ” ( USNM) . Paratypes 35 (18 males, 17 females): USA : Arizona: Cochise Co., Bisbee , 17.vii.1977, 1 male ( AMNH) ; Cochise Co., 14 mi W Douglas , 11.viii.1965, K. W. Brown, 1 male ( CWOB) ; Cochise Co., 1 mi SE Dos Cabezas, Hwy 186, 6.ix.2007, on Mentzelia , C.W. O’ Brien, 3 males, 4 females ( CWOB 7 ) ; Cochise Co., Portal , 29. vii.1966, W. Rosenberg, 1 male ( USNM) ; Pima Co., Santa Rita Mountains, Box Canyon , 27–28. vii.1982, J. E. Wappes, 1 male ( CWOB) ; Santa Cruz Co., Washington Camp near Nogales , 4.viii.1948, Lindsay, on Mentzelia sp. , 1 female ( USNM) ; Santa Cruz Co., Washington Camp near Nogales , 3.vii.1951, leaves of Mentzelia sp. , 1 male, 2 females ( USNM 3 ) . Texas: Brewster Co., Big Bend National Park, Oak Canyon-Window Trail , 27.vi.1982, R. S. Anderson, 1 female ( CMNC) ; Dallas , 26.vi.1906 [plant collected], W.D. Pierce, bred from stem of Mentzelia oligosperma , 2 females ( USNM) ; Dallas , 24.vii.1906 [plant collected], W.D. Pierce, bred from stem of Mentzelia oligosperma , 1 male ( USNM) ; Dallas , 1.iv.1907, on Mentzelia oligosperma, R.A. Cushman , 6 males, 5 females ( USNM 11 ) ; Dallas , 6.vi.1907, ex Mentzelia sp. pod, 1 male ( USNM) ; El Paso Co., El Paso, July, H.F. Wickham, 1 male ( USNM) . MEXICO: Morelos: Cuernavaca, H. F. Wickham, 1 female ( BMNH) ; Puente de Ixtla , H. F. Wickham, 1 male ( BMNH) . Querétaro: Cadereyta de Montes, Jardín Botánica , 6.vii.2009, C. W. & L. B. O’ Brien, 1 female ( CWOB) .

Note. In his 1941 manuscript, Pierce explains that the O. cylindrifera reported from Texas ( Pierce 1907b, 1907c, 1916) were misidentifications. This error appears also in Champion (1909) and Böving (1927).

Figures

Figs. 5–10. Dorsal and lateral views of female Rhoptobaris species. 5, 6) R. canescens, Sedalia, Colorado;