Euscelus biguttatus (Fabricius)

Hamilton, Robert W., 2007, Euscelus species of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Attelabidae), Zootaxa 1495 (1), pp. 1-34 : 16-18

Euscelus biguttatus (Fabricius)

( Figs. 8 , 49–52)

Attelabus biguttatus Fabricius, 1775 .

Attelabus bipustulosus Jekel, 1860 .

Type locality: America

Type data: Type not examined

Type holder: Zoological Museum , University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ( ZMUC)

Specimen data: JAMAICA: 14 males & 14 females, Montego Bay, March 6, 1911; 4 males & 7 females, Antilles, Christiana, July 15–17, 1960, 3000 ft., P & C Vaurie; 3 males & 4 females, Antilles, St. Ann Parish, Claremont, vi-22-‘60; P & C Vaurie; 4 males, Antilles, St. Thomas Parish, Golden Grove, July 26, ‘60, C & P Vaurie; 1 male & 3 females, Antilles, Windsor Estate, 12 mi. So. Falmouth, July 20, 1960, P & C Vaurie; 1 male, B.W. I., Lumsden, Claremont, September 1922, L Perkins collector; 1 female, Antilles, Long Mt., St. Andrew Parish, 11-vii-1960, P & C Vaurie ( AMNH). 1 female, P.Chern [?], Bowring 63-47; 1 male, Brit. W. Indies, Jamaica, 1916-259, 1916 AH Ritchie; 1 male, Gosse [?], Saunders Coll., Sharp Coll. 1905-313; 1 female, Kingston, 23-ii-1921, CC Gowdey ( BMNH). 1 male & 1 female, Port Antonio, Portland Parish, Follys Ruin, 25-xii-1987, on vegetation, LH Williams & JL Blackmer; 1 female, Try.[Trelawny], Barbecue Botom, 12-viii-1966, A T Howden; 1 male & 1 female, St. Ann, Moneaque, 20-viii-1966, AT Howden; 1 male, Try. Good Hope, 11-viii-1966, AT Howden; 1 female [same as previous except 3-viii-1966]; 1 male, Try. Duncans, 21-viii-1966, AT Howden; 1 male and 1 female [same as previous except 8-vii-1966; 1 male, Hardwar Gap, 14-vii-1966, 4000', AT Howden; 1 male [same as previous except 3-vi-1966; 1 male, Clar.[Claremont?], Killlits, Mason R. Bog, 4-viii-1974, 2,300', S & J Peck; 1 male, Trelawny, Windsor, 25-viii-1974, 500', S & J Peck; 1 female, St. Thomas, Whitfield Hall, 27-vii-1966, AT Howden; 1 male & 2 females, W Morel, Cornwall Mt., 18-vii-1966, AT Howden; 1 male & 1 female, Clar. Pedro R.[river], 17-viii-74, 1750', S & J Peck; 1 female, Portland, 1 mi W Eccles-down, 10-viii-74, 1500', S & J Peck ( CMNC). 1 female, St. Thomas, Portland Gap, 23-viii-1980, 1400 m, beating, A Norrbom; 2 males & 2 females, F Klages, Holland Collection ( CMNH). 2 males, Jamaica, Trelawney Parish, Windsor Estate, about 12 mi. S Falmouth, 20-viii-60, on Psidium, MJ Westfall, Jr. Coll. (CWOB) . 1 female, Trelawney Parish, Windsor Estate, about 12 mi S of Falmouth, 20-vii-1960, on Psidium, MJ Westfall, Jr. ; 3 males, Mandeville [?], 06-iv, F Psota ( FMNH). 1 male, 12 mi S Falmouth, Windsor Estate, 11-viii-1956, B & B Valentine; 4 males & 3 females, Kingston, private yard nr. Mono Campus, U. of W. I., early January 2004, ex. young trees, Terminalia catappa , rolling leaves, KW Wolf ( RWHC). 1 male & 1 female, St. Ann Parish, Ocho Rios, 5-viii-1985, JE Eger ( TAMC). 1 male & 1 female, Clar. Par. [Claremont Parish], Mason River Station, 4 mi NW Kellits, 2200', 16-19-iv-1973, D & M Davis; 1 female, St. Ann Par., Pedro River near Pedro Great Cave, 3.2 mi NE Kellits 1600', 17-iv-1973, D & M Davis; 3 males & 1 female, Rose Hall, Linstead, 15-ix-1917, H Morrison; 2 females, Kingston, injuring Eucalyptus, HG Hubbard ; 1 female, Sta. 16, 19-vii-1935, Chapin & Blackwelder; 1 female, Newport, 18-ii, Chapin & Blackwelder; 1 male & 2 females, Mandeville, 06-iv, Van Duzee & Wickham; 5 males & 6 females, St. Catherine Parish, Hyde, nr. bog walk, 23-vii-1962, O Farr & R Flint ( USNM).

Description: Color: Head, antennae, pronotum, front legs, thoracic ventrals and elytra reddish-brown; middle and hind legs, abdomen and large oval shaped spots at base of elytra yellowish-white; extremities of middle and hind legs somewhat darker. Size range: Male (n = 63) 3.2 x 1.5 mm to 5.0 x 2.6 mm; Female (n = 64) 3.5 x 1.7 mm to 5.9 x 2.8 mm. Head sub-conical, longer than wide, widest at base; weakly constricted near base; punctures minute, irregularly spaced; frons narrow, about 1/3 as wide as rostral base; with weak median line like impression. Rostrum shorter than head, widened beyond antennal insertions, apex 1/2 wider than rostral base; minutely punctured. Antennae slightly longer than head and rostrum together; scape ovoglobose; funicle segment 1 cylindrical, shorter than scape; funicle segment 2 longer than segment 1, slender, clavate; segment 3 subequal to 2, slightly longer; funicle segments 4 and 5 subequal, clavate, slightly shorter than segment 2; segment 6 short, clavate, subequal in length to segment 1; segment 7 cone shaped, subequal in length to segment 4 or 5; club pale; basal club segment slightly longer than middle or terminal segment; middle and terminal segments subequal in length; terminal segment acuminate. Pronotum wider than long, widest across base and above procoxae, with transverse groove across middle; groove with shallow impressions each side of middle, laterally recurved; with weak transverse goove near base; with minute sparse punctures; interspaces smooth, shiny; anterior collar set off by shallow groove, wider through middle; basal carinae subequal through middle, posterior basal carina more narrowed laterally. Scutellum large, weakly convex, broadly triangular, at base more than ½ wider than long; with shallow median longitudinal channel and fine transverse strigae across apex; without punctures; posterior margin broadly rounded. Elytra slightly longer than wide, widest at humeri, with large basal convex oval yellowish-white spot at base of each elytron; punctures distinct at elytral base around spot margin and elytral suture; striae becoming progessively smaller and less distinct posteriorly; intervals smooth, wide, flat, shiny; humeri angled and distinctly denticulate. Abdominal ventrites with distinct thin median setosity; ventrites 3 and 4 with short paired transverse carinae each side of middle; rim of carinae lightly pigmented; carinae on ventrite 4 more prominent.

Femoral sexual dimorphism: The profemur in males is armed with two close together projections. The disti-ventral projection is pointed and weakly beak-shaped. The mid-ventral projection, which is more distal and lateral in this species, is apically rounded and bent over toward the midline and bears an oval setose sensillum on its outer side. The female profemur is also armed with two projections. The disti-ventral projection is distinctly beak-shaped and the mid-ventral projection is small, bluntly rounded and directed anteriorly. The female’s profemur also has a wheal like raised area along the ventral base.

Distribution: Only specimens from Jamaica were examined. O’Brien and Wibmer (1982) report it from Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

Comments: An easily recognized species by the dark body color and the large raised yellowish-white spot at the base of each elytron (figs. 50 & 52) The paired carinae on the male ventrites are unique. The carina on ventrite 3 of the female is complete across the middle.

Host plant: Euscelus biguttatus was reported rolling the leaves of young West Indian almond trees, Terminalia catappa (Linn.) by K. W. Wolf (personal communication, 2003). It has also been collected on Psidium sp. H . G. Hubbard (unpublished, label data) reports it as injuring Eucalyptus .

Figures

FIGURES 5–8. Male genitalia of West Indies Euscelus species, 64 X: a) tegmen, dorsal view b) median lobe with endophallic sac and transfer apparatus in repose, ventral view 5) Euscelus angulosus, Cuba, Isle de Pinos 6) Euscelus scrobiculatus, Dominican Republic, South of Barahona 7) Euscelus uviferae, Haiti, Aux. Cayes 8) Euscelus biguttatus, Jamaica, St. Catherine Parish.