Apodrosus alberti Anderson

Anderson, Robert S. & Zhang, Guanyang, 2017, The genus Apodrosus Marshall, 1922 in Cuba (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Polydrusini), ZooKeys 679, pp. 77-105 : 79-81

Apodrosus alberti Anderson sp. n. Figures 1-3

Specimens examined.

5 males, 3 females. Holotype male (CMNC), labelled CUBA: Province Granma, Parque Nacional Pico Turquino, 1103 m, 20.0107, -76.8843, IV.2012, CarBio Team, montane forest, CU-03. Paratypes. Alto de Merino, near biological station, 958 m, 5-10.III.2013, 19.9858333, -077.0158333, pluviselva litter, F. Cala Riquelme, A. Deler Hernandez (1 female; CMNC). Parque Nacional Pico Turquino, on the trail up to ca. 0.5 km (by air) from La Platica, 20.0083333, -76.8883333, 920 m, 23-27.VI.2012, A. Deler Hernández & M. Fikacek, sweeping exposed vegetation, secondary evergreen forest, MF-20 (1 female; CMNC). Province Santiago de Cuba, Parque Nacional Gran Piedra, Gran Piedra and surrounding trails, general collecting, 20.01177, -75.62595, 1200 m, leg. N. Franz, 29.I.2012 (1 male; ASUHIC). Gran Piedra, along trail Museo Isabelica to Gran Sofía, on plants, 20.0010, -75.5940, 800 m, leg N. Franz, 28.I.2012 (1 male, 1 female; ASUHIC). Gran Piedra, nr. Santiago, May 30-31, 1957, M.W. Sanderson (2 males; CWOB, INHS).

Diagnosis.

This species is easily distinguished from other Cuban species by larger eyes, elytra with all intervals of equal elevation, elytra with stria 10 continuous throughout length, body with most scales brown or copper in color, and distinctive male genitalia.

Description.

Male. Body length 3.6-4.2 mm; in dorsal view about 2.3 times longer than greatest width which is at about second third of elytra; dorsal outline in lateral view quite flat. Vestiture composed of pale to dark brown scales, with very small recurved, fine brown setae and a few scattered broader white scales on elytra.. Eyes 1.4 times longer than wide, projected, separated from anterior margin of prothorax by 0.3 times greatest diameter of eye; line of anterior margin of eyes very slightly impressed; shortest distance between eyes (dorsal view) 0.35 times greatest width of pronotum; median furrow linear, narrow and deep, extending from anterior to posterior margin of eyes. Rostrum slightly longer than wide; epistoma apically with three setae situated on each side; nasal plate well defined, v-shaped, hind margin tumid, not declivious, continuing onto rostrum as an elevated median carina. Antennal insertion apicad of midpoint of rostrum; scrobe curved downwards by 45°, directed posteriorly at end, barely reaching anterior margin of eye, separated from it by 2.5 times width of scrobe. Mandibles with 2 lateral setae. Antennae reddish brown; antennal scape extending to just slightly before posterior margin of eye; desmomere I about same length as II. Pronotum cylindrical, slightly wider than long, greatest width from midlength to near base; dorsal surface shallowly punctate, scales sparse, each puncture with a curved, fine brown seta; posterior margin slightly bisinuate, slightly wider than anterior margin; scutellum subcircular, glabrous. Mesocoxal cavities about 5 times width of intercoxal process. Metasternum with lateral portions tumid, not posteriorly produced. Elytra in dorsal view 1.75 times their greatest width; anterior margin sinuate; humeral region of elytra 1.5 times width of posterior margin of pronotum; lateral margins slightly divergent until second third, thereafter convergent; apex acutely rounded; in lateral view with dorsal outline quite flat; posterior declivity gradually descending; striae 9 and 10 complete throughout length although punctures of 10 faintly defined beyond metacoxa; intervals largely covered with scales, with dark and light areas forming an irregular pattern; all intervals equally flat, humerus angled; interval 9 very slightly tumid just anterior to metacoxa; all intervals with recurved, fine brown setae, a few scattered broader white scales on elytral declivity. Venter with scales sparse, small on ventrites, middle of ventrites 1 and 2 with moderately dense, long, fine, erect hairs, ventrites 3 and 4 subequal in length, their combined length slightly longer than ventrite 5; posterior margin of ventrite 5 widely rounded, apex at middle narrowly impressed. Tergum VII of male emarginate. Tegmen with tegminal apodeme 0.5 times length of aedeagus; tegminal plate simple. Aedeagus in dorsal view about 5 times longer than its greatest width; apex rounded. Endophallus extended to about midlength of aedeagal apodemes, with only a pair of inverted c-shaped sclerites at about one-third length of aedeagus. Aedeagus in lateral view slightly evenly convex. Aedeagal apodemes about 0.8 times length of aedeagus.

Female. Body length 3.9-4.0 mm. Differing from male as follows: elytra in lateral view with posterior declivity angulate, sutural interval very slightly inflated at about midheight declivity.

Etymology.

This species is named after Albert Deler Hernández, coleopterist, of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.

Natural history.

Adults were collected on vegetation along trails in montane forest.

Comments.

Dissected males from Parque Nacional Pico Turquino and Parque Nacional Gran Piedra have indistinguishable genitalia and are here considered conspecific.