Apodrosus franklyni Anderson

Anderson, Robert S. & Zhang, Guanyang, 2017, The genus Apodrosus Marshall, 1922 in Cuba (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Polydrusini), ZooKeys 679, pp. 77-105 : 85-88

Apodrosus franklyni Anderson sp. n. Figures 10-12

Specimens examined.

9 males, 4 females. Holotype male (CMNC), labelled CUBA: Province Cienfuegos, Parque Nacional Pico San Juan, road, 21.98812, -80.14632, 1086 m, 19.v.2013, R. Anderson, 2013-022X, hand collections. Paratypes. Data as holotype (5 males, 3 females; CMNC, CWOB). Pico San Juan, near peak, 21.9886833, -80.1465833, 1105 m, 19.V.2013, G. Zhang, CB-13, L.22 (3 males, 1 female; ASUHIC).

Diagnosis.

This species is difficult to distinguish from other Cuban species especially A. beckeli and A. griseus . This group of three species can be separated from other Cuban species by larger eyes, elytra with all intervals of equal elevation, and elytra with stria 10 interrupted above metacoxa. Males of the three species can be separated on the basis of distinctive male genitalia. Females of this species can be separated from A. beckeli and A. griseus by the elytral profile at apical declivity distinctly angulate.

Description.

Male. Body length 2.8-3.2 mm; in dorsal view about 2.2 times longer than greatest width which is at about second third of elytra; dorsal outline in lateral view quite flat. Vestiture composed of grey, greyish-white to brown scales, with very small recurved, fine brown setae. Eyes 1.3 times longer than wide, projected, separated from anterior margin of prothorax by 0.5 times greatest diameter of eye; line of anterior margin of eyes very slightly impressed; shortest distance between eyes (dorsal view) 0.6 times greatest width of pronotum; median furrow linear, narrow and shallow, extending from anterior margin of eyes but not reaching anterior margin of pronotum. Rostrum slightly longer than wide; epistoma apically with three setae situated on each side; nasal plate well defined, v-shaped, slightly tumid, not declivious. Antennal insertion apicad of midpoint of rostrum; scrobe curved downwards by 60°, directed posteriorly at end, not reaching anterior margin of eye, separated from it by 2.0 times width of scrobe. Mandibles with 2 lateral setae. Antennae reddish brown; antennal scape extending to slightly beyond midlength of eye; desmomere I slightly longer than II. Pronotum cylindrical, slightly longer than wide, greatest width from midlength to near base; dorsal surface shallowly punctate, 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 slightly tumid, not posteriorly produced. Elytra in dorsal view 1.4-1.5 times their greatest width; anterior margin sinuate; humeral region of elytra 1.7 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; stria 9 complete, stria 10 interrupted above metacoxa, resuming at suture between ventrites 1 and 2; intervals completely covered with scales, with dark and light areas forming an irregular pattern although many specimens with a more or less distinct transverse dark macula at about posterior one-third of elytral length; all intervals equally flat, humerus angled; interval 9 very slightly tumid above metacoxa; all intervals with recurved, fine brown setae. Venter with scales dense, large on ventrites, ventrites 3 and 4 subequal in length, their combined length slightly about same length as ventrite 5; posterior margin of ventrite 5 widely rounded, apex at middle narrowly impressed. Tegmen with tegminal apodeme 0.55 times length of aedeagus; tegminal plate simple. Aedeagus in dorsal view about 4.7 times longer than its greatest width; apex rounded. Endophallus extended almost to apex of aedeagal apodemes, with a narrow u-shaped sclerite at midlength aedeagus and apical hooked sclerite complex. Aedeagus in lateral view slightly evenly convex. Aedeagal apodemes slightly shorter than length aedeagus.

Female. Body length 3.4-3.6 mm. Differing from male as follows: elytra in lateral view slightly tumid dorsally and with posterior declivity angulate, sutural interval very slightly inflated at about midheight of declivity.

Etymology.

This species is named after Franklyn Cala Riquelme, arachnologist, of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.

Natural history.

Adults were collected beating montane vegetation along the upper part of the road to Pico San Juan.

Comments.

This species and A. griseus and A. beckeli are superficially very similar. Males can be separated by the form of genitalia but females are very similar with females of A. franklyni , differing in the form of the elytral declivity in lateral view.