Apodrosus sandersoni Anderson

Anderson, Robert S. & Zhang, Guanyang, 2017, The genus Apodrosus Marshall, 1922 in Cuba (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Polydrusini), ZooKeys 679, pp. 77-105 : 94-97

Apodrosus sandersoni Anderson sp. n. Figures 22-23

Specimens examined.

2 females. Holotype female (CWOB), labelled CUBA: Province Oriente, Loma Lafarola, along Ríoo Cajobado, 2.VI.1959, M.W. Sanderson, C59-12. Paratype. Data as holotype (1 female; CMNC).

Diagnosis.

This species is 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 scales grey, greyish white or pearlescent in color. Only females are known.

Description.

Female. Body length 3.2-3.3 mm; in dorsal view 2.3 times longer than greatest width which is at about second third of elytra; dorsal outline in lateral view slightly convex. Vestiture composed of pale grey to pearlescent scales, with very small recurved, fine greyish setae. Eyes 1.3 times longer than wide, quite flat, separated from anterior margin of prothorax by 0.5 times greatest diameter of eye; line of anterior margin of eyes not at all impressed, frons continuous with base of rostrum; shortest distance between eyes (dorsal view) 0.45 times greatest width of pronotum; median furrow linear, narrow and deep, confined to area between eyes. Rostrum slightly longer than wide; epistoma apically with three setae situated on each side; nasal plate well defined, glabrous, not declivious, continuing onto rostrum as a number of indistinct, small striae, not carinate posteriorly. Antennal insertion apicad of midpoint of ros trum; scrobe curved downwards by 60°, directed posteriorly at end, barely reaching anterior margin of eye, separated from it by about width of scrobe. Mandibles with 2 lateral setae. Antennae reddish brown; antennal scape extending to just slightly before posterior margin of eye; desmomere I very slightly longer than II. Pronotum cylindrical, slightly wider than long, greatest width from midlength to base; dorsal surface shallowly punctate, scales moderately dense, each puncture with a suberect, fine grey seta; posterior margin slightly bisinuate, slightly wider than anterior margin; scutellum subcircular, with a few scattered scales. Mesocoxal cavities about 5 times width of intercoxal process. Metasternum with lateral portions tumid, not posteriorly produced. Elytra in dorsal view 1.6 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 slightly convex; posterior declivity gradually descending; striae 9 and 10 complete throughout their length although punctures of 10 faintly defined beyond metacoxa; intervals largely covered with uniformly grey to pearlescent scales; all intervals equally flat, humerus angled; interval 9 very slightly tumid just anterior to metacoxa; all intervals with minuet fine grey setae. Venter with scales scattered, small on ventrites; ventrites 3 and 4 subequal in length, their combined length slightly shorter than ventrite 5; ventrite 5 setose, posterior margin widely rounded, impressed and very narrowly emarginated medially. Female not dissected.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology.

This species is named after Milton W. Sanderson (1910-2012), entomologist and botanist, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

Natural history.

No information.

Comments.

This species bears a superficial resemblance to A. argentatus from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and can be separated by geographic distribution and the differently sculptured dorsal surface of the rostrum. Males are not available of A. sandersoni for comparison of genitalia. We have found a latitude and longitude for Loma La Farola in Guantánamo Province as 20.1592 -74.4686 and we believe these to be the approximate coordinates of specimen capture.