Chryasus cavernosus Champion, 1908

Prena, Jens, 2024, Consolidation of Aniops Casey, Psiona Casey, Preglyptobaris Bondar and Prospoliata Hustache with Chryasus Champion (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Baridinae) and descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 5492 (1), pp. 1-24 : 16

14. Chryasus cavernosus Champion

( Figs. 6 , 20 , 42 )

Chryasus cavernosus Champion (1908: 337 , description), Hustache (1938: 24, transfer from Centrinini to Bari[di]ni, Coelonertina), O’Brien & Wibmer (1982:181, new country records).

Diagnosis. Chryasus cavernosus is 2.3–3.2 mm long and entirely brown. The anterior constriction of the coarsely punctate pronotum has deep pits separated by longitudinal ridges, a trait unique to this species. Males have the basal ventrites almost unmodified, only large ones have inconspicuous appressed squamulae.

Material examined. COSTA RICA. Guanacaste: P.N. Guanacaste, Estac. Pitilla, 27.ii.1989 – 1.ix.1994, C. Moraga ( MNCR 18 ) , 6.–12.iii.1996, J. Prena ( CMNC 3 , JPPC 9 , MNCR 4 ). Heredia : P.N. Braulio Carrillo, 13 km SSW Santa Clara, 13.i.1996, J. Prena ( JPPC 1 ); Estac. El Ceibo , 17.–23.ii.2003, 11.– 16.iii.2003, J. Prena ( JPPC 2 ). Limón : P.N. Hitoy Cerere, 21.–29.i.1996, J. Prena ( JPPC 3 ). GUATEMALA. Ciudad de Guatemala, El Pueblito, 11.vi.1991, R. Anderson ( CMNC 1 ); Ciudad de Guatemala, Puenta Parada , 12.vi.1991, R. Anderson ( CMNC 2 , JPPC 1 ). NICARAGUA. Chontales, Santo Domingo, T. Belt, syntypes ( NHMUK 2 ). PANAMÁ. Canal Area : 3 mi W Paraíso, 14.xii.1969, H. Stockwell ( STRI 1 ); 5 mi NW Gamboa , 20.ii.1970, H. Stockwell ( CMNC 1 ). Chiriquí: 20.5 km NW Volcan , 20.v.1996, R. Turnbow ( CMNC 1 ). Panamá: Cerro Campana , 28.iv.1973, H. Hespenheide ( JPPC 1 ); Altos de Campana , 26.v.1996, R. Turnbow ( CMNC 1 ). Chepo, Cerro Jefe , 16.vi.1976, H. Stockwell ( STRI 1 ) .

Life history. In March 1996, I found many specimens on a flowering, unidentified Melastomataceae in an open habitat near Pitilla field station in Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Notes. This is the type species of Chryasus . A lectotype designation for it is not warranted at present because the two syntypes are from the same locality and do not threaten nomenclatural stability. Specimens from higher elevations are more elongate with a smaller prothorax (often with a median carina) than specimens from the lowlands.

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Right hind legs showing gradient from clavate femur with minuscule, seta-bearing ventral denticles toward ventrally nearly straight femur with row of gradually enlarged teeth. 5, C. bicolor (type species of Preglyptobaris and subjective synonym of type species of Prosaldius); 6, C. cavernosus (type species of Chryasus); 7, C. persimilis (agreeing with Psiona); 8, 2.0 mm long species near C. carinulosus (type species of Psiona) and C. persimilis from Trinidad and Tobago; 9–10, 3.0 mm long species from São Paulo (Fig. 47) agreeing with Aniops, distal and proximal aspects. Scale bars 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 16–25. Chryasus, male genitalia, dorsal aspects. 16, C. wappesi; 17, C. macer; 18, C. taironius; 19, C. montyi; 20, C. cavernosus; 21, C. clunis (Cerro Cacao, Costa Rica); 22, Chryasus sp. nr. C. clunis (Machaquilá, Guatemala); 23, Chryasus sp. nr. C. clunis (Cerro Azul, Panamá); 24, C. persimilis; 25, Chryasus sp. nr. C. sculpturatus (São Paulo, Brazil).

FIGURES 34–47. Chryasus talamanca complex, dorsal and lateral aspects. 34, Male holotype, Buquete in Chiriquí, Panamá; 35, Female paratype, Buquete in Chiriquí, Panamá; 36, Teneral female from gall of Miconia pittieri, Monteverde in Puntarenas, Costa Rica; 37, Female, P.N. Tapantí in Cartago, Costa Rica.