Lechriops chiricahuae, Hespenheide, 2003

Hespenheide, Henry A., 2003, New Lechriops Species for the United States (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Conoderinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 57 (3), pp. 345-352 : 349-350

Lechriops chiricahuae new species

Fig. 4

Description. Holotype male: Black, except tibiae, rostrum and apical half of elytra reddish brown; more or less uniformly and densely covered with white setae beneath, more sparsely so along midline of ventral abdominal sternites and on legs; setae more scattered above, larger, elongate and yellowish in oval patch along midline on pronotum anterior to scutellum, yellowish on apical half of elytra, denser along suture, white setae condensed in small lateral spot on eighth interval; irregular line of dark brown setae on either side of midline of pronotum; rostrum glabrous; 2.8 mm long.

Pronotum with lateral margins very weakly / arcuate, almost subparallel, inconspicuously / carinate, slightly wider than long. Elytra about 1 3 broader than pronotum, elongate, about 1 3 longer than wide. Abdomen with first ventral sternite deeply, broadly concave in male, the second sternite / weakly convex in lateral view. Posterior femora with indistinct tooth on inner margin at apical 2 3. Aedeagus narrowly elliptical, apex acute, arcuate and thin from side ( Fig. 4 ).

Allotype female: As male, but abdomen with first ventral sternite convex; 2.9 mm long.

Holotype Male. Arizona, [Coconino Co.,] Williams, 30.06.[year?], Barber and Schwarz Coll. ( USNM).

Allotype Female. Arizona, same data as Holotype, but 16.07.[year?] ( USNM).

Paratypes. United States: Arizona, Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mts., John Hands Dam , 1,706 m; 29.06.1978, S. McCleve, under pine bark (12, AMNH, CASC, CWOB, TAMU) , Cave Creek Canyon, Chiricahua Mts., Southwestern Research Station , 5,3509, 318539N 1098129W, 20.05.1992, H.A. Hespenheide, on cut branches of Pinus leiophylla Sch. and D. (1, CHAH) ; Huachuca Mts., Carr Cyn. 7,5009, 07.09.1965, C.W. O’Brien (1, CWOB) ; Coconino Co., same data as Holotype, but 28.05, 30.06, 01, 09.07.[year?] (5, USNM) , Flagstaff , 30.07.1938, D.J. and J.N. Knull (1, CHAH) , 4 mi N Red Lake , 19.07.1957, C. W. O’Brien (1, CWOB) , [Navajo Co., Mogollon Rim,] Pinetop , [7,000 ft,] 03.08.1973, S. McCleve (2, TAMU) . Colorado: Juanita ,.05.934, B. Rotger (1, CASC) . México: Guerrero, 9.0 km NW El Ocotito, 945 m, 07.07.1987, R. Anderson, oak-pine forest (2, CMNC, TAMU) .

Discussion. This species is similar to L. oblongulus in its uniform dorsal coloration; specimens of both species were initially considered by me to be abraded specimens of L. californicus . The combination of the basal medial patch of fulvous setae on the pronotum, the conspicuous reddish-brown ground color of most of the elytra, and uniformly white setae on the lateral and ventral surfaces is distinctive. Some specimens have a very small white sutural spot beyond the middle of the elytra. Size varies from 2.5 to 3.1 mm in length (mean ¼ 2.77 mm for 28 specimens).

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Male aedeagi of North American Lechriops. 1) Lechriops californicus (LeConte) (specimen from AZ: E. Turkey Creek, 6.5 mi W Portal, 29.05.1997, H.A. Hespenheide (CHAH)); 2) L. variegatus n. sp. (specimen from AZ: Chiricahua Mts., Rustler Pk., 29.06.1958, C. W. O’Brien (CWOB)); 3) L. oblongulus Champion (specimen from AZ: Chiricahua Mts., 8,0009, 30.07.1957, C. W. O’Brien (CHAH)); 4) L. chiricahuae n. sp. (specimen from AZ: Flagstaff, 30.07.1938, D.J. and J.N. Knull (CHAH)); 5) L. oculatus (Say) (specimen from CT: Storrs, 24.06.1973, H.A. Hespenheide (CHAH)).