Peridinetus opacus Champion

Prena, Jens, 2010, The Middle American species of Peridinetus Schönherr (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Zootaxa 2507, pp. 1-36 : 33

25. Peridinetus opacus Champion

( Fig. 62, 63 )

Peridinetus opacus Champion, 1907: 178 . Seidlitz (1909: 326), Hustache (1938: 9), Blackwelder (1947: 887), O’Brien & Wibmer (1982: 178).

Diagnosis. Peridinetus opacus is a small, inconspicuous weevil with few setae ( Fig. 62 ), which is very similar to P. frontalis ( Fig. 60 ). Champion apparently was unaware of P. frontalis when he described P. opacus from Panama. The Middle American material now available suggests that P. opacus occurs at mid-elevations in the Cordilleras Central and Talamanca, while typical P. frontalis occur in the adjacent lowlands. The chief distinguishing character of P. opacus is the laterally angular pronotum. These two taxa belong to a predominantly South American species complex and their taxonomic ranks need to be readdressed in a future investigation of that fauna. The studied specimens were 3.1–4.5 mm long (standard length 2.9–4.3 mm).

Distribution. This species has been found at mid-elevations in Costa Rica and Panama.

Plant association. Piper hispidum complex (Prena 11 ×)

Type material. 2 syntypes, Panamá, Volcán ( BMNH 2).

Material examined. Costa Rica. Cartago: P.N. Tapantí, 20 km SE Cartago, 1200 m ( JPPC 6); Grano de Oro, 1120 m ( INBC 1). Heredia: P.N. Braulio Carrillo, 5 km N San Isidro, Cerro Zurquí, 1800 m ( JPPC 2). Puntarenas: 4 km S San Vito, 1100 m ( JPPC 2). San José: 12 km NE San Isidro del General, Cerro Chucuyo, 1350 m ( JPPC 1). Panamá. Chiriquí: Volcán, 800–1300 m ( BMNH 2). Total 13 specimens.

Figures

FIGURES 58 – 65. Dorsal and lateral habitus of Peridinetus species. 58 – 59, P. ecuadoricus, Maquipucuna Reserve (Ecuador); 60 – 61, P. frontalis, Paraiso, C. Z. (Panamá); 62 – 63, P. opacus, Cerro Zurquí (Costa Rica); 64 – 65, P. nodicollis, Portobelo (Panamá).