Peridinetus poeyi Jacquelin du Val, resurrected name

(Figs. 7, 18)

Peridinetus poeyi Jacquelin du Val, 1857a: 94 [considered to be published before Jacquelin du Val 1857b; see Evenhuis (1989: 828)]. Jacquelin du Val (1857b: 225), Gemminger & Harold (1871: 2617) [synonymy with P. roeselii, with reversed precedence], Chevrolat (1883: 82), Gundlach (1891: 322), Leng & Mutchler (1914: 475), Wolcott (1924: 132; 1936: 307) [misidentification].

Peridinetus poyei; Lacordaire (1866: 210), lapsus.

Diagnosis. Peridinetus poeyi is one of three West Indian species with basally separate tarsal claws and can be confused with P. concentricus . It differs from the latter species by the wide elytral fascia, the densely scaled mesepimeron and metepisternum and the fringe of hairs on the hind tibia of the male.

Material examined. CUBA. La Habana: Habana, Poey (NHRS 3). Sancti Spiritus: Topes de Collantes, P. Vaurie (AMNH 4). “ SOUTH AMERICA ” (USNM 1).

Distribution. The only documented collecting sites are Havana and Topes de Collantes in Cuba. One historical specimen in the USNM (probably from the Gorham Collection) bears a label in modern handwriting that suggests South America as the origin. This may be equivalent to the term America meridionalis, which has been used historically to refer to tropical America in the widest sense.

Plant associations. Piper peltatum [as Caisimón] (Gundlach 1891) [possibly misidentification of weevil].

Discussion. Jacquelin du Val states in the description that he obtained this species from Chevrolat under the manuscript name Heilipus poeyi . I have not seen the type but have studied the three specimens that stand under this name in the Chevrolat Collection. One specimen has a small green label “Havane/ D Poey” and the associated tray label refers to the species’ name and the publication. Peridinetus poeyi is neither a synonym of P. roeselii (Boheman), as proposed by Gemminger & Harold (1871: 2617), nor of P. concentricus (Olivier), as proposed by Wolcott (1924).