Calligrapha sylvia Stål, 1860

Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2015, Systematic revision of the genus Calligrapha Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae) in Central America: The group of Calligrapha argus Stål, Zootaxa 3922 (1), pp. 1-71 : 62-65

Calligrapha sylvia Stål, 1860

Stål, C. 1860: 462.

( Figs 12 c, 13b, 13e, 14)

Chrysomela sylvia: Stål, 1865 , Mon. Chrys. Amer., 3, p. 273. Calligrapha sylvia: Gemminger & Harold, 1874 , Cat. Col., XI, p. 3434. Calligrapha sylvia: Jacoby, 1882 , Biol. Centr. Am., vol. 6, pt. 1, p. 207.

5. This specimen conforms well to the type in size, shape, brownish coloration, and number of maculae, as well as blunt ends of arcuate band and subsutural stripe; the shape of the humeral marking is also very similar. It only differs in its maculae being smaller than in the type, and also smaller than in C. diversa , although it clearly does not belong to the latter species.

Polyspila sylvia: Weise, 1916 , Col. Cat., pars 68, 12, p. 44.

Calligrapha sylvia (pars): Blackwelder, 1946, Checklist Col., Pt. 4, p. 674. Calligrapha sylvia (pars): Wilcox, 1975, Checklist, Biol. Res. Inst. Amer., p. 66.

There are three possible syntypes for this species in the museums of Stockholm (NRM) and Berlin (MfN), as indicated in the original description, but also in London (NHM), particularly the specimen originally from Deyrolle’s collection and also indicated by Stål (1865) as considered for his description. The description is succinct but it only applies well to the syntypes in Stockholm and London (elytris eburneis; the specimen in Berlin has pale orange elytra, not coloured as ivory), as does the subsequent redescription, highlighting the rounded shape of the spot enclosed by humeral lunule, which is broadly emarginate anteriorly in the specimen in Berlin (Stål 1865). Nevertheless, only the size of the specimen at NHM agrees with that provided in the original description (the specimen at NRM is smaller: 7.53 mm long and 4.67 mm wide), and since Jacoby (1892) already used this specimen to illustrate the habitus of the species in the Biologia Centrali-Americana, it is designated as lectotype here.

Lectotype by present designation: Mexico [green] / 66 / Type Stål Coll: Deyrolle / Sp. figured / Baly Coll. / sylvia Stål Mexico [handwritten underneath: Type Stål Col: Deyrolle] (NHM).

Paralectotypes: (1) one specimen: 29786 / sylvia Stål / Mexico, Deppe [green] (MfN); (2) one specimen: Mexico / Tarnier / Type / Typus [red] (the specimen lacks left anterior leg from mid femur and the right maxillary palpus is broken) (NRM).

Habitus ( Fig. 12 c). Length: 8.13 mm, width: 5.15 mm. Body elongated oval, moderately convex. Head, mandibles, apex of antennae, pronotum, scutellum, elytral markings, epipleura, ventral surfaces and legs very dark red to black with feeble bronzy metallic shine. Labrum, and basal segments of antennae and of maxillary palpi rufous. Elytra creamy yellow.

Head microreticulate, moderately strongly punctured at vertex and sides, with punctures weaker on frons and clypeus, and unpunctured on calli; frontal suture finely impressed joining slightly stronger broad U-shaped clypeal suture; supraocular sulci short, slightly surpassing upper eye margin. Antennae relatively short, reaching humeri; first antennomere thick, straight at posterior border, convex at anterior border, narrower basally; antennomeres 2–5 elongated, thin, relatively smooth and almost glabrous; second antennomere shortest, about half as long as first, third as long as first; antennomeres 4–6 subequal; antennomeres 8–11 thicker, widening from base to apex, rugose and pubescent; eleventh about as long as first, tappering towards blunt apex, with slight dorsal emargination; eighth antennomere 0.8x as wide as long. Labrum small and short, feebly emarginate anteriorly, with long setae medially at sides of disc. Mandibles large, sturdy, surpassing 1.5x length of labrum; surface strongly punctured and setose; sides slightly concave before strong preapical curvature. Apical maxillary palpomere broad, sides curved and slightly divergent basally, shortly parallel before straight truncated apex. Pronotum transverse (W/L=1.82); basal border bisinuated, concave laterally and convex medially; anterior border feebly margined; sides margined, straight, divergent at basal half, regularly curved at anterior half towards strongly produced anterior angles; surface microreticulate; strongly and relatively densely punctured on disc, punctures stronger and confluent laterally; some strong elongated punctures laterally adjacent to pronotal base. Hypomeral suture deeply, regularly impressed, from curved base near posterior angle of pronotum, weakly divergent from pronotal border, towards anterior angles; hypomera microreticulate, unpunctured. Prosternum slightly elevated, convex, microreticulate, punctured in depression near coxae; prosternal process convex between procoxae, very convex transversally, depressed and expanded apically, truncated straight. Mesanepisterna microreticulate, unpunctured. Metepisterna strongly and densely punctured externally. Metaventrite strongly punctured at anterior angles, with finer, sparser punctures elsewhere; deeply transversely furrowed before metacoxae, with sparse fine golden pubescence. Scutellum long (W/L=0.81), weakly convex, very finely microreticulate, almost smooth, unpunctured. Elytra homogeneously, rather densely finely punctured, with dark minute spots; fine punctures forming a regular premarginal lateral row; punctures stronger around and within markings; scutellar row present. Markings: (i) sutural stripe entire, broadly surrounding scutellum and gradually narrowing towards apex; (ii) subsutural stripe completely confluent with sutural stripe from basal end, slightly before apex of scutellum; (iii) arcuate band complete, gently curved, entirely confluent laterally with subsutural stripe; apically as a large transverse subquadrate spot; (iv) humeral spot large, elongated, completely confluent laterally with (v) humeral lunule, obliquely curved at apex towards suture, ending at level with basal end of arcuate band; (vi) spot enclosed by humeral lunule round, medium sized, placed posteriorly, close to apical curvature of lunule; (vii) spot of apical declivity roundish, laterally confluent with subsutural stripe, broadened in that area; (viii) five additional roundish spots, in 1-2-1-1 arrangement, paired spots larger medially on disc. Legs weakly, sparsely punctured; apex of tibiae rugosely punctate, with dense golden reddish pubescence. Abdominal ventrites finely and densely punctured basally; basal ventrite with some strong punctures basally at sides. Penis figured in Figs 13 b, 13e.

Distribution. The species has been reported from North America, but these US records belong instead to the closely related C. diversa (see above). Instead, C. sylvia is only found in the Atlantic domain of Northern Mexico, east from the Sierra Madre Oriental, but it may reach further south, always on the eastern slopes of the Central American mountain chains, based on the single record of a specimen from Guatemala ( Fig. 14 ). The species is at present considered endemic of the Caribbean Mesoamerican domain.

Material examined (49 specimens).

GUATEMALA

MCZ: (1) one specimen: Sinanja, Vera Paz, Champion, 1st Jacoby Coll., Calligrapha nr. sylvia J. Gómez- Zurita det. 2010.

MEXICO

EGRC: (1) one specimen: Mexico, Hidalgo, 40 mi SW Jacala, 3000’ Hwy85, 24.vii.1982, C. and L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: Mexico, Hidalgo, Minera Outland (=Otongo) 3400’, 31.vii.1982, C.W. O’Brien & G. Wibmer, at night, Calligrapha diversa St. det. Daccordi ’90, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen: Mexico, Tamaulipas, Bocatoma, 7 km SSE Gomez Farias, 25–30.iii.1978, E.G. Riley, Calligrapha ramulifera Stal det. Daccordi ’81, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) one specimen: Mexico, Tamaulipas, Bocatoma, 6 mi S Gomez Farias, 19–23.v.1979, Marlin E. Rice Coll., Calligrapha ramulifera Stal det. Daccordi ’81, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (5) one specimen: Mexico, Tamaulipas, 6–9 km N Rio Guayalejo, 14.x.1985, R. Turnbow, Calligrapha ramulifera Stal det. Daccordi ’81, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (6) one specimen: Mexico, Nuevo Leon, Santa Rosa Canyon, 28 km W Linares, 1.vi.1987, R. Turnbow, Calligrapha ramulifera Stal det. Daccordi ’81, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. FSCA: (1) one specimen: Mexico, Tamaulipas, Bocatoma w.s., 7 km SSE Gomez Farias, 15.x.1985, R. Turnbow, Calligrapha ramulifera Stal det. E.G. Riley ’88, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: Mexico, Tamaulipas, 1–3 mi E Ocampo, 26.x.1979, J.E. Wappes, Calligrapha ramulifera Stal det E.G. Riley ’82, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen: Mexico, Veracruz, Catemaco-Tuxtlas Biol. Sta. Rd, 15–17.vi.1985, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) two specimens: Mexico, Nuevo León, 20 km W Montemorelos, camino a Royones, 21.vi.1981, B. Miller & L. Stange, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (5) seven specimens: Mexico, San Luis de Potosí, El Salto Falls, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011 [two with: 3.vii.1968, H.V. Weems, Jr.; one with: 1.vii.1968, H.V. Weems, Jr.; two with: 1.vii.1968, D. Weems; two with: 1.vii.1968, P. Weems]; (6) one specimen: Mexico, Nuevo León, Horsetail Falls, 25.vi.1965, N. Chernoff. NHM: (1) two specimens: Mex., Baly Coll.; (2) one specimen: Chrysom. consimilis? Chevr., Mexico, Baly Coll.; (3) one specimen: Cosamaloapam, Mexico, Sallé Coll., Calligr. sylvia Stål, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. NMB: (1) one specimen: Temascal, Oaxaca, Mexico, x.1962, leg. Epping. NMCZ: (1) one specimen: Mexique, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense. NMNH: (1) two specimens: Tuxtepec, Oax., Mex., J. Camelo G., Apr. 1934, No. 969 [one with: Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011]; (2) one specimen: Mexico, Oaxaca, Temascal, Oct. 1963, D.H. Janzen, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen: orchids from Tamazunchale, S.L.P. Mex., Laredo Tex. no. 45689, 5 Jan 48,? suboculata Stal HSB 48, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) one specimen: Mexico, S.L.P., El Naranjo, vi.29.1965, Paul J. Spangler, El Salto, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (5) one specimen: Mex. S.L.P., 24.7 mi E Landa de Matamoros Qro. 5000’ xi.18 –19.65, George E. Ball & D.R. Whitehead collectors, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (6) one specimen: Mexico, Tamazunchale, 8.iii.65, Sullins & Heinrich with orchid, Bro. 88492, 65-9817, Calligrapha sp. Det. R. White, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (7) one specimen: Mexico 22.xii.66, Coll. L.J. Wheadon, #Brownsville 90526, Lot#67-6715, Calligrapha sp. Det. R.E. White, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (8) one specimen: orchid, Maiz, S.L.P., Mex., Lar. 93693, v.6.49, 47-6851; (9) one specimen: Mexico, San Luis, at Brownsville, 16.iii.64, Burgess, Heinrich, Dieball on bromeliads 67-10164, Calligrapha sp. nr. ramulifera Stal d R. White, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (10) one specimen: Mexico, Nuevo León, Linares, Cañón de Santa Rosa, 19.vii. 952, Coll. G. Halffter, F. Monrós Collection 1959, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (11) one specimen: Tuxtepec, Oax., Mex., J. Camelo G., Nov. 1982, No. 328, Calligrapha ancoralis Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. TAMUIC: (1) one specimen: X0534183, Mexico, Veracruz, Tepetzintla, 28.viii.1962, William F. Chamberlain, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: X0535608, Mexico, Tamaulipas, 9.5 km E San Carlos, Sierra Chiquita de San Carlos, 16.vii.1988, L.A. Ruedas, at light, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen: X0535717, Mexico, Veracruz, Panuco, 27.viii.1962, William F. Chamberlain, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011.

USA

TAMUIC: (1) one specimen6: X0535279, USA, Utah, Garfield Co., 13 mi W Long Valley Junction, Dixie National Forest, 16.vii.1967, Horace R. Burke, Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011.

UNKNOWN SOURCE

MCZ: (1) one specimen: 1st Jacoby Coll., Calligrapha sylvia Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010. NHM: (1) one specimen: Ent. Club 44-12, Z. Wal[...], N. America; (2) one specimen: sylvia Stål , 67-56. NMCZ: (1) one specimen: Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense.

Variation. Head and pronotum can be very dark, almost black, with slight metallic green tinge, or alternatively dark red and ventrally pale brown with very feeble metallic shine, as seen in the MfN paralectotype. Punctation on the head can be strong, dense, also on frons and clypeus and mesanepisterna can be punctured close to posterior border. The last maxillary palpomere of some specimens is subtrapezoidal. The spot enclosed by humeral lunule can be missing, or it can be emarginate anteriorly and postero-laterally narrowly confluent with humeral lunule, as seen in the MfN paralectotype. Finally, the small additional markings may also be reduced or absent, or more or less numerous than in the type.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Dorsal and lateral habitus of the Lectotype of Calligrapha aeneopicta Stål (a), Neotype of C. elegantula Jacoby (b), Lectotype of C. sylvia Stål (c), Lectotype of C. diversa Stål (d), and Holotype of C. simillima Stål (e). Scale bar = 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 13. Penis in ventral, lateral and dorsal view of apex of the species Calligrapha simillima Stål (a, d), C. sylvia Stål (b, e), C. diversa Stål (c, f), C. aeneopicta Stål (g, h), and C. elegantula Jacoby (i, j). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 14. Geographic distributions of Calligrapha diversa Stål (black circles) and C. sylvia Stål (white circles).