Myoplatypus biprorus (Blandford, 1896)

Kirkendall, Lawrence R. & Atkinson, Thomas H., 2023, The rare genus Myoplatypus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae): three new species, new reports, and first records for South America, Zootaxa 5351 (3), pp. 301-321 : 311

Myoplatypus biprorus (Blandford, 1896)

( Figs 1 , 7 )

Platypus biprorus Blandford, 1895: 109 .

Myoplatypus biprorus (Blandford) : Wood 1993: 279.

Platypus querceus Wood, 1971: 251 new synonymy.

New record. “ COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Prov., Coto Brus, Est. Biol. Las Cruces, 1,100 m, 8° 47’ N 82° 57’ W [8.78, -82.95]; Eciton burchelli colony #1, sampling of stationary phase bivouac in a hollow log, 10 Apr 2002, A. Tishechkin” (1 male, LSAM) [ Eciton burchelli is an army ant!].

Taxonomy. We have examined the male holotype and male and female paratypes of Platypus querceus (NMNH) and three male specimens from Mexico identified by K. E. Schedl as Platypus biprorus . we have also compared these specimens with syntypes of Platypus biprorus (NHMUK) . From comparisons for both sexes, these are clearly the same species. Wood described M. querceus as new and as differing from M. biprorus in size and in small details of the male frons and of the elytral disc and declivity in both sexes, plus as differing in distribution. The small morphological differences he describes are typical of minor intraspecific variation.

As with P. sicarius, Wood overlooked transferring P. querceus to Myoplatypus when he erected the genus. In the original description, he characterizes M. querceus as being very similar to M. biprorus , so M. querceus clearly should have been incorporated in the same genus as M. biprorus (consistantly spelled “ biporus ” in Wood 1971, Wood 1993 and Wood & Bright 1992).

Distribution. Mexico to Panama: the widest range of any Myoplatypus . Specimens of M. querceus were collected in Panama (one series) and Costa Rica (two series) by S. L. Wood, at elevations ranging from 1300–1900 m. All were taken from oaks ( Quercus ). Specimens of M. biprorus have been collected in Guatemala and Mexico (http://www.barkbeetles.info/beetle_pix_tax_index.php#myoplatypus). As with M. querceus , the only host recorded for M. biprorus is Quercus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal, lateral, and angled posterior views of the declivities of five tropical species of Myoplatypus. (A–C) M. petrovi. (D–F) M. sicarius. (G–I) M. nicaraguensis. (J–L) M. brevicornis. (M–O) M. quadricornis. For sources of photos, see plates for the respective species; for sizes of species, see Table 1.

FIGURE 7. Myoplatypus biprorus (Blandford), represented by the male holotype of M. querceus (Wood). (A) dorsal view. (B) Lateral view; the large, slightly backward-pointing spines are clearly visible. (C) Frontal view. (D) Posterior view, showing declivity; the large, slightly backward-pointing spines originating on ventrite 3 are visible. (We chose to use M. querceus here because the photographs are better than those that we have for the male syntype of M. biprorus (available at http://www. barkbeetles.info/regional_chklist_target_species.php?lookUp=155). Photos: Smithsonian Institution (USNMENT00912032), CC0 license, by S.M. Smith.