Omolabus ligulatus (Sharp)

HAMILTON, ROBERT W., 2005, Omolabus Jekel in north and central America (Coleoptera: Attelabidae), Zootaxa 986 (1), pp. 1-60 : 19-33

Omolabus ligulatus (Sharp)

( Figs. 2 , 14 , 41, 42, 43 & 44) Attelabus ligulatus Sharp 1889: 10

Type locality. Cordorva, Mexico

Type data. Two card mounted syntypes (male & female) with the following labels were examined: 1) male, Attelabus ligulatus , type, D. S., Cordova Mexico Salle (on card with specimen); Type (circular label with red margin); Cordova Mexico Salle Coll.; B.C.A. Col. IV.3, Attelabus ligulatus Sharp. 2) female, Attelabus ligulatus , Type, D.S., Playa Vicente, Mexico, Hoge; type (circular label with red margin); Playa Vincente, Mexico, Hoge; B.C.A. Col. Col. IV.3, Attelabus ligulatus Sharp. The male is designated as the lectotype and the female as the lectoallotype.

Type holder. British Museum of Natural History ( BMNH)

Size range. Male: 3.2 x 2.0 mm (minor male) to 5.1 x 3.0 mm (major male); Female: 3.5 x 2.1 mm (minor female) to 4.9 x 2.8 mm (major female).

Description. Body reddish­brown throughout. (Major male): Head elongate, with two raised areas at dorsal base separated by line­like median sulcus; strongly narrowed from base to just behind eyes, with small shallow scattered punctures, with weakly rimmed semicircular genal concavity; concavity subequal to size of eye; with weakly developed subocular denticle; eyes small, nearly round, strongly protuberant; vertex concave; frons bisulcate, with sparsely punctured convex median ridge between sulci. Rostrum slightly longer than head, bisulcate dorsally from base to antennal insertions, moderately to densely punctate at lateral base, moderately punctate beyond antennal insertions to apical ¼; apical ¼ with few punctures, about twice as wide as frons; postlabial area with elongate chin­like process; process weakly bilobate at apex. Antennae inserted at basal 1/3 of rostrum; club short­compact, distinctly shorter than funicle; basal club segment longest; middle segment slightly shorter than basal segment; terminal segment slightly shorter than middle segment; funicular segment 1 ovo­globose, slightly shorter than scape; segment 2 and 4 subequal, clavate; segment 3 only slightly shorter than 2 or 4; 5–7 subequal, clavate, short, 2 shorter than segments 2–4. Pronotum robust, with some lateral punctures; punctures more dense at lateral base, with oblique line­like groove on either side, with two longitudinally oval median depressions; depressions with weakly raised lateral rim; anterior collar distinct, dorsally widened and v­shaped. Scutellum wide, twice as wide as long, 4­ sided, posterior margin broadly rounded, with very small shallow punctures. Elytra wider than long, widest across humeri, in dorsal view slightly narrowed posteriorly, with weak transverse depression behind scutellum; humeri obliquely angled, with prominent laterally projecting blunt­tipped denticle; striae small, more or less subequal in size throughout, more deeply impressed at elytral base, forming weak line­like grooves at base; intervals convex in basal ½ of elytra, becoming flat, smooth and wide beyond elytral base. Profemora stalked and ventrally angulate; angle minutely strigate. (Minor male): Head not elongate, without dorso­basal raised areas; subocular denticle genal concavity weakly developed or indistinct; rostrum subequal to head in length, with weak postlabial denticle; pronotum with oblique line­like grooves and faint longitudinal depressions; profemora stalked and with weak ventral angle. (Female): Head not elongate, without dorso­basal raised areas, subocular denticle or genal concavity; eyes reniform; rostrum as long as head, without postlabial armature; antennae inserted near basal ¼ of rostrum; pronotum with only oblique line­like groove on each side; profemora evenly swollen.

Distribution ( Fig. 2 ). This species has been collected from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica. Wibmer and O’Brien (1986) give Columbia, South America in the distribution of this species but I have not seen material from there.

Comments. Omolabus ligulatus is closely related to O. quadratus but it is smaller and has prominent humeral denticles (Figs. 42 & 44). The species varies considerably in size and major and minor forms are present.

Host plants. It has been recorded by Vogt (1992) as nidifying A. graveolens , S. mombin and S. purpurea .

Specimen data. 65 specimens were examined. The sexes and label data are as follows:

COSTA RICA: 1 female, La Sarena Osa, viii­1978, G Vogt; 1 male, Puntarenas, P. N. Corcovado, 10–20 viii­1980, DR Whitehead; 3 females, 21­vii­1933, on Spondias mombin leaves, Waldeck & S & CH Ballou; 2 males & 1 female, P. N. Cahuita, ix­1978, Spondias, G Vogt (USNM); 1 male & 1 female, Punta. Prov., Pen. Osa, A. C. Osa , vi­1994, Bosque Esquinas 200 m, M Segura; 1 female, Limon Prov., R. N. F. S. Barra del Colorado, A. C. Tortuguero, Rio Sardinas, v­1994, 50 m, FV Araya; 1 female, Prov. Puntarenas, P. N. Manuel Antonio, Quepos, vi­1991, 80 m, G Varela (INBC).

EL SALVADOR: 1 male & 2 females, [ El Salvador], Palmar Nort. [?], viii­1978, G Vogt; 1 male (same except Spondias ); 1 female, 20–50 km La Libertad, x­1975, G Vogt; 2 female (same except x­1978); 1 female, km 50–60, La Libertad, prob. x­1978, feeding, large leaf Spondias, G Vogt (USNM). GUATEMALA: 2 males & 7 females, Pto. [Puerto] St. Tomas. [viii]­1979, nidifying Spondias, G Vogt ; 4 females, 241 km Escobas, [30]­ viii­ 1980, ex. escobo [?], G Vogt; 5 females, Pto. Sta. Tomas [Puerto Santa Tomas], viii­1979, nidifying Spondias, G Vogt ; 1 female, hills above Rio Lion or Lancetilla, 5–7 ix­1979, G Vogt; 1 male, 240 km Escobas, [30­viii­1980], G Vogt (USNM); 1 male, Yzabal Tierra Caliente, 100 ft (UMRM).

HONDURAS: 2 females, La Lima, El Progresso, [iv]­1979, G Vogt; 3 males & 4 females, 1 mi E Tela, ix­1979, nidifying small & medium sized Spondias leaves, G Vogt; 1 female, Atlantida, Tela, 1980, Spondias , nidifying small leaves, G Vogt (USNM).

MEXICO: 2 males, Cordoba, F. Knab; 1 male & 1 female, Chiapas, Finca Agua Clara, 8­viii­1981, Anacard [ Anacardiaceae ] tree, G Vogt (USNM); 1 female, Ver.[Veracruz], F. Islas Presidio [?], xi­1940 (CWOB); 3 females, Veracruz, Cordoba, A Fenyes (CASC); 1 male, Chiapas, Palenque 80m, 29­vii­1983; 1 male & 1 female, Chiapas, 47.3 mi S Palenque on #199, 27­vii­1983, Trop. trans. for., [Tropical transition forest] 2300', R Anderson; 1 female, Chiapas, 4 mi S Palenque, 25–30 vii­1983, 200' Trop. lowl. for. [Tropical lowland forest], R Anderson (CMNC); 1 male, Tabasco, campo exp. [?], CSAT [?], 20 km W Cardenas, 23­vii­1980, Schaffner & Friedlander; 1 male, Chiapas, 4 mi S Palenque, 25–30 vii­1983, 200' Trop. lowl. for., R Anderson (TAMC).

FIGURES 25–28. O. spinapectus : 25 & 26 major male, holotype; 27 & 28 female, allotype.

FIGURES 29–32. O. quadratus : 29 & 30 major male; 31 & 32 female.

FIGURES 33–36. O. laesicollis : 33 & 34 major male; 35 & 36 female.

FIGURES 37–40. O. angulipennis : 37 & 38 male; 39 & 40 female.

FIGURES 41–44. O. ligulatus : 42 & 42 major male; 43 & 44, female.

FIGURES 45–48. O. corvinus : 45 & 46 male; 47 & 48 female.

FIGURES 49–52. O. heterocerus : 49 & 50 male, 51 & 52 female.

FIGURES 53–56. O. fasciventris : 53 & 54 male, holotype; 55 & 56 female, allotype.

FIGURES 57–60. O. sedatus : 57 & 58 male; 59 & 60 female.

FIGURES 64–67. O. callosus : 64 & 65 male, 66 & 67 female.

FIGURES 68–71. O. megalomus : 68 & 69 male, holotype; 70 & 71 female, allotype.

FIGURES 72–75. O. conicollis : 72 & 73 male; 74 & 75 female.

FIGURES 76–79. O. veracruensis : 76 & 77 male, holotype; 78 & 79 female, allotype.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Distribution of Omolabus species: 1) Omolabus veracruensis (square), Omolabus spinipectus (circle), Omolabus megalomus (triangle), Omolabus fasciventris (open triangle) 2) Omolabus ligulatus (circle), Omolabus quadratus (open triangle) 3) Omolabus heterocerus (triangle), Omolabus angulipennis (circle) 4) Omolabus laesicollis 5) Omolabus corvinus 6) Omolabus sedatus (circle), Omolabus longiclava (triangle) 7) Omolabus callosus 8) Omolabus conicollis.

FIGURES 9 – 14. Male genitalia of Omolabus species, 64 X: a) tegmen, dorsal view b) median lobe with endophallic sac and transfer apparatus in repose, ventral view 9) Omolabus spinipectus, Costa Rica, Puntarenas 10) Omolabus quadratus, Panama, Pina 11) Omolabus laesicollis Mexico, Guerrero 12) Omolabus angulipennis, Costa Rica, Puntarenas 13) Omolabus corvinus, Mexico, Quintana Roo 14) Omolabus ligulatus, Honduras, Tela.