Peridinetus fuscosignum Prena

Prena, Jens, 2009, The West Indian Peridinetini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Zootaxa 2210, pp. 51-64 : 58

Peridinetus fuscosignum Prena , new species

( Figs. 11, 14, 16, 19)

Description. Total length 4.9–6.3 mm, standard length 4.7–6.2 mm (n= 7). Integument dark brown; basic vestiture of medium-sized, mostly brown scales and varying amounts of pale, usually rather indistinctly clustered scales; colour pattern formed by dark macula on elytral disk and white to pale brown scales in dorsolateral pronotal vitta and in abbreviated fascia on interstriae 3–4 distally of elytral macula ( Fig. 11). Rostrum of male 1.00– 1.07 ×, of female 1.09–1.17 × longer than pronotum, subcylindrical, punctation coarser than in most congeners, anteantennal portion in male 0.38 ×, in female 0.43–0.44 × as long as rostrum. Pronotum finely punctate, glabrous, 0.83–0.86 × as long as wide, subconical, sides weakly rounded, frontal margin distinctly projected. Elytra 1.49–1.64 × longer than wide, humeri 1.24–1.34 × wider than pronotum; striae fine-cut, indistinctly punctate; interstriae without median ridges; subapical callus weak. Legs moderately slender, femora clavate and with acute ventral tooth, tibia straight to slightly bisinuate, ventral margin not projected or otherwise modified, tarsal claws subconnate at base. Male with ventrite 5 depressed; apex of aedeagus round, incompletely fused medially ( Fig. 14), lateral portion less sclerotised but not membranous; internal sac with basal sclerite tubiform, shorter than body of aedeagus ( Fig. 16).

Material examined. Holotype male, labeled: “♂”, “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC / Pedernales, 25 km. N Cabo/ Rojo, 700 m., 10 July 1996 / R. Turnbow”, “ HOLOTYPE / Peridinetus / fuscosignum Prena ” ( CMNC). Paratypes 7 (3 males, 4 females): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Pedernales: 25 km N Cabo Rojo, 10.vii. 1996, R. Turnbow ( JPPC 1 ♀). HAITI. Port au Pr[ince], Ehrbrg., Hist.-Coll. Nr. 33500 ( ZMHB 1 ♂); Port-au-Prince, ii. 1925, G. N. Wolcott ( AMNH 1 ♂, 1 ♀; USNM 1 ♀); Corail, 15.ix. 1925, W. A. Hoffman ( USNM 1 ♂, 1 ♀).

Distribution. The species occurs in Hispaniola, possibly restricted to south of Hoya de Enriquillo/Cul-de- Sac Depression (see discussion).

Plant associations. Unknown.

Specific epithet. The name is a compound noun in apposition composed of the Latin words fuscus, for dark, and signum, a sign or mark.

Discussion. Peridinetus fuscosignum is one of three species with flat, basally subconnate tarsal claws. It can be distinguished from the other Hispaniolan species, P. d e c i p i e n s, by the reduced post-macular fascia and possibly allopatry. The collecting site Corail is ambiguous. Root (1927) interpreted the locality as being on the northern shore, near Cap Haitien. However, several localities with the same name occur west and south of Port-au-Prince, where W. A. Hoffman collected.