Embates rhombifer (Champion)

Prena, Jens, 2005, The Middle American species of Embates Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), Zootaxa 1100 (1), pp. 1-151 : 1-151

50. Embates rhombifer (Champion)

(Fig. 168–169, 248)

Ambates rhombifer Champion 1907: 159 . Lectotype male, here designated, Panama, labeled: “Type”, “ ♂ ”, “V. de Chiriqui / below 4000 ft ” (BMNH). Paralectotypes 2, here designated: Volcán (BMNH 2). Hustache 1938 (cat.); Blackwelder 1947 (cat.); O’Brien & Wibmer 1982 (cat.)

Embates [ rhombifer ]. Alonso­Zarazaga & Lyal 1999 (global combination of all species of Ambates Schönherr 1836 with Embates Chevrolat 1833 )

Redescription. Habitus: Fig. 168 and Fig. 30, total length 5.7–8.2 mm (m=6.8, n=20). Color: integument rufous­castaneous; basic vestiture of minute, translucent scales, scales yellow in broad dorsolateral and lateral pronotal vittae, compound elytral vitta and apical streak (Fig. 168a, b); venter with minute scales. Head: frontal fovea absent or obsolete, rostrum moderate, subcylindrical, sides attenuated between apex and antennal insertion, not costate dorsomedially, basolateral margin moderately edged, length of rostrum ♂♂ 1.22–1.42 x (m=1.32, n=12), ♀♀ 1.32–1.46 x (m=1.41, n=8) pronotal length, length of ante­antennal portion ♂♂ 0.42–0.46 x (m=0.44, n=12), ♀♀ 0.46–0.49 x (m=0.47, n=8) total rostral length, dorsal margin of antennal scrobe reaching rostral base before eye; funicular segment 2 little longer than 1, club oblong ovate (♀♀) to subcylindrical (♂♂). Pronotum: length 0.82–0.92 x (m=0.88, n=20) maximum width, sides rounded, widest in basal half, anterior portion tubulate; disk densely punctate, intervals rugose, subcostate dorsomedially or not. Elytra: length 2.00–2.14 x (m=2.07, n=20) width at humeri, width 1.18–1.29 x (m=1.24, n=20) maximum pronotal width, sides subparallel in basal half, apices rounded separately, preapical callus developed moderately, striae fine, punctures indistinct, interstriae flat, 9 subcostate distally. Legs: moderately stout, tibia slightly curved, ventral margin with distal cluster (♀♀) and indistinct fringe (♂♂) of cupreous hairs, tarsal claws arcuate and separate at base. Male: aedeagus as E. justini , apex less broadly rounded on average (Fig. 169).

Plant association. Piper arboreum (Prena 9).

Distribution. Costa Rica and Panama, Pacific side of Cordillera de Talamanca between 1200 and 1720 m (Fig. 248).

Material examined. COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: P.N. Amistad, Las Mellizas, 1300– 1440 m ( INBC 10 , JPPC 9 ) ; Sector Altamira , 1200 m ( INBC) ; Las Tablas , 1250 m ( INBC) . PANAMA. Chiriquí: Volcán de Chiriquí, 800–1300 m ( BMNH 3 ) ; Las Lagunas , 4 km W Hato del Volcán, 1360 m ( HPSC 10 , HAHC 12 , BMNH 2, TAMU, CWOB, CMNC) ; 2 km N Santa Clara , 1300 m ( HAHC) ; 2 km W Cerro Punta , 1720 m ( HAHC) . Total 53 specimens .

Discussion. Embates rhombifer belongs to a complex of slender, mostly South American species with more or less separately rounded elytral apices. The complex is represented in Middle America by E. justini , E. rhombifer , E. consimilis and E. rutilus . The first two species have separated claws and a short aedeagal flagellum with short basal appendage, while the latter two species have subconnate claws and a more elongate flagellum with projecting basal appendage. Embates rhombifer is another example for a spatially isolated population on the Pacific side of the Cordillera de Talamanca, that demonstrates close relationship to South American species.