Pseudolechriops megacephala Champion

Hespenheide, Henry A. & Lapierre, Louis M., 2006, A review of Pseudolechriops Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Conoderinae), Zootaxa 1384, pp. 1-39 : 5-8

1. Pseudolechriops megacephala Champion

Fig. 1 , a–e

P. megacephala Champion, 1906: 90 .

Diagnosis: Black except apex of rostrum, tibiae and tarsi reddish brown; posterior tibiae flattened and weakly arcuate on posterior margin; from above rhomboidal in shape with elytra conspicuously wider than base of pronotum; sides of pronotum sparsely covered with setae not forming a distinct pattern; elytra with transverse basal fascia of white setae and oblique fascia from the suture at middle to the lateral margins; rostra of males and females strongly sexually dimorphic in shape; Guatemala to South America.

Description: Male: Black, except tarsi, anterior and middle tibiae, and apical half of rostrum dark reddish brown; from above ( Fig. 1 a), distinct pattern of narrow white setae on elytra at bases of elytral intervals, extending for 2/7 of length of intervals 1 and 2, and in broad, oblique band from middle of elytra at suture to lateral margins; pronotum with dark inconspicuous setae on disk, very narrow pale buff setae along base and lateral margins, and broader white setae on sides; head with white setae between eyes on upper 3/4, glabrous and polished on lower 1/4 and rostrum; beneath moderately densely covered with white setae, denser on the epimera; femora and anterior and middle tibiae rather densely covered with narrow white setae, setae on hind tibiae dark and inconspicuous, appearing glabrous; 2.7–3.1 mm long (mean = 2.89 mm for 12 specimens).

Head very prominent, about 2/3 as long as pronotum, eyes expanding arcuately outwards to be as wide as pronotum at apex; from front, eyes rather widely separated, closest at apex and separated on upper half by shallow medial depression; lower half of front and rostrum polished and minutely punctate, interior margins of eyes raised to form ridges on lower half, rostrum slender, antennae inserted at middle, from side nearly straight, from front flattened and broadening somewhat toward base above antennal insertions and with lateral margins carinate, carinae ending with an oblique polished groove at base of rostrum that separates rostral carinae from carinae at lower margins of eyes ( Fig. 1 c). Pronotum from above nearly cylindrical, only slightly wider at base than apex, from lateral view weakly convex on basal 1/2, disc densely punctate, inconspicuously carinate along midline. Elytra together about 1/2 broader than pronotum and only slightly longer than wide, giving a very rhomboidal appearance, lateral margins very weakly arcuate, apices rounded. Mesosternum with well-defined groove with high ridges to receive rostrum continuing to excavate and carinate anterior margin of metasternum; metasternum with rather broad medial polished depression along midline to abdomen. Abdomen with first ventral sternite narrowly depressed along midline, most deeply so at posterior margin, second sternite also weakly depressed on anterior 1/2, from side abruptly declivous at middle. All femora with more or less strong acute tooth on inner margin just beyond the middle, middle and posterior femora finely carinate; posterior tibiae conspicuously broadened and flattened ( Fig. 1 b), very weakly arcuately rounded on posterior margin. Aedeagus dark brown at base, becoming transparent at tip, illustrated in Fig. 1 e.

Female: As male, but base of rostrum convex in cross-section ( Fig. 1 d) and more coarsely punctate, without carinae on rostrum or lower inner margins of eyes. Mesosternal groove present but weaker, first abdominal segment indistinctly depressed along midline; 2.85–3.45 mm long (mean = 3.30 mm for 22 specimens).

Specimens examined: Costa Rica: Guanacaste Pr., 3 km SE R. Naranjo, 15– 20.10 .1992, F.D. Parker (2, CWOB), Bagaces, Fortuna, Z.P. Miravalles, Sendero Cabra Muco, 980 m, L_N_ 299151_41000031.01.2002, A. Lopez (1, INBC, INB0003431978), Volcan Miravalles, Sector Crabromuco, 980 m, 26.06.2001, J.& A. Rifkind, P. Gum (1, CHAH); Puntarenas Pr., Brujo, 400m, 26.08.1994, B. Jordal, ex Cecropia peltata (1, CHAH), Est. Q. Bonita, R.B. Carara, 50m, LN-194500_469850, 0 2.1994, R.M. Guzman (1, INBC), Osa Peninsula, Agua Buena, 30m, 23.04.1994, B. Jordal, ex C. peltata (2, INBC, CHAH), Nicoya Pen., vic. Mal Pais, 0–10m, 25– 29.05.2003, L.M. LaPierre, on leaf undersides of mature Cecropia peltata trees (1, LMLC). Guatemala: San Isidro, Pantaleon (Lectotype, BMNH). Nicaragua: 16 mi SW Managua, 2800’, 14.04.1974, C.W. & L. O’Brien & Marshall (1, CWOB). Panamá: Mojingo Swamp, 0 9.07.1952 (1, USNM), Cocle Pr., El Valle, 0 6.07.1974, O’Briens & Marshall (1, CWOB); Colon, France Field, 12.08.1984, D.&L. Engleman (1, CWOB); Panamá Pr., Cerro Campana, 16.07.1976, W.E. Clark (1, USNM), Cerro Campana, 454 m, 20.05.1973, G. Ekis (1, CWOB), Cerro Campana, 850 m, 0 8o 40’ N 79o 56’ W, 29.05.1970, 29.07.1970, 14.07.1974, 17.07.1977, H.A. Hespenheide, on Cecropia (4, CHAH), Las Cumbres, 0 7.08, 28.10.1979, 24– 30.12.1982, H. Wolda (3, CWOB), 5 mi NE Chepo, 0 4.07.1974, C.W. & L. O’Brien & Marshall (1, CWOB); 8–10 km N El Llano, 24.05– 02.06.1992, E. Giesbert (1, CHAH), Parque Nacional Altos de Compana, 2700’, 18.051991, R. Turnbow (1, CMNC); Canal Zone, Paraiso, 26.03.1911, E.A. Schwarz (1, USNM), Barro Colorado Island, 28.01.1929, C.H. Curran (1, AMNH), Barro Colorado Island, Gigante Peninsula, 0 5.04.1992, J.E. Tobin, Fog #3 (1, CMNC), Pipe Line Road, 30.06.1974, C.W. & L. O’Brien & Marshall (1, CWOB); Madden Forest, 24.04.1970, H.P. Stockwell (1, CWOB), Fort Gulick, 0 9, 10.1979, H.J. Harlan (2, CWOB); Fort Clayton, 22.05.1970, H. Stockwell (1, CWOB), Fort Sherman, 10.07.1983, D. Engleman (1, CWOB), 2 mi SSE Gamboa, 0 9o 06’ N 79o 42’ W, 15.11.1969, H.A. Hespenheide (1, CHAH), 6.5 km SE Gamboa, 0 9o 04’ N 79o 40’ W, 0 2.08.1978, H.A. Hespenheide, at Cecropia (1, CHAH), 3.5 km WNW Paraiso, 0 9o 02’ N 79o 40’ W, 13.07.1974, H.A. Hespenheide (1, CHAH), 7 km W Margarita, 0 9o 20’ N 79o 58’ W, 29.07.1978, H.A. Hespenheide (1, CHAH), Parque Natural Metropolitano, 0 3, 30.04, 0 1, 0 8.05.1995, F. Oedegaard, on Cecropia peltata , C. longipes (5, FOC), San Blas, Nusagandi, Nusagandi Tr., 150–350 m, 17.07.1995, C.W.&L.B. O’Brien (1, CWOB). Venezuela: Zulia, El Tucuco, 45 km SW Machiques, 05– 06.06.1976, A. Menke & D. Vincent (1, USNM).

Discussion: Males from Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, differ from other males in having white setae on the lateral margins of the rostrum to the antennal insertions, and are somewhat intermediate in this character with the next species. Males have been observed feeding at Müllerian bodies. Adults have most consistently been associated with Cecropia peltata L., but have also been taken on C. longipes Pitt. This species has been reared from adult C. peltata petioles (see Table 1 ). Male specimens measure 2.7–3.1 mm long (mean = 2.90 mm for 16 specimens); females measure 2.85–3.45 mm long (mean = 3.28 mm for 25 specimens).

1 Agua Buena, Puntarenas Pr., Osa Peninsula, elevation 30 m; Boca Tapada — Boca Tapada de San Carlos, Alajuela Province, ca. 10o 38’ N 84o 14’ W, elevation 200 m; La Selva — La Selva Biological Station, Heredia Province, 3 km S Pto. Viejo, 10o 26’ N 84o 01’ W, elevation 50–150 m; San Luis — Ecolodge San Luis and Biological Station, Puntarenas Province, ca. 10o 15’ N 84o 45’ W, elevation 1100 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pseudolechriops megacephala Champion: a. dorsal habitus, b. lateral habitus and hind leg, c. front of head of male, d. front of head of female (a – d, line = 1.0 mm), e. dorsal (left) and lateral (right) views of entire male aedeagus and apex (above; line = 0.5 mm).

Tables

TABLE 1. Use of Cecropia hosts by Pseudolechriops species in Costa Rica. Data are based on rearings by LaPierre except for P. megacephala (B. Jordal, University of Bergen, Norway).

Pseudolechriops spp.	Locality1	Cecropia host spp.	Host age	Petiole condition
P. klopferi	La Selva	insignis	juvenile	live
P. coleyae	La Selva	obtusifolia	juvenile	live
P. howdenorum	La Selva	insignis , obtusifolia	adult	dead
P. davidsonae	San Luis	obtusifolia	adult	dead
P. alleni	La Selva	insignis	juvenile	live
P. wrightae	Boca Tapada	hispidissima	adult	live
P. j a n e a e	San Luis	obtusifolia	juvenile	live
P. megacephala	Agua Buena	peltata	adult	dead