Apotomoderes chariedris Franz, 2010

Franz, Nico, 2010, Revision and phylogeny of the Caribbean weevil genus Apotomoderes Dejean, 1834 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae), ZooKeys 49 (49), pp. 33-75 : 58-62

Apotomoderes chariedris Franz , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:474D949C-484C-486C-8384-720979328F9B

Figs. 13, 14, 15

Diagnosis. Apotomoderes chariedris closely resembles A. hadroprion though it has a more metallic appearance, particularly in males (e.g. Fig. 13A). The pronotum is strongly globular (Figs. 13A, 14A) and the protibial ridge is distinctly triangular near the basal 2/5, particularly in large males (Fig. 13C). In addition, the apex of the aedeagus is narrowly rounded though not pointed, and in lateral view forms a small, knob-like (as opposed to lobe-like), slightly deflexed projection (Fig. 15A). Two mesally reclined, uncinate rami are present along the aedeagal ostium. The cornu of the spermatheca is abruptly angled at the basal one third (Fig. 15C), thereafter only slightly curved, and ending in a straight, slightly deflected tip (as opposed to gradually curved throughout). See also the species accounts of A. chariedris and A. hadroprion .

Description - male. Length 8.90–9.70 mm, width 3.58–3.78 mm, length/width ratio 2.38–2.60 (N=3). Linear piliform scales more dense on pronotum, very short, appressed, transparent white; setae (much) longer and suberect on thoracic and ventral

Figure |3. Habitus of A. chariedris , male: A dorsal view, showing strongly expanded pronotum B head, dorsal view C frontal view, showing large profemoral tooth and toothed, triangularly projected protibial ridge.

sterna and coxae. Scales predominantly creamy white, with a subtle iridescence, creating an almost silver effect, variously interspersed with rusty brown (localized, rare), tan, dark brown (more frequent, patchy/spotty) and turquoise (green to light blue) metallic scales (particularly as a secondary color on pronotum, anterior side of profemora), depressed region basad of epistoma covered primarily with creamy white to turquoise metallic scales, thereafter increasingly with creamy white scales, lateral region anteriad of eye with patch of light brown scales, sulcus reduced, region adjacent to mandibular incision with pale blue metallic scales. Rostrum length 0.98–1.00 mm, rostrum/pronotum length ratio 0.31–0.33, rostrum length/width ratio 0.75–0.80. Head with eyes “tilted” posteriad, particularly in large males. Pronotum length/width ratio 0.91–0.97, pronotum/elytra length ratio 0.48–0.52, globular and strongly convex, dorsally with irregularly shape scales of various colors including dark brown and pale blue metallic patches, in some specimens laterally (posterior half) with a wide, more uniformly creamy white “stripe”, flanked by darker regions. Profemur/pronotum length ratio 0.90–0.98, profemur (Fig. 13C) with (minimally) anterior side often covered in part with turquoise scales, with anteromesal tooth very large, also completely covered with

Figure |4. Habitus of A. chariedris , male: A lateral view B ventral view.

scales, protibia/profemur length ratio 0.98–1.02, anteromesal projection of protibia (Fig. 13C) strongly and triangularly elevated (not rounded), associated teeth large, apically rounded to truncate. Elytra (Fig. 13A) length/width ratio 1.66–1.68, scales predominantly creamy white, often with turquoise metallic undertones, mesal striae more beige or tan, and with distinct though irregularly positioned and shaped dark brown spots, punctures also with a small, turquoise metallic scale.

Terminalia with tegmen similar in length to median lobe. Aedeagus (Fig. 15A) length/width relation 6.38–6.74 (N=2)., basiventral margin strongly emarginate, lobelike projections elongate and subtriangular, lateral margins very slightly diverging in basal 5/6 of entire length, thereafter slightly rounded and continuously converging towards relatively narrowly rounded, though not pointed, apex. Median lobe in lateral view only slightly curved along extended mid region (second and third fourth of entire length), thereafter (apical fourth) dorsal margins converging towards apex in a straight slightly concave line, apically with very small, knob-like, minimally deflexed and expanded projection. Internal sac with 2 weakly sclerotized, angulate-uncinate rami, positioned in ostium and reclined mesally.

Figure |5. Terminalia of A. chariedris : A aedeagus, ventral and lateral view B sternum VIII, female C spermatheca.

Female. Length 7.58–10.70 mm, width 2.96–4.42 mm, length/width ratio 2.42– 2.56 (N=3). Pattern of scale colors varying considerably from that of males: overall scales with beige and (light reddish) tan tomes more abundant, not appearing silver, scale distribution more finely heterogeneous, lighter and darker colors (including pale blue metallic) continuously interspersed, resulting in a “salt-and-pepper” appearance. Rostrum length 0.83–1.11 mm, rostrum/pronotum length ratio 0.35–0.40, rostrum length/width ratio 0.74–0.80. Eyes slightly smaller and more separated than in males. Pronotum length/width ratio 0.93–0.97, pronotum/elytra length ratio 0.40–0.42, pronotum only moderately globular. Profemur/pronotum length ratio 1.00–1.05, profemoral tooth (slightly) smaller than in males, protibia/profemur length ratio 0.96– 0.98, anteromesal projection of protibia conspicuous and triangular, though slightly smaller than in males. Elytra length/width ratio 1.70–1.82.

Terminalia with lamina of sternum VIII (Fig. 15B) widely triangular, length and width similar, anterior margins projected, lateral margins slightly sinuate, posteriorly widely rounded, densely setose. Spermatheca (Fig. 15C) widely?-shaped, ramus and collum angled at nearly 90°, subcontiguous, collum very short, rounded, ramus also very short, rounded, corpus reduced though expanded (widest region of spermatheca), cornu long, abruptly angled at basal one third, thereafter slightly curved and gradually narrowed, ending (apical 1/8) in a narrow, straight, slightly deflected tip.

Variation. The examined males vary primarily in the abundance of darker brown scales on the pronotum (spotty to predominant) and elytra (near absent to very con- spicuous); one specimen has multiple patches of rusty brown scales on the legs. The females differ more strongly in size and in the overall scale color appearance, with some females have a more bluish white or rusty orange brown pattern.

Material examined. Male holotype “ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, RD-55 ̴ 2 km N Bayahibe, La Altagracia Prov., 31.vii.2002, 18°23.423' N, 68°50.453' W, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro” ( MHND). Paratypes, same label information as male holotype ( MHND: 2 males, 3 females).

Etymology. Named for the visually appealing scale colors and patterns, with charieis signifying “graceful” (Brown 1956), and the inserted letters dr (charie-DR-is) representing the initials of the Dominican Republic where the species occurs. The epithet is treated as an adjective.

Natural history. Apotomoderes chariedris is known to occur in coastal, humid forest habitats of the southeastern La Altagracia Province (Bayahibe, Parque del Este) of the Dominican Republic (Fig. 18). The host plant associations remain unknown.