Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby, 1882

Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2018, Systematic revision of Central American Calligrapha Chevrolat of the subgenus Erythrographa subgen. nov. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae), Zootaxa 4531 (1), pp. 1-58 : 27-31

Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby, 1882

( Figs 6c , 7c, 7d , 8 )

Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby, 1882 . Biol. Centr.-Amer., vol. vi, pt. 1, p. 199.

Calligrapha stillatipennis (pars): Jacoby, 1882. Biol. Centr.-Amer., vol. vi, pt. 1, p. 204 (tab. 11, fig. 15).

Calligrapha suffriani: Jacoby, 1891 . Biol. Centr.-Amer., vol. vi, pt. 1, suppl., p. 244.

Polyspila suffriani: Weise, 1916 . Coleopt. Cat., p. 44.

Calligrapha suffriani: Blackwelder, 1946 . U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 185, p. 674.

Calligrapha suffriani: Wilcox, 1975 . Checklist Chryomelidae, p. 67.

Calligrapha suffriani: Sánchez-Reyes et al., 2014 . ZooKeys 417, p. 110.

Calligrapha stillatipennis (pars): Gómez-Zurita, 2016. Zootaxa 4072, p. 83.

Calligrapha suffriani: Benítez-García et al., 2017 . Rev. Mex. Biodiv. 88, p. 339.

Calligrapha suffriani: Sánchez-Reyes et al., 2017 . Entomol. mex. 4, p. 439.

The original description of this species by Martin Jacoby mentioned the existence of three specimens, originally from August Sallé's collection (Jacoby 1882). According to their label information, these three syntypes are currently distributed between the beetle collections of the Natural History Museum ( London , UK) and the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Cambridge, USA). Only one of these specimens, one of the pair at NHM, fits every detail given in the original description, chiefly the tridigitate end of the humeral marking (not present in the specimen at MCZ due to the detachment of the external lobe of this tridigitation). Morever, this specimen, which has a very peculiar configuration of the subsutural stripe, not shared by the specimen at MCZ, for instance, was the one selected to illustrate the species in Biologia Centrali-Americana (Fig. 16, Table XI; Jacoby 1880 –1888). These facts make the selection of the lectotype straightforward, and the other two syntypes are designated here as paralectotypes.

Lectotype, by present designation: Guanajuato / Mexico, Sallé Coll. / 664 [pale blue] / suffriani [pale blue] / Sp. figured. Type. / Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. ( NHM).

Paralectotypes, by present designation: (1) Guanajuato / Mexico, Sallé Coll. / C. suffriani var. Jac. / Godman- Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. ( NHM); (2) Guanajuato / Mexico, Sallé Coll. / 1st Jacoby Coll. / Type 17432 [red] / Jan–Jul 2004, MCZ Image Database ( MCZ) .

Habitus ( Fig. 6c ). Length: 9.55 mm, width: 5.81 mm. Body elongate oval, moderately convex. Head, mandibles, pronotum, scutellum, elytral markings, epipleura, most of ventral surfaces, and legs bright reddish brown; apex of mandibles, fine margin of pronotum, internal margins of epipleura, coxae, mesa- and metanepisterna, prosternum, most of metaventrite and large median basal area of abdominal ventrites blackened, with faint greenish metallic shine; antennae, mouth appendages and tarsi orange; background of elytra dark stramineous, golden narrowly around dark elytral markings.

Head large, wide, deeply inserted in pronotum; surface with very fine microreticulation, sparsely and finely punctured, with some stronger punctures near eyes in supraocular depression; supraocular furrow sinuous from unpunctured antennal calli and slightly surpassing upper eye margin; frontal suture finely impressed, anteriorly joining broad V-shaped clypeal suture. Clypeus with some moderately strong punctures, mostly at sides. Labrum relatively long, weakly emmarginate anteriorly. Mandibles large, stout, surpassing length of labrum by 1/3 of their length, with sparse strong punctures bearing long yellowish setae. Maxillary palpi long, slender; apical palpomere longer than broad at apex, with sides weakly curved, nearly parallel-sided before oblique apical border; previous palpomere shorter, elbowed, narrower than apex of last segment and considerably narrower basally; basal palpomere slender, club-shaped, with obliquely truncate apex. Antennae slender, surpassing humeri, slightly clavate beyond fifth antennomere; scape thick, subcylindrical, slightly enlarged postmedially and curved posteriorly; pedicel relatively long, 0.7x as long as scape, slightly club-shaped, nearly glabrous; third antennomere slender, clavate, nearly as long as scape and 1.3x longer than pedicel; fourth antennomere subequal to pedicel but narrower; fifth antennomere shortest, shorter than pedicel; antennomeres 6–10 progressively longer, granulose and pubescent; sixth antennomere slightly longer than fifth but still shorter than pedicel, neatly clavate, nearly as wide at apex as remainder of antennal club; antennomeres 7–8 subequal to pedicel, subcylindrical, longer than wide (eighth antennomere 0.7x as wide at apex as long); antennomreres 9–10 subequal, slightly longer than pedicel; eleventh antennomere longer than scape, with sides weakly divergent at basal 2/3, subconical with blunt apex at apical 1/3. Pronotum transverse (W/L = 1.98), conspicuously narrower than base of elytra; basal border slightly bisinuate, with convex median lobe, unmarginated; sides weakly curved, widest at middle, with curvature more pronounced towards produced anterior angles, finely margined, with margin invisible from above at apical 2/3 owing to lateral convexity of pronotum; anterior margin feebly convex between produced angles, finely margined; anterior angles with trichobothria at angles and erect long setae slightly bent outwards and backwards; posterior angles with lateral trichobothria and long setae curved sidewards and forwards; surface finely shagreened, with scattered irregular punctures on disc, stronger, deeper and sometimes confluent at sides, and medium-sized deep elongate punctures confluent with basal margin at sides. Hypomera finely leathery, shiny, unpunctured, with few transversal wrinkles basally; hypomeral suture deep, subparallel to pronotal border from fold near basal angle until it almost obliterates at apical 1/3, remaining as fine, slightly divergent impression. Prosternum relateively long, finely margined anteriorly, concave; surface smooth, strongly, densely punctured at sides and near procoxae; prosternal process convex, depressed and expanded apically. Surface of mesepimera and mesanepisterna microreticulate; mesanepisterna with few punctures near inner posterior angle. Metanepisterna with strong, tight elongate punctures at apical half and larger, roundish punctures at anterior half near external margin. Metaventrite leathery, shiny on disc and finely sparsely punctured near sides. Scutellum arched, nearly as long as wide at base (W/L = 0.97) and sides gently curved towards blunt pointed apex; surface smooth, glossy, unpunctured. Elytra long, broader than pronotum at base, with marked round humeri, subparallel at sides and widest at middle, and regularly curved at apical third; surface with very fine microsculpture, almost smooth, rather densely and homogeneously punctured with small punctures both on pale and dark areas; irregular scutellar row of some nine punctures present; premarginal line of punctures notably irregular, only apparent at interrupted intervals. Most dark markings on elytra surrounded by punctures and consisting of: (i) sutural stripe entire, broadly surrounding scutellum at base and reaching sutural angle, gradually narrowing towards apex; (ii) subsutural stripe interrupted by a short distance in postscutellar area, at level with subhumeral spot; short basal portion laterally convergent with sutural stripe but slightly divergent apically; long apical portion of stripe narrow, completely confluent with sutural stripe, slightly widened at apical declivity of elytra and gradually narrowing before apex of elytron; (iii) arcuate band short, placed behind middle of elytron, gently concave and confluent laterally with subsutural stripe for most of its length, except briefly at basal divergent end, and at longer and wider apical divergent end; (iv) humeral spot long, slightly irregular or weakly bisinuate externally, narrowed at base and reaching basal dark margin of elytron, confluent at apex with medium sized transverse spot on lateral declivity of left elytron of type, and entirely confluent laterally with humeral lunule; (v) humeral lunule longer than humeral spot, confluent basally with anterior dark margin of elytron at inner humeral declivity, with apex obliquely directed towards suture, reaching close to basal end of arcuate band, and preapically confluent externally with medium sized transverse spot on lateral declivity of right elytron of type; (vi) apical spot enclosed by humeral lunule medium sized, transversely elongate, basally concave and externally fused with humeral lunule postmedially and internally nearly reaching subsutural stripe; basal spot enclosed by humeral lunule small, round, placed medially between surrounding features and basal border of elytron; (vii) subhumeral spot large, roundish, laterally confluent with dark margin of elytron externally and with humeral spot internally; (viii) midlateral spot large, subrectangular, covering some 6–7 punctures of irregular premarginal line, entirely confluent externally with dark margin of elytron; (ix) spot of apical declivity large, longitudinally elongate, laterally confluent for most of its length with preapical enlargement of subsutural stripe; (x) apical spot medium-sized, irregular, broadly confluent posteriorly with dark margin of elytron; (xi) 11–15 additional small roundish spots on lateral declivity of apical half of elytra. Epipleura smooth, finely leathery, unpunctured. Femora long, enlarged medially, smooth with sparse minute punctures and appressed short fine yellowish hairs and stronger punctures close to knees. Tibiae as long as femora, slender, feebly bent ventrally, with sparse elongate punctures, granulose and densely pubescent at apex with short golden setae extending along ventral border; externally furrowed at apical third. First abdominal ventrite as long as metaventrite, surface glossy on disc, slightly irregular at sides, with strong punctures near metacoxal margin; abdominal ventrites with roundish depressions laterally, finely sparsely punctured. Penis ( Figs 7c, 7d ) stout, slightly flattened dorsoventrally, regularly curved with dorsal border tapering at level with ostium in lateral view, and enlarged from basal third in ventral view, reaching maximum width at level with base of ostium; apical border more or less regularly curved in dorsal view, projecting acute lateral teeth backwards, slightly surpassing maximal width of enlarged preapical area of penis; dorsal flap of ostium slightly bilobed; distal end of flagellum membranous dorsally and sclerotized ventrally, projecting two divergent, narrowing ends.

Distribution. Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby is a Neotropical species, endemic from Mexico, which can be found in the northwestern edge of the Caribbean Mesoamerican domain and western areas of the Mexican Transition Zone ( Morrone 2006). The records available for the species show that its range is allopatric with that of C. tortilis Stål , and is currently known from the south of the State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit, Zacatecas, Sinaloa, Durango and Sonora, in localities on the Pacific slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental ( Fig. 8 ).

Other material examined (50 specimens).

MEXICO.

EGRC: (1) one specimen: Mexico, Sonora, 55 km SW Moctezuma, 1066 m, 23.vii.1980, S. McCleve & P. Jump coll., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: Mexico, Sinaloa, Mazatlán, 19.vii.1982, A.J. Gilbert coll., Calligrapha stillatipennis St. det. Daccordi ’86, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. MCZ: (1) three specimens: Ventanas, Durango, Höge, Jacoby 2nd Coll.; (2) two specimens: Tupataro, Guanajuato, Höge, Jacoby 2nd Coll. [one with: typical]; (3) two specimens: Durango, Mex. [one with: Jacoby 2nd Coll.]; (4) one specimen: Guanajuato, Mexico. MfN: (1) one specimen: Durango, Mexico; (2) one specimen: Pilar, Durango, Zool. Mus. Berlin, Calligrapha stillatipennis Stål det. M. Daccordi 1993; (3) three specimens: Pilar, Durango; (4) one specimen: 376, Canelas. NHM: (1) six specimens: Ventanas, Durango, Höge, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. [one with: Calligrapha suffriani ]; (2) one specimen: Presidio, Mexico, Forrer, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (3) one specimen: Presidio, Mexico, Forrer, Jacoby Coll. 1909-28 a, Calligrapha intermedia var. Jac. NMB: (1) one specimen: Guanaxuato, E. Dugès; (2) one specimen: Mexique, État de Jalisco (Huejotitan 1700m) L. Diguet 1913. NMNH: (1) one specimen: Mexico, 1-IX- 65, J.H. Gross, on Phytolacea, El Paso 65165, 65-23504, Calligrapha sp. Det. R.White, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2003; (2) one specimen: Concordia, Sinaloa, Mex. 29.VIII.1962, W. Rosenberg Collection, Calligrapha sp., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2003; (3) one specimen: Sinaloa, Mex., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) one specimen: Mexico, Brooklyn Museum Colln 1929, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (5) one specimen: Mex., Sylvia, Brooklyn Museum Colln 1929, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. OSAC: (1) two specimens: Mexico, Sinaloa, Mazatlán, 26.vi.1967, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2009. RBINS: (1) one specimen: Ventanas, Durango, Höge, Collect. Duvivier, Type, Calligrapha suffriani Jac. var., det. Calligrapha suffriani var., pas le type Calligrapha suffriani Jac. J. Bechyné det., 1954; (2) two specimens: Mexique, Etats dú centre, E. Dugès 1891, [one with: Calligrapha notatipennis ], R.I.Sc.N.B. I.G. 23.107. TAMUIC: (1) four specimens: [X0533832, X0534277, X0534710, X0535340], Mexico, Sinaloa, Caitime, 17.vii.1965, William F. Chamberlain coll., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) four specimens: [X0534292, X0534566, X0535174, X0535457], Mexico, Nayarit, Volcan Ceboruco, 15–16.vii.1993, James E. Wappes coll., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen: X0535795, Mexico, Zacatecas, 6 km SSW Tepetongo, 3.x.1990, James E. Wappes coll., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) two specimens: [X0540166, X0550425], Mexico, Sonora, 53 km SW Moctezuma, 23.vii.1980, S. McCleve & P. Jump coll., Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011.

USA. MCZ: (1) one specimen: Califor. Bch., Jacoby 2nd Coll., Calligrapha suffriani Jac. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010.

UNKNOWN SOURCE. MfN: (4) one specimen: 376; (7) one specimen: [no data].

Variation. The specimens easily ascribable to C. suffriani Jacoby have small differences with the type and in a normal range, including, for example, the narrow confluence of the apical end of humeral lunule with the base of the arcuate band, or having the subhumeral spot free from the humeral spot. However, I recognise more dramatic phenotypic differences in this species that, because of their fidelity and geographic coherence, they could be used to propose new taxa. However, sympatric, occassionally syntopic ranges of these forms with otherwise typical C. suffriani require a more cautious approach, and I propose treating these differences as natural variation of the species, at least until other sources of data can help clarifying their status.

Some specimens from Presidio and other localities in Durango (NHM, RBINS) differ significantly from the type in coloration, showing a greener, darker tint to head, pronotum, scutellum and elytral markings. But they also have other differences in the type and arrangement of elytral markings, with an uninterrupted subsutural stripe, the apical spots close but free from the dark margin of elytra, and heavier maculation with fewer and larger markings. Other structural differences observed in these specimens include a more neatly arranged premarginal line of punctures on elytra, and also denser punctation on pronotum, remarkably showing numerous strong elongated punctures at basal margin, expanding up to median basal lobe. The taxonomic status of these specimens should be reassessed in the future, if more data becomes available, but for the time being, it is preferrable to retain them as part of natural variation in C. suffriani , with which the dark specimens are sympatric. One of the dark, heavily spotted specimens from Presidios at NHM shows a very irregular elytral pattern, particularly on the left elytron, suggestive of developmental problems, perhaps related to a hybrid origin.

In the treatment of C. stillatipennis Stål by M. Jacoby (1882, p. 204), he mentioned two specimens and figured one (Tab. XI, fig. 15 in Jacoby 1880 –1888), possibly from Cerro de la Palma ("Cerro de Plumas", sic.; Selander & Vaurie 1962), that deviated from the type in a number of respects, including fulvous color to dark parts. Gómez- Zurita (2016) reported these specimens (#2 at MCZ and #2 at NHM) again under C. stillatipennis , following Jacoby (1882). Cerro de la Palma is slightly off the range of C. suffriani ( Fig. 8 ). However, a reassessment of these specimens and the availability of an expanded sample that helped a more accurate knowledge of the distribution of this type, present in fact throughout the range of C. suffriani , allowed interpreting them as part of the latter species. Despite the relatively consistent and recurrent differences with the typical C. suffriani , as described below, they are considered here as normal variation of the species, although they are listed separated for future reference. In these specimens ( Fig. 9 ), the most remarkable feature is the generalized fussion of sutural and subsutural stripes with a nearly straight arcuate band with knob-like ends, and with a large humeral feature fusing humeral and large subhumeral spots (the latter sometimes reaching the elytral dark margin laterally), humeral lunule and the basal spot enclosed by the subhumeral lunule with the base of arcuate band and subsutural stripe, respectively. Moreover, the spot of apical declivity in these specimens is large, longitudinally elongate and broadly fused laterally with the subsutural stripe; the arcuate band is fused medially to one of the additional spots on disc; and the midlateral spot is large, fused with dark lateral margin of elytron and with a tendency to expand posteriorly up to the apical spot as broad dark margin between premarginal line of punctures and border of elytron. These specimens also tend to be larger than typical C. suffriani and they have bulgy pronota, notably smooth on disc, with fine, sparse punctation. These features are relatively consistent, although there is some variation as well, for instance in the basal spot enclosed by humeral lunule, which can be very small or completely missing ( Fig. 9 ), or the subhumeral spot and additional spot behind humeral spot can be small and free, so that the humeral marking does not look tridigitate, as seen in the specimens from Ixtapan de la Sal.

Other material examined (32 specimens).

MEXICO.

EGRC: (1) one specimen: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcán Ceboruco, 8–12 km W Jala, 4.x.90, R. Turnbow, Calligrapha suffriani Jac. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) three specimens: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcán Ceboruco, 15– 16.vii.1993, J.E. Wappes, Calligrapha suffriani Jac. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) three specimens: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcán Ceboruco, 5–6.ix.1997, D. Thomas & J. Burne, Calligrapha suffriani Jac. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) two specimens: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcán Ceboruco, 8–11 km NW Jala, 5800 ft, 1993, C. Bellamy, Calligrapha suffriani Jac. J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. FSCA: (1) one specimen: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcan Ceboruco, 8–12 km W Jala, 4.x.1990, J.E Wappes; (2) one specimen: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcan Ceboruco, 4.x.1990, R. Turnbow; (3) two specimens: Mexico, Nayarit, Volcan Ceboruco, 15–16.vii.1993, J.E. Wappes; (4) one specimen: Mexico, Nayarit, 10 km S Compostela, 9.xii.1990, E. Giesbert; (5) two specimens: Mexico, Sinaloa, 25 km W El Palmito, 3.viii.1983, E. Giesbert. MCZ: (1) one specimen: 993, Cerro de Plumas, Mexico, Hoege, 1st Jacoby Coll. MfN: (1) one specimen: Canelas 17, 376; (2) one specimen: Canelas; (3) one specimen: Canelas 6, Calligrapha suffriani Jac. det. M. Daccordi 1986; (4) one specimen: La Borrega, [illegible], Durango; (5) one specimen: Pilar, Durango. NHM: (1) one specimen: Cerro de Plumas, Mexico, Hoege, Sp. figured, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. NMNH: (1) one specimen: Mexico, 15.xii.1971, D.E. Noel, orchid sp. Nogales 1961, Lot 72-3897, Calligrapha sp. det. R. White, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) one specimen: Mazatlan, Mexico, viii.1978, Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) six specimens: Mexico, Mexico, Ixtapan de la Sal iii-5-72, ex bromeliad, F. Parker & D. Miller [one with: Calligrapha suffriani Jacoby J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011]. ZSM: (1) one specimen: La Borrega, Sª Durango, Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Dorsal and lateral views of the lectotype of Calligrapha intermedia Jacoby (a), the holotype of C. tortilis Stål (b), and the lectotype of C. suffriani Jacoby.

FIGURE 7. Ventral and lateral views, and dorsal view of apex of the penises of Calligrapha intermedia Jacoby (a, b) and C. suffriani Jacoby (c, d). Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 8. Distribution of Calligrapha intermedia Jacoby, C. suffriani Jacoby and C. tortilis Stål.

FIGURE 9. Variability of C. suffriani Jacoby, including specimens from Canelas, Durango (a, b), Pilar, Durango (c), and La Borrega, Chihuahua (d).