Geraeus modestus (Boheman)

Prena, Jens, 2009, A Review of the Species of Geraeus Pascoe and Linogeraeus Casey Found in the Continental United States (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (2), pp. 123-172 : 144-145

Geraeus modestus (Boheman) , reinstated combination

( Figs. 1, 2 , 17, 18 , 71 )

Centrinus modestus Boheman 1836:772 . Type material at NHRS; not examined.

Geraeus modestus ; Schwarz in Leng (1920) [see Leng in Sherman (1929:392)].

Pycnogeraeus modestus ; Casey (1920).

Centrinus striatirostris LeConte 1876:309 . Holotype male, Belfrage / Texas, labeled ‘‘ C. striatirostris / Lec.,’’ ‘‘689,’’ ‘‘ Type / 5404’’ (MCZ). New synonymy.

Geraeus striatirostris ; Champion (1908).

Pycnogeraeus striatirostris ; Casey (1920).

Centrinus tortuosus Casey 1892:580 . Holotype male, labeled ‘‘Tex.,’’ ‘‘Casey/ bequest/ 1925,’’ ‘‘Type USNM/ 37916,’’ Casey’s handwriting ‘‘tortuosus/ Csy.’’ New synonymy.

Geraeus tortuosus ; Schwarz in Leng (1920) [see Leng in Sherman (1929:392)].

Pycnogeraeus tortuosus ; Casey (1920).

Recognition. Geraeus modestus is a robust, 3.6–5.1 mm long species with a seemingly disjunct distribution. Specimens from the east coast have a less conspicuous vestiture than those from other locations. The punctation on the pronotum is variously confluent in all populations. Geraeus patagoniensis , restricted to southern Arizona and neighboring Mexico, is usually darker and has a distinctive color pattern. Several closely related species, most of which are undescribed, occur in Mexico and Central America.

Distribution. Blatchley and Leng’s (1916:380) citation of LeConte, ‘‘Middle and Western States’’ is erroneous; LeConte (1876:310) writes ‘‘Middle and Southern States.’’ The species has been found in the southern United States and on the east coast ( Fig. 71 ). The records from Ohio (Blatchley and Leng 1916) and Pennsylvania ( Leng 1920) need confirmation.

Type locality. North America, site not specified.

Material examined. United States: Arizona ( CWOB 13 , TAMU 5 , USNM 44 ), Florida ( CWOB 10 , TAMU 1 , USNM 4 ) , New Mexico ( CWOB 7 , JPPC 3 , USNM 1 ) , South Carolina ( CWOB 2 , USNM 1 ) , Texas ( CMNC 1 , CWOB 120 , JPPC 12 , TAMU 297 , USNM 36 ). Total 557 specimens .

Temporal occurrence. September to November.

Plant associations. Asteraceae : Elephantopus sp. (J. Ciegler, observation), Verbesina virginica L. (W. Maxwell, observation). Commelinaceae : Tradescantia sp. (E. Riley, observation).

Figures

Figs. 1–8. Geraeus and Linogeraeus species, anterior portion of prosternum. 1) G. modestus, male; 2) G. modestus, female; 3) G. picumnus, male; 4) G. picumnus, female; 5) L. finitimus, male; 6) L. finitimus, female; 7) L. laevirostris, male; 8) L. urbanus, male.

Figs. 17–24. Geraeus species, dorsal and lateral aspects; scale bar 1 mm. 17, 18) G. modestus, male; 19, 20) G. coarctatus, male; 21, 22) G. pannuceus, male; 23, 24) G. patagoniensis, female.

Figs. 71–72. Map of United States (without northwestern part) and Central America showing distributions of G. coarctatus, G. modestus, G. penicillus, and G. picumnus.