Insecta Mundi, Volume 20 (2006)
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The identity of Anthribus heros Fabricius (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), and lectotype designation
(2006)
The checkered beetle genera Parvochaetus, n. gen. and Amboakis, n. gen. are described and the genus Ellipotoma Spinola is reviewed. Four new species plus P. linearis (Gorham), which represents a new combination, comprise Parvochaetus: P. albicornis, P. froeschneri, P. fucolatus, and P. sandaracus. Amboakis, a replacement name for the junior homonym Teutonia Opitz, involves four previously described species and 20 new species. The new species are A. anapsis, A. atra, A. barinas, A. binotonis, A. cauca, A. charis, A. epiomidia, A. erythrohapsis, A. funebris, A. incondita, A. katatonis, A. linitis, A. mica, A. micula, A. prolata, A. rudis, A. taruma, A. selva, A. stenosis, and A. vesca. Four previously described species now classified under Amboakis involve new combinations; they are Epiphloeus capitatus Gorham, Epiphloeus nitidus Gorham, Phlogistosternus flavicollis Zayas, and Teutonia nova Opitz. The bitypic Ellipotoma contains E. tenuiformis Spinola and E. turmalis, n. sp. Lectotypes are designated for Epiphloeus capitatus Gorham, Apolopha linearis Gorham, Epiphloeus nitidus Gorham, and Ellipotoma tenuiformis Spinola.
Parvochaetus specimens may be distinguished from Amboakis and Ellipotoma specimens by the extraordinarily slender antennal club. The expanded condition of the funicular antennomeres will separate specimens of Parvochaetus and Amboakis from those of Madoniella. Specimens of the bitypic genus Ellipotoma are very slender in body form and the elytral disk is devoid of secondary (2o) setae. These features will easily separate Ellipotoma specimens from those of Madoniella. On the basis of adult external morphology Parvochaetus and Amboakis may be conveniently organized into monophyletic species groups, 5 in Parvochaetus and 9 in Amboakis. Descriptions of the alimentary canal of Amboakis nova (Opitz) and of the stomodaeal valves of A. nova and Ellipotoma tenuiformis Spinola are provided and serve as basic data for subsequent analyses involving higher categories. The alimentary canal involves a well-differentiated stomodaeum, ventriculus, and proctodaeum. The ventricular papillae are poorly developed and there are 4 cryptonephridial Malpighian tubules. The stomodaeal valve is comprised of 4 primary lobes with the lateral lobes longer and more slender than shorter dorsal and
ventral lobes; the ventral lobe is particularly broad. The male internal reproductive organs are characterized by having two pairs of accessory glands with the medial being longer than the lateral. A well-developed spermatheca and saccular bursa copulatrix are important features of the female internal organs. Species descriptions, a key to species, and biological information are included. These checkered beetles are diurnal, considerably active flyers, and are predators of lignicolous insects and particularly of bark beetles. Included is a discourse of species level and supraspecific level discontinuities. Differences in the aedeagus, antennae, body form, presence or absence of 2o setae, and arrangement of punctations on the elytral disc were important characters in the discernment of species. Forty characters of Parvochaetus, Amboakis, and Ellipotoma
and their states were polarized to hypothesize intergeneric relationships and intrageneric relationships of Parvochaetus and Amboakis. Hennigian principles of phylogenetic analysis were implemented to prepare two trees. The predominant distribution of Parvochaetus, Amboakis, and Ellipotoma taxa in South America suggests that the progenitor of these genera may have existed on that continent with subsequent dispersal and vicariant events distributing species throughout Middle America and onto islands of the Greater Antilles. Pre-Tertiary South American diversification produced 3 ancestral stocks, each of which fostered lineages that migrated northward via the proto-Antillean Archipelago across the isthmanian closure of the late Tertiary. These temporal frameworks, paleographic dispersals, and vicariant events would explain the presence of relatively primitive,
and derived Amboakis elements in Mexico and the presence in Middle America of some more derived descendants from South American ancestral stocks. Herein, is included a list of specimen repositories and collection managers, key to species groups and species, Table of character analysis, Table that describes distributions of these checkered beetles in montane and nonmontane refugia, three halftone habitus illustrations, 146 line drawings, 16 SEM photographs, 10 distribution maps, and 2 diagrams that depict hypotheses of phylogeny.
The distribution and biology of the beaver beetle, Platypsyllus castoris Ritsema, are summarized for North America. In light of the fact that the beetle uses two beaver species as hosts which have seemingly been separated for some five million years on two continents, it is asked if the Nearctic and Palearctic beetle populations are really the same species.
The beetle fauna of Dominica, Lesser Antilles (Insecta: Coleoptera) : diversity and distribution
(2006)
The beetle fauna of the island of Dominica is summarized. It is presently known to contain 269 genera, and 361 species (in 42 families), of which 347 are named at a species level. Of these, 62 species are endemic to the island. The other naturally occurring species number 262, and another 23 species are of such wide distribution that they have probably been accidentally introduced and distributed, at least in part, by human activities. Undoubtedly, the actual numbers of species on Dominica are many times higher than now reported. This highlights the poor level of knowledge of the beetles of Dominica and the Lesser Antilles in general. Of the species known to occur elsewhere, the largest numbers are shared with neighboring Guadeloupe (201), and then with
South America (126), Puerto Rico (113), Cuba (107), and Mexico-Central America (108). The Antillean island chain probably represents the main avenue of natural overwater dispersal via intermediate stepping-stone islands. The distributional patterns of the species shared with Dominica and elsewhere in the Caribbean suggest stages in a dynamic taxon cycle of species origin, range expansion, distribution contraction, and re-speciation.
A survey of Wisconsin Nitidulidae and Kateretidae yielded 78 species through analysis of literature records, museum and private collections, and three years of field research (2000-2002). Twenty-seven species (35% of the Wisconsin fauna) represent new state records, having never been previously recorded from the state. Wisconsin distribution, along with relevant collecting techniques and natural history information, are summarized. The Wisconsin nitidulid and kateretid faunae are compared to reconstructed and updated faunal lists for Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and south-central Canada. Literature and distributional records suggest at least 11 additional nitidulid species may occur in Wisconsin.
The genus Geopsammodius Gordon and Pittino is revised. Eight new species are described: G. atlantida (Honduras: Atlantida), G. fuscus (Martin Co. and Palm Beach Co., Florida), G. morrisi (eastern Polk Co., Florida), G. ohoopee (Tattnall Co., Georgia), G. rileyi (coastal Louisiana and Texas), G. subpedalis (northern coastal Gulf of Mexico), G. unsidensis (inland Texas), and G. withlacoochee (Citrus Co. and Hernando Co., Florida), bringing the number of described species to 11. A key and illustrations are provided to aid in identification of taxa.
Three new genera of the family Issidae are described for species formerly included in the genus Hysteropterum sensu lato: Balduza Gnezdilov and O’Brien, gen. n. (type species: Hysteropterum unum Ball 1910), Stilbometopius Gnezdilov and O’Brien, gen. n. (type species: Issus auroreus Uhler 1876), Abolloptera Gnezdilov and O’Brien, gen. n. (type species: Hysteropterum bistriatum Caldwell 1945),. The genus Tylanira Ball 1936 is redescribed. The male genitalia of Tylanira bifurca Ball 1936 is described and illustrated. Tylana ustulata Uhler 1876 is transfered to Tylanira. Hysteropterum bufo Van Duzee 1923 is transfered to Balduza gen. n. and the male genitalia of the species is described and illustrated. The subgenus Paralixes Caldwell 1945 of the genus Ulixes Stål 1861 is raised to genus – Paralixes Caldwell 1945, stat. n. A key to the issid genera of the United States is given. New data on the distribution of 7 species are given.