Showing papers in "Transactions of The American Entomological Society in 1989"

Revision of the weevil genus Pissodes in Mexico with notes on Neotropical Pissodini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

Abstract: This paper treats the 5 species of the genus Pissodes Germar known to occur in Mexico. Three new species are described (P. championi, P. cibriani, and P. mexicanus) and P. guate maltecus Voss is reported for the first time from Mexico. The genus and the 2 previously described species, P. guatemaltecus Voss and P. zitacuarense Sleeper, are redescribed. A key to the 5 species is included and all species are illustrated using habitus photographs and line drawings of the male phallus and the female 8th sternite and spermatheca. Diagnoses are included for each species and comparisons are made with selected Mexican species and, where applicable, with the 3 species of Pissodes known only from El Salvador. All 5 species have been associated with Pinus. Additional biological information is presented for each when known. Pissodes cibriani and P. zitacuarense are potentially economically important pests in plantations of Christmas trees. Pissodes is the sole generic representative of the Pissodini in the New World. Laccoproctus Schoenherr is transferred to the Molytinae, Anchonini, Cycloterina; Dorytomorpha Hustache is transferred to the Molytinae, Conotrachelini, near Conotrachelus Dejean; and Catiline Champion is transferred from the Ceratopodinae to the Molytinae, Conotrachelini near Dor ytomorpha and Conotrachelus. Two species are transferred from Catiline and are now Dor ytomorpha elongata (Hustache) NEW COMBINATION and Dorytomorpha tuberculata (Hus tache) NEW COMBINATION.

The Pselaphidae (Coleoptera) of Latimer County, Oklahoma, with Revisions of Four Genera from Eastern North America. Part 1. Faroninae and Euplectinae

Abstract: The species of Pselaphidae found in Latimer County, Oklahoma, in the subfamilies Faron inae (1 genus, 1 species) and Euplectinae (14 genera, 31 species) are listed, and their seasonality and biology discussed. Four genera are revised (Rhexius LeConte, Thesiastes Casey, Biblo plectus Reitter, Melba Casey), and two others {Trimioplectus Brendel, Pygmactium Schuster & Grigarick) have keys provided for the first time. Species collected in Latimer County are: Mayetia domestica Schuster, Marsh & Park, Conoplectus canaliculatus (LeConte), C. susae Carlton, Rhexius stephani n. sp., R. ferrugineus Casey, R. insculptus Casey, R. schmitti Bren del, R. ouachitan. sp., Thesium cavifrons (LeConte), Thesiastes fossulatus (Brendel), T. atra tus Casey, T. pumilis (LeConte), Euplectus acomanus Casey, E. confluens (LeConte), Pyc noplectus interruptus (LeConte), P. linearis (LeConte), P. spinifer Casey, Saxet decora (Casey), Trimioplectus australis n. sp., Bibloplectus ruficeps (LeConte), B. choctaw n. sp., B. creek n. sp., B. cherokee n. sp., B. osage n. sp., B. chickasaw n. sp., Dalmosella tenais Casey, Melba thoracica (Brendel), M. p?rvula (LeConte), M. sulcatula Casey, Trimiomelba dubia (LeConte), Pygmactium quercavum n. sp., Sebaga ocampi Park. Species covered or figured that were not collected in Latimer County are: Rhexius substriatus Casey, Thesiastes debilis (LeConte), Tri mioplectus obsoletus Brendel, T. auerbachi Park, Bibloplectus leviceps Casey, B. integer (LeConte), B. sobrinus Casey, Melba maja (Brendel), Pygmactium steevesi Schuster & Gri garick, P. mollyae (Park). A number of new synonymies were discovered: Rhexius substriatus LeConte ( = R. virginicus Casey), R. ferrugineus Casey ( = R. transversus Casey, =R. ruber Casey), R. schmitti Brendel ( = R. hirsutus Casey), Thesium cavifrons (LeConte) (= Thesium laticolle Casey), Thesiastes fossulatus (Brendel) ( = E. rotundicollis Brendel), T. debilis (LeConte) ( = E. planipennis Bren del), Trimium brevicorne (Reichenbach) ( = T. discolor LeConte, apparent mislabeled Euro pean specimen), Melba p?rvula (LeConte) ( = T. durum Brendel, = T. gr?cil is Brendel, = T. laticolle Brendel, = Melba texana Casey, =M. uniformis Casey), M. sulcatula Casey ( = M. fossiger Casey, = M. dentipes Raff ray) NEW SYNONYMIES. Trimium americanum LeConte is transferred to Trimiomelba (NEW COMBINATION), and Rhexius simplex Motschulsky, Bibloplectus exilis Bowman, and Melba simplex (LeConte) are placed as Incertae sedis (NEW STATUS). Sebaga ocampi Park is the first member of the Neotropical tribe Jubini recorded from North America. Work on the North American Pselaphidae has usually dealt with generic or higher level treatments of selected groups, or consisted of descriptions of a variety of species from wide geographic areas. Only a few papers have dealt with species richness of Pselaphidae at local sites for prairie (Park et al 1949, 5 spp.), tree holes (Park et al 1950, 12 spp.), and sphagnum bogs 'Scientific Contribution Number 1613 from the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station

Systematics of Pictonemobius ground crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Abstract: The cricket genus Pictonemobius previously contained one named species, ambitiosus. Stud ies of calling songs, morphology, and habitat preferences demonstrated that the genus contains at least four sibling species. P. ambitiosus occurs in a variety of habitats in peninsular Florida, and probably extends to eastern Mississippi and North Carolina. It has a wingstroke rate of 44 - 54 per second at 25?C. P. hubbelli n. sp. has a similar range but generally prefers drier, more disturbed habitats and has a wingstroke rate of 30 - 42 per second. P. arenicola n. sp. is confined to scrub and sandhill communities characteristic of deep, coarse sand in peninsular Florida; its wingstroke rate is somewhat faster than ambitiosus, and the two species are easily distinguished morphologically. P. uliginosus n. sp. has the smallest range, limited to pine flat wood habitats in northern Florida and southern Georgia. It has the fastest wingstroke rate, 56 - 63 per second at 25 ?C. Reproductive isolation among the species was demonstrated by populations coexisting in sympatry, by laboratory crosses, and by electrophoretic analysis. P. arenicola and P. uliginosus can be identified from specimens, but no morphological features were found that consistently separate ambitiosus from hubbelli. A phylogeny of the genus was constructed based on electromorph frequencies, and popu lations from peninsular Florida clustered into species as predicted by song type. Populations from Georgia and northwest Florida, however, did not cluster as predicted by song type. These populations may represent additional species of Pictonemobius.

Synopsis of the bruchid genus Althaeus Bridwell (Coleoptera) with descriptions of two new species

Abstract: The genus Althaeus is defined, the type-species, A. hibisci (Olivier) is redescribed, and two species, Althaeus folkertsi, n.sp, and A. steineri, n.sp. are described. The genera Hibiscus, Kosteletskya and Abutil?n in the family Malvaceae are hosts for these species. Notes on the life history of A. folkertsi are presented, the first instar larva is illustrated, and the head capsule, antenna, prothoracic plate, legs, and chae totaxy of thoracic and abdominal segments are described.

The Genus Microbembex in Argentina (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Abstract: In this revision of the genus Microbembex the number of species is raised to 11, with the description of 5 new ones. A key is presented, along with descriptions and figures. The genus is divided into 4 species groups: (1) argentina group, with ar gentina Br?thes, catamarcae n.sp., mendozae n.sp., nasuta J. Parker, andplatytarsis n.sp.; (2) patag?nica group, with patag?nica Br?thes, australis n.sp., and bidens J. Parker; (3) uruguayensis group, with uruguayensis (Holmberg) and monstrosa n.sp. (including also difformis Handlirsch and gratiosa F. Smith from Brazil); (4) ciliata group, with ciliata (Fabricius) (including also sulphurea Spinola from Chile, and equalis J. Parker from Chile and Peru). Microbembex Patton is a genus of sand wasps restricted to the New World. Bohart and Menke (1976) listed 21 species and we are adding 5 in this paper for a total of 26. Eleven species occur in Argentina and 9 of these appear to be found there only. Among the bembicine sand wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Nyssoninae: Bembicini: Bembicina) Microbembex can be recognized by having the forewing marginal cell bent away from the wing edge. Other rather special features are the reduced palpal segments (4-2, 3-2, 3 1), untoothed mandible, usually notched female tergum VI, prac tical obliteration of ocelli, and absence of spiracular lobes on male tergum VII. Species nest in sand and provision with a great variety of insects, both alive (moribund) and dead.