Calligrapha mexicana Stal J. Gomez-Zurita 1859, stat. rev.
Creators: name: Gómez-Zurita, Jesús
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Calligrapha
Calligrapha mexicana

description: Calligrapha mexicana Stål, 1859 stat. rev.
(Figs 7b, 8b, 9)
Calligrapha mexicana Stål, 1859, Öfv. K. Vet.-Akad. Förh., 1859, p. 323.
Chrysomela serpentina var. a: Stål, 1865, Mon. Chrysom. Amer., 3, p. 270.
Polyspila serpentina ab. mexicana: Weise, 1916, Col. Cat., 68, p. 43.
Calligrapha serpentina a. mexicana: Blackwelder, 1946, Checklist Col. Amer., 4, p. 674.
Calligrapha serpentina: Burgos-Solorio & Anaya-Rosales, 2004, Acta Zool. Mex., 20, p. 47.
Calligrapha serpentina [pars]: Benítez-García et al., 2017, Rev. Mex. Biodiv., 88, p. 338 (Fig. 2C).
Suffrian (1858) established that the Calligrapha mexicana in Dejean’s (1837) catalogue was the same species as Chrysomela serpentina Rogers, 1856, and that both forms were simply color variants, with the former having black legs and the latter reddish legs, although he also noted that there might differences in pronotal punctation as well. One year later, Stål (1859) formally described the species Calligrapha mexicana, so far a nomem nudum, but it must have been clearly based on Dejean’s species, because years later, and trusting Suffrian’s advice, he actually subordinated his species as a color variety of Roger’s C. serpentina (Stål 1865). This synonymy was never since questioned, and at most it appeared reflected in catalogues as an aberratio, as a non-typical form (Weise 1916; Blackwelder 1946). However, thanks to the wealth of information available for this work, specifically knowledge about the geographic patterns of these two forms and the consistency of morphological differences, the original meaning of Calligrapha mexicana Stål is restored. According to Stål (1865), the material for the species description, most likely a syntype series reflected in size expressed as a range (Stål 1859), was in the Natural History museum in Stockholm and in other collections. The Coleoptera collection in Stockholm includes six specimens of which one, a large individual, is conveniently identified as type. Since the specimen is contemporary with the work of Stål (collected by A. Sallé, perhaps in his main expedition to Mexico in 1854–1856; Sclater & Saunders 1897), and it fits well the original description, this choice, although possibly arbitrary in origin, is respected here and identified as lectotype.
Lectotype, by present designation: Mexico, Sallé, Type, Typus [red label] (NRM). Specimen lacks eight apical antennomeres of right antenna.
Description. Body elongate elliptical, moderately convex. Head, pronotum, scutellum, most of legs, thoracic and abdominal ventrites black with greenish blue metallic sheen; labrum, mandibles, dorsum of scape, antennomeres 3–11, epipleura, dark elytral margins and markings and most of tarsi dark brown with faint metallic shine; scape ventrally, pedicel, knees and claws reddish brown; background of elytra creamy yellow. Length: 11.0 mm; width: 6.6 mm.
Head broad, deeply inserted into prothorax; surface slightly irregular, microreticulate, with fine punctures medially and larger punctures at sides, above antennal calli and above eyes, with finely impressed median line joined anteriorly to broadly bisinuous clypeal suture; supraocular sulci strongly impressed, following upper contour of eyes, reaching antennal calli anteriorly. Eyes relatively small, dorso-ventrally elongate, entire and finely faceted. Clypeus short, transverse, about half as wide as interocular space, microreticulate with strong punctures at sides, nearly impunctate at middle. Labrum wide, short, broadly round at angles and weakly emarginate apically, with long pale yellow medially convergent setae near anterior border at sides. Mandibles very big and robust, about twice as long as clypeus and largely protruding beyond labrum by more than three times its length, with strong dense anterior and lateral punctation, and long appressed translucent pale yellow setae. Maxillary palpi relatively short; apical palpomere longer than wide, subtrapezoidal, with sides slightly confluent apically before straight, slightly obliquely truncate apical border; previous palpomere broader at apex than apical palpomere; first palpomere longer than second, clavate. Antennae relatively short, reaching humeri, slighly clavate beyond sixth antennomere; antennomeres 1–6 and base of seventh antennomere smooth, with scattered short recumbent setae, and antennomeres of antennal club finely microsculptured, with dense fine short appressed setae; scape elongate, slightly compressed dorsoventrally, enlarged medially, widest in apical third, and slightly bent posteriorly; pedicel slender, clavate, half as long as scape; third antennomere long, slightly widening to apex, about twice as long as pedicel; antennomeres 4–6 progressively shorter, clavate, with fourth antennomere 0.7x as long as third and sixth antennomere more markedly widened at apex; antennomere seventh about as long as fourth, and antennomeres 8–10 slightly and progressively longer and wider; eighth antennomere 0.96x as wide at apex as long; eleventh antennomere longer than third, widest at middle and tapering to acute apex with blunt tip.
Pronotum transverse, 1.85x wider at base than long at middle, feebly curved in sagittal plane, with stronger slopes toward anterior angles, and moderately convex in transverse plane; sides straight in basal half, slightly convergent anteriorly and progressively curved apically to shortly produced round and deflexed anterior angles; anterior angles with large trichobothrium at vertex and long setae bent laterally and posteriorly; sides and anterior angles finely margined; anterior border weakly convex, unmargined; posterior angles obtuse, with large lateral trichobothrium near angle and long setae bent laterally forward; posterior border at wide obtuse angle, straight at sides, regularly curving toward broadly convex middle; surface alutaceous with prominent microreticulation and few scattered, relatively small punctures on disc, more abundant in anterior half, and very strong, large and often confluent punctures at sides and at anterior angles; large elongate punctures near or confluent with base of pronotum at lateral third; sides of disc marked anteriorly by deep roundish hollow area. Hypomera triangular, convex medially, smooth, shiny, with dense small punctures at apical angle and few transverse furrows basally; hypomeral suture indicated by broad raised ventral margin of pronotum, impressed from near base of pronotum, diverging from margin toward base of anterior angles. Prosternum relatively short in front of procoxae, about half as long as longitudinal diameter of procoxae and shorter than process, regularly concave anteriorly and finely margined; surface shagreened with strong, round confluent punctures in posterior half near procoxae and smaller at base of process, with posteriorly recumbent, long pale yellow setae; prosternal process weakly raised medially as smooth and shiny longitudinal carina, widened toward deflexed and straight apex. Scutellum 1.2x longer than wide at base, lancet-shaped with round blunt apex, microreticulate, unpunctured. Mesoventrite short, with strong punctures at lateral arms. Mesanepisterna finely microreticulate and uniformly punctate with moderate punctures; mesepimera microreticulate, with shallow punctures at inner angle. Metanepisterna slender, with broad slightly raised, finely shagreened anterior margin; disc finely microreticulate, with strong punctures, denser and elongate at apex. Metaventrite longer than prosternum and mesoventrite combined, with short subtrapezoidal anterior process; surface smooth, shiny medially, with scattered fine punctures and finely impressed discrimen, finely shagreened laterally and with stronger punctation, larger and denser at anterior angles and sides; posterior border between metacoxae and wide obtuse angle.
Elytra long, slender, 0.8x as long as entire body, moderately convex and slightly depressed on disc anteriorly, wider than pronotum at base, with broadly round humeral angles, nearly parallel sides, widest at middle, and regularly curved toward sutural angle; surface with sparse dot-like punctures, including relatively regular premarginal row of tight fine punctures; punctures stronger around and within markings, including slightly irregular scutellar row of 12–13 punctures. Elytral markings (Fig. 7b) with characteristic features: (i) sutural stripe narrow, entire and gradually narrowing from base of elytra to sutural angle, completely surrounding scutellum at base; (ii) subsutural stripe narrow, nearly entirely fused laterally with sutural stripe, except at short divergent basal ends for some five punctures, slightly widened at apical declivity of elytra and gradually disappearing before sutural angle; outline of stripe tightly delimited by small punctures; (iii) arcuate band placed at middle third of disc, nearly straight with weak external concavity, about as wide as and parallel to subsutural stripe, separated by distance equal to their width; band completely surrounded by small punctures; (iv) humeral spot elongate, straight, about three times longer than wide, free from basal margin of elytron, confluent in basal 2/3 with base of humeral lunule; (v) humeral lunule long, slightly broader than and confluent basally to humeral spot, free brom basal margin of elytron, regularly curved toward suture and recurved at apex, fused laterally with basal end of arcuate band; (vi) spot enclosed by humeral lunule medium sized, slightly ovoid, with wider base at level with apical end of scutellum and aligned with basal end of arcuate band, closer to humeral lunule than to subsutural stripe, delimited by small deep punctures and with similar punctures scattered within; (vii) subhumeral spot small, much smaller than spot enclosed by humeral lunule, irregularly elliptical, narrowly separated from elytral margin and crossed by premarginal line of punctures; (viii) midlateral spot larger than subhumeral spot, longer than wide, covering some eight punctures of premarginal line of punctures, completely fused laterally with margin of elytron; (ix) apical spot and spot of apical declivity larger than humeral spot, elongate, about three times longer than wide; apical spot parallel to margin of elytron and spot of apical declivity parallel to suture, fusing at apex to form large V-shaped marking at apical declivity of elytron; (x) distal end of arcuate band fused to transverse, slightly oblique stripe with irregular posterior margin, and reaching lateral declivity of elytron at level with elongate apical spot; outer end of transverse stripe fused to apical end of elongate marginal spot running parallel to margin of elytron, aligned with apical spot and with anterior end at level with midlateral spot on left elytron of type (this feature appears as two disconnected spots on right elytron of type); (xi) discal area delimited by humeral lunule, arcuate band and transverse stripe with four medium to large additional spots; two irregular spots basally (fused on left elytron and free on right elytron of type), transversally arranged at midline between subhumeral and midlateral spots, with outer spot aligned with distal end of humeral spot; larger roundish spot aligned with inner spot of previous pair and close to transverse stripe connected to arcuate band; and larger transverse spot at level with midlateral spot and close to arcuate band.
Femora slender and slightly widened at middle; surface finely shagreened with scattered small punctures and short whitish setae, denser and stronger toward apex. Tibiae slender, nearly straight, with pro- and metatibiae as long as corresponding femur, and mesotibiae slightly shorter and with slight ventral curvature; tibiae with fine longitudinal ventral carina and dorsal longitudinal edges widening toward tarsal insertion; surface finely shagreened with sparse small elongate punctures and short recumbent whitish setae; apically and ventrally with dense short golden setae. Tarsi slender, nearly as long as corresponding tibiae, with all tarsomeres elongate, particularly first tarsomere, much longer than wide; onychia with tarsal claws sharp, simple and weakly divergent at acute angle basally. First abdominal ventrite as long as metaventrite, with broad anterior intercoxal process; second ventrite less than half as long as first ventrite, fourth about 1/3 as long, and third of intermediate length; last visible abdominal ventrite longer than second, finely margined at apex; surface of ventrites glossy and regularly convex at middle, finely shagreened and depressed at sides, with scattered fine punctures and posteriorly recumbent fine short pale yellow setae; fourth and fifth abdominal ventrites with denser pubescence medially. Penis (Fig. 8b) elongate, slender, with sides nearly parallel in ventral view, more strongly curved dorsally than ventrally in lateral view, with apical quarter tapering to apex dorsally; sides slightly widened around ostium and slightly narrowed preapically, before laterally projecting sharp teeth, curved posteriorly; apical border sinuous at sides, with short convex median lobe; ostium more or less round, covered posteriorly by subtrapezoidal dorsal flap, broadly round at angles and slightly emarginate at apex; distal end of flagellum expanded as large flattened disc at apex, covering most of ostium, with large central orifice and membranous at periphery.
Material examined (508 specimens).
BRASIL
NHMB: (1) one specimen, Deuterocampta diversa 2726, [male], Brasilien, Blattkäfer, 2956.
MEXICO
EGRC: (1) one specimen, Mexico, D.F., 2 km W Los Reyes, 7500 ft, 6.viii.1967, on Solanaceae, K.W. Brown & M. Irwing leg. FSCA: (1) one specimen, Mexico, Aguascalientes, 5.3 mi N Aguascalientes, 6100 ft, 7.ix.1967, G.E. Ball, T.L. Erwin & R.E. Leech leg., Calligrapha serpentina Rogers det. I.S. Askevold 1990, Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) nine specimens, Mexico, Guanajuato, San Miguel Allende, 29.vi.1987, B.K. Dozier leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) two specimens, Mexico, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, 7-11.viii.1988, G.B. Edwards leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) two specimens, Mexico, Hidalgo, nr.Tasquillo, ditches, 5600 ft, 20.vi.1966, D.R. Paulson leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (5) five specimens, Mexico, W.J. Genung coll., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (6) one specimen, Mexico, Zacateca, Zacateca city, 24.viii.1985, W. Opitz leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. HNHM: (1) two specimens, Mexico, Calligrapha aeneopicta [1x], Calligrapha polyspila [1x], Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2017; (2) three specimens, Mexico, C. serpentina det. Daccordi 1979; (3) four specimens, Mexico, coll. Geitner, Calligrapha mexicana Dej.; (4) four specimens, Mexico, Procopp, C. serpentina det. Daccordi 1979; (5) one specimen, Mexico City, Höge, Calligrapha serpentina; (6) one specimen, Mexico, coll. E. Frivaldszky, C. serpentina det. Daccordi 1979; (7) two specimens, Mexico, Orizaba, leg. A. Heyne, Calligrapha serpentina det. A. Heyne. MCZ: (1) one specimen, Queretaro, Dr. Palmer, Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010; (2) three specimens, Atzcapotzalco, Est. Mex., Mex., Wickham; (3) two specimens, Guanajuato, Gift of F.C. Bowditch [one with: Calligrapha serpentina]; (4) four specimens, Guanajuato, Mexico, Gift of F.C. Bowditch; (5) one specimen, Huauchinang[o], Mexico, F.C. Bowditch Collection; (6) four specimens, Cuernavaca, Mor., Mex., Wickham, F.C. Bowditch Coll.; (7) two specimens, Mex. City, 15.vii.1898, F.A. Eddy Collection; (8) one specimen, 15.vii.1898, Mexico City, O.W.R., 10.vi.1898, F.A. Eddy Collection, Chrysomela; (9) one specimen, B., Mex., Ajacuba, Ed., iv.1899, F.A. Eddy Collection; (10) one specimen, Guanajuato, Mexico, Salle Coll., 1st Jacoby Coll.; (11) one specimen, Irapuato, Gto., Mex., Wickham; (12) one specimen, Gonzales Jct., Gto., Mex., Wickham, Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010; (13) one specimen, Mexico, O.W. Randt, F.A. Eddy Collection; (14) three specimens, #3, Mex., O.W. Randt, F.A. Eddy Collection; (15) two specimens, Est. de D.F., Mex., Br. Ed., iv.1899, F.A. Eddy Collection; (16) one specimen, 12. iv.1897, Randt, Mex., F.A. Eddy Collection; (17) two specimens, Mexico, Reitter, 207 / 208; (18) fifteen specimens, Mexico, gift of F.C. Bowditch [one with: 934; one with: serpentina]; (19) three specimens, Mexico, 1st Jacoby Coll.; (20) one specimen, Chrysomela flexuosa Klug, [illegible], Mexico. MfN: (1) three specimens, Mexico-Hidalgo, Tula, 31.viii.1993, Erber leg., Calligrapha serpentina Rogers, Erber det. 1994; (2) twenty specimens, MexicoHidalgo, 20 km westl. Actopan, 1.ix.1993, Erber leg., Calligrapha serpentina Rogers, Erber det. 1994; (3) five specimens, V. de Mexico [4x in the series without data]; (4) two specimens, Queretaro, Dr. Palmer, 96375 [one with: C. serpentina Rogers]; (5) one specimen, Villa Lerdo [Villa de Guadalupe], Durango, Höge, serpentina Rog.; (6) four specimens, Mexico, Orizaba; (7) one specimen, Durango, Mexico; (8) three specimens, Mexico City, Höge [one with: Calligrapha serpentina Rog. det. Daccordi ‘79]; (9) one specimen, mexicana St., flexuosa Klug, Mex.; (10) one specimen, Mexico, 1906 III, C. Stobbe, 1448, Calligrapha serpentina; (11) five specimens: serpentina Rogers, mexicana Stål Mexico [4x in the series without data]; (12) one specimen, mexicana Dej., Mexico; (13) one specimen, Mexico; (14) two specimens: Mexiko, serpentina Rogers [1x in the series without data]. NHM: (1) one specimen, Playa Vicente, Mexico, Hoege, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (2) one specimen, Mexico City, May 88, H.H.S., Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (3) three specimens, Guanajuato City, Mexico, Höge, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (4) two specimens, Guanajuato, Mexico, Sallé Coll., Calligrapha serpentina Rogers apud Sallé, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (5) one specimen, Queretaro, Dr. Palmer, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. [with one larva pinned as well]; (6) two specimens, Valle, Mex. 6/28, H. Hinton Coll., Hinton Coll. B.M. 1937-173; (7) two specimens, Mexico, Fry Coll. 1905.100; (8) one specimen, E. Coll. Laferté, Calligrapha mexicana Dej., flexuosa Klug, Mexico, 67-56; (9) four specimens, Truqui, Mexico, Fry Coll. 1905.100 [one with: 23840]; (10) two specimens, 53/86, Mexico; (11) one specimen, Mex, Baly Coll.; (12) one specimen, Mexico [illegible], Ex. Coll. J. Sturm, Calligr. characteripennis St., Calligrapha serpentina Rogers, apud Sallé, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (13) one specimen, Mexico, Mexico Sallé Coll., Calligrapha serpentina Rogers apud Sallé, Sp. figured, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (14) one specimen, 13010, Mexico, Fry Coll. 1905.100. NHMB: (1) eleven specimens, Orizaba, Mexico; (2) one specimen, Koltze 1890, Mexico; (3) one specimen, Mexico, Polyspila serpentina var. mexicana St.; (4) one specimen, Mexico, Coll. Kraatz, Clavareau det.; (5) one specimen, Mexico; (6) two specimens, Mexiko. NMCZ: (1) three specimens, Mus. Pragense Coll. Brýdl, Orizaba, Mexico; (2) one specimen, Guanaxuato, E. Dugès, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense; (3) five specimens, Mexico, Coll. Nickerl Mus. Pragense [one with: Calligr. serpentina Rogers mexicana Stål Mex.; one with: Tampico (illegible)]; (4) one specimen, Mus. R. Boh. in v. č., Calligrapha mexicana Dej. Smidt Mexico; (5) four specimens, Mexico, Mus. Pragense Col. Kambersky [one with: Calligrapha serpentina J. Achard det.]; (6) one specimen, 408, Mexico, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense; (7) five specimens, Mexique, Mexico, Boucard, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense [two with: Calligrapha serpentina R. J. Achard det. in B.C.A.]; (8) one specimen, mexicana Dej. Mexico; (9) one specimen, Mexique, Durango, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense. NMNH: (1) twelve specimens, Guer., Casey bequest 1925; (2) two specimens, Guanajuato City, Mexico, Höge, F. Monrós Collection 1959; (3) eleven specimens, Mexico, Guanajuato, 5-6.viii.’49, L.J. Bottimer; (4) two specimens, Guanajuato, Mex., Collector A. Duges [one with: Calligrapha serpentina]; (5) fifty-five specimens, Mexico, Hidalgo, Tula Ruins, 13.viii.1972, G.F. + S. Hevel; (6) one specimen, Mexico, Hidalgo, Ixmiquilpan, 21.viii.1971, M.W. McFadden Collector, exchange with William Warner; (7) three specimens, Mexico, 6500 ft., Hidalgo, nr. Tula, 1.ix.1955, sweeping, G.H. Dieke, G.H. Dieke Coll’n 1965; (8) five specimens, Tlanepantla, Mex., 30.vi, R.H. Hay Collector; (9) one specimen, Tlanepantla, Mex., O.W. Barrett Collector, Calligrapha serpentina Rog.; (10) fourty-eight specimens, Mexico D.F., Teotihuacan ruins, 7 September 1972, G.F. + S. Hevel; (11) two specimens, Mexico City, Mex., O.W. Barrett Collector; (12) six specimens, Mexico, Mexico, Teotihuacan, 12.ix.1952, on vegetation, G.H. Dieke, G.H. Dieke Coll’n 1965; (13) one specimen, Mexico, Mexico City, ix.1965, N.L.H. Krauss; (14) two specimens, Distr. Fedrl. Mex., 7+8.10 [123 & 125]; (15) two specimens, S. Jacinto, D.F. Mex., viii.1923, E.G. Smyth, Chittenden No. 12522; (16) one specimen, Tlalpan, Mex., 15.vii. R.H. Hay Collector; (17) one specimen, Queretaro, Dr. Palmer, Calligrapha serpentina Jac.; (18) nine specimens, Mexico, Zacatecas, Loreto, 1034 m elev., 22º16’N 101º58’W, 3.vii.1995 [7x], 4.vii.1995 [2x], leg. D. Furth & G. Chavarria [one with: Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011]; (19) three specimens, Zacatecas, Zac., Mex., D. Chandler, vii.1974; (20) seven specimens, Mexico, Mex., June 9, 1922, E.G. Smyth, on Malva [one with: Calligrapha serpentina Rog.]; (21) six specimens, Mexico, Mex., May 20, 1922, E.G. Smyth, on malva [one with: Calligrapha serpentina Rog.]; (22) one specimen, Mexico, Mex., May 19, 1922, E.G. Smyth, on Malva; (23) five specimens, Mex., Sherman coll’n; (24) one specimen, Mex.; (25) one specimen, Mex., Chittenden Collector; (26) one specimen, female, in Spanish moss from Mexico, 2.xi.1935, El Paso, #2503. NRM: (1) one specimen: Mexico, Stål; (2) one specimen: Mexico, Bhn.; (3) one specimen: Mexico, Sallé; (4) one specimen: Mexic, Mhm., Schh. OSAC: (1) two specimens, Mexico, [Estado de Mexico], [San Juan] Teotihuacán, Pyramids of San Juan, 25.viii.1925, C.E. Woodworth leg., Calligrapha serpentina (Rog.) J. GómezZurita det. 2009. OUMNH: (1) one specimen, 15.203, Mexico, miers Coll., Named 1897 by M. Jacoby, Calligrapha serpentina Rogers; (2) one specimen, D200, Calligrapha flexuosa Kl., mexicana Dj. cat., 200, W. mexico, Coffin; (3) two specimens, W, Mexico, Coffin, Named 1898 [1x] 1899 [1x] by M. Jacoby, Calligrapha serpentina Rog. TAMUIC: (1) one specimen [X0534465], Mexico, Queretaro, Queretaro Mun., Carrillo Puerto, 15.vii.2000, Y. Rico & B. Domínguez leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det.2011; (2) fourteen specimens [X0533315, X0533411, X0533667, X0534053, X0534322, X0538446, X0540038, X0540045, X0540275, X0545851, X0547004, X0547442, X0547987, X0548904], Mexico, Queretaro, 7 mi N Queretaro, 13.ix.1968, Veryl V. Board leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen [X0533863], Mexico, Queretaro, 6.3 mi N Queretaro, 26.vii.1976, Richard S. Peigler, Mary C. Gruetzmacher, Robert R. Murray, Maria E. Murray & Joseph C. Schaffner leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (4) twenty-three specimens [X0532899, X0533538, X0533561, X0533704, X0533886, X0533986,X0534027,X0534392, X0534499, X0534707, X0534720, X0535003, X0535633, X0536937, X0540391, X0541277,X0544717,X0550358, X0550413, X0550593, X0550684, X0550712, X0551401], Mexico, San Luis de Potosí, 8.7 mi S Santa María del Río, 5.vii.1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe & Schaffner leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (5) one specimen [X0541501], Mexico, San Luis de Potosí, Tierra Nueva, 26.vii.1974, William F. Chamberlain leg., Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. GómezZurita det. 2011. ZSM: (1) one specimen, Verakruz, Calligrapha serpentina Rog. det. Dr. J. Bechyné 1949; (2) one specimen, Mexico, Est. Vera Cruz, viii.1933, Dr. Eisenberger; (3) one specimen, St. 58, Verakruz; (4) five specimens, Silao, Mexiko, Coll. Taeuber; (5) one specimen, Mexico City, Höge, Calligrapha serpentina Rog.; (6) one specimen, Mexico City, Höge, Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke; (7) ten specimens, Vulkan Colima, coll. Joh. Laue 1918; (8) one specimen, D.F. vi.1911, Vulkan Colima, Mexiko, 1918, coll. Joh. Laue; (9) one specimen, Queretaro, Dr. Palmer, 96375, serpentina, Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke; (10) one specimen, mexicana Dej., flexuosa Kl., Mexico, Deppe, Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke; (11) one specimen, Mexico, Calligrapha serpentina Rg., Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke.
NICARAGUA
NHM: (1) one specimen, Chontales, Janson, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.
USA
MCZ: (1) one specimen, Tex., F.A. Eddy Collection; (2) one specimen, Texas, C. serpentina Rog., Texas, Jacoby 2nd Coll.; (3) two specimens, Tex., Horn Coll. H 6815. NMNH: (1) two specimens, Ariz., Brooklyn Museum Colln. 1929; (2) one specimen, Ariz., Charles Schaeffer Collection, H.S. Barber Bequest 1950.
UNKNOWN
FSCA: (1) one specimen, 8-21, Calligrapha mexicana Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. MCZ: (1) two specimens, [no data]; (2) two specimens, Gift of F.C. Bowditch. MfN: (1) five specimens, mexicana Stål [4x in the series without data]; (2) ten specimens, [no data]; (3) one specimen, var. NHM: (1) one specimen, [male], 139, 67-56; (2) one specimen, [female], Chry. serpentina [illegible]; (3) two specimens, E. Coll. Laferte, 67-56; (4) one specimen, Baly Coll.; (5) one specimen, 58/60. NMCZ: (1) one specimen, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense; (2) one specimen, serpentina Rogers, mexicana Dj. Stål [illegible] Kl., Coll.Achard Mus. Pragense; (3) one specimen, 12/950. NMNH: (1) three specimens, Gift Ex MCZ, Dupl. Series. NRM: (1) one specimen: Amer. bor., Tarnier. OUMNH: (1) one specimen, 15.203, Miers Coll., Presented 1880 by J.W. Miers, Named 1899 by M. Jacoby, Calligrapha serpentina Rogers; (2) one specimen, Calligrapha mexicana; (3) one specimen, 23, Named 1898 by M. Jacoby, Calligrapha serpentina.
Variation. The characteristic metallic sheen of this species can be more bluish or violaceous, and in some cases it may be even absent, with those individuals showing all dark parts of body dull black instead. Another type of color variation affects legs, which can have some reddish tinge dorsally, also ventrally and/or apically on tibiae, but it is infrequent. There are a number of variants relative to the most obvious differences in elytral patterns. For example, the base of the subsutural stripe is generally divergent from sutural stripe, but sometimes for a very short distance. The basal end of the humeral lunule can be confluent with the basal margin of elytron, right at the internal declivity of humerus, and this declivity often has a small dark spot, although less apparent than in the group of C. fulvipes. Very rarely, the apex of this humeral lunule can be free or only very narrowly connected to the base of the arcuate band. The subhumeral spot can be small in some cases. The large apical V-marking can be confluent externally with the apex of the transverse stripe connected to arcuate band, and sometimes the vertex of this V-spot can be broken. Finally, the four or five additional spots on disc and lateral declivity can present different confluence patterns than those described in the type, which nonetheless already shows different patterns in each elytron. One of the five specimens from Silao (Guanajuato) in the ZSM collection has reddish legs, as in typical C. serpentina (Rogers). However, this particular specimen also displays a very abnormal pattern on the elytra, often indicative of developmental problems, perhaps related to hybrid descend. These anomalies include an arcuate band free from the apical end of the humeral marking, the apical transverse arm missing, the apical V-shaped marking showing as two thin and separate longitudinal spots, and the markings of the apical half of elytra are more similar to those seen in C. fulvipes, e.g., one round spot surrounded by several smaller, irregular markings.
Distribution. Mexican endemic species of the Central Altiplano (Fig. 9, black circles), found in the states of Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, Queretaro, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, and Zacatecas (the eccentric records from Durango and Nicaragua would need confirmation). This species would be most typical of the biome known as Central Mexican Matorral and Bajío Dry Forests (Olson et al. 2001; WWF update to Olson et al. 2001). Nonetheless, the southernmost localities for this species occur in the west of the Petén-Veracruz Moist Forest. Appart from the records from Durango, an additional isolated locality worth mentioning is the Colima Volcano, in the western part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Pine-Oak Forest, a biome where other isolated records for several species have been recorded, but not far from areas of Mexican Matorral.
description: Published as part of Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2021, Systematic revision of Calligrapha s. str. Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae), pp. 1-111 in Zootaxa 4953 (1) on pages 58-63, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4953.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4690733