Calligrapha ramulifera Stal 1859, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Gómez-Zurita, Jesús
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Calligrapha
Calligrapha ramulifera

description: Calligrapha ramulifera Stål, 1859
Stål, C. 1859: 325.
(Figs 6a, 9g, 9h, 10)
Polyspila scalaris Guérin-Méneville, 1855, Verh. Zool.-bot. Ges. 5, p. 606. Chrysomela ramulifera: Stål, 1865, Mon. Chrys. Amer., 3, p. 278.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Gemminger & Harold, 1874, Cat. Col., XI, p. 3434. Calligrapha ramulifera: Jacoby, 1882, Biol. Centr. Am., vol. 6, pt. 1, p. 201. Calligrapha ramulifera: Jacoby, 1892, Biol. Centr. Am., vol. 6, pt. 1, suppl., p. 245. Polyspila ramulifera: Weise, 1916, Col. Cat., pars 68, 12, p. 43.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Blackwelder, 1946, Checklist Col., Pt. 4, p. 674.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Bechyné, 1952, Entom. Arb. Mus. Frey 3, p. 25.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Bechyné & Springlová de Bechyné, 1965, Rev. Fac. Agron. Maracay 3, p. 48. Calligrapha ramulifera: Wilcox, 1975, Checklist, Biol. Res. Inst. Amer., p. 67. Calligrapha ramulifera: Maes & Staines, 1991, Rev. Nica. Ent., 18, p. 14.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Maes, 1998, Ins. Nica., vol. 2, p. 980.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Flowers, 2004, Rev. Biol. Trop., p. 80.
Calligrapha ramulifera: Montelongo & Gómez-Zurita, 2014, Zool. Scr. 43, p. 607.
In order to designate a lectotype, it is worth noting that there was some incoherence between successive accounts of this species by C. Stål. In his original description, the author gave Mexico as the geographic provenance for his type material, and he may have used a single specimen (Stål 1859). But in the expanded treatment for this species in his later monograph, the entomologist mentioned Guatemala and Ecuador as additional sources for his material, which included more than one specimen, judging from the size range given (Stål 1865). I have seen material labelled as Stål's types for this species at NHM and NRM, all labelled Guatemala and in rather bad shape. Having failed to find a Mexican specimen that could agree with Stål's type, and having no doubts about the concept that this author had for C. ramulifera, I select as lectotype the single Guatemalan specimen at NRM previously catalogued as type material. The justification for this decision is based on the degree of damage of one of the NHM potential syntypes and the uncertain, ambiguous origin (i.e., "Amazone Guatimal.") of the other.
Lectotype by present designation: Guatimala / [illegible] / Type. / Typus [red] (NRM). Specimen lacks six apical antennomeres of left antenna, four apical antennomeres of right antenna, both maxillary palpi, left protarsus, three apical segments of right protarsus, mesotarsi, left metatibia, and onychium of right metatarsus.
Paralectotypes: (1) Type / Guatimala Sallé Coll. / Calligrapha ramulifera Stål apud Sallé / Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. (NHM). Specimen rather damaged, with its head badly glued in place and the pronotum also glued to abdomen slightly off-place; segments 8–11 of left antenna, maxillary palpi, onychia of right front and hind tarsi, left pro- and metatarsi and both mesotarsi missing. (2) Type / Sallé Coll. / 645 [blue] / Polyspila scalaris Guer. osculat type, Amazone Guatimal. / Calligrapha ramulifera Stål apud Sallé / Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer. (NHM). Maxillary palpi, right hind leg, mesotarsi, pro-onychia, and left metaonychium missing.
Habitus (Fig. 6a). Length: 8.86 mm (9.60 mm PLT1; 9.05 mm PLT2), width: 5.86 mm (6.64 mm PLT1; 5.73 mm PLT2). Body oval, moderately convex. Head, mandibles, pronotum, scutellum, epipleura, elytral markings, legs and ventral parts black with bronzy metallic reflection; elytral markings, epipleura and abdominal ventrites also with reddish tinge. Five basal antennomeres, labrum, trochanters and apex of tibiae reddish; antennomeres darkened dorsally. Background of elytra creamy yellow, paler around dark markings.
Head broad, deeply inserted in pronotum; finely microreticulate and moderately densely punctured, except on antennal calli; longitudinal frontal suture perpendicularly joining broadly U-shaped clypeal suture; supraocular furrows deep, running from antennal calli well beyond dorsal margin of eyes. First antennomere club-shaped, long, thick, convex anteriorly; antennomeres 2–5 elongated, thin, relatively smooth and nearly glabrous; second antennomere half as long as first, third slender, subequal to first; antennomeres 3–5 shortening progressively; antennomeres 5–7 subequal. Labrum emarginate apically. Mandibles large, strongly punctured, largely protruding (~ 3x) beyond apical border of labrum. Pronotum finely margined apically and at sides; with strong punctures, stronger towards sides, particularly at produced anterior angles. Hypomeral suture deep, almost complete, ending near base of pronotum; hypomera microreticulate, unpunctured. Prosternum relatively long (W/L=2.0), with strong punctures in basal two thirds before procoxae, shagreened, nearly unpunctured at anterior third; prosternal process narrow, unpunctured, convex between procoxae, deflexed and expanded apically following inner contour of procoxae; apex truncated, with slight median longitudinal elevation. Metepisterna with sparse moderately strong punctures. Metaventrite evenly and finely punctured, smooth on disc. Scutellum flat, microreticulate and unpunctured, slightly longer than wide (W/L=0.89). Elytra finely punctured; punctures around markings and premarginal bead of punctures slightly stronger; scutellar row of punctures present. Markings: (i) sutural stripe entire from base to apex of elytra, gradually narrowed at apex; (ii) subsutural stripe nearly completely confluent with sutural stripe except at basal divergent ends, for 4–5 punctures; (iii) arcuate band gently concave externally, mostly confluent laterally with subsutural stripe except briefly at divergent ends; apical end with preapical irregularly roundish enlargement; (iv) humeral spot and humeral lunule oblong, confluent for most of their length; humeral lunule slightly longer posteriorly, without reaching level of basal end of arcuate band; combined feature compact, short, free from basal margin of elytron; (v) spot enclosed by humeral lunule round, relatively small, placed conspicuously closer to humeral lunule; (vi) midlateral spot broadly oval and largely confluent with narrow dark margin of elytron; (vii) spot of apical declivity large, laterally confluent with subsutural stripe; (viii) apical spot round and small; (vii) ten additional spots loosely arranged as 3-3-2-2 pattern of oblique rows on disc. Epipleura margined, microreticulate and unpunctured. Legs finely and sparsely punctured, with fine minute golden pubescence; apex of tibiae hairy with dense golden setae; tibiae externally furrowed from their mid length, with furrow gradually broadening towards tarsal insertion. Abdominal ventrites finely and sparsely punctured, with fine, sparse golden pubescence. Penis figured in Figs 9 g, 9h.
Distribution. This species is restricted to the Pacific domains of southern Mesoamerica, from the state of Chiapas in Mexico to the provinces of Alajuela and Cartago in Costa Rica (Fig. 10, white circles). C. ramulifera is only present in the Caribbean Mesoamerican domain.
Material examined (123 specimens).
COSTA RICA
FSCA: (1) three specimens: Costa Rica, Punt. Prv., 6 km S Sta. Elena, 6–7.vi.1983, J.E. Wappes; (2) one specimen: Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Monteverde, 26.ii.1987, E. Giesbert, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez- Zurita det. 2011. MCZ: (1) one specimen: Collection Schild-Burgdorf, Costa Rica, Piedras Negras 10, F.A. Eddy Collection, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010; (2) one specimen: Irazu, 6–7000 ft, H. Rogers, 1st Jacoby Coll. MfN: (1) one specimen: 29785, ramulifera Stål, Costarica, Wagner; (2) one specimen: Collection Schild-Burgdorf, Costa Rica, Piedras Negras; (3) one specimen: Collection Schild-Burgdorf, Costa Rica, Atenas. NHM: (1) one specimen: Irazu, 6–7000ft, H. Rogers, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (2) one specimen: Pozo Azul, Costa Rica, C.E. Tottenham BM 1969-77. NMB: (1) one specimen: Turrialba, Costarica, Polyspila sylvia St., Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010. NMCZ: (1) two specimens: Turrialba, Costa Rica, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense. NMNH: (1) one specimen: Costa Rica, Ala. Pr., 6–8 km W Atenas, June 1–2, 1980, J.E. Wappes, J.E. Wappes Collection, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål det. M. Daccordi 1986. ZSM: (1) one specimen: San Mateo, Costa Rica, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål, Staatssammlung München 1975 Erwerb Coll. Machatschke.
EL SALVADOR
FSCA: (1) one specimen: El Salvador, Landaverde, S. & L. Steinhauser, Calligrapha ramulifera Stal Det. J. Watts 1993; (2) one specimen: El Sal., San Isidro, Co. Verde 1000 m, 2.vi.1972, S. & L. Steinhauser, 2563, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (3) one specimen: El Sal., Los Chorros 700 m, 4.vi.1972, S. & L. Steinhauser, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. MfN: (1) three specimens: Servicios Técnicos Cafetalería, El Salvador C.A. [one with: 14-E-42]. NMNH: (1) one specimen: nº631–39, 17.vii.1955, Rosario, Cuzcatlan, Col. M.S.V.; (2) one specimen: San Salvador, 25.ii.20, E.S.C.A., K.A. Salman collector, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål EAC’27.
GUATEMALA
EGRC: (1) one specimen: Guatemala, Guat. City, Las Hamacas Tr. Tk., 5–8.viii.1979, Thomas & Case, E. Riley Colin., C. serpentina var. Daccordi 1981. MCZ: (1) two specimens: Zapote, Guatemala, C. Champion, 1st Jacoby Coll. MfN: (1) one specimen: Guatemala, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål det. Daccordi '79; (2) two specimens: Guatemala. NHM: (1) one specimen: Guatemala C.A., 14, Biol. Cent.-Am. 1905-17, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr. -Amer.; (2) three specimens: Zapote, Guatemala, G.C. Champion, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (3) one specimen: Cerro Zunil, 4000ft, Champion, Godman- Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (4) one specimen: San Isidro, 1600ft., Champion, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (5) one specimen: Guatemala, named by Stål, Sp. figured, Baly Coll., ramulifera Stål, Guatemala, Mexico [underneath: named by Stål, Col: Deyrolle]; (6) one specimen: Guatemª 55.71. NMB: (1) one specimen: Guatemala, G. Bermoully, Calligrapha ramulifera det. Daccordi ‘78. NMNH: (1) six specimens: Mauricio, Guatemala, July 88, Dr. G. W. Bock collector, Collection F. Knab [one with: Calligrapha ramulifera Stål F. Monrós det. 1953; one with Calligrapha ramulifera Stål]; (2) five specimens: Guatemala, San Jose, May ’43, D.G. Hall; (3) two specimens: Guatemala, S. Sebastian, Retalhueleu, 1925, L. Thiel, F. Monrós Collection 1959; (4) two specimens: Guat., ’25, L. Thiel, S Sebastian, Retalhuleu; (5) one specimen: Guatemala, C.A. Champion, 14, Wickham Collection 1933, Calligrapha ramulifera; (6) one specimen: Los Patos Riv., 14 mi up, vi.18 –23.1926, Suchetepequez Province, Guatemala, Pres. by J.R. Slevin Collector, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. TAMUIC: (1) one specimen: X0543052, Guatemala, Escuintla, 25.v.1923, E.G. Smyth, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. ZSM: (1) ten specimens: Guatemala, Suchitepequez, Patului, A. Poll [one with: 1.7.83, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; five with: 1.7.83; two with: 10.7.83; two with: 10.8.83].
HONDURAS
EGRC: (1) one specimen: Honduras, Copan, 16 km NW Sta. Rosa de Copan, 8.x.1993, R. Turnbow, Calligrapha aeneopicta St. det. Daccordi ’86, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) two specimens: Honduras, Com., 5 km NW Taulabé, Río Jaitique, 29.vii.1977, O’Brien & Marshall. FSCA: (1) one specimen: Honduras, Copan, 16 km NW Sta. Rosa de Copan, 8.x.1993, R. Turnbow, Calligrapha aeneopicta Stal det. E.G. Riley ’93, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011; (2) two specimens, Honduras, Copan, 16 km NW Santa Rosa de Copan, 8.x.1993, F.W. Skillman, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011. NMNH: (1) one specimen: Dépt. Copon, May 1919, Honduras, S.F. Blanc Coll., Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011.
MEXICO
MCZ: (1) two specimens: Tapachula, Chiapas, Höge, Jacoby 2nd Coll. MfN: (1) one specimen: Tapachula 16. NHM: (1) two specimens: Tapachula, Chiapas, Höge, Godman-Salvin Coll., Biol. Centr.-Amer.; (2) one specimen: Mex., Baly Coll.; (3) one specimen: Chiapas, Mexico, Escuintla, VI-1925, 69, F.R. Mason Coll., Pres. by Imp. Bur. Ent. Brit. Mus. 1926-83; (4) one specimen: E. Coll. Thomson, Mexiq.?. NMCZ: (1) one specimen: Guanajuato, E. Dugés, Coll. Achard Mus. Pragense3. NMNH: (1) one specimen: banana debris, Mex., 8-8-’08, Galv. 5077.
NICARAGUA
IBE-JGZ: (1) one specimen: IBE-JGZ-C107, Nicaragua, Rivas, Sierra Serena UTM 16P-657865-1242291, 21 September 2009, J.-M. Maes leg.; (2) five specimens: [IBE-JGZ-C231, IBE-JGZ-C249, IBE-JGZ-C250, IBE-JGZ- C251, IBE-JGZ-C252], Nicaragua, Rivas, Finca Guadalupe, 10–12/07/2010, J.-M. Maes leg.; (3) four specimens: [IBE-JGZ-C234, IBE-JGZ-C253, IBE-JGZ-C261, IBE-JGZ-C262], Nicaragua, Estelí, P. T. P. Miraflor- Moropotente, Finca Las Flores 13.192570N 86.331465W 865m, Abril 2010, J.-M. Maes leg.; (4) two specimens: [IBE-JGZ-C255, IBE-JGZ-C256], Nicaragua, Rivas, Cárdenas, Finca Sierra Serena, 14/07/2010, J.-M. Maes leg.; (5) one specimen: IBE-JGZ-C265, Nicaragua, Estelí, P. T. P. Miraflor-Moropotente, Finca Bartolo UTM 16P- 0573112-1459212 993m, Junio 2010, A. del Socorro & B. Nimia leg.; (6) one specimen: IBE-JGZ-2166, Nicaragua, Estelí, Reserva Natural Miraflor, Isidrillo [51], Agosto 2010, J.-M. Maes leg.; (7) one specimen: IBE- JGZ-2172, Nicaragua, Estelí, Reserva Natural Miraflor, Miraflor [209], Septiembre 2010, J.-M. Maes leg. MCZ: (1) one specimen: Nicaragua, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010; (2) one specimen: Nicaragua; (3) one specimen: Chontales, Nicaragua, T. Belt, 1st Jacoby Coll., Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2010. NMB: (1) one specimen: Nicaragua, Managua Low, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Bechyné det. 1951. NMNH: (1) two specimens: Nicaragua, A.D. Harvey coll. 1923 [one with: Calligrapha ramulifera Stål F. Monrós det. 1953]; (2) four specimens: Managua Cy, Nicaragua, A.D. Harvey Coll. 1923; (3) one specimen: Ameya, Nicaragua, A.D. Harvey coll. 1923; (4) one specimen: Nicaragua, 11.ii.1938, F. Monrós Collection 1959, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål F. Monrós det. 1954; (5) one specimen: Managua, Nicaragua [illegible] 1925; (6) one specimen: Managua, Nic., v.28.1956, Mabry, 56-9599, Calligrapha sp. DMW56; (7) one 3. The State of Guanajuato in Central Mexico is very far from the general area of distribution of C. ramulifera, therefore this record most likely represents either a labeling mistake or a reference to a locality in Chiapas, in the Pacific slopes of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas.
specimen: Nica., Chinandega, Volcan Casita, 1.vii.95, Maes/Hernández, duplicated retained from the Museo Entomologico S.E.A. Collection, Leon, Nicaragua, Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011.
UNKNOWN SOURCE
MfN: (4) one specimen: picta Chev. Mex. NHM: (1) one specimen: Baly Coll.; (2) one specimen: E. Coll. Laferté, 67-56. NRM: (1) one specimen: Guatimala, [illegible]. OUMNH: (1) two specimens: [no data] [one with: Calligrapha ramulifera Stål J. Gómez-Zurita det. 2011].
Variation. This species is rather constant in appearance and the observed variability in appearance does not generate identification problems. The sutural stripe can be suddenly narrowed at apex (as seen in the paralectotypes). The basal ends of the subsutural stripe can converge sometimes with the sutural stripe, and in one specimen from Pozo Azul (Costa Rica), the ends of the arcuate band are also completely fused with the subsutural stripe, appearing as lateral lumps. Humeral markings are generally broadly fused, but in some specimens the apical ends of the humeral spot and lunule are free and slightly divergent (as seen in PLT1, among others). The spot enclosed by the humeral lunule can be very small or maybe absent altogether (as seen on one elytron of a single specimen). The midlateral spot can be subrectangular or ellipsoidal and in the latter case, the connection to dark margin of elytron can be narrow and through dark suffusion. The spot of apical declivity can be very small and free. Spots on disc can appear indicated only by the pale or golden surrounding area, and instead of ten spots as in the lectotype, there can be arrangements of eight (2-2-2-2) or nine (3-2-2-2) spots. In some specimens, the sculpture of the epipleura differs from the type showing a leathery and shiny appearance. Two specimens from Turrialba (MNCP) and two from ca. Santa Elena, Costa Rica (FSCA) are more slender, longer specimens than the type.
description: Published as part of Gómez-Zurita, Jesús, 2015, Systematic revision of the genus Calligrapha Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae) in Central America: The group of Calligrapha argus Stål, pp. 1-71 in Zootaxa 3922 (1) on pages 28-33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3922.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/287929