Phlegon buqueti Laporte. One 2017

Phlegon buqueti Laporte, 1840: 254–255

Fig. 1–5

Diagnosis. Rounded punctures along elytral suture distinguish this species from both P. giganteus and P. chiriquiensis. Males are distinguished from those of P. herculeanus by shorter antennomere IX in relation to X; subequal in both segments for P. herculeanus. Males are further distinguished from male P. panamensis by shorter, thicker antennal rami on antennomeres IX–X; elongate and thinner in P. panamensis. Females of P. buqueti are distinguished from those of P. panamensis by relative length of antennomere IX in relation to X: IX longer than X in P. buqueti and IX as long as X in P. panamensis. Females are further distinguished from those of P. herculeanus by shape of antennomeres IX–X: simply serrate in P. buqueti and asymmetrically serrate in P. herculeanus.

Specimens Examined. Six specimens were available for study: COLOMBIA: 1, (small pink square) / “13671” / “Columbien” (green label) / “Kgl.Museum f., Naturk. Berlin.” / “136” (handwritten) / Phelgon, grossus, Moritz i. litt.” (handwritten) / “ Phlegon, buqueti, Cast., FLEUTIAUX det. (genus, species and author handwritten) (ZMHU); FRENCH GUIANA: 1, “Guyane – Pt. de Vue, du Belvédère de Saül” / “Récoltes SEAG, 20.12.2010 ” (date handwritten) / “Collection of the Global, Eucnemid Research Project, (Robert L. Otto)” (green framed white label) / “ Phlegon ♂, buqueti Cast., J. Chassain det. 2016” (genus, species, author, sex symbol and year handwritten) (GERP); 2, “FRENCH GUIANA:, Saül, vpr trap, 04.I.2011, SEAG” / “Collection of the Global, Eucnemid Research Project, (Robert L. Otto)” (green framed white label) / “ Phlegon, buqueti, Laporte, Det. R.L. Otto, 2016 ” (GERP); 1, “Guyane – Matiti, novembre 2012 ” / “PL. d’interception, JL. Giuglaris” / “Collection of the Global, Eucnemid Research Project, (Robert L. Otto)” (green framed white label) / “ Phlegon ♀, buqueti Cast., J. Chassain det. 2016” (genus, species, author, sex symbol and year handwritten) (GERP); TRINIDAD: 1, “Trinidad” (handwritten) / “ Phlegon, buqueti, Cast., FLEUTIAUX det.” (Black framed discolored label; genus, species and author handwritten) / “Andrewes, Bequest., B.M.1922-221.” (BMNH).

Redescription. ♂: length 13.5–16.0 mm, width 4.0–5.0 mm. ♀: length 21.5–22.0 mm, width 7.0 mm. Body stout, oblong, elongate; uniformly dark brown; antennae brown; femora, tibiae and tarsi reddish brown; head, pronotum and elytra clothed with elongate, semierect yellowish setae (Fig. 1–2).

Head: Subspherical; frons convex, with deep round fovea present above frontoclypeal region; surfaces shiny, densely punctate; punctures variably sized; apical margin of frontoclypeal region rounded, about 2 times wider than base; mandibles slender, without teeth.

Antennae: ♂ (Fig. 3) about 2/3 of body length; antennomere III slightly longer than IV; antennomeres IV–VIII subequal, quadrate; antennomeres IX–X pectinate; rami thicker, as long as or slightly longer than length of respective segment, each arising near apex; antennomere IX slightly shorter than X, as long as antennomeres VII–VIII combined; antennomere X slightly longer than IX, shorter than XI, slightly longer than antennomeres VII–VIII combined; antennomere XI simple, cylindrical, longer than either IX or X. ♀ (Fig. 4) about 1/2 of body length; antennomere III longer than IV; antennomeres IV–VI longer than wide; antennomeres VII–VIII quadrate; antennomeres IX–X dentate; antennomere IX slightly longer than either X or XI, as long as antennomeres VII–VIII combined; antennomere X slightly shorter than antennomeres VII–VIII combined; antennomere XI simple, cylindrical, as long as X.

Pronotum: Surfaces shiny, densely, deeply punctate; punctures variably sized; wider than long, with large, sharp hind angles; sides parallel-sided at hind angles, gradually narrowing anteriorly; disc convex, with pair of shallow circular foveae; base sinuous.

Scutellum: Setose, punctate, quadrate and distally rounded.

Elytra: Striae formed from round punctures; interstices slightly elevated; surfaces shiny, shallowly punctate to transversely rugose; apices (Fig. 5) with deep, V-shaped cavities near elytral suture.

Legs: First tarsomere shorter than combined lengths of remaining four on meso- and metatarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metatarsomeres I–III simple; metatarsomere IV excavated, bilobed; metatarsomere V elongate; pretarsal claws simple.

Venter: Closely punctate, with elongate, recumbent yellowish setae; hypomera simple, without lateral antennal grooves; metepisterna parallel-sided; metacoxal plates medially 3.0–6.0 times wider than laterally.

Distribution. One specimen each were taken at unknown locales in Trinidad and Colombia. Four specimens were taken at separate locales in French Guiana.

Biology. Two specimens were taken from a mercury vapor light trap in French Guiana. One specimen was taken from a flight intercept trap. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Note. From Laporte’s original description, noting antennal rami, Phlegon was based on a single male. Additionally, Laporte noted the insect probably came from Brazil, contrary to subsequent entomologists (i.e. Lacordaire 1857), who reported Cayenne as the type locality. The original species description was too brief and offered no means to distinguish P. buqueti from any closely related species distributed in southern Central America and South America.

Bonvouloir (1875) redescribed P. buqueti based on an undetermined number of specimens collected in Cayenne and Colombia. There is no evidence he never saw the male type. I was unable to locate the specimens Bonvouloir examined. Identification of the species was based on the comparisons between the specimens and the illustration of a female specimen in Bonvouloir (1872: pl. 36, fig. 4). Males were identified based on association with females collected together.

One female originally from Laporte’s collection, bearing a “Cayenne” locality label, is currently in the Fleutiaux collection at the Paris museum. Since the description was based on a single male, this female cannot be the type of P. buqueti.

The type was presumably placed in Buquet’s collection. According to Horn and Kahle (1935), Buquet’s Eucnemidae went to Lafeté-Senéctère and Mniszech and from these collections to Bonvouloir or Oberthür. The location of the original male type is unknown and cannot be traced.