Argopistes scyrtoides LeConte

Argopistes scyrtoides LeConte

(Figs 27–35)

scyrtoides LeConte, 1878:416 (type locality: Florida, type depository: lectotype, MCZC, designated here).

Habitus. Body oblong oval in dorsal view, strongly convex in lateral view, 3.00– 3.57 mm long, 2.35–3.00 mm wide.

Color. Pronotum usually with dark bands basally and apically and dark yellow space in between dark bands, rarely entirely yellow. Elytra usually dark brown with dark yellow apices and dark yellow triangular spots connected with each other along suture, rarely dark yellow (Figs 27, 28, 30, 31).

Head. Almost entirely concealed by apical margin of pronotum. Vertex moderately convex, shiny, indistinctly punctate. Antennal calli nearly trapezoidal. Antennal socket about same size as antennal calli. Interantennal space narrower than transverse diameter of antennal socket. Eyes large, oblong, inner margins adjoined to both antennal calli and antennal sockets creating slight emargination along inner margin. Frons generally flattened, separated from gena by narrow protuberance. Frontal ridge slightly raised extending from interantennal space and reaching clypeus. Genae slightly concave under eyes. Antennae filiform, extending slightly beyond elytral humeri, basal antennomere longest, third antennomere short and slender.

Thorax. Pronotum convex, transverse, twice as broad as long at basal margin. Basal margin arcuate, slightly sinuate. Lateral margins narrowly explanate, strongly converging towards and extending slightly beyond apical margin. Dorsal surface finely and densely punctate. Scutellum small, triangular. Intercoxal prosternal process slightly depressed longitudinally, posterior margin slightly indented, concealing short mesosternum. Metasternum with median longitudinal line.

Elytra. Humeral calli present, but not well developed. Elytral surface densely punctate with confused and minute punctation. Epipleura not reaching apex of elytra.

Legs. Metafemur generally triangular with rounded corners; length about 2/3 length of abdomen; with groove along inner margin. Metatibia longitudinally slightly bowed in dorsal view; about same length as metatarsi combined; with shallow, flat groove at dorsal surface; apex with emarginate sheath-like prolongation, creating two acutely pointed projections; large pointed spur arises from base of first metatarsomere, and extends between and beyond two acutely pointed projections. First metatarsomere attached to metatibia preapically; at least as long as following three metatarsomeres combined. Bare, basal part of first metatarsomere 1.25 times longer than apical part covered with setae.

Genitalia. Female—Spermatheca slightly “S”-shaped in lateral view. Receptacle elongate; pump narrow, elongate (Fig. 33). Vaginal palpi trapezoidal (Fig. 34). Tignum long and narrow, reaching 3rd visible sternite (Fig. 35). Male—Aedeagus (Fig. 32) almost completely straight in lateral view; widest at basal opening in ventral view, sides not parallel but slightly curved inwardly; three-pronged sclerotized structure at basal opening; apex having three sclerotized narrow branches meeting apically at pointed end in ventral view; with short laminae covering dorsal opening, not projecting beyond apical part of aedeagus (Fig. 32).

Comments: Argopistes scyrtoides is among the least variable species in the New World. All the specimens in the MCZC collection have dark pronotum with varying in size orange band in the middle and elytra with light orange elytral apices and triangular spot around the middle.

Among the New World species A. scyrtoides is the most similar to A. coccinelloides, A. coronatus, and A. woodleyi. It can be distinguished from these species by the aedeagus with a short laminae covering the dorsal opening and not projecting beyond an apical part of the aedeagus (Fig. 32).

Distribution: Florida, USA

Host plants: Forestiera porulosa (Michx.) Poir. (Oleaceae) (Dyar 1902)

Material examined. Lectotype male: 1) Fla.; 2) Type 4417; 3) Argopistes scyrtoides Lec.; 4) Jan. July 2005 MCZ Image Database; 5) Lectotype Argopistes scyrtoides LeConte Konstantinov and Blanco des, 2012 (MCZC). Paralectotype males: 1) Fla.; 2) Paralectotype Argopistes scyrtoides LeConte Konstantinov and Blanco des, 2012 (MCZC).

1) Jupiter, 24.4 Fla; 2) Co. Hubbard & Schwarz; 3) Argopistes scyrtoides Lec. (5 USNM). 1) Biscayne, 10.5 Fla; 2) Co. Hubbard & Schwarz (5 USNM). 1) Fla; 2) Argopistes scyrtoides Lec. 1.5914 L.g.g. (USNM). 1) Argopistes scyrtoides leaf of Forestiera porulosa (Mich) Pair Opa Lock Fla. 28.12.48, OD Link SPB, Fla 101910 (1 adult, 3 larvae, USNM). 1) Fla. SI Plant Bd No 101.682; 2) 12 mi NW of Miami, Fla. 7 Dec. 48 18886, OD Link (2 USNM). 1) Fla.; 2) Horn Coll, H 7034 (2 MCZC). 1) Fa.; 2) Horn Coll, H 7034 (MCZC). 1) Biscayne, 10.5 Fla; 2) Horn Coll, H 7034 (2 MCZC).