Laccophilus duplex Sharp 1882

Laccophilus duplex Sharp (Figs. 242-249, 328)
Laccophilus duplex Sharp, 1882b, p. 12. Type: male, British Museum (Natural History), Oaxaca. Zimmermann, 1920, p. 18; Blackwelder, 1944, p. 74.
Laccophilus optatus Sharp, 1882b, p. 13. Type: male, British Museum (Natural History), Chontales, Nicaragua. Zimmermann, 1920, p. 23; Blackwelder, 1944, p. 74. (New synonym.)
DIAGNOSIS. — This species is very similar to oscillator in general appearance and anatomy. They both have the same general elytral pattern with pale markings at approximately the same position. The subbasal band appears to be more restricted in duplex, however, and is more strongly margined by darker pigment. There is no posterior finger of lighter color from the band in duplex, as there is in oscillator, nor eroding of the anterior margin of the band in duplex as in oscillator. L. o. oscillator is larger than duplex, but o. laevipennis is smaller. Perhaps the best external feature to use is the appearance of the metacoxal plates. In duplex the plates are nearly yellow except at the lateral margins where they are darkened to dark brown or nearly black. In contrast oscillator has dark color suffused throughout the plate, making the venter much darker. Also, the epipleura of duplex are pale, while in oscillator they are partially darkened. The aedeagus easily separates the two species, however, since the swollen base of that of duplex is highly diagnostic. L. gentilis suavis and L. ovatus zapotecus are other small forms that have yellow subbasal markings on the elytra, but they are both smaller and narrower and have pale metacoxal plates. Both males and females of those two species have strongly modified last ventral abdominal segments. L. peregrinus may have yellow longitudinal, instead of horizontal, markings on the elytra, but either the ovipositor or aedeagus will separate it from duplex.
DESCRIPTION. — Small (length, 3.8 to 4.3 mm; width, 2.1 to 2.3 mm), brown species with a nearly complete, yellow subbasal elytral band; metacoxal file absent; prosternal process intermediate; ovipositor sawlike. COLOR. Head: pale brownish-yellow above and beneath; appendages except mandibles, pale yellow. Pronotum: generally pale brownish-yellow, but brown along posterior margin, especially at apex, and some slight darkening near the anterior margin between the eyes. Elytra: marmorated brown with yellow markings; epipleura anteriorly translucently pale (may appear to be darker due to darkened margin of underlying metacoxal plate) and posteriorly reddish-brown. Venter: generally pale yellowish-brown or brown with a reddish tinge; dark brown or black around base of mesocoxae and on lateral and hind margins of metacoxal plates. Genitalia: variable reddish-brown or yellowish-brown. ANATOMY. Microreticulation: double on head, pronotum and elytra; individual cellules weakly outlined; surface shining. Head: supraclypeal seam forming two nearly convergent straight lines. Pronotum: relatively short; WH/PW, 0.72; LP/PW, 0.39. Elytra: apices not at all truncated, but tending to be slightly attenuated; female without epipleural flange (only 20 females examined). Venter: prosternal process reaching an imaginary line drawn across the hind margins of the mesocoxal cavities and with well-defined ventral crest; postcoxal processes laterally scarcely projecting beyond the midline; last abdominal segments not truncated but subtriangular; margins nearly straight in males and slightly convex in females; median crest asymmetrical in males and slightly convex in females; both sexes with scattered setigerous punctures and numerous longitudinal rugae or grooves covering posterior half of the segment; females with marginate groove extending along margin. Legs: male proand mesotarsi only slightly enlarged and palettes difficult to distinguish at 20 power magnification; fifth tarsal segment on proand mesotarsi only about one and one-half times as long as corresponding fourth; proleg claws as long as fifth tarsal segment; profemoral setae (5 or 6) as long as, but finer than mesofemoral ones (6 or 7). Genitalia: oval plate with produced acuminate tip; its median crest extending anteriorly without curvature; numerous raised lines on either side; aedeagus with swollen base and attenuated tip; apex of right paramere short and blunt; ovipositor with sawlike teeth.
NOMENCLATURAL NOTES. — J. Balfour-Browne has synonymized duplex in the collection of the British Museum and the specimens (three cotypes) that I have examined support that conclusion. Also, F. N. Young has sent me sketches of the elytral patterns and genitalia of the types of duplex and optatus, and they appear identical. Sharp's descriptions differ significantly only in the statement that duplex has a prosternal process not elongate and that optatus has the prosternal process elongate. L. duplex was described from Oaxaca and optatus from Nicaragua, and this appears to be the principal basis for separating them. He remarks that duplex resembles the Brazilian L. fumatus Sharp and optatus is closely allied to L. latifrons Sharp. I have not seen either of these species.
VARIATION . — The yellow subbasal markings vary from a complete band with little interruption, even at the elytral suture, to three separate discrete marks. The difference is geographical, since the Honduras specimens tend toward discreteness and the Mexican ones toward continuity. There is no obvious difference in size between the sexes (fig. 24).
The individuals from San Luis Potosi are significantly larger than those from Costa Rica (Table 23). The three males from Chiapas are closer to the size of the southern population. There is enough difference in pattern and size between the populations from northeastern Mexico and those from below the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to warrant description of two races, but it will have to wait until more is known about the limits of each. — This species ranges from near Monterrey in Nuevo Leon to Brazil (fig. 23). It occurs at low altitudes, but above the coastal plain. I have collected it in heavily shaded, shallow, clear streams with gravel bottoms and in roadside ditches. COSTA RICA. — Esparta, 8 m. NW., 1 9, vi.26.67; Puntarena, 1 8, 4 9, vii.22.65; Liberia, 8 m. SE., 21 S, 31 9, vii. 24.65, P. J. Spangler; San Jose, 1 $, 1 9, vii.16.57, D. Lauck (USNM).
EL SALVADOR. — Cd. Arce, 7 m. SE., 2 9, viii.3.65, P. J. Spangler (USNM).
HONDURAS. — Ruatan I., 1 S (BM). San Marcus Colon, 1 <?, 4 9, vii.28.65; N. Sabina Grande, 4 6,29, vii.29.65, P. J. Spangler (USNM).
MEXICO. — CHIAPAS. Chiapa de Corzo, 1 S, ix.1.63; Cuahtemoc, 3 <? , viii.30.63, JRZ (NMSU). NUEVO LEON. Linares, 20 m. W., Linares R., 1 S, xi. 16.48, H. B. Leech (CAS). Monterrey, 4 m. S., 1 $, vii.7.63, Arnett & Van Tassel (CUA). Santiago, 4m.N.,H, vii.8.63, JRZ (NMSU). SAN LUIS POTOSI. Cuidad del Maiz, 15 m. E., 1 S, xi.19.48, H. B. Leech (CAS). El Salto, 1 9, iii.25.63, JRZ (NMSU). Palitla (5 m. N. of Tamazunchale),
2 S,5 2, xii.22.48, H. B. Leech (CAS). Tamazunchale, 1, vi. 30.48, Werner, Nutting (ARI); Quinta Chilla, 3 5,9 9, xii.21.48 (CAS). TAMAULIPAS. Antiguo Morelos, 3 m. N., 1 2, iii.26.63; Ocampo, 2 2, iii.24.63, JRZ (NMSU). VERACRUZ. Near Tinaja, 1 5, viii.25.62; Papantla, 18 km. E., 1 2, ix.9.64, NICARAGUA. — Chontales, 2 S (BM). Sharp (1882b) described oscillator and laevipennis as separate species, recognizing that they were closely related. In fact, he said the markings of the two were identical, but that they differed in size and in microsculpture. I find no difference in the last feature, but they differ in size. One was described from Oaxaca and the other from Guatemala. It is now known that the range of these two extends through Central America and up the Sierra Madre Occidental into Arizona. Intergrades occur in Nayarit, Jalisco, and Michoacan. Oddly enough, the range of the northern race, oscillator, extends all the way to Oaxaca, but apparently at higher elevations than does laevipennis.
The aedeagi of the two differ only in size, and all other sexual characters that might be diagnostic are similar. In fact, except for the unusual elytral patterns and the darkened venter, it is difficult to point out a useful diagnostic character for the species.
DESCRIPTION. — Small to medium (length, 3.5 to 5.8 mm; width, 2.4 to 3.4 mm), marmorated brown species with a nearly complete subbasal elytral fascia; metacoxal file absent; prosternal process short; ovipositor sawlike. COLOR. Head: pale brownish-yellow above and beneath except for a variable amount of reddish-brown on the occiput between the eyes; appendages except mandibles pale. Pronotum: generally pale brownish-yellow, but with a variable amount of reddish-brown on the disc, anterior margin, and apex; posterior margin translucently reddish-brown. Elytra: marmorated smoky brown with yellow markings, forming a nearly complete subbasal band and a much less complete postmedian one; the latter composed of three or four elongate marks which are generally, but unevenly arranged in an anterior-posterior direction; epipleura partially darkened anteriorly as well as posteriorly. Tergite VIII: proximally brown, but distally pale yellowish-brown. Venter: presternum, proand mesolegs pale yellowish-brown with reddish tinge; remainder variable from yellowish-brown to sometimes suffused with reddish-brown or black; nearly black around the bases of the mesocoxae, the outer half of the metacoxal plates, and on parts of abdominal segments; first visible abdominal segment usually pale in contrast to those posterior. Genitalia: variably pale yellowish-brown to
dark brown. ANATOMY. Microreticulation: double on head, pronotum, and elytra; cellules of inner meshes very weak. Head: supraclypeal seam nearly parallel to margin, but may arch slightly upward near midline. Pronotum: WH/PW, 0.70; LP/PW, 0.39. Elytra: apices not truncated; female epipleura without flange. Venter: prosternal process short; postcoxal process neither rounded nor produced laterally, but forming a nearly straight line across the posterior margins; last visible segment not truncated in either sex and similar; male segment slightly produced; its median crest frequently indistinct; posterior marginated grooves in males and females not attaining the apex; numerous rugae and prominent setigerous punctures also present. Legs: male proand mesotarsi scarcely enlarged; fifth tarsal segment on both pair of front legs about twice as long as corresponding fourth; palettes difficult to distinguish at 20 power magnification; profemoral marginal setae (5 to 7) as long as, but finer than mesofemoral ones (8 to 11). Genitalia: oval plate relatively small and notched on either side of the acuminate produced tip; its ventral median crest pronounced and extending anteriorly with little or no lateral curvature; numerous fine raised lines on either side of the crest; aedeagus curving to a small tapered apex; right paramere nearly as long as left; ovipositor with about 10 or 1 1 sawlike teeth.
o. oscillator Uruapan, Michoacan o. oscillator Arizona
Autlan, Jalisco
^ o. laevipennis
La Huerta, Jalisco TO TAL LENGTH (mm) in Crosshatch; females, stippled. NOMENCLATURAL NOTES. — The only apparent problem with this race is in its relationship to laevipennis. Since intergrades between the two have been found, the problem has resolved itself. Sharp's cotypes of oscillator and laevipennis may be confused with each other, but the types themselves are easily distinguishable and seem to represent clearly each of the separate races.