Laccophilus pseudomexicanus Zimmerman 1970

Laccophilus pseudomexicanus
DIAGNOSIS. — This species belongs to the group with an irrorated pattern, metacoxal file, sawlike ovipositor, and has black on the venter. It is larger than mexicanus and salvini, the same size as spergatus, and is smaller than mistecus. It overlaps all of those, but salvini, however. Reliable separations require comparison of the aedeagi, but the pronotum is relatively longer in pseudomexicanus (LP/PW, 0.43) than in any of the others (0.40-0.41); and the males have the proand mesotarsi enlarged in the lateral as well as dorsoventral plane.
DESCRIPTION. — Large (length, 4.7 to 5.7 mm; width, 2.5 to 3.3 mm), brown, irrorated species; black on venter; metacoxal file present; prosternal process short; sawlike ovipositor. COLOR. Head: light yellowish-brown darkening to brown or reddish-brown on occiput near the pronotum; appendages yellow except mandibles which darken toward tip. Pronotum: light yellowishbrown; disc frequently with obscure darker paired marks; posterior margin and apex may be darker due to translucence rather than additional pigment. Elytra: strongly irrorate with brown over almost complete surface, but midlateral spot present. Tergite VIII: dark brown to black. Venter: prosternum, its process, fore and middle legs light brownish-yellow with reddish tinge; hind legs of about the same color, but with much stronger reddish highlights; mesosternum, metasternum, metacoxal plates, except postcoxal processes, very dark brown or black; abdominal segments frequently pale except for the black hind margin of first visible segment; other segments often suffused with dark brown or black. Genitalia: oval plate, aedeagus, and parameres with varying mounts of dark reddish-brown or yellowish-brown; ovipositor reddish-brown. ANATOMY. Microreticulation: weakly double on head, pronotum, and elytra; cellules small and uniform. Head: supraclypeal seam closely parallel to margin. Pronotum: WH PW, 0.68; LP PW, 0.43. Elytra: large epipleural flange in some females; apical truncation marked. Venter: coxal file with about 25 to 30 fine lines which grade into the microsculpture of the metacoxae; prosternal process with welldefined crest; lobes of postcoxal laterally projecting well beyond midline; last visible ventral abdominal segment of male somewhat truncate, produced and with an asymmetrical crest nearly attaining the apex; a few small rugae along the posterior margin; female last ventral segment not truncated; median crest poorly defined, but several rugose-like lines converging toward midline near the apex; oblique striations present and strongly impressed; posterior margin reflexed; an oblique low ridge which does not attain the apex present on either side of median crest; setigerous punctures spread over surface, but thickest at middle and near the posterior margin. Legs: male protarsi expanded laterally as much as in the dorsoventral plane; mesotarsi expanded more dorsoventrally than laterally: palettes easily seen at 20 power magnification; male fifth tarsal segment about one and a half times as long as fourth in both pair of front legs; profemoral setae (5 to 9) margin finer and shorter than mesofemoral ones (6). Genitalia: oval plate large with sharp, slightly produced tip; median crest strong apically, but weakened to raised line anteriorly; raised lines on right side of crest diverge to right anteriorly; aedeagus bent only slightly, but with distinctive flattened knob at apex: ovipositor with 15 to 16 sawlike teeth.
VARIATION. — Males are about 0.2 mm larger than females (Table 6, Fig. 11). The sample from San Luis Potosi suggested that there is a racial difference between it and the population in Durango and Jalisco. The populations from the latter two areas, on the other hand, appear to be very similar. Elytral pattern differences support the same conclusion. Specimens from San Luis Potosi have local concentration of pigment on the elytral disc, while the others have a more uniform irroration. — This species is known only from the Mexican highlands in Durango, San Luis Potosi, Michoacan, and Mexico. It is found in both the Sierra Oriental and Sierra Occidental and in the high valleys of the state of Mexico. I have collected it mainly in mountain stream pools with bottom of mud and volcanic gravel. Holotype male, allotype, and two paratypes of each sex with the following data are in the United States National Museum; 5 km. E. of Mazamitla, Jalisco, iii.27.64, J. R. Zimmerman. Other paratypes deposited as follows: seven males and three females from 15 miles east of Cuidad del Maiz, San Luis Potosi, xi. 19.48, H. B. Leech, and one male from 15 to 20 miles west of Jiquilpan, Michoacan, xi. 30.48, E. S. Ross, are in the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; one male from 8.7 miles NW. of Acambay, Mexico, 8300 feet, ii.3.53, I. J. Cantrell, and one female with the same data as the holotype is in the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Ann Arbor; and one male and one female with the same data as the holotype are also in the Departmento de Entomologia, Laboratorio de Sanidad Vegetal, Coyoacan, D. F., Mexico.
MEXICO. — DURANGO. Llano Grande, 10 m. E. (Navios), 3 S, 6 9 xii.10.62; 3 m. E., 1 $, xii.10.62, JRZ (NMSU). El Salto, 16 m. E., 16 $ 21 9, vi.29.64, P. J. Spangler (USNM). JALISCO. Ameca, 25 km. E.
1 9, iii.25.64; Mazamitla, 5 km. E., 22 S, 27 2, iii.27.64. Near Tala, 1 S
2 9, iii.25.64; near Tamazula, Rd. 110, 1 9, iii.27.64; Zapotlenejo, 7 m. E. 6,5,6 9, JRZ (NMSU). MEXICO. Acambay, 1 $, 5 9, iii.27.63; Atlocomulco, 1 $, 1 2, iii.27.63, JRZ (NMSU). Ixtlahuaca, 6 m. S., 2 9, vii. 12.52 (53?), R. & J. Selander (USNM). MICHOACAN. Jiquilpan, 8 km. E., 2 $, iii.27.64, JRZ (NMSU). SAN LUIS POTOSI. Agua Zarca (near Platinito), 5 3,2 9, iii.25.63, JRZ (NMSU). This species is composed of two races whose ranges are too incompletely known to be able to give more than a rough approximation of their distribution. They are both confined to Mexico and at the moment seem to be restricted to north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The races approach one another in adjacent areas of Jalisco and Michoacan. There is a large collecting gap from Oaxaca through Guerrero and Michoacan. The principal difference between the two races is that the more northern one is light beneath and southern one is black or dark brown beneath. The species description is given under L. m. aztecus, new subspecies.
NOMENCLATURAL NOTES. — This species has several distinctive anatomical features and a limited distribution; consequently,
no nomenclatural confusion has developed. Sharp gives Parada as the type locality for this species. That locality is La Parada, Oaxaca, Mexico, which Selander and Vaurie (1962) locate as a "Hacienda and important collecting site on the north slope of the mountains west of Cerro San Felipe, which is just north of the city of Oaxaca; 7900 feet, about 17° 10', 96° 40'." This means that the dark ventered race is the nominate one and that the light colored one should be described as new.