Pericompsus (Pericompsus) sagma Erwin 1974

Pericompsus sagma

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Coyuca de Benitez, Guerrero, Mexico.

TYPE-SPECIMENS.—The holotype male and allotype are in USNM. Both were collected by G. E. Ball and D. R. Whitehead in 1965. Eight paratypes are listed below.

DESCRIPTION.—Form (Figure 60): Moderately elongate and narrow, narrower than P. ephippiatus; most similar to that species, but easily distinguished by the midelytral position of the fovea of interneur 8.

Color: Shiny testaceous, middle of venter rufous, elytral cloud (Figure 60) and most of sutural interval piceous.

Head: Slightly narrower across eyes than pronotum; frontal furrows moderately impressed and evenly arcuate, each extended to posterior margin of eye; eyes large and prominent.

Pronotum (Figure 60): Subcordate, sides very shallowly sinuate in basal half; base broadly lobed; hind angles about right; side margins not reflexed; disc moderately convex.

Elytra: Each elytron with 6 punctate interneurs; punctures contiguous, thus interneurs more or less striate; rows 1 and 2 entire, rows 3–6 effaced at apical sixth; interneur 7 effaced externally throughout; interneur 8 well impressed, and foveate just anterior to middle; fovea moderately large, subequal in diameter to width of elytral explanation; humeral margin strongly rounded, almost angulate, at base, not connected with base of interneur 4; side margin minutely setulose (not serrate at 50X) in basal fourth; chaetotaxy as in P. ephippiatus; plica long and well developed externally.

Microsculpture: Effaced, even from frons.

Genitalia: Male (Figure 68) (3 examined); female not dissected.

Size: Length, 2.12–3.16 mm; width, 0.84–1.20 mm; 10 specimens measured.

VARIATION.—The striking variation in size (see above) is the only nonconstant feature I have observed on the few specimens available for study.

NATURAL HISTORY.—No exact record of capture is available except one specimen from near Manzanillo, Colima, taken at light by Ball, Leech, and me. The area was near the sea in a cutover Palm Forest. Other specimens are labeled “Rio” and presumably were collected near water. The elevation range recorded is sea level to 488 meters. Specimens were collected in March, April, August, and December; none were teneral.

ETYMOLOGY.—Greek noun, sagma, meaning “pack-saddle,” in reference to the saddle-shaped spot on the elytra.

LOCALITY RECORDS (Figure 74).—I have seen 10 specimens from the following localities:

MEXICO: CHIAPAS: Puente Pijijiapan near Pijijiapan on Route 200 (UASM); Rio Chiapas near Tuxtla Gutierrez on Route 190 (UASM). COLIMA: 12.8 miles east of Manzanillo (UASM). GUERRERO: Coyuca de Benitez (UASM, USNM). VERACRUZ: Rio Papaloapan at Paso Cano (CAS, USNM).