F. G. Werner.
Epicauta diversicornis and its Allies in the Neotropical Region (Coleop., Meloidae).
Psyche 56(2):74-80, 1949.

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EPICAUTA DIVERSICORNI8 AND ITS ALLIES
IN THE NEOTROPICAL REGION
(COLEOP., MELOIDB)'
BY F. G. WERNER
Biological Laboratories, Harvard University Epicauta diversicornis and related species form a closely-knit group which can be defined as possessing the following characters in the male. Posterior tibiae with a row of short teeth internally at the apex. First two an- tennal segments enlarged, denuded except for scattered erect sets, and shiny, the first not excavated externally at the tip. Anterior tibiae with a single spur and an- terior tarsi with the first segment flattened, usually shiny and expanded.
All of the known species in the group are moderately slender and almost uniform in width (see figure in Cham- pion, 1892). Except for size and color there is great similarity in all the species. None has been seen less than ten millimeters long or more than twenty. Females can be known by the distinctive shape and usually can be placed by color and locality. All the species have a small scutellar and humeral spot on the elytra when fully marked. There are several species outside the group which have females similar to those in the group so that caution should be observed when making determinations. Attention should be called to the variation that occurs in the width of the first two antenna1 segments of the male. An example is shown in figures 4 and 5, both of diversicornis. This much variation occurs also in isth- mica and probably in the other species with these seg- ments flattened.
All the known species of Epicauta with the posterior tibia1 comb are restricted to the region from Southwestern 1 Published with a grant from the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College.
74
Pzirfif 56:74-80 (1949). hup Ylpq'chi: rnlclub org/Sel'<i6.074.htmI



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19491 Werner-Epicauta diversicornis 75
United States to Guiana and Colombia. The diversi- corms group is interesting in that it contains the only species known to occur in South America. A key to the males of the known species follows. Ex- cept where noted, all specimens on which ranges are based have been examined by the author.
1.
First antennal segment triangular in cross-section, with three almost flat surfaces ................................................... 2 First antennal segment flattened or oval in cross- section, with at most two flat surf aces .............................. 4 2. First tarsal segment slightly longer than second, with uniform sparse pubescence.
Antennae as in figure
2. Brown, clothed with cinereous pubescence, which is denser in a line down each elytron. Mexico: Nayarit (Tepic), Morelos (Cuernavaca), Yucatan ........................
(Chichen Itza)
E. f orticornis (Haag ) , 1880
First tarsal segment shorter than second, denuded, -
shiny ....................... .:. ............................................................................................. 3 First- two antennal segments equal to rest in length. Black, the elytra luteous, uniformly clothed with cinereous to luteous pubescence. U.S. : Texas (Val Verde Co. to El Paso Co.), New Mexico (southern), Arizona (Douglas, Sta. Catalina Mts.). Mexico : Nuevo Leon (Monterrey) ......... E. polinqi Werner, 1943 First two antennal segments longer than the rest. Brown, with the margins of the elytra paler and with paler pubescence. U.S. : Arizona (Maricopa Co. to Gila Co.) . Mexico : Sonora (Imuris) .
E. liebecki Werner. 1943
First two antennal segments shorter than the rest. Brown to luteous; with uniform cinereous pubescence. U.S. : Arizona (Maricopa Co. to Cochise Co.). Mexico : Sonora (Arizpe)
E. arizonica Werner, 1943
4. Second antennal segment distinctly more than half as long as first. Fig. 1 and fig. 3 ..................................... 5 Second antennal segment half as long as first or ..........
shorter. Fig. 4 to fig. 8. : .................................................... 6 5. First segment of anterior tarsi longer than second, not expanded and with at least scattered pubescence.



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Psyche [June
Antennae as in fig. 1.
Body brown, elytra luteous,
with uniform pale pubescence. Mexico : Jalisco (Guadalajara), Nayarit (Tepic, fide Dug&), Morelos ...........................
(Cuernavaca)
E. humeralis (Dug&) , 1889
First segment of anterior tarsi shorter and broader than second, partly denuded and shiny. Brown, with the margins of the elytra paler and with a fringe of denser pubescence. Antennae as in fig. 3. Guiana fide Erichson, Venezuela (Las Trincheras), Colom- bia (Amaya-Cispata Bay), Panama (Ft. Clayton, C.Z.) [= Lytta intermedia Haag, 18801
E. flagellaria (Erichson) , 1848
6. Second antennal segment distinctly longer than the following three. Fig. 4 and fig. 5. Black or dark brown, the elytra luteous. First segment of the anterior tarsi subequal to second, slightly expanded, shiny. Mexico : Sinaloa (Mazatlan, Venodio) , Naya- rit ( Tepic) , Jalisco ( Guadalajara) , Michoacan (Apatzingan) , Hidalgo (Pachuca), D.F. (Mexico City), Morelos (Cuernavaca), Guerrero (Acapulco), Vera Cruz (Cordoba). [= Macrobasis flavens Dug&, = Macrobasis diversicornis, Champion, in part.] E. diversicornis (Haag), 1880
Second antennal segment at most slightly more than equal to the following two.
Fig. 6 to fig. 8. ............... 7
7. Second antennal segment slightly longer than the fol- lowing two. First segment thickened, oval in cross- section. See fig. 6. Dark brown to black, with the margins of the el-ytra fringed with pale pubescence. ~veraging smaller than dz>ersicor~%s and the other species in the group in its region. Mexico : Dura,ngo (Canelas, fide Dug&), Jalisco (Colima Vulcano) , Nayarit (Tepic). ........................... E. beckeri (Dug&), 1889 Second segment of antennae slightly longer than the following two. First segment flattened. See fig. 7. Dark brown, with uniform pale to dark
As small as beckeri, usually less than 12 mm. Gua-
temala (Guatemala City), Mexico (Chiapas), Sal- vador ( Sta. Ana) ......................... E. cand&i (Haag) , 1880 Second segment of antennae only slightly longer



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19491 Werner-Epicauta diversicornis 77
than the third. See fig. 8. Middle tarsi with a fringe of long hairs along the inside. Panama to Vera Cruz. .................................................................. E. isthmica sp n. Epicauta isthmica sp. n.
Length: 10 to 20 mm. Body black, elytra brown to luteous; legs except for tarsi, palpi, labrum, labium and clypeus luteous. Pubescence uniform, moderately dense, decumbent, cinereous to pale luteous. There is a dark scutellar and humeral spot, dark pubescence on the tarsi (some pale pubescence at the base of the first segments) and on the tips of the femora and outer edge of the tibiae. No dark pubescence on the abdominal sternites except on the apex of the fifth. Any of this dark pubes- cence may be greatly reduced or even absent. Head subquadrate ; eyes prominent, transverse, exca- vated but moderately broad, four-sevenths as long as broad at the broadest place when seen from the side, sepa- rated dorsally by an area slightly narrower than their greatest width.
Surface of head densely but finely punc- tured, uniformly, densely microreticulate. Antenna1 cal- luses narrow, denuded, without punctures. Median im- pressed line distinct down to the level of the eyes, not augmented by a denuded border. Mouth parts except for mandibles luteous. Last segment of maxillary palpi quite narrow, half as long as wide at the widest place, two-thirds from the base. Male antennae as in figure 8 or with the first two segments broader or slightly nar- rower, the first two segments black to luteous. Female antennae as in diversicornis but with the second segment slightly shorter than the third.
Pronotum narrower than head, one-third longer than broad. Sides roughly parallel for the basal three-fourths, then converging at a sixty degree angle, the side slightly arcuate and the change in angle not abrupt. Basal im- pressed line distinct. Median impressed line fine but dis- tinct.
Surface more densely punctured than on head. Scutellum black.
Elytra brown to luteous, with the lute-
ous form more prevalent in the northern part of the range.




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78 Psyche [June
Underside uniformly pale pubescent, except for the apical half of the fifth abdominal sternite. The apices of the abdominal sternites have a fringe of slightly denser pubescence so that they appear indistinctly margined. Anterior tibiae of male denuded externally, with one straight, spiniform apical spur. First segment of male anterior tarsi denuded except for a few hairs along the outer margin and apex, shiny, expanded on the inner margin, concave behind. Middle tarsi of male with a fringe of long erect black hairs along the inside. Each hair of this fringe is as long as the fourth segment. Pos- terior tibia1 spurs expanded spiniform, the outer shorter than the inner.
Holotype: <?, Cabima, Panama May 28, 1911 A. Busck (USNM)
Allotype : 9, eutopotypical (USNM)
Paratypes: Panama: 7<?& 6??, topotypical (USNM) ; 2dJ, Bocas del Toro (USNM); 2,&& 1$, Taboga I. (USNM) ; 299, La Chorrera (USNM) ; W, 499, La Chorrera (Cal. Ac.) ; I<?, 399, St. Maria, El Real (MCZ) ; 283, 2Q9, Sta. Rosa (Chic. N.H.M.) ; 1$, Panama (MCZ). Canal Zone: 4&?, 399, Madden Dam (Cal. Ac.) ; 6,&?, 5$9, Madden Dam (Cal. Ac.) ; 5,J8, 2Q9, Ft. Clayton (Cal. Ac.) ; I$, Gamboa ( Cal. Ac.) ; 2<?A Ancon (Chic. N.H.M.) Id, 19, Ancon (Ohio) ; 1$, Ancon (USNM) ; 19, Culebra (Ohio) ; 3<W, Barro Colorado I. (USNM) ; I<?, I?, Paraiso (USNM) ; I& Tabernilla (USNM) ; I?, Alhajuelo (USNM) ; I$, Canal Zone (USNM).
Costa Rica: 388,
299, Bebedero, Guanacaste (USNM) ; 18, 19, Santa Elena, Guanacaste (USNM) ; I$, Guanacaste (USNM) ; I<?, Sarchi (USNM) ; 2#, 1$, Port Parker (Cal. Ac.) ; 299, Costa Rica (Chic. N.H.M.). Nicaragua: 19, Mana- gua (USNM). Honduras: I<?, I$, La Libertad, Comay (MCZ); 13, San Pedro S. (Chic. N.H.M.). Salvador: 1<7, Santa Ana (USNM). British Honduras: I$, Punta Gorde (Parker). Mexico: 238, 3?9, La Gloria, Cardel, Vera Cruz (USNM) ; 2&", 2Q9, Atoyac, Vera Cruz (USNM).




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Male antenn~.
Cross-section of first segment on left.
Fig. 1. Epicauta forticomis (Haag)
Fig. 2. Epicauta humeralis (Dug&)
Fig. 3. Epicauta flagellaria (Eriehson)
Fig. 4. Epicauta diversicornis (Haag)
Fig. 5. Epicauta diversicornis (Haag)
Fig. 6. Epicauta heckeri (Dug&)
Fig. 7. Epicauta cand&i (Haag)
Fig. 8. Epicauta isthmica q. n.




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Psyche
[June
VOL 56, PLATE 5




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