Research Article |
Corresponding author: David G Furth ( furthd@si.edu ) Academic editor: Michael Schmitt
© 2017 David G Furth.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Furth DG (2017) Recent advances in the knowledge of Mexican Alticinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). In: Chaboo CS, Schmitt M (Eds) Research on Chrysomelidae 7. ZooKeys 720: 23-46. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.720.17790
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The present study updates previously published biodiversity/faunistics of the flea beetles of Mexico published by the author after examination of 6132 specimens from 8 institutional collections. The following 9 genera were selected as indicators of the effects of known diversity only through examination of museum specimens (i.e., “indoor collecting”): Alagoasa Bechyné; Asphaera Chevrolat; Capraita Bechyné; Disonycha Chevrolat; Kuschelina Bechyné; Omophoita Chevrolat; Prasona Baly; Systena Chevrolat; and Walterianella Bechyné. From the specimens examined in these genera from the 8 collections, there were 394 new records for Mexican states of the 287 new species records representing 47% new records of the species recorded from those states. Total new state records 287 from 80 species. States with most new records: Chiapas (32); Nayarit (27); Sinaloa (24). 80 spp. (47%) with new state records. Systena oberthuri Baly is reported from Mexico for the first time. The current total of Alticinae in Mexico is 90 genera/626 species. The difficulties of the generic boundaries between Systena and Prasona, Alagoasa and Kuschelina; as well as the specific boundaries between A. jacobiana and A. decemguttatus and the specific level pattern variation in Disonycha glabrata and Alagoasa decemguttatus are discussed. Kuschelina semipurpurea, formerly placed in Alagoasa, is placed is considered as a new combination.
Mexico state records, Flea Beetles, indoor collecting, faunistics, new combinations, Systena/ Prasona and Alagoasa/Kuschelina confusion, Alagoasa decemguttatus , Omophoita octomaculata , Mexican biodiversity
For about 30 years I have been studying the biodiversity/faunistics of the Central American Alticinae (
Some of the author’s recent publications (mentioned above) concerning the Mexican fauna stressed the value of a combination of strategies for biodiversity research beginning with a comprehensive search of the literature examination, combined with fieldwork and extensive search of institutional collections. The current study concentrates on the latter of these strategies to uncover additional specimens and localities in order to better understand Mexican flea beetle diversity.
During the past 10+ years the author has visited the institutions listed below and has pulled out all Alticinae from Mexico and borrowed them. For the current study nine genera, including the genera of the “Oedionychini/a” tribe/subtribe (Alagoasa, Asphaera, Capraita, Kuschelina, Omophoita, Walterianella), as well as a few other randomly selected genera (Disonycha, Prasona, Systena) were studied and determined to species. There were 6625 adult specimens studied and determined to species based on morphology and using literature and reference collections. The term species refers also to all taxa, including subspecies recorded from Mexico.
The institutional collections studied are: American Museum of Natural History (New York, New York, USA) [AMNH]; Monte L. Bean Museum of Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah, USA) [BYU]; Natural History Museum (London, United Kingdom) [NHM]; California Academy of Sciences (San Francisco, California, USA) [CAS]; California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, California, USA) [CDFA]; University of California Berkeley (Berkeley, California, USA) [UCB]; University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA) [UCD]; U.S. National Museum/NMNH (Washington, D.C., USA) [
The habitus photographic images were taken using the Visionary Digital BK Lab Imaging system outfitted with the Canon EOS 5D and a MP-E 65 mm 1–5× Canon macrolens. Stacked images were processed in part with Helicon Focus; final editing was done with Adobe PhotoShop. Specimens will be returned to their original institutional collections with some vouchers deposited at the
Images of adult species for Figures
In Table
The author follows a less popular classification, i. e., Alticinae rather than Alticini, as explained in several publications, e.g.,
Indoor Collecting. Numbers of specimens examined, by institutional collection. For Specimens Examined, the number in parentheses are those not determined to species.
Collection | Specimens Examined | New State Records/Collection |
---|---|---|
AMNH | 374 (9) | 30 |
NHM | 120 (14) | 1 |
BYU | 309 (33) | 29 |
CAS | 1412 (93) | 105 |
CDFA | 374 (20) | 27 |
UCB | 3131 (223) | 150 |
UCD | 846 (97) | 46 |
|
59 (4) | 6 |
TOTALS | 6625 (493) | 394/287* |
List of determined species by institution with state records (new state records in bold print).
Genus | Species | Author | Distribution | Amnh | Bmnh | Byu | Cas | Cdfa | Nhm | Ucb | Ucd | Rwf | Usnm | New Records | No. New Records |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alagoasa | acutangula | (Jacoby) | CHIS, COL, DGO, GRO, JAL, MEX, MOR, NL, OAX, VER | NAY | GRO, JAL, | CHIS, GRO, MOR, NAY, SIN, SLP | JAL, MICH, NAY | VER | CHIS, DGO, GRO, JAL, MICH, MOR, NAY, NL, PUE, SIN, VER | GRO, MOR, PUE, SIN | GRO, QRO | MICH, NAY, PUE, QRO, SIN, SLP | 6 | ||
bipunctata | (Chevrolat) | CHIS, DF, OAX, SLP, VER, YUC | CHIS, SLP, QROO, TAMPS, VER, YUC | PUE, SLP | VER | MOR, VER | CHIS, QRO, SLP, VER | SLP | MOR, PUE, QROO, QRO, TAMPS | 5 | |||||
chevrolati | (Baly) | OAX, VER, YUC | VER | VER | |||||||||||
clypeata | (Jacoby) | CHIS, DGO, HGO, MICH, OAX, TAB, VER | VER | CHIS, VER | VER | CHIS, DGO, OAX, VER | CHIS, VER | VER | DGO | 1 | |||||
donckieri | (Jacoby) | GRO | PUE | PUE | 1 | ||||||||||
extrema | (Harold) | MOR, OAX, TAB, VER | CHIS, VER | CHIS | VER | VER | VER | YUC | CHIS, YUC | 2 | |||||
fimbriata | (Forster) | GRO, MICH, MOR, OAX | MICH | ||||||||||||
hoegei | (Jacoby) | OAX, VER | VER | ||||||||||||
inconspicua | (Jacoby) | DGO, JAL | JAL | JAL | SIN | DGO, JAL, SIN | SIN | 1 | |||||||
jacobiana* [comb. n.] | (Horn) | CHIH, CHIS, DGO, JAL, MOR, NAY, OAX, SON, SIN, YUC | GRO, SON | CHIS, MOR, NAY, SIN, SON | COL, JAL, NAY, SIN | MEX | CHIH, CHIS, DGO, GRO, JAL, NAY, OAX, SIN, SON | CHIH, JAL, MOR, SIN | SIN, YUC | 2 | |||||
lateralis | (Jacoby) | COL, GRO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, NAY, OAX | NAY | PUE | CHIH, COL, MOR, NAY, NL, SIN, VER | COL, JAL, NAY, SIN | VER | GRO, MOR, NAY, SIN, VER | CHIS, MOR | CHIH, CHIS, COL, NL, SIN, VER | 6 | ||||
longicollis | (Jacoby) | OAX | VER | VER | 1 | ||||||||||
semipurpurea** | (Jacoby) | VER | CHIH | CHIH | 1 | ||||||||||
seriata | (Baly) | GRO, MOR, OAX, PUE, VER | MOR | MOR, SLP, TAMPS, VER | CHIS, GRO | CHIS, SLP, TAMPS | 3 | ||||||||
tehuacana | Bechyné | JAL, PUE | JAL | JAL | |||||||||||
tridecimmaculata | (Jacoby) | GRO, MICH | SIN | JAL, MEX | MOR | GRO, MEX, MOR | JAL, MEX, MOR, SIN | 4 | |||||||
trifasciata escuintla | Bechyné | Mexico | NAY, SLP, TAB, TAMPS, VER | SLP, VER | CHIS, MEX, NAY, TAMPS, VER | CHIS, JAL, NAY, SIN | VER | CHIS, JAL, NAY, SLP, TAB, VER | NL, TAMPS, VER | CHIS, JAL, MEX, NAY, NL, SIN, SLP, TAB, TAMPS, VER | 10 | ||||
virgata | (Harold) | CHIH, CHIS, COL, DGO, GRO, JAL, MEX, MOR, NAY, PUE, OAX, SIN, SLP, TAB, VER | GRO | JAL, NAY, PUE | CHIS, JAL, MOR, NAY, SIN, SON, VER | JAL, NAY, SIN | MEX, MOR, VER | CHIS, GRO, JAL, MOR, NAY, ?QRO, SIN, SON, VER, ?YUC | CHIH, CHIS, MOR, OAX, VER | ?QRO, SON, ?YUC | 3 | ||||
Asphaera | abdominalis | (Chevrolat) | AGS, CHIH, CHIS, COAH, COL, DF, DGO, GRO, GTO, HGO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, NL, OAX, SIN, SLP, TAMPS, VER, ZAC | HGO, SIN | CHIS, DGO, GTO, JAL, MICH, MOR, NAY, NL, OAX, SIN, SLP, TAB, VER, ZAC | JAL, MEX, MICH, PUE, SIN, SLP | DF, JAL, MEX, MOR | CHIH, CHIS, DGO, GRO, GTO, HGO, JAL, MEX, MICH, NL, OAX, PUE, QRO, SIN, TAMPs, VER, ZAC | AGS, HGO, JAL, MEX, MICH, SON, SIN, ZAC | QRO | NAY, PUE, QRO, SON, TAB | 5 | |||
cyanopsis | Harold | DF, DGO, OAX, SLP, TAB, VER | OAX, SLP | PUE, SLP | VER | CHIS, PUE, SLP, TAB, VER | VER | CHIS, PUE | 2 | ||||||
lustrans | (Crotch) | BC | MEX | MEX | 1 | ||||||||||
mexicana | (Harold) | CHIS, DGO, GRO, MICH, MOR, NAY, OAX, VER | |||||||||||||
reichei | (Harold) | CHIS, DF, OAX, SLP, VER | CHIS, JAL, MOR, NAY, VER | MEX | CHIS, GRO, JAL, MICH, NAY, NL, OAX, VER | VER | GRO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, NAY, NL, | 7 | |||||||
Capraita | conspurcata | (Jacoby) | CHIS, DF, DGO, GRO, GTO, HGO, MEX, MICH, MOR, OAX, PUE, VER | SIN | CHIS, DGO, MEX, PUE, TAB, VER | DF, DGO, MEX, MICH, PUE, SIN, VER | SIN | SIN, TAB | 2 | ||||||
maculata | (Harold) | CHIS, GRO, JAL, MEX, MOR, OAX, VER, YUC | JAL, MICH, NAY, SIN | GRO, JAL | GRO, NAY, SIN | MICH, NAY, SIN | 3 | ||||||||
Disonycha | angulata | Jacoby | SLP, TAB, VER, YUC | VER | CHIS, VER | CHIS | 1 | ||||||||
annulata | Blake | Mexico | JAL | JAL | 1 | ||||||||||
antennata | Jacoby | COL, DGO, GRO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, OAX, VER | MEX | MICH, MOR, NAY, SIN, VER | SIN | CHIS, GRO, JAL, MICH, NAY, OAX, SIN, VER | CHIH, MICH, SIN, VER | CHIH, CHIS, NAY, SIN | 4 | ||||||
arizonae | Casey | CHIH, DGO?, GRO, MOR? | CHIH, COAH, NL, SON | CHIH, NL | COAH, NL, SON | 3 | |||||||||
barberi | Blake | GRO, SIN, VER | SIN | MICH | NAY, VER | SIN | MICH, NAY | 2 | |||||||
brevilineata | Jacoby | DGO, GRO, JAL, MOR, OAX | MEX | CHIS, MOR | JAL | CHIS, JAL, NAY | CHIS, MEX, NAY | 3 | |||||||
brunneofasciata | Jacoby | GRO, PUE, SLP | OAX, SIN | OAX, SIN | 2 | ||||||||||
collata | (Fabricius) | CHIH, COAH, DF, DGO, GTO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, OAX, PUE, TAB, VER, YUC | DGO, JAL, MEX, MOR, NAY, PUE, SIN, SON | SIN, VER | DF, JAL, NAY, SIN | NAY, SIN | NAY, SIN, SON | 3 | |||||||
dorsata | Harold | MOR, OAX, TAB, VER, YUC | VER | CHIS, JAL, MOR, NAY, VER | JAL | CHIS, NAY, OAX, SLP, VER | CHIS, JAL, MOR, NAY, SLP | 5 | |||||||
figurata | Jacoby | AGS, CHIH, CHIS, COAH, COL, DF, DGO, GRO, GTO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, NAY, OAX, SIN, TAB, VER, YUC | CHIH | MEX | CHIH, JAL, SON | CHIH, MOR, NAY, SIN, | JAL, MOR, SIN | CHIH, CHIS, COL, DF, DGO, GRO, GTO, JAL, MICH, NAY, OAX, SIN, SON, TAMPS, VER | CHIH, CHIS, JAL, MICH, NAY, SIN, ZAC | SON, TAMPS, ZAC | 3 | ||||
fumata fumata | LeConte | BC, CHIH, CHIS, DGO, GRO, HGO, JAL, MEX, MICH, MOR, NL, OAX, PUE, SLP, SON, TAB, VER, ZAC | COL, TAB | MEX | JAL, MEX | CHIS, GRO, NAY, PUE, SIN, SON, ZAC | JAL, MOR, SIN | BCS, CHIS, COL, DGO, GRO, JAL, MICH, NAY, NL, PUE, SIN, SON, VER | CHIH, JAL | BCS, COL, NAY, SIN | 4 | ||||
glabrata | (Fabricius) | BC, BCS, CAMP, CHIS, COL, DGO, GRO, JAL, MOR, NAY, OAX, PUE, SIN, SON, TAB, TAMPS, YUC, VER | COL, TAB | JAL, MOR | SON | BCS, CHIH, CHIS, JAL, MEX, MOR, NAY, NL, SIN, SON, TAMPS, VER | COL, JAL, NAY, SIN, SON | CAMP, CHIH, CHIS, COL, GRO, GTO, JAL, MICH, MOR, NAY, NL, OAX, QROO, SIN, SON, TAB, VER, YUC | GRO, JAL, MOR, NAY, SIN, SLP, SON, VER | CHIH, GTO, MEX, MICH, NL, QROO, SLP | 7 | ||||
guatemalensis | Jacoby | CHIS, GRO, MOR, OAX, VER? | CHIS | CHIS, GRO, JAL, TAB, VER | MOR, TAMPS | JAL, TAB, TAMPS | 3 | ||||||||
jalapensis | Blake | VER | CHIS | CHIS, COL, SIN | VER | CHIS, COL, SIN | 3 | ||||||||
knabi | Blake | GRO | OAX, VER | OAX, VER | 2 | ||||||||||
leptolineata texana | Schaeffer | DGO, GRO, JAL, MOR, NL, OAX, QROO, TAMPS, YUC | MEX | NAY, SON | CHIH, CHIS, COL, MICH, OAX, VER | CHIS, MOR | CHIH, CHIS, COL, MEX, MICH, NAY, OAX, SON, VER | 9 | |||||||
limbata | Jacoby | DGO, MEX, MOR | DGO | ||||||||||||
maculipes | Jacoby | CHIS, VER | SON | BCS, DGO, SON | COAH | CHIS, TAMPS | BCS, COAH, DGO, SON, TAMPS | 5 | |||||||
melanocephala | Jacoby | VER | CHIS | CHIS, VER | CHIS | 1 | |||||||||
mexicana | Jacoby | TAB, SLP, VER, YUC | TAMPS | VER | BC, CHIS, DGO, NAY, OAX, PUE, SON, TAB, VER | BC, CHIS, DGO, NAY, OAX, PUE, SON, TAMPS | 8 | ||||||||
militaris | Jacoby | TAB, VER, YUC | CHIS | CHIS | CHIS | CHIS | 1 | ||||||||
nigrita | Jacoby | OAX (Furth, 2013) | COL, NAY | NAY | COL, NAY | 2 | |||||||||
pluriligata | LeConte | BC, CHIH, DGO, JAL, NAY, SIN, SLP, SON, VER | JAL | CHIH, JAL, SLP, SON | CHIS, JAL, NAY, SLP, SON, TAMPS, VER | CHIS, DGO, OAX, VER | CAMP, CHIH, DGO, MEX, MICH, SIN, SON | CAMP, CHIS, MEX, MICH, OAX, TAMPS | 6 | ||||||
politula | Horn | AGS, CAMP, CHIH, DF, DGO, GRO, GTO, HGO, JAL, MEX, MOR, OAX, PUE, QRO, SLP, SON, TAMPS, VER, ZAC | VER | DGO | CHIH | AGS, CHIS, DGO, JAL, NAY, SON | AGS, CHIH, DGO, GRO,GTO, HGO, JAL, MICH, NAY, NL, PUE, SLP, SON, ZAC | CHIH, DGO, HGO, JAL, PUE, ZAC, | CHIS, MICH, NAY, NL | 4 | |||||
procera | Casey | NAY | NAY | NAY | |||||||||||
Disonycha | quinquelineata | (Latreille) | CHIS, COL, GRO, OAX, QROO, TAB, TAMPS, VER | JAL | VER | JAL | 1 | ||||||||
recticollis | (Jacoby) | NAY, VER | VER | ||||||||||||
sallei | (Baly) | VER | VER | ||||||||||||
scriptipennis | (Jacoby) | CHIS, COL, DGO, GRO, MOR, NAY, OAX, YUC | CHIS, NAY | CHIS, JAL, MICH, SIN | GRO, JAL, NAY | JAL, MICH, SIN | 3 | ||||||||
subaenea | Jacoby | DGO, GRO, MOR, OAX | JAL | JAL | 1 | ||||||||||
tenuicornis | Horn | CHIH, DGO, HGO | CHIS, SIN | HGO, JAL, SIN | CHIH, DGO, HGO, NL, SIN | CHIS, JAL, NL, SIN | 4 | ||||||||
trifasciata | Jacoby | CHIS | CHIS | CHIS | |||||||||||
Kuschelina | laeta | (Perbosc) | TAMPS, VER | COL, NAY | CHIH | BC, MOR, NAY, NL, VER | BCS, DGO, GTO, JAL, NAY, SIN, SON | BC, BCS, CHIH, COL, DGO, GTO, JAL, MOR, NAY, NL, SIN, SON | 12 | ||||||
modesta | (Jacoby) | CHIH, CHIS, DF, DGO, GRO, GTO, HGO, MEX, MOR, OAX, PUE, SLP, TLAX, VER | CHIH | PUE | MEX | CHIH | |||||||||
semipurpurea *** | (Jacoby) | CHIH | CHIH | 1 | |||||||||||
Omophoita | aequinoctialis aequinoctialis | (Linnaeus) | Mexico | TAB | TAB, VER | TAB, VER | 2 | ||||||||
affinis ? | (Jacoby) | Mexico ? | CHIS | CHIS | 1 | ||||||||||
cinctipennis | (Chevrolat) | JAL, OAX, PUE, SLP, VER | SLP, VER | NL, SLP | PUE, SLP, VER | VER | NL | 1 | |||||||
cyanipennis octomaculata **** Crotch (= some aequinoctialis aequinoctialis & punctulata Bechyne & Bechyne) | (Crotch) | OAX, TAB, TAMPS, VER | CHIS, NAY, SLP, TAB, TAMPS, VER, YUC | NL, SLP, TAMPS | CHIS, MEX, NL, SLP, VER | VER | CHIS, TAB, VER | CAMP, CHIS, COAH, OAX, SLP, VER | SLP, TAMPS, VER | CAMP, CHIS, COAH, MEX, NAY, NL, SLP, YUC | 8 | ||||
quadrinotata centraliamericana | Bechyné | OAX, TAB, VER | TAB, VER | CHIS, MEX, VER | TAB, VER | CHIS, TAB, VER | VER | VER | CHIS, MEX | 2 | |||||
recticollis | (Baly) | CHIS, HGO, OAX, TAB, TAMPS, VER | VER | CHIS, VER | |||||||||||
violacea | Jacoby | GRO | NAY | NAY | CHIS, JAL, MICH, NAY, SON | SIN | CHIS, JAL, MICH, NAY, SIN, SON | 6 | |||||||
Prasona | viridis | Baly | VER | PUE | VER | JAL? | PUE, VER | JAL?, PUE | 2 | ||||||
Systena | abbreviata | Jacoby | PUE | MOR | PUE, VER | PUE | MOR, VER | 2 | |||||||
bitaeniata | LeConte | CHIH | CHIH | BC | VER | BC, VER | 2 | ||||||||
blanda | Melsheimer | BC?, CHIH, JAL, MICH, NL, SIN, SLP?, SON, TAB, VER | CHIH, JAL | NAY, NL, PUE, SLP, SON | CHIS, JAL, MOR, NAY, SIN, SLP | CHIH, COAH, JAL, SIN, SON | CHIS, COAH, MOR, NAY, PUE, SLP | 6 | |||||||
contigua | Jacoby | CHIS, GRO, GTO, HGO, OAX, SON?, TAMPS, VER?, ZAC | CHIS, HGO, SLP | CHIS, VER | JAL | NAY, NL, PUE, QRO, SIN, SON, VER | JAL, NAY, NL, PUE, QRO, SIN, SLP, SON, VER | 9 | |||||||
discicollis | Clark | CAMP, CHIH, DF, DGO, GTO, JAL, MEX, MICH, TAB, TAMPS, VER?, ZAC | MICH | DGO | DF, JAL | DGO, HGO, MEX, MICH | JAL, MICH, ZAC | HGO | 1 | ||||||
gracilenta | Blake | NL | CHIH | CHIH, CHIS, SLP, SON, TAMPS | MOR, SLP, TAMPS, VER, ZAC | CHIS | CHIH, GRO, PUE, SIN, SLP, VER | CHIH, HGO, SLP, VER | QROO, ZAC | CHIH, CHIS, GRO, HGO, MOR, PUE, QROO, SIN, SLP, SON, TAMPS, VER, ZAC | 13 | ||||
laevis | Blake | BC | BC | 1 | |||||||||||
marginata | Jacoby | PUE, VER | CHIS | CHIS | 1 | ||||||||||
nigroplagiata | Jacoby | AGS, CHIH, DF, DGO, GTO, GRO, JAL, MICH, MOR, OAX, PUE, VER | CHIH, CHIS, GRO, JAL, MOR, OAX, SLP, SON, VER | MOR, PUE, SIN, TAMPS, VER | DGO, GRO, GTO, JAL, MICH, MOR, PUE, SIN | CHIH, JAL, MOR, SIN | CHIS, SIN, SLP, SON, TAMPS | 5 | |||||||
oberthuri | Baly | CHIS | CHIS | 1 | |||||||||||
pectoralis | Clark | CHIS, GTO, OAX, VER | VER | CHIS, PUE, VER | GRO | GRO, PUE | 2 | ||||||||
s-littera | (Linnaeus) | CHIS, GTO, TAB, VER | VER | VER | VER | CHIS, TAB, VER | VER | ||||||||
salvini | Jacoby | CHIS | CHIS | CHIS | |||||||||||
semivittata | Jacoby | BCS, GRO, GTO, HGO, MEX, MOR, NL, OAX, SIN | CHIH | CHIH, SON | PUE | MOR | CHIH, CHIS, NAY, SON | CHIH, CHIS, JAL, PUE, SIN, SON, ZAC | CHIH, CHIS, JAL, NAY, PUE, SON, ZAC | 7 | |||||
subcostata | Jacoby | MICH, MOR, VER | GRO | MICH | GRO, JAL, NAY, VER | MICH | GRO, JAL, NAY | 3 | |||||||
subrugosa | Jacoby | GTO, MICH, MOR | TAB | GRO | GRO, PUE | ZAC | GRO, PUE, TAB, ZAC | 4 | |||||||
sulphurea | Jacoby | CHIH, DGO, GRO, MOR, OAX | CHIH, CHIS, PUE, SON | GRO, MOR, PUE | CHIS, PUE, SON | 3 | |||||||||
Systena | thoracica | Jacoby | CAMP, HGO, PUE, QROO, TAB, VER | CHIS, MEX, VER | JAL, NAY, SLP, VER | CHIS, JAL, NAY, SIN, TAB, VER | JAL, VER | CHIS, JAL, MEX, NAY, SIN, SLP | 6 | ||||||
undulata | Jacoby | AGS?, CAMP?, GRO?, GTO, MOR?, VER | MOR | MEX | GRO, MICH | GRO, MEX, MICH, MOR | 4 | ||||||||
variabilis | Jacoby | CHIH, CHIS, COL, DGO, GRO, GTO, MICH, MOR, NAY, OAX, VER | GRO, MOR, PUE, SLP, TAMPS, VER | CHIH, JAL, MOR, NAY, SIN, VER | JAL, SIN | CHIH, JAL, MICH, MOR, NAY, QRO, SIN, VER | CHIH, MICH, SIN, VER | JAL, PUE, QRO, SIN, SLP, TAMPS | 6 | ||||||
Walterianella | biarcuata | (Chevrolat) | CHIS, VER | NAY, VER | VER | VER | NAY | 1 | |||||||
durangoënsis | (Jacoby) | CHIH, DGO | SON | NAY, SON | DGO, JAL | CHIH, SIN | DGO | JAL, NAY, SIN, SON | 4 | ||||||
inscripta | (Jacoby) | OAX, SLP, VER | SLP | CHIS | VER | CHIS, VER | CHIS | 1 | |||||||
oculata ? | (Fabricius) | VER | VER | VER | |||||||||||
signata | (Jacoby) | CHIS, JAL, TAB, TAMPS, VER, YUC | QROO, VER, YUC | CHIS, MOR ?,VER | VER | CHIS | SLP? | MOR?, QROO, SLP? | 2 | ||||||
sublineata | (Jacoby) | OAX, TAB, VER, YUC | QROO, VER | CHIS, VER | CHIS, SLP, VER | CHIS, QROO, SLP | 3 | ||||||||
tenuicincta | (Jacoby) | SLP, TAB, VER | SLP | CHIS, NAY, SLP, VER | CHIS, NAY | 2 | |||||||||
venustula | (Schaufuss) | CHIS, COL?, GRO, JAL, MICH, MOR, NAY?, QROO, TAMPS?, VER, YUC | VER, YUC | NAY, SLP | COL, JAL, MOR, NAY, OAX, SLP, SON | JAL, MICH, NAY | JAL | JAL, SON | MOR, NAY, SIN, VER | CHIS | COL, NAY, OAX, SIN, SLP, SON | 6 | |||
TOTAL | 287 |
Although 6625 Mexican Alticinae specimens from nine institutional collections were studied (see list in the Methods section above) some of these (493) that could not be determined reliably to recorded species (Table
As indicated in Table
Of special note in Table
Systena oberthuri Baly is reported for the first time from Mexico (Table
From the current study, it is evident that the numbers of recorded species have changed, in some cases significantly (see Maps
Systena versus Prasona (Fig.
Alagoasa versus Kuschelina (Fig.
Disonycha glabrata (Fabricius) (Fig.
Alagoasa decemguttatus (Fabricius) (Figs
Alagoasa decemguttatus versus A. jacobiana (Horn) (Figs
Alagoasa duodecimmaculata (Jacoby): There is some confusion of this species with A. trifasciata escuintla Bechyné & probably most specimens are A. trifasciata escuintla. Its occurrence in Mexico is still somewhat in question (
Omophoita cyanipennis octomaculata Crotch or O. octomaculata: There has historically been confusion about the exact identity of O. aequinoctialis aequinoctialis. In this study, the author considers records of O. a. aequinoctialis to consist of both O. cyanipennis octomaculata Crotch and O. punctulata (Bechyné & Bechyné). However, according to
Interesting that this study did not reveal new genera and only discovered one new species for Mexico (
Indoor Collecting (Table
The author is not aware of any references in the literature referring to “indoor collecting”, especially in the meaning used in this study. One interview in 2015 of Dr. Art Evans referred to this term for picking up a beetle collection, something the author of this study has been doing for 50 years. However, the meaning for the current study refers to visiting institutional or private scientific collections for the purposes of scientific research, e.g., systematic revisions, faunisitcs, biodiversity, biogeographical, etc. Most biologists interested in nature, prefer the fun of “outdoor collecting” coupled with subsequent study of material and data from this back home, “indoor collecting” can be just as fun and usually even more productive scientifically; as evidenced from the current study. This kind of work is certainly nothing new, all students and professional biologists conduct this kind of work because the wealth of information “hiding” in such collections is phenomenal, vast, full of valuable information that can help answer many scientific questions and enhance most studies, and for the most part except data already published (at least in entomology), not available elsewhere. The current study is an example of “indoor collecting” where a large percentage (47%) of new Mexican state records were discovered.
Although the choice of the 9 genera and 8 collections for this study was rather random they still provide a very good example of the scientific value of collections. The author plans to continue such research on the Mexican Flea Beetle fauna based on much more specimen material he has borrowed from the same (and eventually other) collections. The 8 collections sampled represent a large percentage of the collections not yet studied by the author likely to have material from Mexico, notable exceptions are the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum, Texas A. & M. University, and, of course, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico.
There is no particular pattern to the states with the most new records (Map
In the Results section above the author has pointed out and attempted to clarify the taxonomic confusion at the generic and specific levels that came to light during the current study. There is no real need to elaborate in detail about these. Resolution of the confusion between Systena and Prasona requires considerably more study, but it is quite possible that Prasona will become a synonym of Systena. The confusion within the “Oedionychina” of Alagoasa and Kuschelina has caused some problems in faunistic studies in the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions, e. g.,
Therefore, there are 80 species of the 96 species found in this study from 8 collections, or 83%, with new state records, and this is 47% of the total 170 species in these genera recorded from Mexico (Fig.
In conclusion, the author hopes that not only does this study of a relatively few collections and genera significantly increase the knowledge of the Mexican Flea Beetle fauna, but also that it demonstrates the value of “indoor collecting” as an integral part of any biodiversity and faunistic research.
Lee Herman (AMNH), Sharon Shute (NHM), Shawn Clark (BYU), Norm Penny† (CAS), Charles Bellamy† (CDFA), Cheryl Barr (UCB), Steve Heydon (UCD), Dr. R. Wills Flowers (RWF). For professional assistance with imaging I am very grateful to Karolyn Darrow (NMNH). For help with producing the generic charts of new/old state records I would like to thank Dr. Floyd Shockley (NMNH). For access to the NMNH Chrysomelidae collection I am indebted to Dr. Alexander Konstantinov (Systematic Entomology Laboratory, NMNH). I also thank Dr. Raymond Gagne (NMNH) for assistance in translation of the French description of Kuschelina Bechyne. Finally, I am indebted to an anonymous reviewer and the Editor (M. Schmitt) for helpful comments.
Contribution to the 9 th International Symposium on the Chrysomelidae, Orlando, FL, USA, September 28, 2016