Diabrotica litterata (Sahlberg)

Species name

Diabrotica litterata Sahlberg 1823: 70 as Crioceris

Type locality

Mexico

Type depository

The type is lost

Synonyms

delineata Jacoby 1887: 514 (type locality: Cordova, Mexico; type depository: BMNH, lectotype, male, verified)

Diagnosis

Body length 5.8-6.4 mm. Body width 3.0-3.4 mm. Head basic color yellow. Antennae filiformfiliform:
slender antennae with antennomeres of similar shape
, bi- or tricolored, antennomeres 1-3 uniformly yellow, antennomeres 4-8 gradually infuscated, antennomeres 9-10 yellow, partly infuscated, antennomereantennomere:
"segment" of antenna, more or less clearly separated
11 dark apically. Maxillary palpi yellow or yellow ocher, labrumlabrum:
the "upper lip" of beetles, a movable sclerite joined under clypeus
black or chestnut. Pronotumpronotum:
the notum of the prothorax with highly sclerotized pronotal disc
yellow or yellow ocher, subquadrate, weakly bifoveate, with wide shallow foveae, shagreened with minute wrinkles. Scutellumscutellum:
small, usually triangular shield between the bases of elytra
yellow or yellow ocher. Elytra yellow or rufous, maculatemaculate:
(here) marked by maculae or patches of a different shape and size, usually clearly separated from each other
, with two thin black ring-shaped marks on each elytronelytron:
<em>(pl. elytra)</em> the fore highly sclerotized wing of beetle
, one at base and another (half-ring) behind middle of elytronelytron:
<em>(pl. elytra)</em> the fore highly sclerotized wing of beetle
. Rings may be reduced to a variable degree. Elytral epipleura completely yellow, sutural anglesutural angle:
the posterior angle or apex of the elytron near the suture
of elytra round, punctation scattered, fine. Abdomen yellow or yellow ocher. Legs yellow or yellow ocher. Aedeagusaedeagus:
the main sclerotized part of the male genitalia; "aedeagus" is used here instead of "median lobe of aedeagus"
symmetric, with six internal sac scleritessclerites:
(here) the sclerotized hooks, spines or plates in the internal sac
.

Known distribution

Mexico, Belize, Guatemala

Host plants

Unknown

Remarks

We studied the type of D. delineata from BMNH, five paratypes in MCZ collection (including two males) and additional material identified as D. litterata in the BMNH collection. We studied the internal sac of aedeagusaedeagus:
the main sclerotized part of the male genitalia; "aedeagus" is used here instead of "median lobe of aedeagus"
in the type and two paratypes of D. delineata and in two males identified as D. litterata . No substantial differences were found in the internal sac armament in all studied males. External features of the type of D. delineata fit well to the Sahlberg's description and illustration. Hereby we treat the male type of D. delineata as a male of D. litterata .

Potential problems with identification

Diabrotica litterata (Sahlberg) is very similar to D. septemliturata Erichson. The shape of the internal sac scleritessclerites:
(here) the sclerotized hooks, spines or plates in the internal sac
allows distinguishing both species very clearly.