Diabrotica signifera Jacoby

Species name

Diabrotica signifera Jacoby 1887: 507

Type locality

Granada, Nicaragua

Type depository

BMNH, lectotype, male, verified

Diagnosis

Body length 4.2-4.5 mm. Body width 1.9-2.1 mm. Head basic color black. Antennae filiformfiliform:
slender antennae with antennomeres of similar shape
, bi- or tricolored, antennomeres 1-3 sulphur yellow, antennomeres 4-8 gradually infuscated, antennomeres 9-10 light cadmium, antennomereantennomere:
"segment" of antenna, more or less clearly separated
11 brussels brown. Maxillary palpi black or piceous, 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, bifoveate, with small round foveae, shagreened with minute wrinkles. Scutellumscutellum:
small, usually triangular shield between the bases of elytra
black. Elytra yellow or rufous, with three black bandsbands:
(here) transverse maculae on the beetle elytra
, one on elytral base, one in the middle, third at the apexapex:
<em>(pl. apices)</em> the far distal end of a structure; opposite of base
of elytra; medial and apicalapical:
of or pertaining to the apex; opposite of basal
bands interrupted in sutural area. 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 pygidium (at least the apexapex:
<em>(pl. apices)</em> the far distal end of a structure; opposite of base
) black. Tarsi and tibiae black, femora 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 four internal sac scleritessclerites:
(here) the sclerotized hooks, spines or plates in the internal sac
.

Known distribution

Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama

Host plants

Unknown

Potential problems with identification

Diabrotica signifera Jacoby is very similar to D. pygidialis Jacoby. They can be separated by the following features: scutellumscutellum:
small, usually triangular shield between the bases of elytra
is black in D. signifera, but yellow in D. pygidialis; male antennae exceed body length in D. signifera, but not longer than body in D. pygidialis.