Dryophthoridae of Costa Rica and Panama

Mesocordylus Lacordaire, 1866

Diagnosis: Moderately large to large, 7-25 mm in total body length; elongate-narrow in form; surface generally matte black, with or without small to large micropilose spots or granules, especially evident on elytra; antennal funicle of 6 articles; rostrum sexually dimorphic, apex distinctly tapered and often glabrous in female, not so in male; tarsus of 5 articles, but article 4 small, located at very base of article 3, articles 3 and 2 subequal in width; front tibia with outer apical angle broadly rounded, not producecd; tibiae with apex and base more or less subequal in width, not distinctly fossorial; front coxae contiguous, anterior margin of pronotum with postocular lobe; pygydium largely covered by elytra.

Natural history: Despite the abundance of specimens of this genus in collections, surprisingly little is known about the life history of any species. Adults are collected most frequently at lights and in flight intercept traps. Rarely, adults are found on fallen logs.

Diversity: Twenty-seven species of Mesocordylus are known from Central and South America, with 12 of these found in Costa Rica and Panama. Four species are restricted in their distributions to Costa Rica and Panama.

Mesocordylus abditus Vaurie
Mesocordylus bracteolatus (Boheman)
Mesocordylus dispersus Champion
Mesocordylus gracilis Champion
Mesocordylus pustulosus Champion
Mesocordylus redelmeieri Anderson
Mesocordylus rugicollis (Boheman)
Mesocordylus scutellaris (Erichson)
Mesocordylus secundus Vaurie
Mesocordylus similis Vaurie
Mesocordylus striatus (Boheman)
Mesocordylus subulatus (Germar)

	*Key to species of Mesocordylus* in Costa Rica and Panama**

1	Hind tibia robust, generally wider than either middle or front tibia, expanded toward apex where it is noticeably wider than at base	2
	- Hind tibia slender, generally similar in form to the middle and front tibia, of more or less the same width throughout	4

2	Antennal club with pilose part appearing only as narrow apical band; pronotal width subequal to length, disc broadly flattened medially; rostrum virtually straight, width of basal portion more or less twice width of apical portion; elytral striae deeply impressed	M. striatus (Boheman) (in part)
	- Antennal club with basal glabrous part subequal in length to, or very slightly longer than, apical pilose part; pronotal width slightly less than length, disc variously convex medially; rostrum at least slightly arcuate, width of basal portion subequal to width of apical portion; elytral striae shallowly, although still distinctly, impressed	3

3	Hind tibia with inner margin moderately inwardly curved near apex with sparse long hairs along length; pronotal disc with large punctures which are shallow medially, deeper anterolaterally, disc widest at middle, lateral margins arcuate	M. similis Vaurie
	- Hind tibia with inner margin more or less straight with dense long hairs along length; pronotal disc with small punctures which are absent to very shallow medially, only slightly deeper anterolaterally, disc widest at apical third, lateral margins virtually straight for most of length	M. secundus Vaurie

4	Elytral intervals on disc with micropilose spots or granules minute, smaller than punctures of pronotum, and dense, with usually 20 or more along the discal length of an interval (not including declivity)	5
	- Elytral invervals on disc with micropilose spots or granules moderate to large, larger than punctures of pronotum, and sparse, with usually 2-15 or more along the discal length of an interval (not including declivity)	9

5	Antennal club with pilose part very short, appearing only as a narrow apical band; elytral striae deeply impressed	M. striatus (Boheman) (in part)
	- Antennal club with pilose part long, composing one-third to one-half length of club; elytral striae shallowly impressed	6

6	Pronotum dorsally behind apex narrowly, deeply sulcate from side to side	7
	- Pronotum dorsally behind apex not or at most only shallowly, irregularly impressed across middle, moderately to deeply sulcate laterally	8

7	Antennal club with pilose part composing about apical one-third length of club; rostrum with lateral margins behind scrobes sinuate in dorsal view; apex of aedeagus deeply “V" shaped	M. bracteolatus (Boheman)
	- Antennal club with pilose part composing about apical one-half length of club; rostrum with lateral margins behind scrobes straight in dorsal view; apex of aedeagus shallowly “U" shaped	M. abditus Vaurie

8	Rostrum in basal two-thirds, lateral punctures of pronotum, and (in some cases) discal intervals of elytra with dense golden micropilosity on and between various granules or mounds; micropilose granules numerous and obvious; antennal club with apical pilose part one-quarter length of club; males with long dense setae along inner margin of each tibia; females with point of antennal insertion on rostrum beyond midlength, the apical portion shorter than basal portion and distinctly, rather deeply punctate	M. dispersus Champion
	- Rostrum in basal two-thirds, lateral punctures of pronotum, and discal intervals of elytra with at most sparse, indistinct micropilose granules; antennal club with apical pilose part one-third length of club; males with short sparse setae along inner margin of each tibia; females with point of antennal insertion on rostrum at midlength, the apical portion as long as basal portion, shining and very sparsely and shallowly punctate	M. scutellaris (Erichson)

9	Pronotum dorsally behind apex deeply, narrowly sulcate from side to side; elytra with micropilose granules moderate, diameter much less than the width of an interval; rostrum with apical portion strongly arcuate, especially so in female	M. redelmeieri Anderson
	- Pronotum dorsally behind apex not sulcate from side to side or at most shallowly and irregularly impressed across middle; elytra with micropilose granules large, diameter about as wide as the width of an interval; rostrum with apical portion slightly to moderately arcuate	10

10	Tarsal articles in profile stout, with third article only slightly longer than high; ventrally with fringe of uniformly short, dense hairs, forming hairy pads	M. subulatus (Germar)
	- Tarsal articles in profile elongate, with third article much longer than high; ventrally with long hairs spreading out giving a “fuzzy” appearance, or with at least longer wispy hairs at apex	11

11	Hind legs with first and second tarsal articles long and slender, length 4-5 x width; size generally small, total body length 5.0-6.0 mm; rostrum of female dorsally longitudinally sulcate on each side behind apex, sulci widely separate and arcuate	M. gracilis Champion
	- Hind legs with first and second tarsal articles robust, length 2-3 x width; size generally larger, total body length 10.0-19.0 mm; rostrum of female dorsally longitudinally sulcate on each side behind apex (but narrowly separated and straight) or not	12

12	Pronotum with dorsolateral punctures separate, not forming rugae; elytra with areas between micropilose granules smooth, lacking fine microsculpture; rostrum of female with longitudinal dorsal sulci narrowly separated, straight	M. pustulosus Champion
	- Pronotum with some dorsolateral punctures coalescent forming irregular wavy transverse rugae; elytra with areas between micropilose granules with fine isodiametric microsculpture (visible under high magnification); rostrum of female not dorsally longitudinally sulcate on each side behind apex	M. rugicollis (Boheman)

Mesocordylus abditus Vaurie

Taxonomic notes: This species is very difficult to separate from M. bracteolatus. The shape of the apex of the aedeagus is unequivocally diagnostic but requires dissection of males.

Distribution: Costa Rica and Panama.

Natural history: No significant information.

Mesocordylus bracteolatus (Boheman)

Taxonomic notes: This species is very difficult to separate from M. abditus. The shape of the apex of the aedeagus is unequivocally diagnostic but requires dissection of males.

Distribution: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama.

Natural history: No significant information.

Mesocordylus dispersus Champion

Distribution: Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama; also in South America.

Natural history: Adults of this species have been collected on cut Conceveiba pleiostemona Donn. Sm. (Euphorbiaceae).

Mesocordylus gracilis Champion

Distribution: Costa Rica and Panama.

Natural history: No significant information.

Mesocordylus pustulosus Champion

Distribution: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama; also in South America.

Natural history: No significant information.

Mesocordylus redelmeieri Anderson

Distribution: Costa Rica and Panama.

Natural history: Some specimens were collected at light traps. The species has been collected from 700-1050m elevation. No other significant information.