Psyrassa cylindricollis Linsley 1935

Psyrassa cylindricollis Linsley, 1935

(Fig. 19–57)

Psyrassa cylindricollis Linsley 1935a: 144; Franz 1954: 219 (distr.); Chemsak et al. 1988: 292 (distr.); Chemsak et al. 1992: 46 (checklist); Monné 1993: 11 (cat.); Monné and Giesbert 1994: 60 (checklist); Chemsak and Noguera 1995: 59 (distr.); Noguera and Chemsak 1996: 399 (checklist); Monné 2005: 240 (cat.); Toledo 2005: 27; Monné and Hovore 2006: 72 (checklist); Monné 2022: 422 (cat.).

Remarks. Linsley (1935a) described P. cylindricollis based on a pair from Mexico (Sinaloa). Franz (1954) recorded this species from El Salvador; Chemsak et al. (1988) recorded the Mexican state of Jalisco; and Toledo (2005) included the Mexican states of Colima and Sonora. Although Toledo (2005) included Franz (1954) in the P. cylindricollis references, he only listed the species from Mexico.

We examined 11 specimens from the Mexican states of Michoacán and Jalisco. At first glance, there are apparently at least two species in this batch of specimens. However, a further examination revealed that they belong to a single, variable species. Specimens at the extremes appear to be distinctly different, but there are specimens linking these extremes. Notwithstanding, the general appearance, shape of the prothorax (not length), color of the antennae, head, prothorax, and legs (varying only in tone), sculpturing of the prothorax, gulamentum, elytra, and ventral surface of the thorax, are very constant. Consequently, the only possible conclusion is that there is dramatic intraspecific variation.

The most remarkable variations observed were:

1. Proportion between length of prothorax and elytra: elytra from 3.30 to 3.85 times prothoracic length (e.g. Fig. 19, 45);

2. Length of the spine of the antennomere III (e.g. Fig. 19, 23, 28, 33, 40, 46–57): from about as long as pedicel to slightly longer than twice pedicel length;

3. Apex of the spine of the antennomere III: from acute to distinctly blunt (e.g. Fig. 46–57);

4. Spine on the apex of the antennomere IV from 0.37 to 0.75 times pedicel length;

5. Antennomere V with spicule on the apex or with spine 0.5 times pedicel length;

6. Antennomere VI without spine or spicule or with spicule (e.g. Fig. 28);

7. Antennae in male from distinctly long, surpassing elytral apex about middle of antennomere IX, to shorter, surpassing elytral apex about base of antennomere XI;

8. Antennae in female from not reaching elytral apex to surpassing elytral apex;

9. Head, scape, and prothorax from light reddish-brown to dark reddish-brown (sometimes yellowish-brown);

10. Femora from orangish brown to dark reddish-brown;

11. Elytra from bluish-black to reddish-brown (often, with both colors irregularly distributed);

12. Metaventrite and abdominal ventrites from reddish-brown to blackish;

13. Sutural projection of the elytral apex from blunt to acute.

Material examined. MEXICO, MICHOACÁN (new state record): Hwy MX37, 98 km S Nueva Italia, 2 males, 2 females, 15.VII.2006, F.W. Skillman and D.C. Hildebrandt leg. (FWSC; 1 male MZSP, formerly FWSC). JALISCO: José Maria Morelos, km 5, Carr 200, 174 ft., 1 male, 1 female, 29.VI-3.VII.2004, J.F. Limón leg. (FWSC); 19.2387N 104.70944W, jct. MX200 and MX80, @ Pemex, 1 male, 5.VII.2018, Skillman and Limón leg. (MZSP, formerly FWSC); 2 km WNW Manzanilla, 19.29835N 104.77167W, 1 male, 1 female, 6.VII.2018, Skillman and Limón leg. (FWSC); MX200, 21 km N Melaque, 1 male, 1 female, 6.VII.2006, Skillman and Hildebrandt leg. (FWSC). SINALOA: Mazatlan, 2 females, 22.VII.1954, no collector indicated (MZSP); 5 mi. N Mazatlan, 1 female, 28.VII.1964, no collector indicated (MZSP); 4 mi. S Villa Union, 1 male, 23.VI.1963, no collector indicated (MZSP).