Early this year I began the revision of Apodrosus, reviewing the original descriptions of the genus and their species, examinating characters/specimens and making dissections trying to separate possible morphs inside A. argentatus. Some observations made at that time:
- Mandibular scar is reduced and shallow.
- Mouthparts correspond to phanerognathous type (as in Polydrusus), but it wasn't mentioned in the original description of the genus (I need to find the original description or a revision of Polydrusus).
- The elytral striae IX and X could be separated or fused at second third: in the description of A. wolcotti (type species), says that striae IX and X coalesce in the middle for one-third of their length, which is not true for A. argentatus. The same happens with a prominent posterior callus (at apex of fifth elytral interval).
- The corbels should be carefully observed.
- The surface of tergite VII have two lateral strigulate stripes
- There is a medium apodeme at apex of sternum V
- The apex and teeth on the internal membranes of aedeagus and the shape of spermatheca is different between species (confirming the usefulness of these characters in separating species)
- There is an undescribed species collected at Toro Negro (Puerto Rico), that presents the main characters of the genus (see Until now... in this blog), but is smaller, the shape of the head is different from the other species and their dorsal surface can be described as tubercled.
Some SEM pictures of the head was taken.
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