Review of Pharaxonotha Reitter (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) inhabiting cones of the cycad Zamia L. (Cycadales) in Panama, with descriptions of five new species

Abstract

The beetle genus Pharaxonotha Reitter (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae) is found in the cones of cycad genera in the New World, including species of Ceratozamia Brongn., Dioon Lindl., Microcy¬cas (Miq.) A.DC and Zamia L. Its presence and diversity are analyzed for the 17 species of Zamia known to occur in Panama. Nine species are recognized, and five new species are described: Pharaxonotha clarkorum Pakaluk, P. confusa Pakaluk, P. fortunensis Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, P. holzmani Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, P. kirschii Reitter, P. manicatae Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, P. panamensis Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, P. pseudoparasitica Tang, Skelley and Taylor new species, and P. taylori Skelley and Tang. A key to species of Pharaxonotha in Panama is presented.

References (56)

• Acuña-Castillo RH, Gómez LD. 2009. Selección de un lectotipo para Zamia fairchildiana L.D. Gómez (Zamiaceae). Brenesia 71–72: 65-66.
• Anderson DM. 1987. Chapter 4. Larval beetles (Coleoptera). p. 95–113. In: Gorham JR (ed.). Insect and mite pests in food: An illustrated key. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Handbook 655: 1–767.
• Basset Y, Aberlene HP, Delvare G. 1992. Abundance and stratification of foliage arthropods in a lowland rain forest of Cameroon. Ecological Entomology 17: 310–318.
• Booth RG, Cox ML, Madge RB. 1990. IIE guides to insects of importance to man. 3. Coleoptera. International Institute of Entomology; The Natural History Museum; London. 384 p
• Calonje M, Meerow AW, Griffith MP, Salas-Leiva D, Vovides AP, Coiro M, Francisco-Ortega J. 2019. A time-calibrated species tree phylogeny of the New World cycad genus Zamia L. (Zamiaceae, Cycadales). International Journal of Plant Sciences 180: 286–314.
• Calonje M, Stevenson D, Calonje C, Ramos, YA, Lindstrom A. 2010. A new species of Zamia from Chocó, Colombia (Cycadales, Zamiaceae). Brittonia 62: 80–85.
• Calonje M, Stevenson D, Osborne R. 2023. The World List of Cycads. Available at https://www.cycadlist.org/(Last accessed November 30, 2023.)
• Champion GC. 1904. Pharaxonotha kirschii, Reitt. p. 36 [footnote]. In: Arrow GJ. Note on two species of Coleoptera introduced into Europe. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 40: 35–36.
• Chaves R, Genaro JA. 2005. A new species of Pharaxonotha (Coleoptera: Erotylidae), probable pollinator of the endangered Cuban cycad, Microcycas calocoma (Zamiaceae). Insecta Mundi 19(3): 143–150.
• Chemnick J, Hoese H. 2008. Sympatry in the Cycadales. Cycad Newsletter 31(2/3): 26–27.
• Chittenden FH. 1895. On the distribution of certain imported beetles. Insect Life VII(4): 326–332.
• Chittenden FH. 1911. The Mexican grain beetle (Pharaxonotha kirschi Reitt.). Bulletin of the United States Department of Agriculture. Bureau of Entomology, Washington, DC. N. ser. 96(1): 8–13.
• Coates A. 1997. The forging of Central America. p. 1–37. In: Coates A (ed.). Central America: a natural and cultural history. Yale University Press; New Haven, CT. 277 p
• Cruz-Angón A, Baena ML, Greenberg R. 2009. The contribution of epiphytes to the abundance and species richness of canopy insects in a Mexican coffee plantation. Journal of Tropical Ecology 25: 453–463.
• Franz NM, Skelley PE. 2008. Pharaxonotha portophylla (Coleoptera: Erotylidae), new species and pollinator of Zamia (Zamiaceae) in Puerto Rico. Caribbean Journal of Science 44(3): 321–333.