Carabid - Apenes sinuata

Apenes sinuata

confirmed based on my microscopic examination of this photo-vouchered specimen. Diagnostic details are cited below. Thanks Jeff.

… Peter W. Messer, 31 March, 2010 - 5:07pm

nice -- thanks guys; i went with the feminine, per AmBeetles

Moved from Ground Beetles.

… v belov, 31 January, 2010 - 3:16pm

Apenes sinuatus

is my image-based opinion. Apenes because pronotum base is "lobate" (bulging posteriorly at middle). Body size and elytra with pale spots at humeri and subapices suffice for A. sinuatus. Very nice! Jeff, I could use this new one for my study collection.

… Peter W. Messer, 31 January, 2010 - 2:39pm

Thanks

Will be waiting for you next time you come out and see us.

ITIS says Apenes sinuata Say. Should I use sinuata or sinuatus?

… Jeff Gruber, 31 January, 2010 - 2:56pm

Gender of Greek word "apenes"

is not assigned (probably not applicable) to this adjective meaning "rough" or "harsh" according to the unabridged Greek-English Lexicon by Liddel & Scott. Bousquet & Larochelle (1993) and Wolfgang Lorenz (2005) cite masculine "Apenes sinuatus" while American Beetles (2001) cites feminine "Apenes sinuata". Lorenz (2005) also specifically says genus "Apenes" is masculine. The original account as "Cymindis sinuatus Say, 1823" was a gender mismatch as genus "Cymindis" is now considered feminine. However, I do not understand how/why Greek adjective "apenes" would be assigned a gender in the first place. Perhaps it depends on how LeConte originally used "Apenes" when he first described that genus in 1851. According to the latest publication by authorities Ball & Shpeley (2009) on Apenes in West Indies, "Apenes" is feminine and so Apenes sinuata would be the current accepted combination.

… Peter W. Messer, 31 January, 2010 - 5:47pm

My remarks above were revised

to incorporate latest article by Ball & Shpeley (2009) that supports feminine "Apenes".

… Peter W. Messer, 1 February, 2010 - 11:23pm

Gender here is decided by Code Article 30.1.4.2

In a case of a genus name with variable gender (masculine or feminine) like "Apenes", the Code says the masculine prevails unless its author treated it as feminine in combination with a species name. LeConte in fact chose a feminine combination.

… Peter W. Messer, 13 February, 2010 - 10:06pm

Apenes...

resembles other Apenes I have collected, but don't know the AR fauna well-wnough to say.

… Blaine Mathison, 31 January, 2010 - 12:36pm

what excludes Cymindis?

… v belov, 31 January, 2010 - 1:07pm