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Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Insecta Mundi Florida

September 1992

Curculionoidea of southern Florida: An annotated checklist (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea [excluding ; Scolytinae, ])

Robert S. Anderson Ottawa, Ontario K1 P 6P4 Canada

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Anderson, Robert S., "Curculionoidea of southern Florida: An annotated checklist (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea [excluding Curculionidae; Scolytinae, Platypodinae])" (1992). Insecta Mundi. 428. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi/428

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Insecta Mundi by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Vol. 6, No. 3-4, September-December, 1992 193

Curculionoidea of southern Florida: An annotated checklist (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea [exduding Curculionidae; Scolytinae, Platypodinae])

Robert S. Anderson, Entomology-Canadian Museum of Nature, P.O. Bax 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario K1 P 6P4 Canada

Abstract The fauna of Curculionoidea(exclusive of the subfamilies Scolytinaeand Platypodinaeof the Curculionidae) is surveyed for Dade and MomCounties in southern Florida. Numbers of genera and species represented are as follows: (12 genera, 22 species), (1 genus, 2 species), (3 genera, 3 species), (6 genera, 14 species) and Curculionidae (115 genera, 249 species). No are recorded from southern Florida. Included in the totals are 26 species considered as introduced to the region and 5 species likely not established in the region. Twenty apparently undescribed species are recorded. Fifteen are assignable to genera as follows; (2) (Anthribidae),and Podapwn (1) (Brentidae),and hsuldius (I), Aculles (6), (1), (I), Notolomus (I), (I), and Conotmchelus (1) (Curculionidae). The generic placement of 5 undescribed species of Curculionidae is uncertain and descriptions of new genera may be required. New genericrecords for the United Statesof America are Homocloeus Jordan(Anthribidae), and Stenotrupis Wollaston (Curculionidae;) and Heilus Kuschel (Curculionidae;). New species records for the United States are Homocloeus distentm Frieser and Homochw sexverrucatm (Suffrian) (Anthribidae) and Stenotrupis acicula Wollaston, rufotestuceus(Champion), Minomimw minimus (Boheman) (Curculionidae; Cossoninae), and rubricosus Boheman and Heilus bioculatus (Boheman) (Curculionidae; Curculioninae). Particularly well-represented in terms of species diversity is the anthribid genus Ormisncs (6), the brentid genus Apwn (9) and the curculionid genera Listmnotus (21), Anthonomus (14), Acalks (13), Conotmchelus (1I), Qloderma (10) and (10).

Introduction itself. Diversion of water flowing south out of Lake Southern Florida is a naturalist's paradise; how- Okeechobee to eastern coastal resort areas and sur- ever, like the rest of Florida this paradise is being rounding agricultural lands, through the use of ca- threatened by rampant development that is rapidly nals, has markedly affected water levels within the destroying natural habitats, upsetting a precarious park; altered the region's ecology; and is threatening ecological balance and leading to the potential extir- species, supposedly protected within the park, with pation of rare and endangered species, some of which extinction. Extensive hardwood hammocks and pineland which extended along a ridge west of Miami occur in the United States nowhere else but extreme are southern Florida. Twenty-eight of the 218 endan- largely gone, now preserved only in small, dis- junct parks situated amongst the hotels, houses and gered invertebrates in Florida occur in the United States only in southern Florida (Franz 1982). highways. The Florida Keys also have undergone Although agreatportionof mainlandsouthF1orida significant development and yet, even though already is preserved in Everglades National Park, the park considered as ecologically stressed to the limit by the has not been immune to the changes taking place more than 80,000 people who reside there (not to throughout the rest of southern Florida (Alper 1992). mention the more than 2 million tourists who visit the Keys each year), there pressure from local Development in areas outside the park boundaries is still has had significant effects on the biota of the park business andother groups for further economic growth (Laycock 1991). Insecta Mundi

With the primary goal of establishing baseline data documenting the fauna of the Florida Keys, Peck (1989) conducted an extensive sampling program in Dade and MomCounties in southern Florida from 1981to 1986 in the belief that there was much to learn about this fauna. Because probably comprise over 75% of known species diver sity, an inventory could be valuable to resource man- agement specialistsfor recognition and evaluation of changes in insect species composition and distsibu- tion, to plan and implement conservation efforts, and

to critically assess sustainable development plans in RIDGE a manner consistent with the region's fragile ecology. Based on floral diversity, Peck (1989) proposed that at least some 5,000 insect species would occur in south Florida and presented six general hypotheses concerning diversity, endemism, biogeographic ori- gins, and natural history attributes of the constituent species such as vagility and degree of host plant specificity. Tests of these hypotheses based on amore complete analysis of the cmulionoid data contained here are presented in another paper (Anderson and Peck in press). Surveys of south Florida Scolytinae and F'latypodjnae (AtkinsonandPeckinpmss), scavenging of the family Scarabaeidae (Peck and Howden Figure 1. Map of southern Florida showing major 1985))flat barkbeetles momasand Peck 1991), ants physiographic regions(~wnafterTomlinson1980). (Deyrup et al. 1988), cockroaches, mantids and walkingsticks (Peck and Benninger 1989), and Five physiographic regions are rewgnized in butterflies (Schwartz 1987) recently have been Florida south of 2?N, on the basis of a combinationof conducted. Studies of Orthoptera (S.B. Peck) and vegetation, surface geology, relief and hydrology (Fig. chrysomelid leaf beetles (E.G.Riley) of south Florida 1; see also Tomlinson 1980). also are currently underway. Recent preliminary 1. The Big Cypress Swamp is a low-lying basin checklists of Carabidae (Choate 1990) and which occupies most of Collier County but extends Staphylinidae (Frank 1986) of Florida also are into Monroe and Dade Counties in the extreme north. available. Drainage from the underlying limestone is poor and wetlands,inparticularcypressswamps, arenumerous. Geographic setting 2. The Everglades are the most characteristicand Geography. Florida is a north-south oriented famous feature of southern Florida. These are flat, peninsula that extends from about 31" to 24030' N poorly drained wetlands on a limestone base. latitude, its southern tip beingjust north of the %pic Essentially a broad shallow river, the Everglades of Cancer. It is about 230 km wide at its widest point drains most of Florida from Lake Okeechobee south and 600 km from east to west across a slender ea& through Dade County then southwest into Monroe west panhandle. Topographic relief is low, with the County, where it empties into the mangroves along highest point being 120 m, immediately south of the the Gulf of Mexico. Sawgrass (Cladium jamaimis Florida-Alabama state line near Paxt.cn. Southern Crantz) dominates these wetlands, hence the popular Florida generally is considered to be the region south name "river of grass";however, to the north, scattered of Lake Okeechobee. It is made up of seven counties, bay heads and cypress domes occur, and further the most southern of which are Dade and Monroe south, heislands (hammocks) associated with rock Counties, which together comprise the southerntip of outumps, are found. Ecologically the Everglades is a Florida, including the Florida Keys. freshwater swamp withnaturally high water levelsin summer and low levels in winter and early spring. Vol. 6, No. 3-4, September-December, 1992 195

Table 1: South Florida localities sampled by SBP from 5. The Florida Keys are a series of low islands 1981-1986(Peck 1989, figures 1 & 2). Numbers refer usually not exceeding 3 m in elevation, extending in to localities as given herein; numbers in Peck (1989) a gentle curve southwest from Biscayne Bay and differ. Localities were sampled with combination eventually almost diredly west to Key West. The malaisflight intempt traps and by berlese Sam- Keys are divided generally into two groupings. The pling of organic debris (primarily leaf litter). Upper Keys are a series of northeast-southwest No. Wity Habitat oriented islands from Key Largo south to Knight Key 1 Miami, Matheson Hammock hardwood hammoch or Pigeon Key. The Lower Keys, from Ohio and Bahia 2 Miami, Charles Deering Estate Wrk hardwoodhammock 3 Miami, Old Cutler Hammock hardwood hanuno&pineland Honda Keys southwest to Key West and the Dry 4 Everglades NSk., Long Pine Key pineland km 6 Everglades NR., Palm Vista Hammock hardwood hanunc&&ineland Tortugas approximately 110 west of Key West, are 6 Everglades N.Pk., Royal Palm Hammock hardwood hammock oriented northwest-southeast. The Keys are drier 7 Chekika State Recreation Area hardwood tlammo& 8 Key Largo, north end; section 36 hardwood hammock than the mainland and rainfall decreases westward 9 Key Largo, John Pennekamp State Park hardwood hammock 10 Lignum Vitae Key hardwood hammock towardKeyWest. The Upper Keys are especially well- 11 Windley Key hardwoodhammock drained, whereas the Lower Keys, because of their 12 Long Key hardwoodhammock 13 Fat Deer Key hardwood hammock oolite base, trap and hold freshwater from rains. 14 Vaca Key, Marathon, don1 hardwood hammoe% 16 Ohio Key herdwood hammock Much of the native vegetation throughout the Keys 16 Bahia Honda Key hardwood hammock (especially Key West) has been destroyed by urban 17 No Name Key hardwood hanunc&&ineland 18 Big Pine Key, section 4, No Name Rcad hardwood hammc&/mangrove development. 19 Big Rne Key, Watson's Hammock hardwood hsmmock 20 Big Pine Key, Cactus Hammock herdwood hammoCycoastsl scrub 21 Big Pine Key, Watson Blvd. pineland Geology. Southern Florida is very young and has 22 Middle Torch Key hardwoodhammock 23 Big Tomh Key hardwood hammock experienced a dynamic geological history (Hoffmeister 24 Cudjoe Key hardwood hammock 26 Sugarloaf Key, section 26 hardwood hammak 1974). The mainland is composed almost enhlyof 26 Sugarloaf Key, section 23 hardwood hanunmineland Miami limestone with anoolitic and bryozoan facies. 21 Stcck Island. Botanical Garden hardwoodhammock IntheF'loridaKeys, theLowerKeys, like themainland, consist of Miami limestone, whereas the Upper Keys are formed of Key Largo limestone, an ancient coial Development, in the form of canals and dyke-like reef. In these formations, the uppermost oceanic roads, has severely altered the region's natural limestones and oolites were deposited about 100,000 patterns of water flow. yeam BP, duringthe Sangamon interglacialperiod at 3. The Pinelands Ridge extends from southern a time of high sea level when southern Florida was Broward County thmughDade County in anortheast- submerged. Lowered sea levels during the are southwest direction. Limits determined by the Wisconsinan glaciation (80,000-15,000 years BP) outcroppingridgeof oolitic limestone which forms the exposed southern Florida (includingthe Florida Keys drainage eastern ridge of the Everglades and diverts andDry Tortugas) as a bmadly continuouslandmass. are to the southwest. Soils limey, and pineland Duringthis time, freshwatermarls and other organic dominate. In southwestern Dade County the ridge is deposits accumulated. As sea levels rose in the last discontinuous and forms islands of pineland 10,000years following deglaciation, the presentislands surrounded by wetlandsin Everglades National Park. and coastlines were formed. It is this same limestone formation which is exposed in the bwerFloridaKeys, especially Big Pine Key. In Climate. The climate of southern Florida is addition to the predominant pineland, hardwood subtropical and seasonal. The summer (May- hammocks are also found. Both plant communities September) is hot and wet and in contrast, the winter have been cleared extensivelyfor urban development and spring (October-April) are cool and dry. or agriculture. Temperatures range between a July mean of 27.@C 4. The Mangrove region fringing southernFlorida and a January mean of 20% at Miami; however, is delimitedlargelyby the extent of saltwaterintrusion temperaturesmay reach the freezingpointin any one but alsois dependent on the the land-wardsdispersal year. Distributions of tropical plants, and thus the capabilities of mangrove seedlings. This region is insects which feed on them, are clearly limited by the most extensiveon the west coast where the Everglades 12°CJanuary isotherm (Tondinson 1980). Wallis drain into the Gulf of Mexico and on the southern very seasonal,with amainland yearly average of 1524 coast. Along the east coast, the mangrove zone is mm; the Florida Keys are drier with a yearly average nmwand discontinuous. of 965 mm at Key West (I'omlinson 1980). Eighty 196 Insecta Mundi percent of the rainfall occurs from the beginning of and Lower Key Largo and on Big Pine Key (Watsons May to the end of October. Hammock). Tree speciestypicaloftropical hammocks are Bursem simaruba (L.) Sarg. (gumbo-limbo), Plant communities. Despite a young hishry, the Lysiloma latisiliqua (L.) Benth. (wild tamarind), combinationof climate, soils, drainage andgeographic Eugenia spp. (stoppers), Ficus aureaNutt. (strangler location have produced a diverse array of ecological fig),F. citrifiliaMill.(wildBanyan), Dipholissuzkifilia conditions in southern Florida. Plant diversity is high (L.) k DC (bustic), Mastichodendrvn foetidissimum with approximately 1650 species of uncultivated (Jacq.) Cronquist (wild mastic), and Cmloba vascularplants known (Long andLakela 1971). About diversifilia Jacq. (tie tongue). Distributions in the 150 plant species in southern Florida are endemic to United States of a number of tree species such as Florida. Aside from the Lakes Regionof centralFlorida, Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. (mahogany), which has the highest number of endemics, a second Hippomane mdnella L. (manchineel), Guaiacum area of relatively high plant endemism is southern sanctum L. (lignumvitae), Zanthoxylum flavumvahl., Florida. Collectively,elementsin the floraof southern and Thrinux parviflom Sw. (thatch palm), are Florida arrived hm three directions: 1, from the restricted to this habitat in south Florida. Caribbean region or tropical America; 2, from the northern temperate regions of the mainland United Pineland (Fig. 4). This fire-climax community is States, northern and central Florida; and, 3, from foundonthe marly flatlands andmklandsof extreme Pleistocene refugia within central Florida or the southern Florida. It is characterized by an overstory Athtic Coastal Ridge. of Pinusellwtti Engelm. (s1ashpine)ofteninterspersed Plant communities of southern Florida can be with Sel.enoa mpem (Barbr.) Small (saw palmetto). summarized as follows (Long and Lakela 1971; Tropical shrubby and herbaceous components are Tomlimn 1980). frequently found in the understory. The communityis generally dry and quite open with grasses and a Hardwood hammock (Figs. 2-3). This community variety of herbaceousplantsdominating. Wetpineland is composed of a high diversity of bmadleaved trees occurs in low-lying situations that are occasionally and shrubs, often with associated palms, that form flooded. Understory plants can differ quite dense foreste in relatively restricted areas. Floristic substantially in the two extremes and wet pineland affinities of the constituent taxa are typically hpical frequently possesses many plant taxa also found in although some temperate elements, particularly oak wetprairies. Extensivepinelandoccurs inEverglades species, extend southward into hammocks on the National Park (hngPine Key) and on Big Pine Key, mainland. Whereas the hardwood hammock is the otherwise a mixed pineland-hardwood hammock typical climax vegetation of most areas of northern assemblage is found on Sugarloaf Key and No Name and central Florida, the tropical hardwood hammock Key. On the Keys, pines only grow in areas with an is the climax assemblage for mmt of the uplands of underlying freshwater lens. extreme southern Florida. Ma* tropical hardwood hammocks are best developed in the Everglades Coastal scrub (Figs. 5-6). This community is NationalPark(e.g., Royal PalmHammock [=Paradise developed as a narrow band on sandy beaches and Key, Royal Palm State Park], Mahogany Hammock), coastal dunes throughout south Florida. Driftwood as small disjunct parks in the southern portion of the andotherwashupdebris frequently borderthis habitat greater Miami area into Coral Gables (Old Cutler or are scattered in the understory. Typical plants are Hammock, Matheson Hammock, Charles Deering Comloba uvifera (L.) L., Uniola paniculata L, Estate Park, Camp Mahachee), in Chekika State Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L., Opuntia spp., Recreation Area (Grossman Hammock), on Upper

Figures 2-12. Terrestrial habitats in southern Florida. Figure 2. Hardwood hammock(Everg1ades National Park, Royal Palm Hammock). Figure 3. Hardwood hammock (Big Pine Key, Watson's Hammock). Figure 4. Pineland (Everglades National Park, Long Pine Key). Figure 5. Coastal scrub (Big PineKey, Long Beach). Figure 6. Coastal scrub (Big Pine Key, Cactus Hammock). Figure 7. Mangrove (Everglades National Park). Figure 8. Mangrove; Jquinia keyemis Mez. (Big Pine Key). Figure 9. Prairie (Everglades National Park, near Royal Palm Hammock). Figure 10. Wetland margins (EvergladesNational Park, near Royal PalmHammock). Figure 11. Salt marsNcoasta1prairie (Everglades National Park, near Flamingo). Figure 12. Intmduced/commercial;Aguve sisalclnu Penine (Everglades National Park).

Insecta Mundi

Solmum spp., Tounefortia gnaphaloides (L) R Table 2: Cumulionoidea of southern Florida. Clas- Brown and Surianu maritima L. More to the inland sification follows Kuschel (in press). side, in situations where the band of vegetation is wide, plants more typical of hardwood hammocks No. genera No. specie8 intrude. Theseplants areBurserasimaruba, Eugenia Anthribidae (12; 22) spp., Zanthoxylum flavum and Z. fasara (L) Sarg. Choragmae Vegetation differs little from that found in the same Areecerini habitat throughout most of the Caribbean area. The Choragini best examples of this habitat are on the southeastern Discotenhi shores of Big Pine Key (Long Beach), Bahia Honda Eupariini Key and hngKey. Anthribii Ormiscini Mangrove (Figs. 7-8). Mangrove swamps occur Platystomini extensively along the south Florida coasts where F'iemrynini wave-energy is low. Three species of trees typically dominatethis assemblage.Redmangrove, Rhiaophora Belidae (1; 2) mangle L. is located on the outermost edge with the 1 2 most exposure to salt water;blackmangmve,Avkmnia Attelabidae (3; 3) germinam (L.) and white mangrove, Laguncularia Attelabmae 1 1 raaemosa Gaertn. are found more inland. Another Rhynchitinae 2 2 common tree in this habitat, buttonwood, Conmarpus Brentidae (6; 14) erecta L,is found above the furthest reaches of the tides. In dryer andmore inland situations,understory Apionini 2 10 plants are frequently those of coastal scrub or salt kntinae marsh habitats. Where the mangroves are growingon Brentini 3 3 Cyladinae 1 1 exposed coral flats, Jacquinia Izg,ensis Mez. is a common associate. Mangrove swamps are developed Curculionidae (115;249) best alongthe western and southernmainlandcoasts, and throughout the Keys. Although present, they are Entimini Polych.osii narrow and disjunct along the east coast of the Rhytirrhhbi mainland. Cossoninae Prairie (Fig. 9). Aswith pineland, freshwaterprairie Cotasterini Onycholipini habitats in south Florida grade from dry to wet. Wet Rhynmlini prairies in southern Florida are best developed in the Curculioninae EvergladesNational Park, but are alsopresent on Big Pine Key, the only key with significantand persistent freshwaterwetlands. Saw grass, Cladiumjamaiclensis Cryptorhynchini Crantz is the dominant plant, particularly in the Curculionini Everglades. Grasses and sedges are also abundant, less so npha latifolia L,Sagittariaspp., Polygonurn Gymnetrini Lixini spp. and Pontederia lamlata Nutt. Dry prairies Molytini appear to be ecotonal andmarginal to pineland or wet prairies. Prionomerini Rhynchaenhi Wetland margins (Fig. 10). This category includes freshwatermarshes andswamps andis charaderized Rhynchophorinae by more of the large emergent plants than is the wet prairie, and in many instances also by deeper water Sitophilini such asthat of lakes, ponds andrivers whichis subject to less significant seasonal variation This habitat occm extensivelyon the mainland in the Everglades National Park and on the Florida Keys only on Big Vol. 6, No. 3-4, September-December, 1992 199

Pine Key. Larger plant species, some of which occur (LeConte) are known from central and northern only on the mainland, typically include Salix Florida where they are associated with species of camliniana Michx., Cephalanthus occidentalis L., Pinus (Kuschel1989). Myrica cerifera L., Ludwigia spp., nphalatifolia L., Anthribidae are the fungus although Nuphar luteum (L.) Sibth. & Sm., Chrysobalanus some species feed on pollen of Asteraceae and some icaco L and the fern Amtichum daneaefolium are predators of scale insects. There are slightly more Langsd. & Fisch. than 3000 speciesin the worldbut only 87 are recorded fromNorthAmerica(Va1entine1960). The Anthribidae Salt marsh-coastal prairie (Fig. 11). These of the Bahamas were reviewed by Valentine (1955). communities cover large parts of coastal southern Belidae is a smallfamily which exhibitsa relictual Florida, generally inland of coastal scrubor mangrove distribution, with most species found in temperate habitats. They can be found around tidal estuaries, regions of the southern hemisphere and the islands of inland bays and inlets and may be covered with the Pacific Ocean. There are slightly more than 300 shallow brackish water. Extensive coastal prairie is species in the world. Only two species are known in found west of Flamingo on Cape Sable in Everglades North America. National Park, and on Big Pine and No Name Keys, Attelabidae are the leaf-rollingweevils and their and further north, in Collie~SeminoleState Park. relatives. Approximately 2000 species are known in Typical plants are Spartina spp., Borrichia spp., the world, but only 50 species are found in North Batis maritimaL and the chenopods &aeda linerzris America. (Ell.) Moq., Salioonia spp. and Atripk spp. Brentidae is a family composed of taxa with a variety of habits. are associated with dead Ruderal-roadsides.These are weedy communities wood where they live under bark; Cyladinae (sweet- found along the sides of trails and roadways or on potato weevils) are associated with the plant family disturbed or abandoned lands. Typical plants are Convolvulaceae; and Apioninae, composed mostly of Amaranthus hybridus L., Bidens pilosa L., species placedin the genus , are associatedwith Desmodium spp., FlaverialinearisLag., andlpmoea a wide variety of plants. Some 4500 species comprise acumimta (Vahl) R &S. the world fauna; slightly less than 175 species are known in North America. Commercial-ornamental(Fig. 12). This category Curculionidae, with slightly less than 50,000 is reserved for those plants cultivated for their described species, is the largest family of organisms ornamental or commercial value. Some species are known; hypothesized reasons for this diversity are frequent escapees and may now be found in some discussedinAnderson(inpressa). Virtually all natural habitats. Examples are avocado, various species are associatedwithplants, particularly awide palms, tamarind, , agave and various citrus. variety of angiosperms, and various plant products. Through 1971, slightly fewer than 2200 species were recorded from North America (Owen and Wibmer Superfamily Curculionoidea 1978) but this number is probably now closing in on The superfamily Curculionoidea is composed of 2500. Not surprisingly this is the most diverse family six families; Anthribidae, Nemonychidae, Belidae, of Curculionoidea in southern Florida. Attelabidae, Brentidae and Curculionidae (Kuschel At present relatively accurate estimates of the in press). Although not treated here, Scolytinae and known fauna of Curculionoidea (excluding Platypodinae are considered to be subfamilies of Anthribidae, Scolytinae and Platypodinae) of Florida can Curculionidaefollowing Kuschel (in press); the species be made from O'J3rien and Wibmer (1982))recent of these two subfamilies in Florida are currently publications since 1982and this study. A less accurate under review by T.H. Atkinson. Aspects of diversity, estimate can be made of the diversity of Anthribidae distribution and biology of these six families are using Arnett (1983). Estimated numbers of genera summarized very briefly following. and speciesare as follows (particularly diverse genera are Nemonychidae is a small family of some 70 world noted): Nemonychidae (1;2), Anthribidae (15;32), species; adults andlarvae ofmost species are associated Belidae(l;2),Attelabidae (8;13), Brentidae (8;37,Apwn with male flowers of conifers. No species has been [30]), Curculionidae (174;508, [40], found yet in southern Florida although two species of Anthonomus [31], Conotmchelus [29], Sphenophorus , C. elongatus (LConte) and C. pilosa [23], Qloderma [22], [19], and [17]). These totals do not include undescribed taxa or 200 Insecta Mundi unnamed Wecies in this study or otherwise Table 3. Distribution of species of Curculionoidea (exclud- known. ing Curculionidae)in southernFlorida. Species considered not established in southern Florida are not included. Early studies of Curculionoidea

(h in south Florida X 8 Eugene A. Schwarz (l8441928). Schwarz was probably the first person to collect beetles in an intensivemannerin southernFlorida He firstcollected in Florida in 1875and 1876but spent all of his time in the central portion of the state and did not collect 'at the southern extremity of the peninsula" (Schwam 1878). In April of 1887he had opportunity to return to 2 ------1 -- -- South Florida Emperate 3 Florida and, recognizingthe paucity of information on tropical 1 .. 1 .. ------2 the fauna of the extreme southern part of the state, 4 ------1 -- -- 5 Florida F$c:te 1 .. .. -- 1 'proceeded at once to Key West" (Schwarz 1888a) ------where he spent but 5 days and then began to work his S.E. U.S.A. 4 ------2 -- -- 6 way back north. At time, Key West was a small this Widespread N.A. 6 ------2 -- 4 12 colony, occupying only the western third of the island. The middle of the island was 'occupiedby anextremely Widespread Neotropical ------1 -- -- 12 thick growth of shrub-like trees, not higher than 15 Florida & West Indies 1 1 ------14 7 feet, but without much undergrowth. This shrubbery Introduced (tropical) ------1-1 2 represents what is known as the semi-tropical forest Introduced (temperate) .. .. - - .. ------of southern Florida" (Schwarz 1888b). He found Introduced (cosmopolitan) 1 ------1 collectingto be poor under rocks, sifting leaves and on the 'sparse vegetation of herbaceous plants". Rather 201 117 110 41 he found that 'the bulk of the faunaisrepresented by species living in or on the trees of the semi-tmpical forest" (ibid). He noted the lack 'of predaceous, simaruba (L.) Sarg.); and Pseudomus inflatus, rhypophagous and copmphagous Coleoptera and an and Erodiscus on cocoa-plum equally striking preponderance of certain (Chrysobalanus icaco L. [actually, likely a phytophagous families" (ibid.). Curculionoidea were misidentitkation of Coccoloba uvifera (L) L or C. %y farthe best represented family in the numbers of diversifilia Jacq.]) (Schwarz 1888~). species as well as specimensn(ibid)withCerambycidae After 1eavingKeyWest he appearsto have headed next, and, surprisingly, Ptinidae (mostly now placed north and spent a few weeks on the shores of Biscayne as Anobiidae and btrichidae) third. He collected 36, Bay. Here as well as on Key Largo and Elliott's Key, 18 and 13 species, respectively, of each pup. Of the he noted that the 'Floridian fauna largely infringes entire fauna of the island, 36 species were 'of general upon the semitropicalforest" (Schwarz 1888a). Based distribution in the more southern portion of the on the findings of H.G. Hubbard, he reported the United States; 70 are not found north of Florida, and occurrence of insect species of West Indian origin 52 represent the semitropical fauna" (ibid). One- 'exclusivelyin small andisolatedthickets of hammock fourth of the species he collected were not recorded land found at wide intervals in the dense shrubbery previously from the United States. He suspected some back of the ocean beach" along the eastern Florida of the species to be undescribed but cautioned that coast between Capmn and Jupiter (ibid.). We now they were likely to be of West Indian origin and know that the tmpical element in southern Florida perhaps previously described from that region or at also extends north alongthe western coast but in 1888 least found to occur there. He concluded that the this area was 'the most unknown and least accessible faunawas of West Indian origin, and that the region portion of the whole United States" (ibid.). I shall hereafter circumscribe as semitropical Florida He published just one description of a weevil doesnot contain any endemic formsn(Schwarz1888a). species from Florida, floridanus, in 1894 His only mention of weevils was of finding Cassonus but variousotherspeckens he collectedweredescribed under the bark of decaying gumbo-limbo (Bursera as new species by Linell(1897).