Sicoderus franzi Anderson, 2018

Anderson, Robert S., 2018, The genus Sicoderus Vanin 1986 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Erodiscini) in the West Indies, Zootaxa 4497 (3), pp. 301-345 : 317

Sicoderus franzi Anderson , n. sp.

( Figures 29–30, 35. Map 8)

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9846FED0-5509-4F3B-ADB8-6D560182CA80

Description: Length male, 4.9–5.5 mm; female, 4.2–4.4 mm. Integument black, shining. Eyes separated by a distance about one-half width rostrum at midlength. Rostrum 1.28–1.32x length elytra in male; 1.27–1.37x length elytra in female. Antennal insertion at about apical 2/ 5 in male, at about midlength in female. Prothorax constricted anteriorly, globose, widest anterior to middle; punctures widely spaced, very small, very shallow on disc, slightly larger and deeper laterally on flanks, not forming striolae; no erect setae present. Basal margin of pronotum angulate laterally, dorsal and lateral faces interrupted by an acute angulation, dorsal face flat and with a row of 4 or 5 linearly arranged larger punctures across width. Elytra in dorsal view widest at midlength, lateral margins convergent both anteriorly and posteriorly; humeri fully reduced, not at all angulate; no setae present. Strial punctures evident, small, shallow; striae slightly impressed. Membranous wings absent. Abdominal ventrite 1 of male slightly raised in middle near posterior margin with a small patch of setosity at tip; of female, uniformly convex in middle near posterior margin. Ventrite 5 flat at middle in male, uniformly convex in female, not setose in either sex. Legs with all femora simple, ventral margin lacking any trace of tooth; tarsal claws with very small basal tooth. Aedeagus (fig. 35) widest towards apex, internal sac with pair of elongate basal sclerites hooked basally. Female not dissected.

Material examined: 4 males, 3 females. Holotype male ( CWOB), labelled PUERTO RICO: Caribbean National Forest, El Toro Negro , Hwy 143 Km 18H6, 22.VII.1979, G.B. Marshall . Paratypes, Caribbean National Forest, El Toro Negro, Hwy 143 Km 16H4, 21.VII.1979, L.B. O’Brien (1 male; CMNC). Caribbean National Forest, El Toro Negro, Hwy 143 Km 19H9, 22.VII.1979, G.B. Marshall (1 female; CWOB). Guilarte Forest Reserve, Hwy 131 & 518, 24.VII.1979, L.B. O’Brien (1 female; CWOB) . Mayagüez, VI,1962, C. Maldonado (1 female; USNM) . Mayagüez, 27.v.1932, F. Mora (1 male [damaged], MCZC) . Jayuya, Cano de Punta , 18 10’21”N, 66 35’31”W, 1338 m, 5.II.2010, H. Cancel (1 male, CMNC).

Derivation of species name: This species is named after Nico M. Franz, professor of entomology at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ where he works on the systematics and evolution of weevils. He was formerly a professor at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez and also a field companion on the 2012 Cuba trip.

Natural History: Specimens were collected beating.

Comments: This is one of two species of Sicoderus known from Puerto Rico, the other being S. ivieorum .