Afrosmicronyx quadrituberculatus ( Hustache, 1936 ) Haran & Perrin, 2017

Haran, Julien & Perrin, Hélène, 2017, Revision of the genus Afrosmicronyx Hustache (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae), Zootaxa 4365 (2), pp. 132-148 : 136

Afrosmicronyx quadrituberculatus ( Hustache, 1936) comb. n.

Figs 2B , 3B , 5B , 6B

Smicronyx quadrituberculatus Hustache, 1936: 21

Material examined. Lectotype ♂ [here designated]: [Central African Republic] ‘A. E. F. 1904. Fort de Possel. Oubangui—Chari. Dr J. Decorse’ ‘ Smicronyx quadrituberculatus Hust. ’ (MNHN, Hoff.coll, fitted with a red lectotype label reading: “LECTOTYPE/ Afrosmicronyx quadrituberculatus / Hustache 1936 / Haran & Perrin des. 2017”). Paralectotypes [here designated]: data as for LECTOTYPE (MNHN; 7♂, 2♀, 1 sex not determined Hust.coll, 2♂, 1♀, Hoff.coll.). Other material. Cameroon, 1926, F. Zumpt (2♂, MNHN, Hoff.coll); Yaoundé, ix- 1930, Vadon leg. (1 ♀, CBGP); Yaoundé (St. de Nkolbisson) 10.iv.1967, B. de Miré leg. (1 ♀, CBGP). Nigeria, Ibadan, 27.xi.1955, G.H. Caswell leg.,“At light”, M.L. Cox det. (1♂,1 ♀, BMNH); 20.xii.1956, G.H. Caswell leg., “ Elaeis guineensis ”, “leaf”, G.A.K. Marshall det. (1 ♀, BMNH); 20.xii.1956, G.H. Caswell leg., “ Psophocarpus tetragonolobus ”, “leaf”, (1 ♀, BMNH); Owena FR, W. State, viii.1977, J.T. Medler leg., (1♂, BMNH).

Redescription. (♂) Body length 3.9–4.1 mm. Colour. Body integument black; vestiture consisting of rounded recumbent scales, twice as long as wide, forming a black area on basal third of interstriae 1–4, a whitish strip between humeri and centre of elytra and a whitish area on apical third of elytra. Head. Rostrum longer than head plus prothorax, thin, evenly narrowing from base to apex, twice as long at base than at apex, moderately downcurved, densely covered by scales at base, less densely at antennal insertions, smooth at apex, transverse furrow at base of rostrum shiny, head short; antennae reddish, funicle segment 1 slightly longer than 2, 2 slightly longer than 3, 1 as long as 3+4. Prothorax. Isodiametric, widest at middle, greatly narrowing at apex, sides regularly rounded; integument densely and coarsely punctate, median line present and slightly raised; scales darker along a longitudinal strip, paler on sides. Elytra. Sides rounded, widest near middle (ratio w/l: 0.72), humeri raised, striae narrow, interstriae flat and wide, apex of 3 and 5 with a strong tubercle, tubercle on 5 larger and sharper; scutellum shiny, small but visible. Abdomen. Underside covered with pale brownish scales, ventrites 1 and 2 elongate, 1 slightly longer than 2, 2 much shorter than 3–5. Legs. Reddish, femora clavate, armed with one ventral tooth; tibiae straight, unarmed, thickened proximally near middle. Genitalia. Penis elongate (ratio w/l: 0.28), sides sub-parallel, slightly divergent near apex, apex rounded, curvature in lateral view stronger at base ( Fig. 6B ). Females are distinguished from males by their rostrum, which is less coarsely punctate and narrower in apical half.

Life history. Unknown. Adults collected from April to December.

Distribution. Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria.

Discussion. Afrosmicronyx quadrituberculatus can be distinguished from all other species of the genus by it distinct elytral pattern (dark area at base, white area on apical third of elytra and a distinct “V” pattern of pale scales from the base to middle of the elytra) and the presence of four tubercles on the apical third of the elytra. The penis is very elongate and distinct from that of all other species. The specimens of A. quadrituberculatus examined from the type locality (evidently syntypes) are in Hoffmann’s collection in the MNHN, and in the absence of such material in the Hustache collection we designated the lectotype of the species from the series in Hoffmann’s collection. Type specimens of other species described by Hustache are similarly deposited in the Hoffmann collection ( Perrin, 1998).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus of species of Afrosmicronyx. A. Afrosmicronyx giganteus (Hustache), neotype ♀. B. A. quadrituberculatus (Hustache),lectotype ♂.C.A.sopubiae(Marshall),lectotype ♂.D.A.angolanus (Hustache),holotype ♂.E.A.maerens (Marshall), lectotype ♂. F. A. dorsomaculatus(Cox), specimen from Sudan (♀). G. A. mirei sp.n., holotype ♂. H. A. armipes (Voss), holotype ♂.I. A. madagascariensissp.n., holotype♂. J. A.umbrinus(Hustache) lectotype ♀.Scale bars (A to J): 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 3. Head and prothorax in lateral view of species of Afrosmicronyx. A. Afrosmicronyx giganteus (Hustache), neotype ♀. B. A. quadrituberculatus (Hustache), lectotype ♂. C. A. sopubiae (Marshall), lectotype ♂. D. A. angolanus (Hustache), holotype ♂. E. A. maerens (Marshall), lectotype ♂. F. A. dorsomaculatus (Cox), specimen from Sudan (♀). G. A. mirei sp. n., holotype ♂. H. A. armipes (Voss), holotype ♂.

FIGURE 5. Ventrites of Afrosmicronyx spp.. A. Afrosmicronyx giganteus (Hustache), neotype ♀. B. A. quadrituberculatus (Hustache), lectotype ♂. C. A. sopubiae (Marshall), lectotype ♂. D. A. angolanus (Hustache), holotype ♂. E. A. maerens (Marshall), lectotype ♂. F. A. dorsomaculatus (Cox), specimen from Sudan (♀). G. A. mirei sp. n., holotype ♂. H. A. armipes (Voss), holotype ♂. I. A. madagascariensis sp. n., holotype ♂. J. A. umbrinus (Hustache), lectotype ♀. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Penis of Afrosmicronyx species, dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view. A. Afrosmicronyx giganteus (Hustache), specimen from Cameroon. B. A. quadrituberculatus (Hustache), lectotype. C. A. sopubiae (Marshall), lectotype. D. A. angolanus (Hustache), holotype. E. A. maerens (Marshall), lectotype. F. A. dorsomaculatus (Cox), specimen from Mauritania. G. A.mirei sp.n., holotype.H.A.armipes (Voss),holotype.I. A.madagascariensis sp. n., holotype.J.A.umbrinus (Hustache), specimen from Cameroon.Scale bar = 200 µm.