Ebenacobius incognitus ( Hesse, 1929 ), 2022

Haran, Julien, Benoit, Laure, Procheş, Şerban & Kergoat, Gael J., 2022, Ebenacobius Haran, a new southern African genus of flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculioninae: Derelomini) associated with dicotyledonous plants, European Journal of Taxonomy 818 (1), pp. 1-54 : 44-45

Ebenacobius incognitus ( Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov.

Figs 3F , 5B , 6O

Derelomus incognitus Hesse, 1929: 526 .

Differential diagnosis

This species can be distinguished by the following combination: claws appendiculate and dorsum (prothorax + elytra) with minute whitish setae, glabrous in appearance. In most specimens, the basal 4/5 of first interstriae are dark brown ( Fig. 3F ). Apex of protibiae in females has a long premucro giving the impression of a double mucro.

Type material

Holotype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; “C/T [Cape Town; Western Cape Province; REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA]; Aug/93” “Type [red label]” “ Derelomus incognitus ; Type; Hesse” “ Holotype; Ebenacobius ; incognitus ; ( Hesse, 1929); Haran 2022”; SAMC.

Other material examined

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Eastern Cape Province • 2 ♂♂; The Claims’ Farm , near Komga Kubusi R. valley; 32°29′ S, 27°53′ E; 1 Dec. 1992; R. Oberprieler leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; Fort Beaufort ; Jun. 1947; R. Story leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Suurberg Nature Reserve ; 33°16′ S, 25°45′ E; 28 Nov. 1988; R. Oberprieler leg.; in crown of Encephalartos longifolius (Zamiaceae) ; SANC . – Western Cape Province • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mossel Bay ; Apr. 1921; R.E. Turner leg.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; Cape Town; 17 Mar. 1902; CleDoux leg.; acc67769 ; USNM • 1 ♂; Sweweekspoort, Klein Swartberge ; 33°24′ S, 21°24′ E; 1 Dec. 1988; R. Oberprieler leg.; SANC.

Remarks

Ebenacobius incognitus gen. et comb. nov. was described in the genus Derelomus based on a single male deposited at SAMC ( Hesse 1929). This specimen was loaned to Guillermo Kuschel (loan 24018) who undertook a study on palaeotropical Derelomini from 2007. Unfortunately he passed away before he could complete this work and left the very preliminary manuscript and the material borrowed from institutions (see postscript in Haran et al. 2020). Despite intensive search in the material of Derelomini loaned, the holotype of this species could not be identified and is provisionally considered as lost. This species is very distinct and specimens examined were easily identified based on Hesse’s description.

Life history

Host plant unknown. The record on Encephalartos longifolius (Jacq.) Lehm. is accidental given the known biology of the genus. Adults were collected in March, April, August, November and December.

Distribution

Republic of South Africa (Eastern and Western Cape Provinces).

Figures

Fig. 3. A–I. Habitus of males of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov. in dorsal view (part 2). A. E. mulanjensis Haran gen. et sp. nov. B. E. hessei Haran gen. et sp. nov. C. E. pedi Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. tsonga Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. hippopotamorum Haran gen. et sp. nov. F. E. incognitus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. G. E. oberprieleri Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. turneri (Marshall, 1935) gen. et comb. nov. I. E. rhodesianus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 5. A–H. Habitus of males of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov. in lateral view (part 2). A. E. hessei Haran gen. et sp. nov. B. E. incognitus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. C. E. pedi Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. oberprieleri Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. tsonga Haran gen. et sp. nov. F. E. turneri (Marshall, 1935) gen. et comb. nov. G. E. hippopotamorum Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. rhodesianus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. A–H = not to scale.

Fig. 6 (part 1). A–I. Male genitalia of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov., penis in dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view.A. E. curvisetis Haran gen. et sp. nov.B. E. rectirostrisHaran gen. et sp. nov.C. E. duplicatus Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. grobbelaarae Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. costalis (Fåhraeus, 1844) gen. et comb. nov. F. E. thoracicus Haran gen. et sp. nov. G. E. xhosa Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. san Haran gen. et sp. nov. I. E. kuscheli Haran gen. et sp. nov. A–I = not to scale.