Ita friedmani, Meregalli & Borovec, 2011

Meregalli, Massimo & Borovec, Roman, 2011, Radiation in the halophytic coenoses of the Peri-Tethys: taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Ita (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Journal of Natural History 45 (21 - 22), pp. 1331-1401 : 1377-1380

Ita friedmani sp. nov.

(Figure 16)

Type locality

Israel, near Yeriho , 31 ◦ 49 ′ N 35 ◦ 30 ′ E .

Material examined

Holotype ♂: ISRAEL, “ Israel , Deir Hajlā [31 ◦ 49 ′ N 35 ◦ 30 ′ E], nr. Jeriho [Yeriho], 4.iv.1998, A. Freidberg [lgt.]”, ( TAU).

Paratypes: same data as the holotype, four ♂, two ♀ ( TAU, BOR, MER) ; “ Israel, Makhtésh Gadól [30 ◦ 56 ′ N 34 ◦ 59 ′ E] near Yeroham, 1.IV.2001, L. Friedman [lgt.]”, four ♀ ( TAU) ; “ Israel, Sedé Boqé [30 ◦ 52 ′ 08 ′′ N 34 ◦ 47 ′ 33 ′′ E], 30.III.2004, L. Friedman [lgt.]”, five ex. ( TAU) ; “ Israel, En Mor , Nahal Hawarim, 30 ◦ 50 ′ 7 ′′ N 34 ◦ 46 ′ 6 ′′ E, 4.IV.2010, A. Freidberg ”, five ex. ( TAU 74219–74223 ) ; “ Israel, 48821, Nahal Salvadora [31 ◦ 30 ′ 39 ′′ N 35 ◦ 23 ′ 47 ′′ E], 2.III.2010, Rt. 90, L. Friedman, on Salsola tetrandra ”, 22 ex. ( TAU 48804–48821 , BOR 48822–48823 , MER 48824–48825 ) ; “ Israel, Judäische Wüste , Metzoke Dragot beim Kibbuz Mizpe Shalem (Westufer Totes Meer), 31 ◦ 35 ′ N 35 ◦ 23 ′ E, 10 m, 6./7. März 1995, leg. U. Heinig ”, one ♀ ( CAL) .

Diagnosis

A species of Ita characterized by a regular row of semi-adherent, imbricate, slender scales on the elytral striae, with integument clearly visible amidst the scales on the remaining elytral surface.

Description of the male. Head with rostrum, pronotum and elytra black; femora, antennal club and last two tarsal segments dark brownish; tibiae, tarsal segments 1– 2, antennal scape and funicle yellow (Figures 16A, B). Scales narrow, greyish, four times as long as wide, not completely covering integument on dorsum and underside, slightly raised in longitudinal rows on elytral striae (Figures 16K, L). Rostrum short and robust, regularly curved, in lateral view slightly tapered apicad, antennal insertion a little before mid-length, sides in basal part moderately concave, barely so from antennal insertion to apex; apical widening moderate; surface sparsely and distinctly punctured, punctures more densely impressed in lateral portion of basal part, apical part almost unpunctured (Figures 16C, E). Scrobes short, margins not keeled. Antennal scape distinctly longer than rostrum width at antennal insertion, thickened in apical third, feebly curved; segment 1 slender, three times as long as wide, conical, twice as long as segment 2, segment 2 1.5 times as long as wide, segments 3–5 oblong, segments 6 and 7 globose; club elliptical, slender (Figure 16J). Pronotum slender, maximum width at mid-length, anteriad only slightly more tapered than posteriad. Elytra widest behind mid-length, widened from base and with feebly arched sides. Tarsal segment 1 linearly and moderately widened apicad, more than twice as long as wide; segment 2 1.5 times as long as wide, subtriangular; segment 3 deeply bilobed, lobes divergent, slightly shorter and 1.5 times as wide as segment 2; onychium 1.6 times as long as segment 3 (Figure 16I). Aedeagus regularly and strongly curved, apex shortly elongated and folded upwards, median lobe with sclerotized sides as broad as median membranous part, sides feebly curved, widest in basal third and regularly tapered apicad (Figures 16G, H).

Description of the female and variation. Size larger. Rostrum regularly curved, antennal insertion before basal third of rostral length, sides more distinctly concave in basal and apical parts, regularly widened at apex; lateral portion of basal part somewhat densely punctured, dorsum of rostrum very finely punctured (Figures 16D, F). Scrobes short, enlarged posteriad, shallower before eyes.

All specimens examined are uniform, regardless of the locality; the size varies within about ± 10% of the length.

Etymology

We dedicate this new species to our friend, a specialist on Apionidae , Ariel-Leib- Leonid Friedman ( TAU), who willingly organized trips in various localities of Israel to search for more populations of Ita .

Natural history

Friedman (personal communication) collected some of the specimens on Salsola tetrandra Forssk.

Distribution

The species seems to be localized to the area surrounding the Dead Sea and in the Negev desert. In view of the frequency of halophytic habitats in this region, it is probably quite widespread.

Figure 16. Ita friedmani, Deir Hajlā , paratype ♂: (A, B) body; (C, E) rostrum; (G, H) aedeagus; (I) fore tarsus; (J) antenna; (K) scales of side of elytra and (L) scales of dorsum of elytra. Ita friedmani, Deir Hajlā , paratype ♀: (D, F) rostrum. Scale bar: (A, B) 1 mm; (C–H) 250 µm; (I, J) 200 µm.

Remarks

Ita friedmani sp. nov. is similar to I. marina sp. nov., and the distinguishing characters are stated in the description of the latter. In its larger size it is also similar to I. hispanica sp. nov., from which it differs in the yellow antennal funicle and the concave sides of rostrum, while I. hispanica sp. nov. has antennal segments 4–7 dark brownish to blackish and rostrum in apical half with almost straight sides.