Micromimus orcus, Davis & Engel, 2007

Davis, S. R. & Engel, M. S., 2007, Cossonine weevils in Dominican amber (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 39 (2), pp. 803-820 : 803-820

Micromimus orcus nov.sp. ( Figs 1-2 , 5-9 )

H o l o t y p e: USNM 505348 (= Woodruff #9797), amber, Dominican Republic, Early Miocene (Burdigalian). P a r a t y p e: USNM 505324 (= Woodruff #9773), amber, Dominican Republic, Early Miocene (Burdigalian).

D i a g n o s i s:Integumentheavilypunctate ( Figs 1-2 ). Compound eyes ovoid, length more or less 2✕ width ( Figs 5-6, 8 ). Vertex glabrous, smooth, puncticulate. Ventral margin of rostrum nearly straight in lateral view. Antennal scape and scrobe short ( Fig. 5 ). Profemora markedly enlarged apically ( Figs 7, 9 ).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Total body length (including rostrum) ca. 2.69 mm; elytral length ca. 1.48 mm. Integument dark brown to black (as preserved). Compound eyes oval-elongate, length approximately twice width; interocular distance approximately slightly less than width of rostrum in dorsal view. Rostrum punctate, punctures small, irregularly spaced; rostrum more or less three-quarters length of pronotum; ventral margin nearly straight in lateral view, very broadly and uniformly curved along entire length ( Figs 1-2 , 5, 8 ); width subequal along length in dorsal view. Antenna inserted just before mid-length of rostrum, scrobe short, well-developed, extending anteriorly by 0.5✕ length of scape, extending posteriorly to anterior margin of compound eye; scape just reaching anterior margin of compound eye; scape short, slightly less than one-third length of rostrum; funicle 7-segmented, narrow and more or less glabrous, enlarging to setose club. Head slightly constricted at junction of head and rostrum, globular behind eyes. Vertex smooth and glabrous, puncticulate. Pronotum glabrous, length approximately 1.5✕ width; width subequal along length, slightly wider at mid-length; rounded dorsally; heavily sculptured with moderate, deep punctures, punctures separated by distance 0.5-1✕ a puncture diameter; lateral margins broadly rounded. Prosternum without depression between procoxae and with moderate, deep punctures. Scutellum small, ovoid, distinctly convex. Elytra each with approximately 10-11 striae; punctures of elytral striae circular, large and deep, separated by distance approximately 0.5✕ a puncture diameter; humeri rounded. Metepisternum narrower than width of antennal club, with a single, distinct, longitudinal row of minute punctures. Metasternum and abdominal ventrites with mode-

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rate, deep punctures, punctures separated by distance 1-2✕ a puncture diameter. Femora enlarging apically, lightly punctate; profemur distinctly enlarged apically ( Figs 7, 9 ); tibiae slightly punctate; apical tibial unci at outer angle large, subequal to length of tarsomere IV; a small denticle present on opposite side of uncus on inner angle, length less than pretarsal claw length.

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is the Latin word orcus, meaning "abode of the dead" or "nether world", and is a reference to the fact that this is the first extinct species of the genus.

Figures

Figs 1-4: Photomicrographs of Dominican amber cossonine weevils. (1) holotype of Micromimus orcus nov.sp. (USNM 505348); (2) paratype of M. orcus (USNM 5053243); (3) holotype of Caulophilus ashei DAVIS & ENGEL 2006a (AMNH DR-10-809); (4) holotype of C. falini nov.sp. (USNM 505815).

Figs 5-9: Micromimus orcus nov.sp. (5) lateral aspect of head of holotype (USNM 505348); (6) slightly oblique frontal aspect of head of holotype; (7) protibia, profemur, protarsus, and propretarsus of holotype (same scale as for 5 and 6); (8) lateral aspect of head of paratype (USNM 505324); (9) protibia, profemur, protarsus, and pro-pretarsus of paratype. All drawn as preserved.