Caulophilus falini, 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

Caulophilus falini nov.sp. ( Figs 4 , 10-12 )

H o l o t y p e: USNM 505815 (= Woodruff #10265), amber, Dominican Republic, Early Miocene (Burdigalian).

D i a g n o s i s Rostrum long, subequal to length of pronotum ( Fig. 4 ). Head rugose laterally. Anterio-lateral margin of pronotum rugose. Procoxae situated from posterior margin of prosternum by more than diameter of coxa; procoxae separated by distance greater than diameter of coxa ( Fig. 12 ). Sparse, elongate setae apically on elytra.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Total body length (including rostrum) ca. 2.5 mm; elytral length ca. 1.17 mm. Integument dark brown to black (as preserved). Compound eyes subcircular, slightly elongate, length approximately 1.1✕ width; interocular distance approximately slightly less than width of rostrum in dorsal view. Rostrum sculptured mostly laterally with rugae, with small, shallow punctures; rostrum long, approximately subequal to length of pronotum; ventral margin broadly and uniformly curved along entire length in lateral view ( Fig. 10 ); width subequal along length in dorsal view. Antenna inserted immediately before mid-length of rostrum ( Fig. 10 ), scrobe somewhat long, well-developed, slightly less than one-half length of rostrum; scape just reaching anterior margin of compound eye; scape short, slightly less than one-half length of rostrum; funicle 7- segmented, narrow basally, sparsely covered with setae, gradually enlarging to setose club. Vertex with small rugae, glabrous, puncticulate. Head crenulate and rugose laterally. Pronotum glabrous, length approximately 1.6✕ width (dorsal view obscured in amber); anterior portion narrower than posterior portion; anterio-lateral margin of pronotum distinctly rugose; small, shallow punctures present, punctures separated by distance 1-2✕ a puncture diameter; lateral margins broadly rounded. Prosternum without shallow depression between procoxae; with small, shallow punctures. Scutellum small, ovoid. Elytra each with approximately 8-10 striae; punctures of elytral striae small and

806

shallow, separated by distance approximately 0.5-1✕ a puncture diameter; humeri subquadrate; a sparse covering of long setae at posterior one-sixth of elytra, setae as long as antennal scape. Metepisternum narrower than width of antennal club, with a single, distinct, longitudinal row of minute punctures. Metasternum and abdominal ventrites with small, shallow punctures. Procoxae separated by distance greater than diameter of coxa; procoxae separated from posterior margin of prosternum by distance equal to diameter of coxa; femora petiolate basally; tibiae expanded apically; protibia with setal comb along posterior margin ( Fig. 11 ); apical tibial unci at outer angle large, approximately 0.75 times 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 a patronymic honoring Dr. Zachary H. Falin, a coleopterist of note at the University of Kansas.

C o m m e n t s: This species can be differentiated from the recently described C. ashei based on the largely equal width of the rostrum along its length, without a dilation along the apical half, the greater number of elytral striae, the greater distance separating the elytral striae punctuations, and presence of elongate setae posteriorly on the elytra. The rostrum in this species is also much longer than in C. ashei and those of extant members of Caulophilus .

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 10-22: Three species of Caulophilus, Caulophilus falini nov.sp. (holotype, USNM 505815), C. swensoni nov.sp. (holotype, USNM 502877, and paratype, USNM 502666), and C. bennetti nov.sp. (holotype, USNM 505352). (10) lateral aspect of head of C. falini; (11) protibia, profemur, protarsus, and pro-pretarsus of C. falini; (12) ventral aspect of prothorax of C. falini depicting position of procoxae; (13) lateral aspect of head of paratype of C. swensoni; (14) dorsal, slightly oblique aspect of head of holotype of C. swensoni; (15) antenna of holotype of C. swensoni; (16) protibia, profemur, protarsus, and pro-pretarsus of paratype of C. swensoni; (17) ventral aspect of prothorax of holotype of C. swensoni depicting position of procoxae; (18) lateral aspect of head of C. bennetti; (19) dorso-frontal aspect of head of C. bennetti; (20) antenna of C. bennetti; (21) protibia, profemur, protarsus, and pro-pretarsus of paratype of C. bennetti; (22) ventral aspect of prothorax of C. bennetti depicting position of procoxae. All drawn as preserved.