Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti Giusto, Košťál and Holecová, 2024

Giusto, Carlo, Košťál, Michael & Holecová, Milada, 2024, Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti Giusto, Košťál and Holecová, a new species from Albania and Greece (Coleoptera, Apionidae), Zootaxa 5397 (4), pp. 551-562 : 552-561

Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti Giusto, Košťál and Holecová n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A41A2903-49BA-4A39-9F47-392D946C7597

( Figs 1–2 , 7–11 , 17–22 , 29–33 , 39–43 )

Type locality. Kaliakouda Mts. [Καλιακούδα]: Aniáda env. [Ανιάδα] ( Greece, Central Greece).

Diagnosis. A Synapion species differing from the related Synapion (Giustiapion) falzonii (Schatzmayr, 1922) in having the following combination of characters: body vestiture barely visible, composed of microscopic piliform scales that hardly extend beyond the edges of setiferous pores; pronotum isodiametric or imperceptibly transverse, rarely longer than wide (Lp/Wp: ♁ 0.95–1.04 [1.00], ♀ 0.94–1.03 [0.99]), densely, but rather shallowly punctured; tegmen with apodeme not or weakly dilated apically and suprafenestral sclerites with 18–20 long outer macrosetae and 6–8 inner minor setae; penis, in ventral view, with very weakly rounded sides and apex gradually roundly narrowed; styli small, bell-shaped, with 7 long apical setae; spermatheca C-shaped with well-developed bulbus receiving gland.

Type material. Holotype (♁): GREECE — Central Greece: GRAECIA m. 27.vi.2005 / KALIAKOUDA Mts. [Καλιακούδα] / Aniáda env. [Ανιάδα]. subalpine / 1700-2100 m a.s.l. / S. Benedikt leg. // Synapion / falzonii / (SCHATZMAYR) / Ing. K. Schön det. 2006 ( MSNM) [right antenna, right protarsus, abdominal ventrites and genitalia in glycerol-microvial pinned under specimen].

Paratypes (9 ♁♁, 5 ♀♀): ALBANIA — Berat County: ALBANIA mer. / Tomorrit Mts. / Michael Košťál leg. // Bargulas env. 6 km NE / pr. Berat 1900 m / N 40°37.0´E 20°11.0´/ 5.vi.2022 (1 ♀ CG, 2 ♀♀ MK) ; same data but “30.vi.2022” (1 ♁, 1 ♀ MK) ; same data but “7.vii.2023” (1 ♁ CG, 2 ♁♁ MK) ; same data but “1.vii.2022” (1 ♁ MK) ; same data but “15.ix.2023” and “N 40°37.1´” (1 ♁ MK) ; same data but “77/22” after “ALBANIA mer.” and “ Milada Holecová leg.” instead of “ Michael Košťál leg.” (1 ♁, 1 ♀ MH) .

GREECE — Central Greece: same data in the holotype (1 ♁ CG); GRAECIA m. 31.v.2007 / Timfristos Mts. [Τυμφρηστός] / Karpeníssi env. [Καρπενήσι]. steppe / 1500 m a.s.l. / S. Benedikt leg. // Synapion / falzonii / (SCHATZMAYR) / Ing. K. Schön det. 2006 (1 ♁ SB) .

Other material. Same data as the holotype (1 ex. HW [not seen, testibus S. Benedikt and Herbert Winkelmann]) .

Etymology. It is a real pleasure for us to dedicate the new species to Stanislav Benedikt, talented entomologist and collector of the first specimens of this new species.

Description (♁ ♀). Body elongate. Integument black except tarsi and antennae dark brown to nearly black with only the base of antennal scape pale testaceous to testaceous; elytra metallic blue with faint blue-violet reflections. Body vestiture barely visible, composed of microscopic piliform scales that hardly extend beyond the edges of setiferous pores ( Figs 1–2 ).

Measurements and morphological indices (n = 9 ♁♁, 5 ♀♀): Lb: ♁ 3.20–3.67 mm [3.35 mm] (3.23 mm), ♀ 2.70–3.40 mm [3.13 mm]; Lr: ♁ 0.88–1.06 mm [0.95 mm] (0.88 mm), ♀ 0.93–1.00 mm [0.98 mm]; Lpr: ♁ 0.60–0.70 mm [0.63 mm] (0.61 mm), ♀ 0.65–0.73 mm [0.69 mm]; Lmtr: ♁ 0.27–0.38 mm [0.32 mm] (0.27 mm), ♀ 0.29–0.38 mm [0.33 mm]; Wpr: ♁ 0.10–0.13 mm [0.11 mm] (0.10 mm), ♀ 0.10–0.13 mm [0.11 mm]; Wmsr: ♁ 0.14–0.16 mm [0.16 mm] (0.16 mm), ♀ 0.14–0.15 mm [0.15 mm]; Wmtr: ♁ 0.15–0.16 mm [0.16 mm] (0.16 mm), ♀ 0.14–0.16 mm [0.15 mm]; Wapr: ♁ 0.14–0.17 mm [0.16 mm] (0.16 mm), ♀ 0.14–0.17 mm [0.16 mm]; Lr/Wmsr: ♁ 5.50–6.64 [6.09] (5.50), ♀ 6.64–7.00 [6.74]; Lr/Lp: ♁ 1.24–1.34 [1.29] (1.24), ♀ 1.27–1.53 [1.37]; Lb/Lr: ♁ 3.40–3.69 [3.54] (3.67), ♀ 2.76–3.40 [3.20]; Ley: ♁ 0.21–0.28 mm [0.23 mm] (0.21 mm), ♀ 0.19–0.21 mm [0.20 mm]; Lr/La: ♁ 0.94–1.03 [1.00] (0.97), ♀ 1.03–1.15 [1.07]; Lp: ♁ 0.67–0.80 mm [0.73 mm] (0.71 mm), ♀ 0.64–0.79 mm [0.72 mm]; Wp: ♁ 0.70–0.81 mm [0.74 mm] (0.70 mm), ♀ 0.64–0.81 mm [0.73 mm]; Lp/Wp: ♁ 0.95–1.04 [1.00] (1.01), ♀ 0.94–1.03 [0.99]; Le: ♁ 2.27–2.58 mm [2.35 mm] (2.27 mm), ♀ 1.95–2.43 mm [2.23 mm]; We: ♁ 1.34–1.48 mm [1.42 mm] (1.38 mm), ♀ 1.20–1.50 mm [1.36 mm]; Le/We: ♁ 1.59–1.78 [1.66] (1.64), ♀ 1.58–1.73 [1.64].

Rostrum moderately sexually dimorphic ( Figs 7–11 ); in dorsal view, metarostrum slightly narrowed immediately beyond eyes, then parallel or subparallel sided up to antennal insertion; prorostrum with concave sides, strongly narrowed between basal third and middle, then widened into a trumpet shape toward apex; in lateral view, quite regularly curved, barely thickened in apical third, with septum between antennae very obtusely rounded, weakly protruding; surface shiny, finely punctate, more densely at base, punctures gradually becoming sparser to apex, weakly microreticulate from base to antennal insertion; in ventral view, prorostrum with two irregular rows of punctures, with broad median impunctate area; scrobes latero-ventral with sharp edges, vanishing before venter of head, long before the transverse keel which, in lateral view, resembles a minute sub-ocular tooth; septum of scrobes broad, between antennal insertions with a shallow median groove laterally edged by two fine keels. Head conical; eyes moderately convex; epifrons between eyes with a broad furrow and, sometimes, also with a very fine longitudinal median rib; vertex gently convex and punctured; temples divergent with two rows of setiferous punctures along posterior margin of eyes, then with several wrinkles; head venter convex; genae and gular sector shiny, with fine transverse wrinkles. Antennae elongate ( Figs 17–18 ) inserted at basal 0.31–0.37 [0.34] (0.31) (♁) or 0.30–0.38 [0.34] (♀) of rostrum with scape and funicle bearing semi-erect to erect setae and with club, besides the dense recumbent pubescence, with three complete combs of protruding setae, one for each segment; scape 4.50–5.00 [4.83] (5.00) (♁) or 5.74 (♀) times as long as wide, slightly shorter (♁) or as long as (♀) the club; 1 st and 2 nd funicular segments about 2 times as long as wide, globose-elongate and subconical, respectively; 3 rd –6 th barely longer than wide, rounded; 7 th isodiametric, sub-trapezoidal; club fusiform, compact, trimerous, with segments not loosely connate, 2.30–2.40 times as long as wide with basal segment isodiametric sub-trapezoidal, median segment transverse and terminal one conical.

Prothorax ( Figs 1–2 ), in dorsal view, almost isodiametric, rounded at sides, widest just behind middle; disc weakly convex, densely punctate; punctures round, 16–32 μm in diameter, separated by a distance equal to or slightly less than their diameter; interspaces flat or slightly convex, shining; prescutellar fovea long, ranging from base to apical third of pronotum, in basal third broad and deep then thin and finely impressed, distally scratch-like; laterally, notosternal suture ending in a deep pit; procoxal cavities contiguous without posterior rim; prosternellum, apically, hemispherical. Scutellar shield concealed. Elytra ( Figs 1–2 ), in dorsal view elongate, suboval to elliptical, with undeveloped humeral calli; striae impressed without sharp edges, punctate, straight, not shortened at base, apically joining as follows: 1+2+9, 5+6, 7+8, striae 3 and 4 connected or narrowly disconnected; intervals slightly convex, feebly shiny, transversely microrugulose, with sparse micropunctures; each micropuncture bears a barely visible hair-like recumbent seta whose apex barely exceeds edge of puncture itself; specialized setae absent. Hind wings absent. Mesoventrite microreticulate, with anapleural sutures reduced to obsolescent oblique lines; mesepimeral sulci well impressed, sharply edged, with sparse setiferous punctures; mesepimera matt; mesocoxal cavities contiguous; intermesocoxal process of mesoventrite triangular. Metaventrite finely punctate and shagreened, posteriorly, along midline, slightly hollowed; intermesocoxal process of metaventrite triangular, similar to the mesoventral one; posterior rim of mesocoxal cavities complete, raised, narrow. Legs slender; pro- and mesocoxae conical, reticulate at base, smooth and shiny at apex; trochanters subtriangular, barely longer than broad; all femora almost equally thick, thickest just before middle, unarmed, micropunctate, in central swollen part irregularly transversely wrinkled; each micropuncture bears one short hair-like recumbent seta; tibiae straight, feebly widening towards apex, microreticulate with short hair-like setae inserted in small punctures; inner side of tibiae, on most length, with rows of golden to brownish semi-erect setae, especially conspicuous at apex; tarsi short, robust, with first two tarsomeres shallowly emarginated; 1 st pro-, meso- and metatarsomere 1.23–1.30, 1.42–1.56 and 1.70–1.76 times as long as wide, respectively; 2 nd tarsomere 0.92–1.00 times as long as wide and 0.60–0.81 times as long as 1 st one; 3 rd tarsomere with well-developed lobes, 0.83–1.07 times as long as wide and 1.20–1.44 times as long as 2 nd one; onychium 3.58–4.17 times as long as wide and 1.46–1.83 times as long as 3 rd tarsomere; male protarsus as in Fig. 19 ; claws robust, each with a broad and blunt tooth ( Fig. 20 ).

Abdominal ventrites 1–2 feebly shiny, almost imperceptibly transversely wrinkled with round punctures, 15–25 μm in diameter, separated by a distance equal to or slightly larger than their diameter; ventrites 3–5 microreticulate; ventrites 3–4 punctured like previous ones; ventrite 5, particularly at apex, densely punctate, with small round punctures, 10–18 μm in diameter.

Male. Intermetacoxal process sub-trapezoidal with rounded apex and conspicuously impressed in the middle. Ventrite 5 apically truncate. Pygidium, in dorsal view, transversely rectangular, rounded at apex; transverse sulcus well-developed, sharply edged; in lateral view, markedly convex, with vertical apical wall densely punctate and setose; apodemes well-developed. Sternite VIII as in Fig. 21 . Sternite IX as in Fig 22 . Tegmen ( Figs 29–30 ) with apodeme just longer than basal piece fork, not or weakly dilated apicad; apical membranous lobes short, obliquely subtruncate; suprafenestral sclerites with 18–20 long outer macrosetae and 6–8 shorter inner setae. Penis ( Figs 31–33 ) with pedon at least twice as long as apodemes; in ventral view, pedon, from base to penile orifice, with very weakly rounded sides, feebly converging apicad then, from penile orifice to apex, gradually roundly narrowed; apex ( Fig. 33 ) subtruncate; in lateral view, quite regularly curved. Endophallus partially exposed, with two basal fusiform lobes provided with numerous series of ordered spines; two tufts of non-ordered spines, in front of fusiform lobes, surround a V-shaped sclerotized area; from sclerotized area to penile orifice, endophallus with numerous spines, basally rather long with rounded apices, then shorter and pointed.

Female. Rostrum ( Figs 9–11 ) moderately longer and thinner. Ventrite 5 slightly convex, apically rounded. Sternite VIII as in Fig. 39 . Gonocoxites ( Fig. 40 ) elongate, weakly curved at apex, about 3.57–3.60 times as long as wide, apically with a long seta at base of styli; styli ( Figs 41–42 ) small, bell-shaped, about 1.50 times as long as wide, with 7 long apical setae. Spermatheca ( Fig. 43 ) densely strigose, C-shaped with suboval corpus and cornu rounded at apex; bulbus receiving gland well-developed; gland about as long as spermatheca; membranous duct long and thin.

Distribution. Albania, Greece.

Biology. Vegetation of both Albanian and Greek localities is characterized by the presence of Stipa sp. ( Poaceae ) and several species of fabaceous plants: Astragalus sp. (Timfristos Mts.) (Benedikt, pers. comm.) or Lathyrus sp. and Lotus sp. (Tomorrit Mts.). In addition, it is also interesting to point out the presence of a Brachypodium species ( Poaceae ) in Tomorrit Mts. ( Fig. 53 ). We highlight this fact because in many Italian localities, in similar habitats, hundreds of specimens of the related S. falzonii were collected by the first author on the stems of Brachypodium genuense (DC.) Roem. & Schult. throughout the year. Despite this, we do not assume that a “grass” could be the host plant of either S. benedikti n. sp. or S. falzonii because, so far, our numerous attempts to find larvae and/or pupae on these Poaceae have been unsuccessful. The host plant remains unknown.

Synapion benedikti inhabits montane steppe grasslands on calcareous soils from 1500 to about 2100 m a.s.l. ( Figs 50–52 ). The few available specimens indicate that the adults are active from May to September.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Habitus. 1–2: Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti n. sp., 1: ♁ holotype, 2: ♀ paratype.—3–4: Synapion (Giustiapion) falzonii, 3: ♁, 4: ♀, both from Italy: Umbria, Monte Vettore. Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURES 7–16. Head in dorsal, lateral and ventral view. 7–11: Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti n. sp., 7–8: ♁ holotype, 9–11: ♀ paratype.—12–16: Synapion (Giustiapion) falzonii, 12–13: ♁, 14–16: ♀, both from Italy: Umbria, Monte Vettore. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 17–28. Antenna, protarsus, claw, sternite VIII and sternite IX. 17–22: Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti n. sp., 17, 19–22: ♁ holotype, 18: ♀ paratype.—23–28: Synapion (Giustiapion) falzonii, 23: ♁, 24: ♀, both from Italy: Umbria, Monte Cucco; 25–26, 28 (♁) from Italy: Abruzzo, Monte San Franco; 27 (♁) from Italy: Umbria, Monte Vettore.

FIGURES 29–38. Penis in ventral and lateral view, penal apex and tegmen in ventral view, terminal apodeme in lateral view. 29–33: Synapion (Giustiapion) benedikti n. sp., ♁ holotype.—34–38: Synapion (Giustiapion) falzonii, ♁ from Italy: Umbria, Monte Cucco.

FIGURES 39–49. Sternite VIII, gonocoxite in ventral view, stylus in ventral and lateral view, spermatheca. 39–43: Synapion (Giustiapion) benediktin.sp., ♀ paratype.—44–49:Synapion (Giustiapion) falzonii, 44–47:♀ from Italy:Abruzzo, Sant’Eufemia a Maiella, 48–49: ♀ from Italy: Abruzzo, Monte San Franco.

FIGURES 50–53. Habitat of Synapion benedikti n. sp. 50: Greece: Kaliakouda Mts., the type locality (photo: S. Benedikt); 51: Greece: Timfristos Mts., steppe slope (photo: S. Benedikt); 52: Albania: Tomorrit Mts., slope; 53: Albania: Tomorrit Mts., limestone-rocky grassy slope with mixed Stipa sp. and Brachypodium sp.