Acicnemis maculaalba Roelofs, 1875

Lewis, Jake H., Kojima, Hiroaki & Campbell, Erin O., 2025, A Japan-focused review of East Asian Acicnemis Fairmaire, 1849 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) reveals cryptic diversity in a well-studied region, ZooKeys 1259, pp. 103-167 : 103-167

Acicnemis maculaalba Roelofs, 1875

Figs 1 , 2 G , 3 D , 6 I 1–6 , 2 , 20

Type material examined

( Japan: 50). Holotype. Japan • unknown locality, “ 1910–320 ”, G. Lewis, bears a circular white, red-bordered label reading “ Type H. T. ”, NHMUK 015024192 .

Non-type material.

Japan: Fukuoka Prefecture: • Mt. Homan , 15. V. 1975, H. Irie (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_583 , misidentified A. luteomaculata paratype ; Kagoshima Prefecture: • Sata ( Osumi), Magome-Odomari , 28. V. 1952, Esaki & Hirashima (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_556 ; • Kuchinoshima , 26. VI. – 3. VII. 1969, H. Makihara (3, KUM), JHL_AREV_557 – JHL_AREV_559 ; • Akuseki Island , 30. VII. 1969, M. Sakai (4, KUM), JHL_AREV_560 – JHL_AREV_563 ; • Nakanoshima , 25. IV. – 2. V. 1975, H. Irie (4, KUM), JHL_AREV_564 – JHL_AREV_567 ; • Amami-Oshima, Hatsuno , 12. VI. 1963, J. Nagao (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_570 ; • Yakushima Island, Miyanoura , 26. VII. 1974, T. Mikage (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_571 ; • Funayuki, Yakushima Island , 26. VII. 1989, M. Satoshi (1, CMIC), CBM ZI 159703 ; Kochi Prefecture: • Okinoshima ( Tosa Province ), 28. VI. – 2. VIII. 1953, K. Morimoto & K. Sugimoto (5, KUM), JHL_AREV_551 – JHL_AREV_555 ; Mie Prefecture: • Mie University Forest , Ichishi-gun, 11. VI. 1956, M. Ichihashi (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_546 , JHL_AREV_547 ; Miyazaki Prefecture: • Mt. Aoidake , 6. V. 1976, K. Morimoto, Z. Kuranaga, A. Iwasaki, N. Yoshida (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_590 ; Okinawa Prefecture: • Komi, Iriomote Island , 14. III. 1997, M. Chujo (1, KUM), JHL_SYN_143 ; • Iriomote Island , 28. V. 1962, K. Kojima (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_545 ; • Yonahadake , 8–29. VI. 1977, H. Irie (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_568 , JHL_AREV_569 ; • Hiji , Okinawa Island, 3. VII. 1974, T. Mikage (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_572 , JHL_AREV_573 ; • Yona , Okinawa Island, 15. VI. 1970, H. Makihara (1, KUM), JHL_SYN_142 ; • Yona , Okinawa Island, 29. VI. 1976, H. Makihara (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_574 ; • Mt. ufudaki , Kohama Is., 29. V. 2022, S. Imada, (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_777 ; • Mantabaru , Yonaguni Island, 25–27. V. 2022, S. Imada (3, KUM), JHL_AREV_575 – JHL_AREV_577 ; • Omoto-dake , Ishigaki Island, 30. VI. 1974, T. Mikage (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_578 ; • Mt. Banna , Ishigaki Island, 23–26. V. 1990, K. Morimoto (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_579 ; • Shirahama , Iriomote Island, 31. VIII. – 5. IX. 1969, H. Makihara (3, KUM), JHL_AREV_580 – JHL_AREV_582 ; • Funaura , Iriomote Island, 1. X. 1978, S. Azuma (1, RUMC), JHL_AREV_713 ; • Nakagusuku Park , Okinawa Island, 26.28557°N, 127.79491°E, 3–17. II. 2016, OKENT 0068361 (GenBank accession number: PV 255635 ) (1, OIST) ; • Yona Field , Okinawa Island, 26.73974°N, 128.23598°E, 8–22. VII. 2016, OKENT 0050489 (GenBank accession number: PV 255634 ) (1, OIST) ; • Toyko District: Oji-ike , Miyake Island, 5–7. IV. 2010, J. Aoki (6, KUM), JHL_AREV_584 – JHL_AREV_589 ; • Sato , Mt. Kurosa – Kitakao-san, Mikura-jima Island, 2. VI. 1979, J. Okuma (1 dissected male, KUM), JHL_AREV_426 ; Wakayama Prefecture: • near Mt. Ohtoh , 13. VI. – 7. VIII. 1980, I. Matoba (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_548 , JHL_AREV_549 ; • Mt. Ohtoh , 16–19. VII. 1982, H. Makihara (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_500 .

Diagnosis.

Body length 2.6–5.0 mm. Covered in pale and dark brown scales, with two obliquely shaped pale brownish, black-bordered spots across middle of elytra. Pronotum lacking impunctate longitudinal midline (present in A. koguma ). Scutellum small, bordered by pale, yellow scales, and weakly bare dorsally or covered in scales (Fig. 3 D ) (compare with A. kiotoensis which possesses a large, broad, bare scutellum). Odd, 2 nd, and 4 th elytral intervals with erect scales. Sclerolepidia indistinct, forming low, rounded, non-protruding tubercles. Third tarsomeres emarginate (Fig. 2 G ) (as opposed to truncate, as in A. koguma ). Pedon with lateral edges approx. parallel in dorsal view but converging in distal 1 / 2 evenly into a blunt point. Pedon stout (pedon length / total aedeagus length including temo = 0.2). Internal sac protruding and with roughened musculature across length; with two bent, tube-like sclerotized structures anteriorly at its apex (Fig. 6 I 1 – 2 ).

Distribution.

This species occurs broadly throughout Japan (mainland Japan and Ryukyu Islands) and Taiwan and is also recorded from China by Alonso-Zarazaga et al. (2023).

Remarks.

Acicnemis maculaalba forms a species group with A. sauteri . The association of A. maculaalba and A. sauteri is supported by morphology and weakly ( BS: 38) by our CO 1 gene tree. See also A. cordata Remarks section.

Figures

Figure 1. Maximum likelihood tree of twelve Acicnemis species based on a 300 base-pair long CO 1 gene fragment constructed in IQ-TREE v. 1.6. 12 using a GTR + F + I + G 4 model. Branch support values represent standard nonparametric bootstraps (1000 replicates). Bootstrap values less than 75 are not displayed on the tree. The codes MEBLA 191-14, VVGPL 2845-15, and OWEVG 891-15 are BOLD Systems accession numbers, whereas all other codes are GenBank accession numbers. Associated Acicnemis weevil figures on the right of the tree are approximately to scale.

Figure 2. Diagnostic morphological characters in Acicnemis. A. A. azumai Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995 (JHL _ ACITAI _ 081) showing lack of prominent posterior prosternal projections; B. A. laeta Hubenthal, 1919 (JHL _ AREV _ 533) showing prominent prosternal projections; C. A. kiotoensis Nakane, 1963 (JHL _ AREV _ 982) showing antenna with the second funicular antennomere longer than antennomeres 3 + 4; D. A. koguma Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov. (JHL _ SYN _ 141) showing antenna with the second funicular antennomere shorter than antennomeres 3 + 4; E. A. luteomaculata Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995 (JHL _ AREV _ 189) showing truncate third tarsomere; F. A. ryukyuana Lewis, 2023 (JHL _ ACI _ 011) showing weakly emarginate third tarsomere; G. A. maculaalba Roelofs, 1875 (JHL _ AREV _ 577) showing strongly emarginate third tarsomere.

Figure 3. Scutella and pronota of various Acicnemis species. A. A. azumai Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995 (JHL _ ACITAI _ 081) showing two bare (unscaled) tubercles baso-medially on the pronotum; B. A. kiotoensis Nakane, 1963 (JHL _ AREV _ 982) showing a broad, unscaled scutellum; C. A. koguma Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov. (JHL _ SYN _ 141) showing a bare, but more slender scutellum than A. kiotoensis; D. A. maculaalba Roelofs, 1875 (JHL _ AREV _ 577) showing a small scutellum covered in scales; E. A. palliata Pascoe, 1872 (JHL _ AREV _ 779) showing a larger scutellum that is shiny and bare dorsally, and surrounded along the perimeter by yellow scales; F. A. shigematsui Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995 (JHL _ ACITAI _ 052) showing a smaller scutellum covered in scales.

Figure 6. Aedeagi of Acicnemis. A 1–2. A. albofasciata (Ter-Minasian 1953); B 1–2. A. azumai Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995; C 1–2), A. cryptica Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov.; D 1–2. A. dividicincta Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995; E 1–2. A. exilis Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995; F 1–2. A. kiotoensis Nakane, 1963; G 1–2. A. laeta Hubenthal, 1919; H 1–2. A. luteomaculata Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995; I 1–2. A. maculaalba Roelofs, 1875; J 1–2. A. nobilis Hubenthal, 1919; K 1–2. A. nohirai Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995; L 1–2. A. palliata Pascoe, 1872; M 1–2. A. postica Hubenthal, 1919; N 1–2. A. ryukyuana Lewis, 2023; O 1–2. A. sauteri Hubenthal, 1919; P 1–2. A. shibatai Voss, 1971; Q 1–2. A. shigematsui Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1995; R 1–2. Acicnemis sp. 1; S 1–2. A. squamata Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov.; T 1–2. A. suturalis Roelofs, 1875.

Figure 20. Acicnemis maculaalba Roelofs, 1875 (JHL _ AREV _ 777). A. Lateral; B. Dorsal. Scale bar: 1 mm.