Endeochetus parvus, Colonnelli, 2014

Colonnelli, Enzo, 2014, Apionidae, Nanophyidae, Brachyceridae and Curculionidae except Scolytinae (Coleoptera) from Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54, pp. 295-422 : 409-410

Endeochetus parvus sp. nov.

( Figs 131, 134 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J ( NMPC), ‘ Yemen, Socotra island // Homhil, protected area // open woodland with Boswellia & // Dracaena trees; 10-11.vi.2012 // 12°34.5′N, 54°18.5′E, 360-500 m’, ‘ Socotra expedition 2012 // J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, // P. Kment, I. Malenovský, // J. Niedobová & L. Purchart leg.’. PARATYPE: 1 ♀, same label data as holotype ( NMPC).

Description. Male holotype. Body length 4.4 mm. Dark ferruginous, just little shining, rather coarsely punctured, rostrum, legs and antennae paler, posterior two thirds of pronotum brownish. Dorsal vestiture on rostrum composed of sparse half-recumbent golden-brownish small hair-like centripetal scales; head bare; pronotum with sparse almost recumbent elongate curved brownish hair-like scales pointing forward; elytra with row of similar shorter scales sparse on intervals; some recumbent more or less elongate yellowish scales form pattern of Fig. 131 ; legs with sparse almost recumbent golden setae; basal two thirds of femora and internal margin of tibiae apicad of dilatation with long erect golden setae. Ventral side very densely and coarsely punctured with fairly sparse rather short suberect golden setae ( Fig. 131 ).

Head. Rostrum 0.67× as long as pronotum, regularly and strongly curved, coarsely punctured, basal half tricarinate, both lateral carinae just little converging towards base, punctures confluent on sides of thin keel of basal half, whereas just basad of antennal insertion rostrum becomes 5-keeled up to antennal insertion; in dorsal view rostrum moderately dilated apicad of basal fifth, then its side converging up to little apicad of antennal insertion, then they are barely concave up to near apex, where they are slightly dilated. Antennae inserted at middle of rostrum; scape almost straight and slightly and gradually clubbed; funicular antennomere I barely thicker than following ones and little longer than II; antennomeres II to VII progressively slightly shorter, last one moderately transverse and annexed to club which is suboval and as long as two preceding antennomeres. Head convex, minutely punctured, interocular space as wide as little more than half of rostral width at base. Eyes elongate oval, flat.

Pronotum 1.10 times as long as wide, slightly constricted near truncate apex, base barely bisinuous, disc rather flat on apical half and impressed in front of scutellar area, with large coarse round punctures; sides regularly rounded, maximum width at middle. Scutellum invisible.

Elytra 1.45 times as long as wide and 1.78× as pronotum, dorsum flat and slightly impressed on basal third, then quite moderately convex on apical declivity, base slightly concave, sides only slightly curved on basal two thirds then moderately converging towards apex, maximum width at apical third. Striae of large subquadrate punctures. Interstriae almost flat and barely wider than striae, with rugose and irregular punctures, III, V and VII hardly convex at base.

Legs moderately elongate; femora strongly clubbed and acutely toothed, densely and coarsely punctured; tibiae compressed, curved at extreme base then almost straight, punctured, outer margin keeled, inner one dilated at basal third, concave and strongly serrate apicad of widening; tarsi narrow, tarsomere III not bilobed.

Ventral side. Tubercles on basal margin of prosternum posteriorly to coxae small but quite acute; metaventrite and abdominal ventrites I and II with large shallow common impression.

Male genitalia. Aedeagus as depicted in Fig. 134 .

Variability. The female is almost identical to the male, apart from its rostrum a little thinner and longer and its lack of ventral depression. The anterior left tibia and tarsus, the right ungular tarsomere, and both mesotibiae are missing. Body length 4.0 mm.

Differential diagnosis. Although quite similar to other Socotran Endeochetus , this new species is readily set apart by its small size and not strongly shining surface. See the key below for differences from other species of the genus.

Etymology. The species name, Latin adjective parvus (- a, - um) meaning ‘small’, was chosen in reference to the tiny size of the new species.

Distribution. Endemic to Socotra Island.

Figures

Figs 131–138. 131, 134 – Endeochetus parvus sp. nov., holotype: 131 – habitus; 134 – broken aedeagus in dorsal view. 132–133, 135 – Endeochetus minimus sp. nov.: 132 – habitus of the holotype; 133 – habitus of the holotype in side view; 135 – aedeagus of a paratype in dorsal view. 136–138 – Hagherius sculptus sp. nov.: 136 – habitus of a female paratype; 137 – aedeagus of the holotype in dorsal view; 138 – spermatheca of a paratype.