Cryptolarynx muellerae Haran, 2023

Haran, Julien M., Marvaldi, Adriana E., Benoit, Laure, Oberlander, Kenneth, Stals, Riaan & Oberprieler, Rolf G., 2023, Revision of the enigmatic South African Cryptolaryngini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), with description of a new genus and twenty-two new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 877 (1), pp. 1-89 : 18-22

4. Cryptolarynx muellerae Haran sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0650659E-5354-4EA3-A832-2E093387BCE8

Figs 1D , 2D , 3D , 4D , 5D

Differential diagnosis

Cryptolarynx muellerae sp. nov. has the general appearance of the species in the C. vitis group, but the male can be distinguished from these by its wider forehead, the absence of a mucro on the metatibiae and its non-constricted parameroid lobes. Among other species of the genus, it is the only species with long metatibial setae that has a body length of less than 2.5 mm.

Etymology

Cryptolarynx muellerae sp. nov. is dedicated to our colleague Ruth Müller, entomologist and collection manager at the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History in Pretoria, who provided substantial support in accessing the collection under her care and for the loan of specimens that have made this study possible. The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive case.

Material examined

Holotype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; “S. Afr., W. Cape Prov. [REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Western Cape], [Vanrhynsdorp S], Wiedouw farm. 31.43S - 18.43E [31.717° S, 18.717° E]” “ 18.8.1983; E-Y:1942. grassnetting [sweeping]. leg. Endrödy [-Younga] & Penrith ” “Holotype. Cryptolarynx muellerae Haran 2023 ”; TMSA.

Paratypes REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Western Cape • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; CBGP • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; TMSA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; SANC.

Description (♂)

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 2–2.2 mm.

COLOUR AND VESTITURE. Body integument black, antennae, tibiae and tarsi reddish. Dorsal vestiture (pronotum + elytra) consisting of short, recumbent, subtriangular clothing scales, 2× as long as wide, subcontiguous on elytral interstriae, and longer, suberect scales, at least 4× as long as wide, in each strial puncture; scales creamy-white and brown; pale scales usually concentrated laterally on pronotum and elytra and on transverse band at apical ⅔ of elytra.

HEAD. Forehead wider than epifrons near antennal insertions, as wide as width of an eye, scales not concealing integument. Eyes flat, in dorsal view only slightly exceeding outline of head, surrounded by a ring of short pale scales, those on forehead directed towards occiput; distance between eye and scrobe as large as width of antennal club. Epifrons narrow, distance between antennal insertions 0.5× length of scape, scales at least 3× as long as wide, suberect, overlapping. Frons with single pair of long lateral setae. Epistome without single median seta. Antennal funicles with segments 1–2 elongate, 2× as long as wide; 3–4 slightly longer than wide, compressed, slightly angular on inside; 5–6 globular; 7 transverse.

PRONOTUM. Strongly transverse (W:L ratio 1.4), almost semicircular in dorsal view, widest near midlength, sides arcuate; width of apex 0.7 × width of base.

ELYTRA. Globular to broadly ovate, isodiametric to slightly longer than wide (W:L ratio 1.0–0.9), sides convex, widest near midlength.

LEGS. Tibiae with black apical mucro; protibiae with both outer and inner margins straight; metatibiae with inner fringe of long setae, the setae longer than segment 5 of metatarsus. Tarsi with segment 2 isodiametric or slightly wider than long.

ABDOMEN. Ventrite 1 slightly concave, bearing plumose scales in impression; other surfaces with overlapping creamy-white scales, partly concealing integument.

TERMINALIA. Body of penis moderately elongate (W:L ratio 0.4), 0.7 × as long as temones, sides straight, subparallel, converging abruptly near apex; curvature in profile weak and regular, dorsoventrally narrowed before apex. Copulatory sclerite weakly sclerotised or not discerned in examined specimens. Parameroid lobes separate, divided by a deep median notch, each lobe parallel-sided, rounded at apex; distal margin setose, two setae long, exceeding length of others. Spiculum gastrale with basal arms regularly curved, right arm laterally angulate.

Sexual dimorphism

The sexes can be distinguished by their body shape (more globular in male, more broadly ovate in female) and the width of the forehead (slightly wider than epifrons in male, nearly 2× wider in female).

Life history

Unknown. All known specimens of this new species were collected by sweeping vegetation.

Distribution

The species is only known from the type locality, near Vanrhynsdorp in the Western Cape Province ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

Fig. 1 (Part I) (next page). Habitus of males of species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966 (dorsal view). A. C. vitis (Marshall, 1957). B. C. subglaber Haran sp. nov. C. C. squamulatus Haran sp. nov. D. C. muellerae Haran sp. nov. E. C. hirtulus Haran sp. nov. F. C. robustus Haran sp. nov. G. C. namaquanus Haran sp. nov. H. C. carinatus Haran sp. nov. I. C. variabilis Haran sp. nov. J. C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957). K. C. pyrophilus Haran sp. nov. L. C. pilipes Haran sp. nov. Not to scale.

Fig. 2 (Part I) (next page). Male genitalia of species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966. Penis in dorsal and lateral view (left), tegmen in dorsal view (middle) and details of apex of a parameroid lobe and spiculum gastrale in dorsal view (right). A. C. vitis (Marshall, 1957). B. C. subglaber Haran sp. nov. C. C. squamulatus Haran sp. nov. D. C. muellerae Haran sp. nov. E. C. hirtulus Haran sp. nov. F. C. robustus Haran sp. nov. G. C. namaquanus Haran sp. nov. H. C. carinatus Haran sp. nov. I. C. variabilis Haran sp. nov. J. C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957). K. C. pyrophilus Haran sp. nov. L. C. pilipes Haran sp. nov. Not to scale.

Fig. 3 (Part I) (next page). Habitus of males of species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966 (lateral view). A. C. vitis (Marshall, 1957). B. C. subglaber Haran sp. nov. C. C. squamulatus Haran sp. nov. D. C. muellerae Haran sp. nov. E. C. hirtulus Haran sp. nov. F. C. robustus Haran sp. nov. G. C. namaquanus Haran sp. nov. H. C. carinatus Haran sp. nov. I. C. variabilis Haran sp. nov. J. C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957). K. C. pyrophilus Haran sp. nov. L. C. pilipes Haran sp. nov. Not to scale.

Fig. 4 (Part I) (next page). Head of males of species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966. A. C. vitis (Marshall, 1957). B. C. subglaber Haran sp. nov. C. C. squamulatus Haran sp. nov. D. C. muellerae Haran sp. nov. E. C. hirtulus Haran sp. nov. F. C. robustus Haran sp. nov. G. C. namaquanus Haran sp. nov. H. C. carinatus Haran sp. nov. I. C. variabilis Haran sp. nov. J. C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957). K. C. pyrophilus Haran sp. nov. L. C. pilipes Haran sp. nov. Not to scale.

Fig. 5 (Part I). Ventrites of males of species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966. A. C. vitis (Marshall, 1957). B. C. subglaber Haran sp. nov. C. C. squamulatus Haran sp. nov. D. C. muellerae Haran sp. nov. E. C. hirtulus Haran sp. nov. F. C. robustus Haran sp. nov. G. C. namaquanus Haran sp. nov. H. C. carinatus Haran sp. nov. I. C. variabilis Haran sp. nov. J. C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957), with details of a cuticular carina (white arrows). K. C. pyrophilus Haran sp. nov. L. C. pilipes Haran sp. nov. Not to scale.

Fig. 13. Distribution maps of species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966 and Hadrocryptolarynx Haran gen. nov.