Acicnemis laeta Hubenthal, 1919

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 laeta Hubenthal, 1919

Figs 1 , 2 B , 6 G 1–6 , 2 , 18

Type material examined

( Taiwan: 71). Lectotype (designated here). Taiwan • Fuhosho , “ IX. 07–09 ”, Sauter, SDEI, SDEI Muncheberg Col 20204, bears the original red label reading “ Syntypus ” as well as a new, red lectotype label reading “ LECTOTYPE / Acicnemis laeta / Hubenthal, 1919 / Det. Lewis & Kojima, 2025 ” . Paralectotypes. Taiwan • Fuhosho , “ IX. 07–09 ”, Sauter (22, SDEI), SDEI Muncheberg Col 18617–18623 & 20199–20203 & 20205–20214, all bear a red label reading “ Syntypus ” and new, yellow paralectotype labels ; • Hoozan , “ 08–10 ”, Sauter (18, SDEI), SDEI Muncheberg Col 18624–18632 & 20215–20223, all bear a red label reading “ Syntypus ” and new, yellow paralectotype labels ; • Kosempo , Sauter (2, SDEI), SDEI Muncheberg Col 18633–18634, bear a red label reading “ Syntypus ” and new, yellow paralectotype labels .

Non-type material.

Taiwan • Lingui , 18. VI. 1979, S. Nakamura, W. Chen (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_526 ; • Pi Shan Spa, Tai Tung Hsein , 2. VI. 1987, K. Baba (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_527 , JHL_AREV_528 ; • Guandaoxi , I. VI. 1973, K. Kojima (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_529 , JHL_AREV_530 ; • Jihyueh-tan, Nantou Hsein , 12. V. 1977, H. Fujita (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_531 ; • Kenting Park, Pingtung Hsein , 11. V. 1970, M. Takagi (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_532 ; • Nanshanchi, Nantou Hsein , 7. V. 1977, T. Niisato (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_533 ; • Liu Kui , 28. III. – 10. IV. 1986, K. Baba (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_534 , JHL_AREV_535 ; • Kenting, Pingtung Hsein , 2. IV. 1965, S. Ueno (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_536 , JHL_AREV_537 ; • Nanshanchi , 30. IV. 1965, T. Nakane, T. Shirozu (2, KUM), JHL_AREV_538 , JHL_AREV_539 ; • Nanshanchi, Nantou Hsein , 12. VII. 1966 (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_540 ; • Shyk Shan, near Liu Kui , 25. IV. 1986, K. Baba (1 dissected male, KUM), JHL_AREV_541 ; • Nanshanchi , 3. V. 1979, K. Emoto (1, KUM), JHL_AREV_664 ; • Lienhoachi , 12. V. 1975, S. Imasaka (1, TUA), JHL_AREV_665 ; • “ community park ”, 28. X. 1976 (1, TUA), JHL_AREV_666 ; • Nantou, 24. V. 1983, K. Ra, (1, HUM), JHL_AREV_773 ; • Wushe , 29. IV. – 3. V. 1983, H. Townes (3, CMNC), JHL_AREV_669 – JHL_AREV_671 ; • Liukei, Kaohshiiung , 29. IV. – 8. V. 1982, H. Takizawa (3, HUM), JHL_AREV_675 – JHL_AREV_677 ; • near Liukuei, Kaohsiung Hsien , 5–9. IV. 1995, H. Kojima (1, TUA), JHL_AREV_690 ; • “ Formosa ”, T. Kano (1, NMNS), JHL_AREV_680 ; • Kao ; • Nanshan Riv. Trail, Ren’ai Township , Nantou County, 18–19. X. 2017, K. Narita (2, KUM), JHL_DNA_124 (GenBank accession number: PV 255630 ), JHL_AREV_125 (GenBank accession number: PV 255631 ) .

Diagnosis.

Body length 4.1–5.8 mm. Covered in pale brown scales, with alternating white and black scaled bands on odd elytral intervals. Scutellum covered in yellow to brown scales. Only odd elytral intervals with erect scales. Sclerolepidia distinct and protruding. Posterior edge of prosternum with prominent projections contiguous with the fore-coxae (Fig. 2 B ). Third tarsomeres distinctly emarginate. Pedon with lateral edges approx. parallel in dorsal view, but converging evenly into a moderately acute point in apical 1 / 2. Internal sac protruding and with two bead-shaped sclerotized structures in basal 1 / 2, and a vase-shaped structure in apical 1 / 2 with roughened musculature (Fig. 6 G 1 – 2 ).

Distribution.

We only encountered this species from Taiwan. The records from Japan and the Kuril Islands ( Russia / Japan) noted in Alonso-Zarazaga et al. (2023) are almost certainly erroneous and this species may have been confused with A. azumai . This species may plausibly occur in mainland Asia ( China) (listed as occurring there by Alonso-Zarazaga et al. (2023)), but we have yet to examine any specimens of A. laeta from this region.

Remarks.

This species is superficially quite similar to A. azumai , but differs in pronotal, prosternal, and genital morphology.

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 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 18. Acicnemis laeta Hubenthal, 1919 (JHL _ AREV _ 773). A. Lateral; B. Dorsal. Scale bar: 1 mm.