Acallopistus vellicosus Schoenherr

Haran, Juilen, 2013, Revision of the genus Acallopistus Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae, Nerthopini), Zootaxa 3620 (4), pp. 553-568 : 556-559

1. Acallopistus vellicosus Schoenherr

( Fig. 1 , 4 , 7 a, 13, 19, 20)

Acallopistus vellicosus Schoenherr, 1826 – 250

= A. maculithorax Hustache, 1929 – 508, new synonymy = A. senegalensis Hustache, 1932 – 69, new synonymy

Redescription: 3.0 – 4.5 mm. Oval to elongate-oval; dorsum coated with elongate scales, 5 times longer than broad in widest part, pronotal scales darker and narrower along median line, forming a more or less distinct elongate spot narrowed at apex. Rostrum dark-brown, 2/3 as long as pronotum, densely pitted to apex; quite similar in both sexes, straight and a little longer in females. Scales on top of rostrum oriented backward ( Fig. 4 ), space between apex and antennal insertion with more scattered vestiture; antennae reddish, inserted at apical 1/3, scape straight, clavate only in apical 1/3, club oval; scrobes straight, narrow, parallel-sided. Head transverse, cuticle black, strongly pitted, eyes flat, interocular space finely foveate. Pronotum strongly transverse, wide at base, more than twice as wide as apical margin; sides weakly rounded; hind angles weakly acute, almost square; base bisinuate; punctuation dense, more visible through vestiture on central dark band. Scutellum transverse, pitted. Elytra short, at most 1.5times longer than broad, base barely wider than pronotum; sides weakly rounded and continuing lateral curvature of pronotum; humeri weak, forming a slightly obtuse angle; intervals flat, coated by yellowish gray scales, odd intervals with a series of clear spots sometimes hardly distinguishable; punctures similar to those on pronotum; striae confused in general punctures, not distinguishable through vestiture even at base. Abdominal sternites bearing scattered elongate gray scales. Legs dark brown to reddish, scales a little less dense than on disk; fore-femur with strong triangular tooth with 4 to 6 denticles on external face, these denticules more or less acute and regular; fore tibiae not elbowed, not expended at apex, bisinuate on internal margin, external margin weakly arched, apex internally curved with acute tooth and narrow expansion surmounted by brush of hairs; meso- and meta-thoracic legs unarmed and thinner. Tarsi red-brown. Genitalia 3: median lobe elongate, sides subparallel, a little narrowed at orifice, apex rounded. Distal orificial margin marked and rounded, orificial sclerites narrow, elongate and almost parallel. Flagellum very thin, almost invisible except in basal part, between parameres. Parameres elongate, as long as median lobe ( Fig. 7 a). Ƥ: sternum VIII bilobate at base but not deeply divided, basal line of setae interrupted at centre. Apodemes elongate, thin, longer than arms ( Fig. 13 ).Spermatheca thin and elongate, suddenly narrowed in center, this constriction producing an artificial line dividing the body in two parts. Basal part of body narrow, almost parallel sided. Nodulus and ramus forming two small tubercles at base. Apex of cornu highly variable ( Fig 13 ).

Variation. The coating is highly variable and specimens can be entirely and homogenously gray with the dark band on pronotum and the spots on elytral intervals almost absent. Sometimes the body is entirely dark brown with a slight copper metallic shine ( Fig. 20 ). The elytral length and curvature are also subject to variation. All these variations are encountered throughout all the range with the typical form. The spermathecal variation couldn’t be related to any external morphological character or to geography.

Biology. Various host plants were recorded for this species: Adults were obtained from fruits of Abutilon indicum (Linn.) in India (Pajni & Nanda 1992); adults were also collected on A. hirtum (Lamk.) , Hibiscus spp . and Gossypium spp . (cotton). The life cycle of this species has been studied by Pajni & Nanda (1992) in India. This species is univoltine, adults appear on the host plant during September – October. After mating, the female deposits 6 to 9 eggs in fruits by making a circular hole in the pericarp of the fruits with its rostrum. Larvae develop in one ovary and burrow into the adjacent ones in the latest stages. Pupation takes place within the fruit. After eclosion, adults remain inside the fruit for the hardening and darkening of the cuticle. The new generation appears around the beginning of November and stay one month on the plant before moving to the hibernation site (Pajni & Nanda 1992). Larval stages are parasitized in India by one species of Chalcidoidea and of Braconidae .

Range. Acallopistus vellicosus is a widespread species found across the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan, Arabian Peninsula and throughout the Afro-tropical region ( Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda). Type locality: South-East India, Coromandel Coast (“ Tranquebar ”).

Examined material. BMNH: Arabia Yemen: 13, 1Ƥ (Fry coll.); Jebel Harir, Wadi, 2-XI-1987: 1Ƥ«On dead leaves of Dwarf date-palms» (H. Scott & E. B. Britton). Eritrea, Merara, 11-IV-1955: 1 3, 1Ƥ « on Hibiscus sp. ». India, Tamil Nadu, Nilgiri Hills: 83, 10Ƥ (H. L. Andrewes); Coimbatore, II-1936: 1Ƥ; New Delhi, 14-VIII-1979: 13, 3Ƥ; Mandurai, 14-IX-1989: 13« Host: Abutilon indicans »; Madras, Nagerkoil, XI-1989: 2Ƥ (V. V. Ramamurthy); Madras, Chatrapur, 11-VII-1903: 13 « on Casuarina » (E. P. Stebbing). Kenya, Shimoni, XI-1911: 13 (Cotype A. maculithorax ) (Alluaud & Jeannel); Bakura, 1950: 2Ƥ « Abutilon » (R.H. LePelley). Pakistan, Sherkot, Kohat, 8-IX-1976: 13«feeding in fruits of Abutilon bidentatum ». Sudan, Kadugli, 22-VII-1938: 13; Wad Medani, 20-X-1979: 43 (Gekätschert leg.). Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura, 19/ 21-XII-1910: 13 (A. Luther); Maha Illuppallama, 13-X-1959: 13 « on Abutilon hirtum ». Uganda, Kampala, 17-VII-1928: 13, 1Ƥ «on Abutilon hirtum »; 25-XI-1928: 1Ƥ «On cotton boll»; 14-IX-1932: 43, 1Ƥ (H. Hargreaves). ZMHB: Afr. Or., Moschi: 153, 2Ƥ; D. O. Afr., Kwana, 21-IV-1915: 13, 3Ƥ (Holtz). MNHN: Ethiopia, El Banno, 30-IV-1939: 1Ƥ; Asile, 27-VI- 1939: 13; El Dire, 22-V-1939: 13; El Meti, 14-V-1939: 13, 1Ƥ (Mission Zavatari Sagan-Omo); Abyssinie, 1854: 1Ƥ. Kamerun, Esosung: 13 (Bakossi-Gebirge). Kenya, Côte de Tiwi a Gazi, XII-1911: 13, 1Ƥ (3: LECTOTYPE [here designated] A. maculithorax, Hustache 1929 ); Shimoni, XI-1911: 1Ƥ (Alluaud & Jeannel). Mali, entre Sansandig et Koulikoro, 1900: 13 (A. Chevalier). Niger, Nord de la boucle du Niger, VIII-1910: 13 (J. Vuillet); Monts Bageuzans, Irabellaben, 31-VIII-1926: 1Ƥ (L. Chopard & A. Villiers). Senegal:13, 1Ƥ (3: LECTOTYPE [here designated] A. senegalensis, Hustache 1932 ). Somalia, Ir. Mer., I/ III-1926: 1Ƥ (Mission Panli). Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura: 13 (Dr. W. Horn). SMNH: India, Tamil nadu, Tranquebar: 1Ƥ (LECTOTYPE [here designated] A. vellicosus, Schoenherr 1826 ; Schoenherr coll. specimen n°JLKB000020325); Date and locality unknown; 13 (Varlden coll.).

Synonymies. The study of lectotypes of A. maculithorax and A. senegalensis (designated herein) from the MNHN showed no differences in both internal and external morphology from the lectotype of A. vellicosus from SMNH. Hence both names are here proposed as junior synonyms of A. vellicosus .

Discussion. This species is the least elongate of the genus. It is morphologically similar to A. abutilonis and is easily separated by the presence of a dark line on the pronotum, more or less distinct but always present. The vestiture is also less dense than in A. abutilonis .

The distribution of this species across India and Africa is surprisingly large and might constitute a complex of cryptic species. I consider it here as a single species. Indeed, my observations reveal a strong conservation of the morphology in male genitalia within the entire distribution range of A. vellicosus , and the study of female genitalia did not give stable differences for each geographic region. Such large distributions are also encountered in other species within Curculionidae such as Acythopeus curvirostris (Baridinae) , (Thompson, 1973).

2. Acallopistus abutilonis Marshall ( Fig. 7 b, 13, 21)

Acallopistus abutilonis Marshall, 1950 – 210

Redescription. 3.5 – 4.5 mm. Oval to elongate-oval; coated above and below with elongate pale yellowish scales, entirely concealing integument; scales only 3 times longer than broad; median band of pronotum absent, scales only slightly thinner here. Rostrum dark brown, 2/3 as long as pronotum, densely pitted to apex; weakly curved in males, straighter and longer in females; scales on top of rostrum oriented backwards, space between apex and antennal insertion with scales sparser; antennae reddish, inserted at apical 1/3, scape straight and clavate only in apical 1/3, club oval; scrobes straight, narrow, parallel-sided. Head transverse, cuticle black and strongly pitted, eyes flat, interocular space finely foveate. Pronotum strongly transverse, base bisinuate, wide, more than twice as wide as apical margin; sides weakly rounded; hind angles almost right, weakly acute. Scutellum transverse, rounded and pitted. Elytra short, at most 1.5 times longer than broad, base barely wider than pronotum; sides weakly rounded and continuing lateral curvature of pronotum; humeri weak, forming weakly obtuse angle; intervals flat, concealed by yellowish white scales; striae visible, at least at base. Abdominal sternites very densely coated by recumbent elongate yellowish white scales. Legs dark brown to reddish, scales a little less dense than those on dorsum; fore-femur with a strong triangular tooth with 4 to 6 denticles more or less acute and regular; fore-tibiae not elbowed, not expended at apex, bisinuate on internal margin, external margin weakly arched, apex internally curved with acute tooth and cuticular expansion surmounted by brush of hairs; meso- and meta-thoracic legs unarmed and thinner. Tarsi red-brown. Genitalia 3: median lobe similar to that of A. vellicosus , but more acuminate at apex ( Fig.7 b); Ƥ: sternum VIII and spermatheca similar to A. vellicosus .

Biology. This species has been bred from fruits of species of the genus Abutilon sp., in particular Abutilon hirtum (Lamk.) .

Range. Type locality: Sudan, Khartoum.

Material examinated. BMNH: Sudan, Khartoum, 21-XI-1923: 1Ƥ; 3/ 6-X-1928: 5 3, 4Ƥ«Bred from fruits of Abutilon sp. » (Syntypic series; LECTOTYPE [here designated] A. abutilonis, Marshall 1950 : specimen with the red type label); Tokar, 2-XI-1912: 3 3, 3Ƥ«from bolls of Abutilon graveolus » (= Abutilon hirtum (Lamk.)) , (G.A.K. Marshall Coll.); Sebadi: 12-V-1971, 2Ƥ; Sudan (without locality and date): 1 3.

Discussion. This species is closely related to A. vellicosus and is sometimes difficult to separate from it. The coating is denser than A. vellicosus , scales are broader and clearer. The rostrum in females is longer and straighter than this last species. The pronotum is lacking a longitudinal dark line. Elytra are slightly longer and narrower than A. vellicosus .

3. Acallopistus guttatus Boheman ( Fig. 2 , 5 , 8 , 14 , 23 )

Acallopistus guttatus Boheman, 1835 – 454

= Hoploparoxus pardalis Gyllenhal, 1835 – 152.

Redescription. 2.3 – 3.2 mm. Elongate-oval; body covered by elongate scales, 4 to 5 longer than broad, yellowish gray to yellow-ocher; odd intervals with a series of 5 clear spots more or less apparent; median band of pronotum dark, usually with two white spots. Rostrum black, 2/3 as long as pronotum, broad and straight in males, slightly thinner and arched in females; scales thin, not concealing the integument, present until antennal insertion where they progressively disappear; apex smooth, glabrous; scales of basal third of rostrum oriented transversely to median line; antennae reddish, inserted at apical 1/3, scape straight and clavate from middle, not reaching eyes; club oval and acuminate; scrobes straight, narrow, parallel-sided. Head transverse, eyes flat, interocular space finely foveate and a little more than half as wide as rostrum in middle of length; cuticle of front and vertex reddish (visible through the scales). Pronotum transverse, base bisinuate, twice broader than apical margin, sides weakly rounded in basal half and obliquely converging in apical half, straggled at apex; hind angles almost square, a little acute; puncture strong and dense, apparent through the scales. Scutellum rounded, weakly transverse, pitted. Elytra elongate, almost twice longer than broad, the base distinctly broader than pronotum;sides subparrallel; humeri subsquare usually with a spot of clear scales; intervals flat, puncture thinner than those on pronotum; striae stronger at base, hardly distinguishable through vestiture. Basal ¼ of intervals 3 and 4 weakly raised. Abdominal sternites coated with scattered hair-like grayish scales, sternite 5partly or entirely reddish. Legs bicolor: femora brown-black; tarsi, tibiae and apex of femora bright red: fore-femur with strong triangular toothwith5 to 6 denticles; meso- and meta-femora unarmed and thinner. Fore tibiae compressed, internally elbowed a little before middle of its length, apical half expanded, almost twice broader than basal half; apex internally curved with cuticular expansion, surmounted by acute tooth. Tarsi red-brown. Genitalia 3: median lobe short, sides apically convergent, a little narrowed at orifice, apex rounded. Flagellum thick, short and weakly curved to right in dorsal view of the median lobe. Distal orificial margin apparent and straight. Orificial sclerites larges, acuminate. Parameres as long as the median lobe ( Fig.8 ).Ƥ: sternum VIII with basal plate deeply divided, each arms wearing line of erected setae. Apodemes expanded and bilobate at apex. Spermatheca thin and elongate, base of body almost parallel sided, apical part narrowing toward the apex; nodulus and ramus forming two close sclerotized expansions ( Fig. 14 ).

Variation. the vestiture of this species is quite variable in density and coloration. Some specimens are uniformly covered by yellowish gray scales, with clear spots on odd intervals almost absent.

Range. South Africa, Cape. Type locality: Cape Province (original term: Caffraria).

Biology. no data.

Material examined. BMNH: South Africa, Cape Province, Mossel Bay, IX-1924: 2Ƥ; X-1938: 3 3, 6 Ƥ; Lion’s Head, Cape Town, VIII-1920: 1 3; Aliwal North, XII-1922: 1Ƥ; Worcester, I-1929: 1Ƥ (R. E. Turner Coll.); Locality unknown, XI-1909: 1 3; Cape of Good Hope, 1906; 1 3 (G.A.K. Marshall coll.); Cape: 1 3, 1Ƥ (Fry coll.); Locality and date unknown: 1 3 (Pascoe Coll.). MNHN: Cape de Bonne Esperance, 1835: 1 3, 5 Ƥ labeled « A. vellicosus » (Hustache Coll.). SMNH: South Africa, Cape: 33, 1Ƥ (3 LECTOTYPE [here designated] A. guttatus Boheman 1835 , Schoenherr coll., specimen n°JLKB000020327); Locality unknown: 13, 1Ƥ (Chevrolat coll.).

Synonymies. The genera Acallopistus and Hoploparoxus have been put in synonymy (Alonzo-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999). I put here in synonymy the two species H. pardalis and A. guttatus as the consequence of this transfer. The type specimen of H. pardalis is absent the Schoenherr collection, but the description of this species refers to the widespread and variable species A. guttatus , and has been collected in the same area.

Discussion. This species is morphologically related to A. dissimilis : tibiae and apex of femora are shiny red, contrasting with the base of the femora. Acallopistus guttatus can be separated from this species by the 5 to 6 denticles on the external face of the profemoral tooth. The body is also smaller, coated with a less contrasting vestiture and the fore-tibiae are slightly wider than in A. dissimilis .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Fore tibiae of Acallopistus species: 1 — A. vellicosus Schoenherr; 2 — A. guttatus Boheman; 3 — A. crassirostris Hustache.

FIGURES 4 – 6. Rostrum shape and orientation of rostrum scales: 4 — A. vellicosus Schoenherr; 5 — A. guttatus Boheman; 6 — Acallopistus dentirostris sp. n.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Median lobe, dorsal and lateral view. 7 a — A. vellicosus Schoenherr; 7 b — A. abutilonis Marshall; 8 — A. guttatus Boheman; 9 — A. fallax Boheman; 10 — A. dissimilis sp. n.; 11 — A. crassirostris Hustache; 12 — A. hibisci sp. n.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Spiculum VIII and spermathecae. 13 — A. vellicosus Schoenherr (and A. abutilonis Marshall); 14 — A. guttatus Boheman; 15 — A. dissimilis sp. n.; 16 — A. hibisci sp. n.; 17 — A. crassirostris Hustache; 18 — Acallopistus dentirostris sp. n.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Photographs of: 19 – 20 — Acallopistus vellicosus Schoenherr (amplitude of vestiture variation); 21 — A. abutilonis Marshall; 22 — A. fallax Boheman; 23 — A. guttatus Boheman; 24 — A. dissimilis sp. n.