Metapocyrtus nacolod, Cabras & Senarillos & Ibañez, 2023

Cabras, Analyn A., Senarillos, Tristan Luap P. & Ibañez, Jayson C., 2023, Two New Species of Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 (Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from Leyte Island, Philippines, Ecologica Montenegrina 67, pp. 66-76 : 67-69

Metapocyrtus nacolod sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:148906C8-0E96-491E-B637-B84E7EA8F33D

Figs 1 A–D

Holotype ♂ ( Figs 1 A & C ), labeled: “ Philippines – Eastern Visayas / Leyte Island / Province of Southern Leyte / Mt. Nacolod / Municipality of Silago / Barangay Catmon / Sep. 2022 / coll. T. L. P. Seranillos (typed on white card) // HOLOTYPE male / Metapocyrtus nacolod sp. nov. / Cabras, Senarillos, & Ibañez, 2023 (typed on red card)” (Presently in TIRL, will be deposited in PNM) . Paratypes 2 ♂, 1 ♀: same data of the holotype (all in TIRL) .

Diagnosis. Metapocyrtus nacolod sp. nov. is related to Metapocyrtus lindabonus Schultze 1922 , Metapocyrtus kuehli Cabras, Villanueva & Medina, 2021 , and Metapocyrus dagtum Cabras, Torrejos & Medina, 2021, all from Mindanao Island but can easily be distinguished for having a broad subtriangular scaly patch of iridescent turquoise adpressed round scales with a golden-yellow sheen on each side of discs, and three broad transverse bands of similar scales in the elytra. Additionally, Metapocyrtus nacolod has a stouter median lobe and median lobe’s apodeme that is almost 5x longer compared to the median lobe of the previously mentioned species. The new species is similar to Metapocyrus dagtum for the shape of its pronotum but is similar to Metapocyrtus lindabonus , and Metapocyrtus kuehli for its elytral profile and scaly markings. Due to the chaotic subgeneric classification of Metapocyrtus , we refrain from assigning this species to a particular subgenus.

Description. Male. Dimensions (in mm): LB 11.1-12.0 (11.1 Holotype), LR 2.1 (2.1 Holotype), WR 1.6 (1.6 Holotype), LP 3.5- 4.0 (4.0 Holotype), WP: 5.0mm (5.0 Holotype), LE 7.5- 7.9 (7.5 Holotype), WE 6.0-6.1(6.0 Holotype). N = 3

Coloration. Integument black. Body surface, rostrum, head, and underside moderately shiny.

Head. Dorsal surface between the eyes mostly covered with iridescent turquoise round and ovate adpressed scales with golden-yellow sheen, interspersed with colored piliform scales; lateroventral side below the eyes mostly covered with iridescent turquoise ovate and narrowly elliptical adpressed scales with golden-yellow sheen, and similarly colored piliform scales; forehead between eyes nearly flattish with distinct but short median furrow confluent with the transverse groove; eyes medium-sized and moderately convex.

Rostrum moderately longer than wide (LR/WR: 2.1 mm / 1.6 mm), moderately rugose on anterior 2/3 rd and mostly covered with iridescent turquoise round scales with golden-yellow sheen interspersed with recumbent turquoise piliform scales; apical 1/3 rd mostly smooth with fine punctures, each puncture with very fine setae; transverse basal groove deep but not reaching lateral margin, dorsum with a distinct median furrow extending towards anterior 2/3 rd forming a very shallow medial concavity; dorsally nearly flat but slowly raised towards anterior 2/3 rd then abruptly declined towards apex. Antennal scape slightly longer than funicle, scape reaching beyond the hind margin of eyes, sparsely covered with adpressed colored setae, funicle with suberect brownish setae. Funicular segment I nearly as long as II, segments III-V as long as wide; segments VI-VII slightly longer than wide, club sub-ellipsoidal.

Prothorax subglobular, broadly truncate at base, wider than long (LP/WP: 4.0 mm/5.0 mm), smooth and finely punctate with very minute sparse setae, widest at middle, weakly convex on dorsal surface. Prothorax with following scaly markings of iridescent turquoise adpressed round scales with golden-yellow sheen and sparse pale lavender adpressed round scales: a) thin stripe at anterior margin, b) broad subtriangular scaly patch pointed anteriorly on each side of discs, and c) broad stripe on lateral side confluent posteriorly with the subtriangular patch, and confluent anteriorly with the thin stripe through a very narrow subtriangular patch.

Elytra narrowly ovate (LE/WE: 7.5 mm /6.0 mm), longer than wide and nearly twice longer and slightly wider than prothorax (WE/WP: 6.0 mm/5.0 mm, LE/LP: 7.5 mm /4.0 mm), striate punctate near suture but punctures become irregular towards dorsolateral sides, dorsal contour weakly convex with gradual apical declivity, lateral contour evenly arcuate with uniformly tapered apicad, widest at middle, apex slightly pointed with white setae. Each elytron with following scaly markings of iridescent turquoise adpressed round scales with golden yellow sheen: a) a basal band from stria I towards the lateral margin, b) slightly crooked band at middle from stria I towards lateral margin, and c) one subtriangular scaly patch on apical third, with or without space at the center.

Legs with moderately clavate femora. Femora black covered with turquoise piliform scales and with sparse minute turquoise elliptical scales near the apex. Fore tibiae covered with subadpressed brownish setae and yellow-orange piliform scales on outer margin, inner edge with suberect yellow setae, and weakly serrate with few prominent denticules. Mid and hind tibiae are covered with yellowish setae on the inner margin and with minute piliform scales on the outer edge. Fore tibiae and mid tibiae bear a mucro at the apex. Tarsomeres with adpressed white piliform scales and suberect brown pubescence. Coxae covered with metallic turquoise lachrymiform scales and golden yellow piliform scales. Mesothorax with sparse turquoise and golden yellow round scales. Metathorax densely covered with overlapping mint green and golden yellow recumbent round scales. Mesoventrite with sparse turquoise piliform scales. Metaventrite and Ventrite I flat and weakly rugose with sparse golden yellow piliform scales. Ventrite II with sparse golden yellow setae.

Male genitalia as shown in Figs 4 A–C .

Female. Dimensions: LB: 12.0mm, LR: 2.0 mm, WR: 1.6 mm, LP: 3.0 mm, WP: 4.8 mm, LE: 9.0 mm, WE: 7.0 mm.

Females differ from males in the following: a) elytra longer, and significantly wider and more convex than males, b) scaly marks dominated by pale yellow-green scales with red-orange sheen, c) elytral marks consist of three irregular patch at the base confluent with each other, four premedian spots, one post median spot, one elongated scaly postmedian patch on lateral side, premedian lateral marginal stripe extending towards the apex, and a postmedian sutural stripe confluent at apex with lateral marginal stripe and c) ventrite I slightly convex on disc. Otherwise, female is similar to male.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a toponym referring to the type locality in Mt. Nacolod, Southern Leyte, Philippines.

Distribution. Metapocyrtus nacolod sp. nov. is known so far from Mt. Nacolod, Southern Leyte, Philippines.

Figures

Figure 1 A–D. Metapocyrtus nacolod sp. nov. A male holotype, dorsal view B female paratype, dorsal view C ditto, male, lateral view D ditto, female, lateral view.

Figures 4 A–F. Male genitalia of Metapocyrtus species: A–C Metapocyrtus nacolod sp. nov. D–F Metapocyrtus silago sp. nov.; A, D aedeagus in lateral view B, E idem. in dorsal view C, F sternite IX in dorsal view.