Brachysomus (Hippomias) mikati Košťál, 1992

Yunakov, Nikolai, 2022, A review of the genus Brachysomus Schoenherr (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), Zootaxa 5193 (1), pp. 1-165 : 60-61

Brachysomus (Hippomias) mikati Košťál, 1992

Figs. 59 , 156 , 215 , 239B

Brachysomus mikati Košťál, 1992: 45 . Type locality: Bulgaria, Belasica.

Redescription. Measurements: Body length 1.75–2.25 mm, width 1.05–1.35 mm. Vestiture: Body and external surface of legs very densely covered with lanceolate, grayish-brown scales. Elytral interstriae with erect setae forming 1–2 rows, length of setae uniform across elytra, 2x shorter than width of interstriae. Pronotum and head with suberect or almost recumbent setae. Antennae and tarsi with erect, widened apically setae and thin, pale hairs. Ventrites evenly covered with hairs and piliform scales. Colouration: Body, legs and antennae brown.

Head: Rostrum conical, narrowed from base to middle, parallel-sided to apex, weakly longer than wide or as long as wide (L/W = 1.00–1.09). Pterygia distinctly projecting from outline of rostrum, externally straight. Epifrons convex longitudinally, separated from vertex by distinct transverse depression. Vertex flat, integument rugose. Eyes small, weakly convex, with dorsal margin situated almost at level of vertex. VW/ELD in male = 2.00–2.30, in female—2.30–2.70.

Antennae: Scape distinctly curved, evenly widened distally; funicular antennomeres: 1st and 2nd strongly elongate, 1st noticeably larger than 2nd; 3rd–6th as long as wide; 7th transverse; club egg-shaped.

Thorax: Pronotum transverse [PL/PW = 0.78–0.85 (0.82)], weakly constricted anteriorly, evenly convex at sides, densely, finely, and shallowly punctate; disc weakly constricted. Elytra at base weakly wider than width of pronotal base, their ratio equals 1.11–1.20. Elytra: oval or broadly-oval, some times almost globose, convex at sides and at disc (L/W = 1.19–1.31). Striae very narrow, punctures weakly separated, 2x narrower than interstriae; interstriae distinctly convex. Legs: Tibiae straight externally, weakly sinuate internally. Fore tibiae not widened at apex. Hind tibiae weakly mucronate. Second tarsomere weakly transverse, 3rd with large lobes. Fifth fore tarsomere extending beyond apical lobes of 3rd by 0.86–1.14 length of the lobes. Abdomen: Male 5th ventrite, strongly, evenly convex, without depression near apex, with apical margin straight; 5th ventrite in female with posterior margin rounded. Male genitalia: Median lobe short, slightly sclerotized, 1.5x shorter than apodemes, evenly wide in middle part and short narrowed in apical ¼ part; endophallus with two kinds of spiculae: acute and obtuse; endophallic sclerite with small lobe and large thorn at apex. Spermatheca with short collum and long ramus.

Diagnosis. Brachysomus mikati is closely related to B. albanicus , but differs from it in small, strongly convex eyes (VW/ELD = 2.00–2.70; in B. albanicus —1.70–1.90); eyes situated noticeably lower than level of vertex; pronotum distinctly constricted near anterior margin; body with spatulate erect setae; anterior half of pronotal disc rather squamulate and setose.

Distribution. Bulgaria, Greece (Drama).

Bionomics. Thi species inhabits leaf litter in mountain Castanea - Fagus forests at 800–1000 m a.s.l.

Material examined. BULGARIA: 12♂, 10♀, ‘Pelasiza, S Petritsch, W Hütte Belasiza, 810 m, Gesiebe Castanea-Fagus-Wald, 41°21′53″N, 23°11′04″E, 4.v.2000 L. Zerche, L. Behne leg. (SDEI); 2♂, ‘Golesovo, Slavianka Planina, 23.v.2005, P. Bialooki leg.’ (MMc). GREECE: 17♂, 21♀, Drama, Falacro Mts., N-Hang, Fagus- Wald, oberh. Valakas, 10.iv.2000 / 1100 m, 41°16′43″N, 23°59′38″E, L. Behne leg. (SDEI).

Figures

FIGURE 215. Brachysomus mikati: A: aedeagus; B: endophallic sclerite; C: tegmen; D: spermatheca; E: head; F: hind tibia of male; G: scales of elytra.

FIGURE 239. Occurrence map of Brachysomus: A: Brachysomus s. str.; B: subgenus Hippomias.

FIGURES 57–62. Brachysomus, dorsal habitus: 57: B. albanicus. 58: B. commutatus. 59: B. mikati. 60: B. ponticus. 61: B. simulans. 62: B. rhinomioides.

FIGURES 156–163. Brachysomus and Nanomias, details: 156, 157: Scaling of anterior margin of pronotum, indicated by arrow: 156: B. mikati. 157: B. albanicus. 158: Nanomias skodai. 159: idem, head dorsal view. 160: idem, head lateral view. 161: B. merkli, male. 162: idem, head dorsal view. 163: idem, head lateral view.