Chryasus persimilis Prena, 2024

Prena, Jens, 2024, Consolidation of Aniops Casey, Psiona Casey, Preglyptobaris Bondar and Prospoliata Hustache with Chryasus Champion (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Baridinae) and descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 5492 (1), pp. 1-24 : 19

17. Chryasus persimilis Prena , new species

( Figs. 7, 24, 46)

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CC09D1B3-9FFE-4F8C-9EB7-89E95A43BA2F

Diagnosis. This species is most similar to C. carinulosus , C. montyi and C. taironius . They all have similar body proportions and similar male genitalia (unknown for C. carinulosus ). Chryasus clunis is another superficially similar species with the same color, but it is less elongate and the male has a tumid distal ventrite. Chryasus persimilis can be distinguished from all these by its stout rostrum and femora, which measure distinctly less than twice the head diameter.

Description. Total length 1.9–2.5 mm, width 0.8–1.1 mm (n=24); reddish brown, elytron somewhat brighter; body oblong ovate with protruding humeri and curved sides; rostrum 2x as long as eye; pronotum nearly as long as wide, interspaces forming indistinct oblique ridges between non-confluent punctation, flank with larger and more distant pits in smooth area; elytron 2.1x longer than pronotum, disc at base with very subtle transverse depression, interstriae ridged, metaventrite neither modified nor sexually dimorphic, male ventrites 1, 2 and 5 depressed medially and with erect squamulae; femora with 1 distinct and several minute denticles ( Fig. 7); male genitalia as Fig. 24, endophallus with long, flexible flagellum.

Material examined. Holotype male, labeled “Est. Pitilla, 700 m, 9 km S Sta. Cecilia , P.N. Guanacaste, Prov. Guan., COSTA RICA, C. Moraga, Jul 1991, L-N-330200, 380200”, “INBIO CRI000 358585” ( MNCR) . Paratypes (18 males, 5 females): COSTA RICA . Alajuela: Bosque Eterno de los Niños, Estac. Pocosol , 20.–26.vi.2011, J. Prena, 1 dissected male, 1 female ( JPPC) . Guanacaste: same data as holotype, CRI000 358595, 1 female ( MNCR) , same data as holotype except 4.–25.xi.1991, CRI000 497850, 1 male ( MNCR) , 1.–15.vii.1992, CRI000 690288, CRI000 690310, 2 males ( MNCR) , 6.– 12.3.1996, J. Prena, 2 males ( CMNC) , 6 males, 2 females ( JPPC) , 2 males ( NHMUK) . Heredia: 3 km S Puerto Viejo, Estac. La Selva , 28.vi.1985, H. Hespenheide, 2 males ( JPPC 1 , MNCR 1 ) , 1.xii.1993, M/14/288, INB0003672898, 1 female ( MNCR) . Puntarenas: P.N. Manuel Antonio, XII/1991, G. Varela, CRI000 464544, 1 dissected male ( MNCR) . PANAMÁ. Cerro Campana , 28.4.1973, H. Hespenheide, 1 dissected male ( JPPC) .

Life history. I found this species in numbers on a flowering, unidentified Melastomataceae in an open habitat at the Pitilla field station, together with C. cavernosus .

Etymology. The name is a Latin adjective.