Mecinus janthiniformis Toševski & Caldara, 2011

Caldara, Roberto & Fogato, Valter, 2013, Systematics of the weevil genus <i> Mecinus </ i> Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I. Taxonomic treatment of the species, Zootaxa 3654 (1), pp. 1-105 : 70

40. Mecinus janthiniformis Toševski & Caldara

Mecinus janthiniformis Toševski & Caldara, 2011: 750 .

Type locality. Streževo ( Macedonia).

Type series. This species was described from 43 specimens from Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria (for detailed data see Toševski et al. 2011).

Redescription. As in M. janthinus , except: body generally larger (length 3.2–6.0 mm); apical part of the rostrum in female in lateral view more curved ( Fig. 89 ); punctures of pronotum slightly smaller, more densely adpressed; scales of elytral interstriae denser, arranged in two rows on part of several interstriae. Body of penis with sides slightly more abruptly narrowed in subapical part, towards apex ending in form of subtruncate tip ( Fig. 139 ).

Remarks and comparative notes. The separation of M. janthiniformis from M. janthinus at species level was clearly shown based on very careful biological and genetic studies (Toševski et al. 2011). Unfortunately these two species are cryptic and easy identification is only possible by collecting the specimens together with its host plant. However the subtle differences between these two taxa listed above allow for the separation of almost all museum specimens from south-eastern Europe, where they are usually sympathric.

Biological notes. The host plants of M. janthiniformis are Linaria genistifolia (L.) Miller and L. dalmatica (L.) Miller. Adults emerge in early April and feed intensively on the apical leaves and the apical part of new shoots. Copulation takes place in April and first oviposition can be observed at the beginning of May. The egg-laying period lasts from May until mid-July. In contrast to M. janthinus , M. janthiniformis females oviposit either on the upper part of the central stem, or on the basal part of lateral flowering branches. As a result of oviposition and larval development, the plant induces a slightly elongated gall-like alternation in which larval development will take place inside a relatively short larval chamber (about 1 cm long). During development, larvae continuously feed on the gall-like tissue from the chamber walls. Similar to M. janthinus , M. janthiniformis is heavily parasitized by the endoparasitic wasp Entedon sparetus , which can reduce population densities of this weevil by more than 80% (Toševski et al. 2011).

Distribution. Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey. A small number of adults have been collected on L. dalmatica in Macedonia and introduced to North America in 1992–1993 as M. janthinus (I. Toševski and A. Gassmann unpublished data; Wilson et al. 2005).

Non-type specimens examined. HUNGARY: Mt. Villányi, Mariágyüd , 28.V.2006, Škoda leg. (1, JKCH) . ROMANIA: Comana Vlasca , Montandon leg. (10, MSNM) . BULGARIA: Arkutino, Chasekijata , 25.VI.1981, on Linaria sp. , Košťál leg. (2, MKCB) . GREECE: Macedonia, Athos Mt. , Schatzmayr leg. (1, MSNM) ; Macedonia, Florina , 1000 m, 31.V.2001, Benedikt leg. (1, SBCP) . TURKEY: Hakkari, Danin-Danin Gec. , 2200 m, 1.VI.1987, Schönmann & Schillhammer legg. (1, NHMW) .

Figures

FIGURES 88–97. Rostrum in lateral view of (88) Mecinus kaemmereri, female; (89) M. setulosus, male; (90) M. janthinus, male; (91) idem, female; (92) M. barbarus, male; (93) idem, female; (94) M. dorsalis, male; (95) idem, female; (96) M. tavaresi, male; (97) idem, female. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 133–143. Penis in dorsal and lateral view of (133) Mecinus vulpes; (134) M. pipistrellus; (135) M. collaris; (136) M. lixoides; (137) M. sicardi; (138) M. janthiniformis; (139) M. barbarus; (140) M. janthinus; (141) M. heydenii; (143) M. tavaresi; (142) M. aubei. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.