Mecinus pirazzolii (Stierlin)

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 : 60-61

33. Mecinus pirazzolii (Stierlin)

Figs 31 , 83 , 102 , 132

Gymnetron pirazzolii Stierlin, 1867: 225 . Desbrochers des Loges, 1893: 49. Reitter, 1907: 19; 1916: 226. Stöcklein, 1950: 277. Smreczyṅski, 1976: 27. Lohse & Tischler, 1983: 264.

Mecinus pirazzolii (Stierlin) . Caldara, 2001: 183.

Gymnetron schwarzi Letzner, 1872: 11 . Desbrochers des Loges, 1893: 49. Stöcklein, 1950: 277.

Gymnetron schwarzi Rottenberg, 1873: 204 (non Letzner).

Gymnetron conirostre Desbrochers des Loges, 1875: 32 ; 1893: 49. Reitter, 1907: 19.

Gymnetron lebedevi Roubal, 1926: 248 . Stöcklein, 1950: 277.

Type locality. Domodossola (Piemonte, Italy) .

Type series. We examined two syntypes (DEIM) labelled respectively “874 / Domodossola / Coll. Stierlin / Syntypus ” (male, lectotype here designated) and “Domodossola / Coll. Stierlin / Syntypus ” (female, paralectotype).

Synonyms. As opposed to what is generally reported, a taxon named Gymnetron schwarzi was described not only by Letzner (1872) but independently also by Rottenberg (1873), both from specimens collected by Schwarz at Breslau (currently Wroclaw in Poland). Desbrochers des Loges (1893) considered Letzner's species as sinonimous with M. pirazzolii . We agree with this opinion based on both Letzner's and Rottenberg's original descriptions and through the study of some specimens labelled with this name by Letzner (MNHN).

Desbrochers des Loges (1875) described G. conirostre without an indication of the type locality; subsequently he considered this taxon as a variety of M. pirazzolii , adding that his species was collected in southern Russia (Desbrochers des Loges 1893). We agree with Desbrochers des Loges' opinion after the study of two syntypes: a male in Desbrochers des Loges' collection (MNHN) labelled “ conirostre Db., Derbent ” (lectotype here designated) and a female (DEIM) labelled “49 Db / Russ. mer. / Syntypus ” (paralectotype).

Gymnetron lebedevi was described from two specimens from Eupatoria ( Ukraine). After study of a female syntype (HNHM) labelled “ Krim, Eupatoria, Tauria gub., 8.VI.1907 / leg. Jakovlev [cards written in Cyrillic too] / Paratypus, 1926, Gymnetron (Aprinus) Lebedevi Roubal [an arbitrary museal designation] / Lebedevi m. i. l. / Coll. Reitter ” (lectotype here designated), we agree with Stöcklein's opinion (1950), which placed this species in synonymy with M. pirazzolii .

Redescription. Male. Length 1.7 mm. Body: short, oval, stout ( Fig. 31 ). Rostrum: black with reddish apex, very short (Rl/Pl 0.44), subconical; in lateral view straight, distinctly narrowed from base to apex; in dorsal view with convergent sides, scrobes not visible, distinctly striate-punctured to near apex, with wide sulcus along midline, in basal three quarters with recumbent to erect, somewhat dense, white and light brown, long to very long (l/w 8–20), seta-like scales. Head: frons moderately narrower than rostrum at base, without fovea; eyes weakly convex. Antennae: reddish with dark bron club, short, inserted just in front of middle of rostrum; scape short, 2.5x longer than wide; funicle slightly longer than scape, segment 1 1.2x longer than wide, distinctly stouter and 1.2x longer than segment 2, which is 1.4x longer than wide, segment 3 about as long as wide, segments 4 and 5 distinctly transverse; club short, oval, segment 1 almost glabrous. Pronotum: blackish, with dense and regular punctures, intervals between punctures smaller than punctures, smooth and shining, somewhat visible between recumbent to erect, moderately dense, white (distinctly more numerous along midline and sides) and light brown, very long (l/w 10–20), seta-like scales; moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.26), with sides moderately rounded, with weakly prominent apical constriction, widest at base, weakly convex. Elytra: reddish except base and oblique band in apical half between interstriae 2 and 6, which are black; very short (El/Ew 1.17), at base moderately concave, with sides weakly rounded from base, moderately wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.30), widest in basal third, weakly narrowed in basal half, moderately convex on disc; interstriae moderately visible between somewhat dense, whitish, long to very long (l/w 8–20), seta-like scales, which are recumbent (more numerous and arranged in more irregular rows) to erect (arranged in a somewhat regular single median row), the recumbent ones 1–1.5x, the erect ones 1.5–2.5x longer than width of interstria; striae moderately visible, one third narrower than interstriae, with a row of scales slightly thinner than shorter ones covering interstriae. Legs: stout, with suberect to erect, sparse, whitish, seta-like scales, which are partly longer than width of tibia; femora reddish and blackish, unarmed; tibiae reddish, short, apex of outer surface of protibiae distinctly directed outward, with teeth of outer apical margin of tibiae blackish, stout, with two brown teeth, those of meso- and metatibiae weakly directed outward, apex of anterior margin of protibiae forming a weakly oblique angle; unci black, stout, all equal in length, distinctly directed outward; tarsi reddish, tarsomere 1 1.5x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 about as long as wide, tarsomere 3 bilobed and distinctly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium as long as tarsomeres 1–3 taken together; claws blackish brown, equal in length, fused in basal half. Venter: metasternum black, clearly visible between sparse, whitish, long, seta-like scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna with sparse, whitish, seta-like scales and some wide, fringed scales; abdomen black, with recumbent to suberect, dense and regular punctures, which are clearly visible between sparse, whitish, seta-like scales; ventrites length ratio 1–2/3–4 2,40. Penis: fig. 132.

Female. As in male except rostrum weakly longer (Rl/Pl 0.48) ( Fig. 83 ), tibiae shorter and with outer margin more distinctly directed outward ( Fig. 102 ), with teeth of the outer apical margin stouter. Sternite 8 and spermatheca: as in M. simus ( Figs 151 and 166 ).

Variability. Length 1.6.2.0 mm. In some specimens elytral interstria 1 is black, forming an anchor-like pattern, joining with the oblique band which sometimes reaches the basal third of interstria 6. In some specimens the elytra are completely reddish. The scales of the dorsal vestiture are sometimes shorter than those described. The pronotum may be more or less transverse (Pw/Pl 1.20–1.28) and subquadrate, with the sides rectilinear in the basal two thirds.

Remarks and comparative notes. This taxon differs from the closely related M. simus by the eyes weakly convex, the pronotum widest at its base, trapezoidal in shape and almost flat, the elytra short, with the seta-like erect scales shorter and at least with only one oblique blackish band at apical third, the teeth of the outer apical margin of tibiae blackish and stouter especially in female, the uncus of protibiae very stout and directed distinctly outward.

Biological notes. This species lives on Plantago indica (= P. arenaria W. & K.) ( Koch 1992).

Distribution. Eastern central Europe, south-eastern Europe, Turkey.

Non-type specimens examined. POLAND: Karlowitz , Letzner leg. (20. DEIM; 2, MNHN) . Ukraine : 5 km S Sennoe, 29.VI.1989, Wittmer leg. (1, NHMB) . GERMANY: Bayern, Brand , 10.VII.1929, on Plantago arenaria (2, MNHN) ; Brandenburg, leg. Smreczy ṅski (1, CPCM) ; Brandenburg, Alte Oder , Letzner leg. (40. DEIM) . SLOVAKIA: Chotin , 5.VI.1979, Lunev leg. (1, NHMB) . HUNGARY: Hungary , Merkl leg. (2, MSNM) . ITALY: Piemonte, Novara, San Nazzaro Sesia , 17.V.1958, Pescarolo leg. (1, RCCM) ; Liguria, Savona, Pietra Ligure , 21.V.1914, Baliani leg. (1, MSNM) ; Emilia Romagna, Ferrara, Bosco della Mesola, V.1954 , Magnano leg. (1, LMCP) ; Emilia Romagna, Ferrara , Porto Garibaldi , VIII.1962, Magnano leg. (1, LMCP) ; Emilia Romagna, Forlì, Miramare , 16.IX.1963 (1, LMCP) ; Emilia Romagna, Ravenna, Pineta , 4.VI.1922, Zangheri leg. (1, MSNM) . ALBANIA: Durres, VII. 1957, Vesely leg. (1, CPCM) . GREECE: Macedonia, Vrondous Mt., 10 km E Serres, Nadai, Podlussány & Székely legg. (1, APCB) . ROMANIA: Constanta or., Istria , 2.V.2009, Kresl leg. (4, JKCH; 7, PKCJ) . BULGARIA: Černo More, Arkutino , 22.VI.1978, Angelov leg. (4, GOCA; 1, MMCT) ; Malnik , 22.VI.1983, Borovec leg. (2, RBCS) ; Micurin , 20.VI.1989, Angelov leg. (1, GOCA) ; Nessebar , VI–VII.1965, Ermisch leg. (3, ZMHB) ; Kresna , 9.VII.1984, Kadlec leg. (1, RBCS) ; Strandza, Boljarovo , 20.VI.1978, Angelov leg. (7, GOCA; 4, MMCT) ; Strandza, Slivovo , 20.VI.1978, Angelov leg. (2, GOCA; 3, MMCT) . TURKEY: Besika Bay (4, BMNH) .

Figures

FIGURES 28–36. Habitus of (28) Mecinus baridioides; (29) M. comosus; (30) M. simus; (31) M. pirazzolii; (32) M. vulpes; (33) M. pipistrellus; (34) M. collaris; (35) M. sicardi; (36) M. janthinus. Not to the same scale.

FIGURES 78–87. Rostrum in lateral and dorsal view of (78) Mecinus comosus, male; (79) idem, female; (80) M. collaris, female; (81–82) M. simus, female; (83) M. pirazzolii, female; (84) M. pipistrellus, female;; (85) M. vulpes, female; (86) M. sicardi, male; (87) idem, female. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 98–107. Male right protibia in anterior view of (98) Mecinus pascuorum; (99) M. tanaiticus; (100) M. comosus; (101) M. simus; (102) M. pirazzolii; (103) M. vulpes; (104) M. pipistrellus. Male right profemur of (105) M. pascuorum; (106) M. ictericus. Right antenna of (107) M. paratychioides.

FIGURES 121–132. Penis in dorsal and lateral view of (121) Mecinus desertorum; (122) M. marina; (123) M. henrici; (124) M. alternans; (125) M. reichei; (126) M. tanaiticus; (127) M. circulatus; (128) M. humeralis; (129) M. pyraster; (130) M. comosus; (131) M. simus; (132) M. pirazzolii. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 144–156. Sternite 8 of (144) Mecinus pascuorum; (145) M. caucasicus; (146) M. marina; (147) M. reichei; (148) M. humeralis; (149) M. circulatus; (150) M. pyraster; (151) M. simus; (152) M. collaris; (153) M. janthinus; (154) M. lixoides; (155) M. sicardi; (156) M. heydenii. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 157–171. Spermatheca of (157) Mecinus pascuorum; (158) M. caucasicus; (159) M. haemorrhoidalis; (160) M. labilis; (161) M. marina; (162) M. elongatus; (163) M. reichei; (164) M. circulatus; (165) M. pyraster; (166) M. simus; (167) M. comosus; (168) M. lixoides; (169) M. janthinus; (170) M. heydenii; (171) M. collaris. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.