Austromonticola mataura Brown

Brown, Samuel D. J., 2017, Austromonticola, a new genus of broad-nosed weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) from montane areas of New Zealand, ZooKeys 707, pp. 73-130 : 89-91

Austromonticola mataura Brown sp. n. Figs 3, 4, 19, 20, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 104, 105, 116

Diagnosis.

Body size medium, 4 mm in length. Venter with glossy appressed scales, pappolepidia sparse. Elytral declivity of females with sutural tubercle; margin of ventrite 3 with paired median processes; margin of ventrite 4 produced into a lamina, with deep median emargination; margin of ventrite 5 with a broad horn on either side of the genital opening.

Description.

Body length 3.42 mm to 4.11 mm (X‒ = 3.80 mm, s = 0.25, n = 13). Integument black. Dorsum densely covered with light bluish grey to dark greyish yellow appressed scales with metallic reflections; frequently with pale mottling sublaterally, and with scutellum, humeral area and hind pronotal angles bluish white; elytral declivity slightly paler than disc, especially in males. Pappolepidia of mesothoracic sternites light yellow. Femora appressed scales concolorous with elytral scales, often with obscure pale band in distal 1/4. Tarsi with integument deep orange to strong red. Rostrum. Length 0.72 mm to 0.88 mm (X‒ = 0.84 mm, s = 0.06, n = 8), width 0.52 mm to 0.66 mm (X‒ = 0.57 mm, s = 0.05, n = 7), length/width ratio 1.35 to 1.68 (X‒ = 1.57, s = 0.11, n = 7). Epifrons with appressed scales imbricate; setae claviform, decumbent, concolorous; median carina weak; lateral carinae evident. Dorsal carinae arched over antennal insertions. Lateral area ventral of antennal insertions with fine setae, without appressed scales. Antennae. Scapes in repose reaching middle of eyes. Funicular segments moderately articulated; segments 1 and 2 clavate, subequal, about 2 times longer than 3; segments 3 and 4 clavate, subequal; segments 5 to 7 subspherical, subequal. Pronotum. Length 1.06 mm to 1.18 mm (X‒ = 1.13 mm, s = 0.04, n = 8), width 1.61 mm to 2.16 mm (X‒ = 1.88 mm, s = 0.18, n = 7), length/width ratio 0.80 to 0.92 (X‒ = 0.86, s = 0.04, n = 7); in dorsal view widest in anterior 1/3, lateral margins strongly curved to widest point, gently curved behind. Anterior margin entire, posterior margin straight. Disc in dorsal view uneven, weak median furrow present, anterolateral depressions vague; appressed scales tessellate to imbricate; setae claviform, decumbent to semi-erect, concolorous. Postocular lobes poorly developed. Elytra. Length 2.30 mm to 3.04 mm (X‒ = 2.79 mm, s = 0.23, n = 8), width 1.61 mm to 2.16 mm (X‒ = 1.88 mm, s = 0.18, n = 7), length/width ratio 1.39 to 1.58 (X‒ = 1.48, s = 0.07, n = 7). Anterior margin curved posteriad in middle, humeral angles rounded. Appressed scales tessellate to imbricate. Setae claviform, decumbent to semi-erect, concolorous. Interstriae 1 at elytral declivity flat in males, produced into tubercles in females. Interstriae 3 raised at base; swollen at elytral declivity in both sexes, though more pronounced in females. Interstriae 5 at elytral declivity swollen in both sexes. Humeral region strongly pronounced by deeply impressed striae 9. Apex in lateral view square in males, produced ventrad in females. Thoracic ventrites. Mesoventral process narrowly rounded. Mesanepisterna, mesepimera and metanepisterna covered with small pappolepidia, contrasting with metaventrite densely covered with appressed scales. Abdomen. Ventrites clothed almost exclusively with appressed scales; ventrites 1 and 2 densely clothed in females, scales dense laterally and sparser medially in males; ventrites 3 to 5 increasingly sparse. Males with ventrite 1 depressed medially; ventrite 5 flat. Females with ventrite 1 flat; ventrite 4 posterior margin produced into a lamina, usually with a deep median emargination (Fig. 104, 105) but variably shallower to entire; ventrite 5 disc with median furrow, deeply emarginate with a broad horn on either side of emargination. Apex narrowly rounded. Male genitalia. Fig. 85-88. Hemisternites with spiculum relictum slender. Penis with apex acute, upturned; ostial region thickened, forming a crest. Endophallus with gonoporial sclerite small, anterior and posterior lobes reduced. Temones 0.71 times as long as pedon. Female genitalia. Fig. 89-92. Distal gonocoxites slender, 3.1 times longer than high. Proximal gonocoxite with rods recurved distally. Bursa copulatrix long; not constricted anterior of proximal gonocoxite; sclerite small, semicircular. Sternite 8 narrow, apex acute, membranous laterally.

DNA sequences.

COI. KX191347, KX191348, KX191349. 28S. KX191917, KX191918, KX191919. ArgK. KX191629, KX191630, KX191631. CAD. KX191088, KX191089, KX191090.

Type material examined.

Holotype. Female (NZAC). Specimen mounted on card teardrop; abdomen removed, dissected and mounted in DMHF on white card below specimen; otherwise entire. Labelled 'NEW ZEALAND OL / Mt Dick / Kingston / 17 Jan 2014 / SDJ Brown’ [printed, cream card], 'On Phyllachne cushion / 1690 m / 45.2652°S 168.6870°E ' [printed, cream card], ' Irenimus taxonomy / and systematics / SDJ Brown / PhD Thesis 2012-2015 / IRE4775' [printed, cream card], 'HOLOTYPE / Austromonticola / mataura / Brown 2017 ' [printed, red card]. Genomic DNA extract from enzyme digestion of abdomen: E200 (NZAC). CAD sequence KX191089; COI sequence KX191348; ArgK sequence KX191630; 28S sequence KX191918.

Paratypes. A total of 21 specimens (9 males, 12 females) designated as paratypes, bearing blue paratype label. Paratype specimens deposited in AMNZ, ANIC, NHM, CMNZ, IACC, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC, USNM.

OL: Mt Dick [45°15.564'S, 168°40.926'E, R], 17 Jan 2014, Brown SDJ, 1600 m, On Dracophyllum muscoides cushion (AMNZ: 1, LUNZ: 2, MONZ: 2, NZAC: 1); Mt Dick [45°15.696'S, 168°41.016'E, R], 17 Jan 2014, Brown SDJ, 1680 m, On Phyllachne cushion (NHM: 1, USNM: 1); Mt Dick [45°15.81'S, 168°41.148'E, R], 17 Jan 2014, Brown SDJ, 1710 m, On Raoulia haastii (LUNZ: 1, USNM: 1); Mt Dick [45°17.112'S, 168°41.19'E, R], 16 Jan 2014, Brown SDJ, 1570 m, On Phyllachne cushion (ANIC: 1); Mt Dick [45°18.264'S, 168°41.496'E, R], 16 Jan 2014, Brown SDJ, 1510 m, On Phyllachne cushion (AMNZ: 1, ANIC: 1, NHM: 1, CMNZ: 1, LUNZ: 1, NZAC: 1); Symmetry Peaks [45°16.928'S, 168°34.56'E, A], 8 Jan 1987, Barratt BIP, 1750-1860 m (IACC: 1); Upper Mataura Valley [45°19.734'S, 168°26.07'E, A], 17 Jan 1971, 1524 m, Moss (NZAC: 3).

Distribution.

Fig. 116. South Island: OL: Eyre Mountains; Mt Dick.

Elevational range.

Label data: 1270 m to 1805 m (X‒ = 1580 m, s = 107, n = 23). Georeferenced data: 878 m to 1682 m (X‒ = 1479 m, s = 254, n = 23).

Etymology.

This species is named after its distribution in the headwaters of the Mataura River; the name is a noun in apposition. The word mataura is Māori, of obscure meaning. Mataura was an ancestor of Ngatoro-i-rangi, the priest of the Arawa canoe. It may mean 'glowing face', which is appropriate for its collection localities thus far have been on the eastern slopes of the Eyre Mountains.

Biology.

Collected from Raoulia hectorii Hook.f., 1864, (recorded as R. haastii Hook.f., 1864, in error), moss, Dracophyllum muscoides Hook.f., 1864, and Phyllachne cushions. The majority of specimens were collected from Phyllachne .