Cionus pardus Marshall, 1941

Caldara, Roberto & Košťál, Michael, 2023, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Afrotropical Species Of The Weevil Genus Cionus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Zootaxa 5288 (1), pp. 1-98 : 38-41

19. Cionus pardus Marshall ( Figs 19a–f )

Cionus pardus Marshall, 1941: 28 .

[ var. maculithorax Voss, 1960: 13 ] unavailable name

Type locality. Newlands (Western Cape, South Africa).

Type series. This species was described based on 18 specimens collected in various localities near Cape Town. In BMNH we examined the holotype, glued on the same card with its cocoon labelled “Type [round white card with red margins] / Cape Penins. Newlands / Reared from larva feeding on Native Plant / Pres. by Imp. Inst. Ent. B.M. 1941-13 / Cionus pardus Mshl. TYPE. ♁” and nine paratypes labelled as follows: “Rosebank Capetown, C.G.H., 24 nov. ‘07 / Cionus pardus, Mshl. Cotype ♀ ” (two specimens); “idem, Cotype ♁”; “Wynberg, VIII: 98 / Cionus pardus, Mshl. Cotype ♁”; “ Cape Penin., Claremont, 2.X.1948, C.P., Lorensburg / Cionus pardus, Mshl. Cotype ♁”; “Claremont, C.P.L., 2:5:98 [sic] / Cionus pardus, Mshl. Cotypes ” (three specimens on the same card); “ Cape plate / Cionus pardus, Mshl. Cotype ♁”. It is noteworthy that in the original description Marshall did not mention the presence of spots of dark scales on the pronotum.

Synonyms. Voss (1960) described the “var. n. maculithorax ” of C. pardus based on 14 specimens collected in various localities in SW Africa (currently Namibia): Tugab, Abachaus, Ongombeanavita, and Okahandja, preserved in coll. Freude (Zoologische Sammlung des Bayerischen States, München) and coll. Voss. As highlighted by the name, according to Voss it should differ from the typical form by the presence of dark spots on the pronotum not mentioned by Marshall. Voss explicitly gave it infrasubspecific rank describing a new subspecies on the same page. Therefore, according to the Art. 45.6.4 of ICZN (1999), and its elucidation by Lingafelter & Nearns (2013), the name “ maculithorax ” must be considered unavailable. Some of the above mentioned 14 specimens mentioned are still deposited in the Zoologisches Museum der Universität Hamburg ( Weidner, 1976). We did not examine these specimens. In SANC we examined one specimen collected in the type locality (Abachaus) by the same collector (Hobohm), but at another date. It is a specimen of C. tristis and corresponds very well to its original description.

Diagnosis. Pronotum with two moderately pronounced protuberances and six spots of dark scales. Elytra densely covered with yellowish scales and with maculae on odd interstriae formed by dark scales. Ventrites covered with dense, moderately elongated scales, in male with very few hair-like scales intermixed along midline. Claws distinctly asymmetrical in male.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 19a–b ). Body: robust, oblong. Head: rostrum moderately stout, short (Rl/Rw 3.61–3.67, Rl/Pl 1.18–1.22), black, in lateral view moderately curved, distinctly angular at antennal insertion, then slightly tapered to apex, in dorsal view parallel-sided; striate-punctate with subtle longitudinal carina in midline, densely covered to near apex with sparse, subrecumbent, elliptical, moderately long (l/w 5–7) light brown scales. Head between eyes moderately narrow, 0.4× as wide as rostrum at base. Eyes flat. Antennae dark brown, inserted between middle and apical third; scape long (l/w 12); funicle slightly shorter than scape, S1 moderately robust, slightly more robust than S2, 2.0× as long as wide, S2 2.5 × as long as wide, S3–5 as long as wide; club oblongly oval, shorter than funicle, uniformly pubescent. Pronotum: black, with small and regular punctures completely hidden by dense, recumbent, moderately long (l/w 5–7), rectangular light brown scales, with 4–6 spots formed by dark brown scales, usually four transversely aligned at middle third and the other two at anterior margin; conical, moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.42–1.48), widest at base, with very slightly rounded sides, weakly convex, with two small lateral protuberances. Prosternum: anterior margin distinctly emarginated. Scutellar shield: heart-shaped, completely covered with light brown scales similar in color and shape to those on interstriae. Elytra: dark brown, moderately long (El/Ew 1.20–1.25), widest in basal half, distinctly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.70–1.76), humeri distinct, rounded, sides subparallel in basal 2/3, moderately convex on disc; interstriae flat, completely hidden by recumbent, short (l/w 3–4), rectangular, light brown scales, with numerous subquadrate small blackish spots on odd interstriae; striae hidden by scales, with small punctures, 1/3 as wide as interstriae, completely hidden by scales similar to those covering interstriae. Venter: mesosternal process weakly convex, moderately emarginated. Metasternum densely covered with uniformly elongated, rectangular pale brown scales, without hair-like scales. Abdomen with dense, irregular, moderately deep punctures completely hidden by dense, moderately elongated, light brown scales, with very few hair-like scales intermixed along midline; V1 1.5× as long as V2; V1+2 4.4× as long as V3+4, latter ones as long as V5. Legs: covered with moderately dense, elongated pale brown scales; femora black, with robust sharp teeth; tibiae dark brown, unci absent; tarsi dark brown, onychium twice as long as T3; one claw 1/3 as long as other. Penis: Figs 19d–f , its body slightly narrowed in basal half, then parallel-sided to apex, tip distinct, subacute. Flagellum robust, moderately long, bifurcated at base.

Female. Rostrum slightly longer (l/ w 4.44 –4.48; Rl/Pl 1.34–1.39) ( Fig. 19c ), claws slightly asymmetrical, abdomen with elongated scales all similar in shape.

Variability. Length 2.9–3.9 mm. The color of light scales varies from grayish to yellow. Spots of dark scales on the pronotum more or less distinct, those on elytra somewhat variable in number although always numerous.

Remarks. This species is similar to C. angulicollis in the general shape with elongated elytra. It differs by the lack of tuft of hairlike scales on V2, the cretaceous color of dorsal scales (instead of grayish brown) and the presence of 4–6 small spots formed by dark scales on the pronotum like in C. notatus , which differs by shorter and strongly globose elytra, and C. tristis which lacks pronotal protuberances and has short elytra and a shorter rostrum.

Biological notes. This species was collected by E. Colonnelli in the Table Mountain on flowers of Pseudoselago sp.

Distribution. South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape).

Non-type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Van Reenen, Drakensberg, IX.1926, leg. Turner (8, BMNH). Gauteng: Johannesburg, X.1905, leg. Kobrow (1, TMSA). Eastern Cape: Herschell, C.P. Feb. 1933 Chas. Hall. (2, TMSA); Queenstown (currently Komani) 3,500 ft. 16.I–10.II.1923 (1, BMNH). Western Cape: Algeria, Cederberg Nat. Res., 541 m, 32°22’07”S 19°03’08”E, 15.IX.2006,leg.Biondi & De Biase (2, ECCR);Aurora Mts., 850 m, 32°43’784”S 18°34’589”E, 10.XI.2016, leg. Borovec (1, RBCS); Betty’s Bay, 1.X.1980, on Oftia sp. (Scrophulariaceae) , leg. Kluge (9, SANC); Cape Town, 1899, leg. Raffray (1, MNHN); Cape Town, Table Mountain, 33°57’09”S 18°24’13”E, 13.XI.2007, on flowers of Pseudoselago (Scrophulariaceae) , leg. Colonnelli (26, ECCR; 4, MKCS; 4, RCCM); Cape Town, Table Mountain, 1085 m, 33°57’S 18°25’E, 13.XI.2007, leg. Giusto, Colonnelli & Osella (4, RCCM); Cape Town, Tafelberg Road, 11.XI.2007, leg. Giusto (2, ECCR); Cape Town, Tafelberg Road, 33°57’S 18°25’E, 24.IX.2006, leg. Biondi & De Biase (2, ECCR); Cape Town, Claremont, X.1898, leg Lounsbury (I3, SANC); Cape Town, Newlands (3, BMNH); Cape Town, Wynberg, VIII.1898 (1, BMNH); Simonsberg, 33°86’S 18°90’E, 4.III.2018, on Oftia cf. africana , leg. Haran (13, CBGP); idem, 18.III.2018 (10, CBGP); Rooisand NR, east Kleinmond 32°20’94”S 19°05’47” E, 30.X.2019, leg. Borovec (4, RBCS); Stellenbosch, 28.V.1981, leg. Kluge (5, SANC); Stellenbosch, 33°93’S 18°86’E, 14.II.2016, leg. Mhlanga (1, CBGP); Vanrhynsdorp, Matsikamma Mts., 31°46’S 18°45’E, 10.XI.2013, leg. Borovec (1, RBCS); Versveld Pass, Piketberg, 32°50’S 18°43”E, 600 m, 25.X2I.1996. leg. Oberprieler, Neser & Stiller (1, SANC).

Figures

FIGURES 19–20. FIGURE 19. Cionus pardus a: body in dorsal view (male), b: body in lateral view (male), c: rostrum in lateral view (female), d: penis in ventral view, e: penis in lateral view, f: apex of penis in dorsal view. FIGURE 20. Cionus oculatus sp. n. a: body in dorsal view (male), b: body in lateral view (male), c: rostrum in lateral view (female), d: penis in ventral view, e: penis in lateral view, f: apex of penis in dorsal view. Not to scale.