Euops convexus, Riedel, 2001

Riedel, Alexander, 2001, The pygmaeus-group of Euops Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea, Attelabidae), weevils associated with Nothofagus in New Guinea, Journal of Natural History 35 (8), pp. 1173-1237 : 1197-1200

Euops convexus sp. n.

(®gures 4, 91, 98,109, 114, 147, 164, 177, 189, 223)

Diagnosis. Colouration largely deep blue. Dorsal contour of body from middle of elytron sloping in almost continuous straight line anteriad (®gure 109). Elytral striae shallowly impressed. Pygidium with basal margin weakly convex. Male: TA as in ®gure 147.

Range. Figure 223. Manokwari Prov. (Anggi). Altitude: c. 2000 ±2300 m.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: Irian Jaya : Manokwari Prov., Anggi, Gn. Kobrey, 2000±2300 m, 28 August 1991, leg. A. Riedel ( ARC).

Description

Holotype, male. Length , pronotum1 elytron: 2.69 mm. Colouration. Deep metallic blue, except elytron with purple shine, base of pronotum golden, pronotum black. Head. As in ®gure 91; gena 1.07 Ö as long as width of head behind eyes; contours of genae in dorsal view subparallel, weakly converging anteriad; vertex shining, densely transversely striolate with interspersed shallow punctures, deeply punctate along hind margin of eye; eyes evenly rounded, dorsally distant, separated by c. 0.33 Ö basal width of rostrum; frons smooth except row of punctures along mesal margin of eye, anteriorly with median longitudinal impression, centre without median costa; ventrally in front of gular region shining, densely deeply punctate, with median furrow, without extended median submental carina. Rostrum 1.80 Ö as long as mouthparts, at widest point 1.51 Ö wider than at base; clypeus with median process apically deeply incised; antennal insertion at base, c.within basal ®fth of rostrum; in lateral aspect with dorsal contour above antennal insertion weakly rounded, then in straight line to apex; ventral contour forming angle of c.140 ss with ventral contour of head, weakly convex to apex; dorsal and ventral contour converging from base to apex; ventral surface with submentum before hind level of maxillary cavities ¯at, posteriorly towards sides steeply rising to postgenal recesses, margins of ¯at median area in straight line converging basad. Antenna as in ®gure 98. Prothorax. Sides straight , subparallel, weakly converging from base to apex; with indistinct preapical constriction; disc shining, with sparse shallow punctures. Elytron. At humerus simple; 2.55 Ö longer than wide; striae weakly impressed. Thoracic venter. Prepectus about as long as postpectus. Height of pterothorax 0.88 Ö length of elytron. Legs. Procoxa anteriorly simple. Profemur with ventral surface smooth. Protibia (®gure 114) stout, with dorsal contour curved, ventral contour sinuate; ventral surface densely granulate, densely setose. Mesotibia with dorsal edge subapically simple, without extension. Uncus of metatibia curved ventrad, at base with posteriad directed accessory tooth. Abdomen. Ventral contour in lateral view straight; venter sparsely setose; sternite VII with apex evenly concave; pygidium c. 1.11 Ö wider than long, dull, moderately densely and deeply punctate, setose, with base not overlapped by elytral apex. Genitalia. Sternite VIII (®gure 164) with apex bilobed, apically setose with short setae, entire surface sclerotized. Tegminal plate (®gure 189) with sides diverging before apex; apex rounded, evenly setose. Aedeagus. Apical scoop of pedon (®gure 177) with lateral margins weakly concave and converging, with apex acute. TA as in ®gure 147.

Etymological note

This epithet is based on the Latin adjective convexus (convex) and refers to the strongly curved dorsal elytral outline of this species.

Biological note

There is no record of the host of the type specimen, but Nothofagus was present at the type locality.