Trigonopterus squamosus (Lea)

Riedel, Alexander & Taenzler, Rene, 2016, Revision of the Australian species of the weevil genus Trigonopterus Fauvel, ZooKeys 556, pp. 97-162 : 140-141

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Curculionidae

29. Trigonopterus squamosus (Lea)

Idotasia squamosa Lea, 1928: 155.

Trigonopterus squamosus (Lea): Zimmerman 1992: 376.

Diagnostic description.

Lectotype (Fig. 29a). Length 2.10 mm. Color ferruginous; integument partly covered with brown or white scales, partly abraded. Body subrhomboid, with weak constriction between pronotum and elytron; in profile evenly convex. Rostrum with median ridge and pair of less distinct submedian ridges; covered with white scales. Eyes large, in subdorsal position. Forehead punctate, covered with brown scales. Pronotum coarsely punctate, covered with scales inserting at punctures, interspaces polished; disk clothed with brown scales, laterally and subapically with white scales. Elytra with striae deeply incised, narrow; intervals flat, each with two rows of scales largely covering surface, sutural interval with only one row; abraded scales leaving small punctures at point of insertion; subbasally and subapically clothed with white scales, remainder with brown scales and sparse white scales. Legs. Fore- and hind leg broken off and glued separately to card; largely covered with white scales except subglabrous posterior face of meso- and metafemur. Profemur with anteroventral ridge basally abruptly ending forming blunt angle; with subovate, slightly concave subbasal callus. Tibial apex with uncus and minute premucro. Abdominal ventrite 1-2 laterally swollen, medially concave. Penis (Fig. 29b) with sides of body subparallel to rounded apex; transfer apparatus simple, spiniform, supported by pair of small elongate sclerites; ductus ejaculatorius without bulbus. Female paralectotype: Length 2.40 mm. Body wider, rather subovate. Rostrum in apical half subglabrous, with sublateral sparse rows of scales. Abdominal ventrites 1 and 2 medially flat. Intraspecific variation. Length 2.00-2.40 mm.

Material examined.

Type specimens. Male, lectotype by present designation (QMBA): Queensland, Caloundra, coll. H. Hacker, 20-I (labels Fig. 29e), ARC4036 (PCR failed). Female, paralectotype (SAMA), ARC4035 (PCR failed), same data as lectotype. Other specimens (QMBA, SMNK): Queensland: 7 exx, Fraser Isl., Lake Allom, S25°11', E153°13', ANZES Exped., XI-1992.

Distribution.

Queensland: Caloundra, Fraser Isl..

Biology.

Beaten from foliage of undergrowth in relatively dry forest.

Notes.

Lea (1928) did not designate a holotype in the original description nor specify the exact number of specimens examined. One pair with the female marked “TY” could be examined but other specimens may exist. The male syntype is here designated lectotype. The diagnosis of this species is difficult, and E. C. Zimmerman (unpublished note in QMBS) and Pullen et al. (2014) considered its name to be synonymous with that of Trigonopterus striatipennis (Lea). However, specimens collected at one locality of North Stradbroke Island fall into two highly divergent clusters based on CO1 sequences. These sequence clusters are correlated with relatively subtle differences in the male genitalia. One is identical to the species described from North Stradbroke Island by Lea (1928), i.e. Trigonopterus striatipennis ; the other is close to Trigonopterus squamosus . There remains some uncertainty whether all populations of this complex belong to the same two sibling species or if additional cryptic species exist. Sequence data from specimens of additional localities need to be analyzed for a final clarification. The specimen illustrated by Zimmerman (1992, p. 377, plate 492) shows a specimen of Trigonopterus striatipennis Lea.