Cryphalomimus striatus Eggers, 1927: 174

Jordal, B. H., 2023, An illustrated key and new records of the Afrotropical bark beetle genus Cryphalomimus Eggers (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Zootaxa 5353 (6), pp. 595-600 : 597-598

Cryphalomimus striatus Eggers, 1927: 174 .

Type material. Holotype: Ost-Afrika [ Tanzania], Muansa [Mwanza] [-2.48, 32.89], Methner coll. [ ZMHB].

Diagnosis. Body length 1.8–2.4 mm, 2.2–2.3 × as long as broad; colour back. Pronotum on its anterior half with sharp asperities, anterior margin centrally with 6–9 raised teeth.

Distribution: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa.

New records: [Democratic Republic of the] Congo, S. Raba , Liaswishi [-11.57, 28.11], ex Grewia fruit, 16.07.1979, F. Malaisse leg. [4 in RMCA, 1 in ZMUB]; South Africa, [KwaZulu-] Natal , Sodwana Bay NP [-27.55, 32.66], 01.02.1994, U. Gölner leg. [ ZMHB]; KwaZulu-Natal, Mkhuze Game reserve , 100 m alt., [-27.639, 32.158], 01.12.2012, M. Wanat, leg. [ UWCP]; Limpopo, Nylstroom, Farm Serica [-24.67, 28.46], 27.03.2006, F. Koch leg. [ ZMHB]; Thabazimbi , Meletse, 1190 m alt. [-24.591, 27.663], 10.12.2019, M. Wanat leg. [1 ZMUB, 1 UWCP]; Eastern Cape Province, Silaka Reserve , 20 m alt., [-31.656, 29.505], 01.12.2019, M. Wanat leg. [ ZMUB]; Katberg , 1300 m alt. [-32.49, 26.67], Oct. 1932, R. Turner leg. [ NHMUK] .

Comments. One of the new records provides the first known host plant for the genus, Grewia flavescens (Malvaceae) , where C. striatus was collected from fruits of this plant. Presumably older fruits were used as they dry out on the branch and provide a more suitable texture for tunneling. Reproduction was likely successful based on the many specimens collected, unless some kind of maturation feeding occurs.

Several of the new records from Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape, extend its known distribution beyond past records from Namibia and Gauteng in northern parts of South Africa ( Schedl 1982). Apparently, this species is more common than previously reported ( Wood & Bright 1992). A primary source for the record from Mozambique ( Bright & Skidmore 1997) is not documented. However, it is likely to be found there as this country is located between countries with verified records. The sample from Namibia reported by Schedl (1982) was not noted as such by Wood & Bright (1992).