Megatracheloides chloris (Faust)

Wanat, Marek, 2008, The Apionidae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) of New Caledonia. Genus Megatracheloides, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 197, pp. 297-322 : 305-308

Megatracheloides chloris (Faust)

Figs 1, 2, 5, 7, 19, 32, 36, 56, 62, 68, 73, 89, 93, 97, 102, 105, 106

Megatrachelus chloris Faust, 1889: 77 . — Wanat 2001: 115 (lectotype designation, SMTD) .

DESCRIPTION. — One of few long known, remarkable New Caledonian species of the Apionidae , characterised by the following combination of characters.

Body 3.5-6.1 mm long, intensely metallic blue, especially on elytra (Fig. 105). Rostrum regularly curved, glabrous, finely punctate throughout; metarostrum slightly incised at sides at about basal 0.3 of length; underside of mesorostrum with a broad, shagreened median fovea not confluent with subgenal sulci of prorostrum; septum of scrobes reaching mid-length of eye. Head in profile with obtuse subocular tooth (Fig. 2); vertex convex and sparsely punctate in anterior half. Antennae: scape m: 5.1-5.7 x, f: 6.8-7.8 x longer than wide; fs3 0.7-0.8 length of fs2; club 3.1-3.8 x longer than wide, as long as 6 distal fs combined and 1.20-1.25 x longer than the scape. Pronotum entirely polished, with microscopic, sparse punctulation. Elytra with intervals at least in median third symmetrically convex, intervals 4-6 (sometimes also 7) with indistinct, elongate tubercles at the level of maximum expansion, causing sides of elytra angulate in dorsal view (Fig. 5). Abdominal V5 2.0-2.1 x longer than V3 + 4 combined. Legs long; base of profemur shagreened, meso- and metafemoral teeth obsolete to completely absent; protibia only slightly twisted, inner margin slightly bisinuate, with protruding setae only in distal half, apical tuft of black setae large and very dense; protarsus 3.0-3.2 x longer than wide. Volant species, with fully developed wings and muscles.

Male: rostrum at apex not wider than at mesorostral level. Antennal insertion 0.42-0.47; length/width ratios: scape 5.0-5.7, fs1 1.4-1.7, fs2 1.6-1.9, fs7 0.9-1.0, scape as long as 4 basal fs combined. Profemoral tooth large, asymmetrically swollen at base, in larger specimens often forming here an indistinct second tooth, always much shorter than the main one (Fig. 19). Apex of protibia distinctly curved inwards, with larger tuft of setae. Abdominal V5 with a median flattening in apical half; apical margin slightly bisinuate or emarginated (Fig. 32). Membranous process between T7 and T8 very large, subrectangular. S8 with deep and broad median emargination. S9 with apodeme 2 x longer than forked part, the arms of fork straight, one slightly shorter (Fig. 73). Tegmen: apodeme angulate in distal third, not expanded apically; membranous lobes both devoid of sclerotisation, subequal in length, without microtrichia; suprafenestral sclerites truncate, each with 6-8 fine macrochaetae; fenestrae open externally; prostegium bifurcate, deeply incised at sides (Fig. 68). Aedeagus: pedon about 5.5 x longer than broad, narrowing from base, with tapering apex (Fig. 56), in profile with apical part nearly straight, at its end expanded upwards into a small pointed tubercle (Fig. 62), ventrally narrowly notched along basal 2/3; endophallus simply membranous; flagellum thin, with slightly swollen base.

Female: rostrum widest at apex (Fig. 7), regularly arched (Fig. 2). Anten- TABLE 1. Morphological indices of Megatracheloides nal insertion 0.36-0.40; length/width ratios: scape 6.5-7.8, fs1 1.7-1.9, fs2 chloris . 2.3-2.4, fs7 1.0-1.1, scape as long as 5 basal fs combined. Profemur much

ite ca. 3.0 x longer than broad (Fig. 93); bursa markedly narrowing dis-

tad (Fig. 97); foretube not darkened, with extremely small microtrichia

arranged in long transverse combs; S8 basally narrowed, with vestigial

plate, apically almost not expanded; T8 very weakly sclerotised; sper-

matheca shaped as in Fig. 102.

More detailed description given by Wanat (2001). Morphological indi-

ces in Table 1.

VARIATION. — The specimens from Northern Province have weaker deve-

loped elytral tubercles, practically missing in the population from Kopéto.

The only studied male from Mt. Do has body almost black and aedegus

slightly broader, shallower notched ventrally and stronger sinuate than in

other studied specimens. BIOLOGY. — Maquis species, found primarily on Hibbertia pancheri (Brongn. & Gris) Briquet (Fig. 72), occasionally on H. lucens Brongn. & Gris and other spp. Adults feed on flower buds and underside of leaves (Figs 105, 106).

DISTRIBUTION. — Common species in the South, in Northern Province locally in the maquis spots on ultramafics (Houaïlou, Vallée d’Amoa, Kopéto, Poro, Kouaoua).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia, 2 exs ( MIZW). Prov- m, ex Hibbertia pancheri , 17.XII.2006, leg MW & RD ( MW). Riince Sud. Chutes de la Madeleine: 26 exs, 22.225°S, 166.5038°E, vière Bleue Parc (refuge): 1 ex., 22.0983°S, 166.6383°E, 190 m, 240-270 m, maquis, ex Hibbertia pancheri , 13.II.2004; 59 exs, 20.XII.2006, night beating, ex Hibbertia pancheri , leg. MW & 24-25.XII.2006, leg. MW ( MW, IRD, IACP, USMB); 29 exs, RD ( MW); 7 exs, track to La Tranchée, 22.0833°S, 166.6333°E, no. 11836, 27.XI.2004, day hand collecting, leg. C. Burwell, S. 190-330 m, 20.XII.2006, leg. MW & RD ( MW); 2 exs, track to La Wright & P. Grimbacher ( QLDM). La Capture (3 km E): 5 exs, Tranchée, Haute Pourina, 22.0669°S, 166.6233°E, 330-560 m, 22.2667°S, 166.85°E, 290 m, maquis, 14.II.2004, ex Hibber- 21.XII.2006, leg. MW ( MW); 6 exs, Pont Germain, 22.0999°S, tia pancheri . Forêt Nord (Botanical Reserve): 2 exs, 22.3167°S, 166.6555°E, 180 m, 22.I.2007, leg. MW ( MW). Cap Ndoua (site 166.9167°E, 200 m, maquis, 15.II.2004. Port Boisé (5 km N): 1): 1 ex., 22.3858°S, 166.9243°E, 150 m, no. 11802, rainforest, 1 ex., 22.3333°S, 166.9667°E, 80-90 m, maquis, 14.II.2004, ex 28.XI.2004, beating vegetation, leg. P. Grimbacher ( QLDM). Hibbertia sp. ( lucens or podocarpifolia), all leg. MW ( MW). Pic du Route de Yaté: 1 ex., 25.IV.1968 ( IRD). Col de Yaté (site 1): 7 Grand Kaori (Botanical Reserve): 6 exs, 22.28°S, 166.8917°E, exs, 22.175°S, 166.8913°E, 340 m, no. 12092, 27.XI.2004, day 240 m, 26.XII.2006, leg. MW & RD ( MW). Pic du Pin (site 3): hand collecting, leg. C. Burwell ( QLDM, MW); 10 exs, (summit), 5 exs, 22.2333°S, 166.8333°E, no. 12106, 26.XI.2004, ex Hib- 22.1667°S, 166.9°E, 400 m, no. 12243, 22.IV.2005, beating. Col bertia sp., ‘ QM Party’ ( QLDM); 5 exs, (base), 280 m, 22.2483°S, de Mouirange: 1 ex., 22.208°S, 166.6595°E, 180 m, 4.XII.2004, 166.8283°E, forest edge, 25.XII.2006, leg. MW & RD ( MW). Hill 104 (S slopes); 2 exs, 22.3407°S, 166.9713°E, 104 m, no. Plaine du Champ de Bataille: 7 exs, 22.3015°S, 166.7446°E, 40 11841, 30.XI.2004, day hand collecting, ex Hibbertia sp. , all leg.

FIGS 28-41. 28, Megatracheloides blaffarti , female elytra,lateral view. 29, M. blaffarti , female pronotum, lateral view. 30, M. blaffarti , male profemur and protibia. 31, M. blaffarti , female rostrum,ventral view.32, M. chloris , male abdominal ventrites. 33, M. bidentipes , male abdominal ventrites. 34, M. millei , male abdominal ventrites. 35, M. cornutus , male abdominal ventrites. 36, M. chloris , emargination of female abdominal ventrite 5 in obliquely posterior view. 37, M. bidentipes , emargination of female abdominal ventrite 5 in obliquely posterior view. 38, M. millei , emargination of female abdominal ventrite 5 in obliquely posterior view. 39, M. millei , female abdominal ventrites, ventral view (ventrites 3-5). 40, M. blaffarti , female abdominal ventrites, ventral view (ventrite 5). 41, M. cornutus , female abdominal ventrites, ventral view (ventrites 1-5). Scale bars: 1 mm (Figs 28-31), 0.5 mm (remaining Figs).

G. Monteith ( QLDM, MW). Mt. Dzumac Road: 1 ♀, 22.107°S, Kopéto Massif (base): 12 exs, 21.1758°S, 164.8769°E, 90 m, 166.4568°E, 470 m, 30.XII.2006, maquis, leg. MW & RD ( MW); 8.I.2007, maquis, leg. MW & RD ( MW). Kouaoua (15 km W): 3 1 ♀, S of Mts Couvélé junction, 22.0817°S, 166.4467°E, 700-800 exs, 21.383°S, 165.7453°E, 285 m, 21.I.2007, ex Hibbertia sp. , m, 29.XII.2006, maquis, leg. MW ( MW). Bois du Sud: 38 exs, leg. MW & RD ( MW). Poro (6 km SSE): 18 exs, plateau above 22.1746°S, 166.7627°E, 160 m, 23.XII.2006, night beating; 33 mine, 21.3361°S, 165.7083°E, 600 m, 21.I.2007, ex Hibbertia exs, 26.XII.2006, maquis, ex Hibbertia pancheri , leg. MW & RD pancheri , leg. MW.

( MW, WS). Bouloupari, Mt. Do: 1 ♂, 21.75394°S, 161.99994°E, The remaining material listed in Wanat (2001).

933 m, 5.X.2006, leg. J. P. Kataoui ( IACP). Province Nord.