Staminodeus curvitibialis, Nico M. Franz, 2001

Nico M. Franz, 2001, Description And Phylogeny Of Staminodeus, A New Genus Of Derelomini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated With Cyclanthaceae, The Coleopterists Bulletin 55 (4), pp. 411-432 : 420-424

Staminodeus curvitibialis , new species

Diagnosis. Staminodeus curvitibialis is distinguished from the other species of Staminodeus in general, and from S. denticulatus in particular, by the glabrate frons, the anterior insertion of the procoxal cavities, and the high number of small denticuli along the distinctly arcuate protibia in males; as well as the laterobasal carina along the base of the rostrum in females.

Male. Length 1.9–2.7 mm, width 0.8–1.1 mm, l/ w 2.1 –2.5, greatest width near humeri. Outer basal margin of mandible with rotundate projection. Rostrum 0.5–0.6 mm, r/p 0.6–0.7, slightly broadened in apical 1/3, laterobasal 1/3 carinulate. Eyes separated by distance slightly greater than breadth of antennal club. Head small, frons glabrate. Pronotum l/ w 0.9 –1.1, distinctly convex. Prosternum distinctly longer than mesosternum, elongate, distinctly convex, medially with duplicate carina, extending from procoxal cavities to posterior margin, procoxal cavities inserted near anterior 1/3. Profemur ( Fig. 3b ) very slender, sinuate, f/p 1.0–1.2, slightly compressed, greatest width near apical 2/5, posterolaterally and ventrally denticulate; protibia ( Fig. 3b ) very slender, distinctly arcuate, t/f 1.0–1.1, anteroventral margin with row of 12–18 denticuli, apically inermous; mesotibia apically inermous. Elytron l/ w 1.4 –1.6 (N 15), greatest width of elytron near humeri. Wing/body 1.2–1.5, wing l/ w 2.6 –3.4 (N 5). Posterior margin of ventrite VII subrectate. Median lobe ( Fig. 4b ) l/ w 2.4 –2.8 (N

5), laterobasal sclerites denticulate, median sclerite heavily sclerotized, very short, rotundate, impressed, apically spinulose, apical rami weakly sclerotized, apically deflexed, basal 1/2 of median lobe denticulate, aedeagal apodemes longer than median lobe.

Female. Length 1.8–2.3 mm, width 0.8–1.0 mm, l/ w 1.9 –2.2, greatest width near anterior 2/5 of elytron. Rostrum 0.5–0.7 mm, r/p 1.0–1.1, laterobasal 1/3 carinate, laterobasal carina contiguous with dorsolateral carina. Head fairly small, frontal spine nearly 1/2 as long as diameter of eye. Pronotum l/ w 0.8 –1.0, greatest width near anterior 1/3. Prosternum longer than mesosternum, equilateral, pleurosternal suture anteriorly with short projection, procoxal cavities inserted near central region. F/p 1.0– 1.1; t/f 0.8–1.0. Elytron l/ w 1.3 –1.6 (N 15). Wing/body 1.4–1.5, wing l/w

3.1–3.6 (N 5). Spermatheca ( Fig. 5b ) deflexed nearly 90, apex separated, acute.

Type Information. Male holotype ‘‘ Venezuela, Aragua, Rancho Grande , 1,400 m, on Asplundia caput­medusae, leg. H. Escalona, VI­06–1999 ’’ ( IZAV) ; female allotype, same label as male holotype (IZAV); male paratypes, same labels as male holotype (AMNH, 5; BMNH, 5; CMNC, 5; CWOB, 5; IZAV, 5; MIUP, 5; MUCR, 5); female paratypes, same labels as male holotype (AMNH, 5; BMNH, 5; CMNC, 5; CWOB, 5; IZAV, 5; MIUP, 5; MUCR, 5).

Etymology. Named for the male apomorphy of having an arcuate protibiacurvus signifying ‘‘bent’’ and tibialis signifying ‘‘of the tibia’’ ( Brown 1956).

Distribution. Staminodeus curvitibialis has been collected in Colombia, Provincia Nariño, La Planada: 0 1 0 5 N, 77 57 W; in Venezuela, Provincia Aragua, Portachuelo and Rancho Grande; in Venezuela, Provincia Carabobo, Morón; and in Venezuela, Provincia Falcón, Capadare ( Fig. 6 ).

Natural History. Staminodeus curvitibialis is associated with Sphaeradenia hamata Harling in Colombia, and with Asplundia caput­medusae (Hooker fil.) Harling in Venezuela (H. Escalona, pers. comm.).

Figures

Fig. 3. Staminodeus, male, right profemur and protibia, anterior view, a) S. inermis; b) S. curvitibialis; c) S. denticulatus; d) S. bispinosus; e) S. forcipis; f) S. dilatatus; g) S. vectoris. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

Fig. 4. Staminodeus, male, aedeagus, ventral and lateral view, a) S. inermis; b) S. curvitibialis; c) S. denticulatus; d) S. bispinosus; e) S. forcipis; f) S. dilatatus; g) S. vectoris. Illustrations are interpretative: denticulation and setation are omitted. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

Fig. 5. Staminodeus, female, spermatheca and gland reservoir, a) S. inermis; b) S. curvitibialis; c) S. denticulatus; d) S. bispinosus; e) S. forcipis; f) S. dilatatus; g) S. vectoris. Scale bar 0.05 mm.

Fig. 6. Distribution of Staminodeus in Costa Rica, Panama, and Venezuela, S. bispinosus; S. curvitibialis (distributional record for Colombia, Provincia Nariño, La Planada is omitted); S. denticulatus; S. dilatatus; S. forcipis; S. inermis; S. vectoris.