Synorchestes indicus Ayri & Ramamurthy

Ayri, Shaloo, Kojima, Hiroaki & Y, R A M A M U Rt H, 2012, Flea weevils of the genus Synorchestes Voss (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae, Rhamphini), with description of a second species from India, Zootaxa 3568, pp. 74-80 : 75-80

Synorchestes indicus Ayri & Ramamurthy , sp. nov.

( Fig. 1–4 , 14–18 , 27 , 31–37 )

Description. Male. Length (excluding rostrum): 3.80–4.20 mm; width: 1.29–2.00 mm.

Derm black, apex of rostrum, antennal scape and club, and tarsi brownish; clothed with greyish hairy scales, often with slight bluish tinge ( Figs. 1–2 ).

Head with dense setiferous punctures; forehead between eyes very narrow, with single row of hairy scales. Rostrum 0.7x longer than pronotum, in side view weakly arcuate and tapered apically, in dorsal view subparallelsided except around antennal insertion widened and weakly dilated laterally at apex; dorsum with median impunctate area from base and widening apically. Antennae inserted at middle of rostrum; length (width) from scape to funicle as 19(5): 6(4): 7(2): 3(2): 3(3): 3(3): 3(3): 3(4), club 6(7): 7(8): 20(7).

Prothorax about 1.3x broader than long, widest at base, narrowing nearly directly from base to middle, then in a weak curve to subapical constriction; dorsum with dense coarse setiferous punctures. Scutellum subtriangular, about 1.5x longer than wide, with dense hairy scales as on elytra. Elytra ovate, 1.2–1.3x longer than wide, subparallel-sided on basal half, evenly convex dorsally, highest at middle in profile; striae distinctly punctate throughout length, each puncture about 2x longer than wide, with single setae; intervals flat ( Fig. 27 ), except 1st interval weakly convex, with shallow, dense setiferous punctures. Legs with hind femora slightly broader than fore and middle pairs, about 4.0x as long as broad; hind tarsi with 1st segment 1.5x longer than broad. Mesosternal process nearly as wide as middle coxa.

Genitalia as illustrated ( Figs. 14–16 ); aedeagus 1.5x longer that apophyses, with minute setae on anterior margin; spiculum gastrale nearly as long as aedeagal body; internal sac asperate, with J-shaped sclerite; tegmen ringed.

Female ( Figs. 3–4 ). Length (excluding rostrum): 4.35–4.50 mm; width, 2.39–2.50 mm. Resembles male, except rostrum 0.9x as long as pronotum; antennae with apical segment of club a little longer than basal two segments combined.

Genitalia as illustrated ( Figs. 17–18 ); bladal part of sternite 8 nearly as long as apodeme; spermatheca with ramus (lateral part) developed.

Type series. Holotype: male. India: Jorhat, 12.ii.2011, Coll. R. Kumar, NPIB. Paratypes: 6 Ƥ, 6 3, with data same as holotype.

Type depository. National Pusa Collection ( NPC), Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.

Etymology. This species is named after the country of India.

Distribution. India: Assam (Jorhat).

Biology. This species is a gall-maker on Persea bombycina (King ex Hook.f) Kosterm. ( Lauraceae ) ( Figs. 31–37 ), an abundant plant in almost all parts of India, Nepal, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Habitus photographs. Synorchestes indicus sp. nov. adult- dorsal and lateral view 1 – 2, male, 3 – 4, female; Synorchestes grisescens Voss, adult- dorsal and lateral view 5 – 6, male; 7 – 8, female.

FIGURES 9 – 18. Synorchestes grisescens Voss, Male genitalia- aedeagus and tegmen, 9. dorsal view 10. lateral view; 11, male sternite 8 and spiculum gastrale, Female genitalia, 12. spermatheca, 13. sternite 8; Synorchestes indicus sp. nov., Male genitalia- aedeagus and tegmen, 14. dorsal view 15. lateral view; 16, male sternite 8 and spiculum gastrale, Female genitalia, 17. spermatheca, 18. sternite 8.

FIGURES 19 – 30. Synorchestes grisescens Voss, antennal club 19. male, 20. female, hind tarsi 25. male, 26. Female; Synorchestes indicus sp. nov., antennal club 21. male, 22. female, hind tarsi 23. male, 24. female; 27. elytral striae, 28. female with exposed pygidium, 29. Male with exposed pygidium and propygidium, 30. scraper for stirdulatory organ of 7 th tergite.

FIGURES 31 – 37. Synorchestes indicus sp. nov., 31. complete gall, 32 – 33. adult inside gall, 34 – 35. larva inside gall, Pupa 36. dorsal view, 37. ventral view.