Elaeidobius spatulifer (Marshall, 1950) comb. nov.

Figs 1B, 2B, 4B

Prosoestus spatulifer Marshall, 1950: 264 .

Material examined

Holotype

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO • “Musée du Congo. Thysville. - XI–1935. 2445. J Ghesquière” “HOLOTYPUS. spatulifer ♂. Marsh [red label]” “ Prosoestus spatulifer . Mshl. TYPE ♂” “ Holotype ♂. Prosoestus . spatulifer . Marshall 1950. Kuschel 2009 [red label]” “ Elaeidobius . spatulifer . (Marshall 1950). Kuschel 2009”; MRAC.

Paratypes

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO • same collection data as for holotype; “PARATYPUS. ♀ [red label]” “ Prosoestus spatulifer . Mshl. Cotype ♀” “ Paratype. Prosoestus . spatulifer . Marshall 1950. Kuschel 2009” “ Elaeidobius . spatulifer . (Marshall 1950). Kuschel 2009”; MRAC • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; NHMUK.

Other material

Other specimens identified and labelled by G. Kuschel at NHMUK and NZAC.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀)

BODY LENGTH. 2.5–2.9 mm.

COLOUR. Derm dorsally reddish brown, ventrally dark brown, elytra vaguely darker on interstria 2 and laterally on interstriae 6 and 7; antennae and legs reddish or yellowish.

HEAD. Forehead not impressed in either sex. Rostrum in male about as long as prothorax, in female 1.2 × as long, moderately robust and downcurved, with a slight postmental elevation in male.

PROTHORAX. Uniformly coloured, lacking stripes and foveae; lateral carina in dorsal view uninterrupted at apex, with conspicuous cuticular expansion in male, carina in lateral view moderately upcurved in male, gently in female towards apical collar.

ELYTRA. A low costa on interstria 9 gradually fading towards end; pubescence inconspicuous, very sparse, with a row of more conspicuous hairs on interstriae. Prosternal process of male variable in size, the apex rounded without a lateral lobe.

ABDOMEN. Tergites 1–6 divided on midline; pruinose patches on tergites 5–7; tergite 7 in male impinging slightly into 6, subtruncate at apex; plectral rows on basal two thirds, each with 12 pegs.

GENITALIA. Penis as long as last four ventrites; body deeply pigmented, 2.9 × as long as apodemes (ratio w/l: 0.19), widest near basal third, then tapering to less than one third of its width, widening moderately to an asymmetrical apex (Fig. 4B); internal sac without sclerite.

Life history

Unknown, Elaeis guineensis (Arecaceae), oil palm, on inflorescences.

Distribution

Cameroon (Yaoundé); Democratic Republic of Congo (Thysville); Ivory Coast (Toumodi).

Remarks

The species is distinguished by a uniform dark colour, and in the male by a prominent spade-like prosternal process and lack of a postmental tubercle. No DNA-grade material of this species could be obtained in the course of this study.