Cleopomiarus graminis (Gyllenhal)

Rhynchaenus graminis Gyllenhal, 1813: 210 (nomen protectum). Cleopomiarus graminis (Gyllenhal) . Caldara & Legalov, 2016: 12. Curculio ellipticus Herbst, 1795: 171 (nomen oblitum). Rhynchaenus cinerascens Gravenhorst, 1807: 208 (nomen oblitum). Miarus jakowlewi Faust, 1895: 104 .

Miarus fuscopubens Reitter, 1907: 43 .

Miarus graminis subuniseriatus Reitter, 1907: 45 .

Miarus scutellaris mequignoni Hoffmann, 1939: 79 . Miarus dulcinasutus Kangas, 1976: 79 .

Miarus graminoides Kangas, 1976: 80 .

Material examined. CHINA: Xinjiang: Habahe Baihaba Canyon (48°01′N; 85°59′E, 1314m), 2-VII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1M) (specimen with single row of elytral scales) ; same data (4M3F). Liaoning: Anshan Qianshan (40°32′N; 123°01′E, 254m), 22-VII-2002, leg Yong Zhang (1M) ; same data, leg Siqin Ge (1M1F); Fengcheng Tongyuanpu (40°46′N; 123°55′E, 186m), 1-VI-1963, leg Hongxing Li (3F) . Jilin: Antu Dahuanggou (42°57′N; 128°40′E, 640m), 16-VIII-1963, leg Hongxing Li (1M3F) . Heilongjiang: Ningan Jingpo Lake (43°51′N; 128°54′E, 380m), 7-VIII-1963, leg Hongxing Li (2F), 8-VIII-1963, leg Hongxing Li (3M) . Neimenggu: Xinganmeng Keerqinyouyiqianqi (46°04′N; 121°58′E), 28-VII-1984, leg Qier Min (1M).

Type locality. Sweden.

Diagnosis. Body length 1.9–3.3 mm. Dorsal vestiture unicolorous, whitish to light brown. Rostrum moderately long in male, longer in female, nearly of same width from base to apex, weakly curved in lateral view in male, nearly straight to weakly curved in female. Pronotum distinctly transverse, with partly raised scales. Elytra subglobose, moderately long, weakly wider than pronotum; interstriae covered with recumbent to suberect scales. Mesofemora with minute sharp tooth and metafemora with distinct sharp tooth; uncus of metatibiae in male moderately enlarged, pointed at apex.

Description. Length 1.9–3.3 mm. Body stout, Integument black (Fig. 1–4). Rostrum (Fig. 25–26), long in male, moderately longer in female (Rl/Rw male 6.00–6.67, female 6.05–7.39; Rl/Pl male 0.94–1.09, female 0.93– 1.20), nearly of same width from base to apex, weakly curved in lateral view in male, nearly straight to weakly curved in female. Antennae inserted at middle of rostrum in male, between middle and basal third of rostrum in female. Pronotum (Pw/Pl 1.36–1.48), subconical, with rounded sides, moderately convex, with recumbent to suberect, moderately long, white to light brown, seta-like scales. Scutellum with short, white scales. Elytra subglobose, short (El/Ew 1.10–1.25), weakly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.16–1.36), at base moderately directed forwards from interstria 5 to humeri, with somewhat rounded sides; interstriae covered with 2–4 irregular rows of recumbent to suberect, whitish to light brown, seta-like scales. Mesofemora with minute sharp tooth, metafemora with distinct sharp tooth (Fig. 43–46), uncus of metatibiae 0.06–0.10 mm, in male moderately enlarged, pointed at apex (Fig. 37). Genitalia. Male: penis 1.16–1.45 mm, somewhat narrowed at middle; endophallus at base with flagellum enlarged and connected with straight, long and stick-shaped sclerite (Fig. 67). Female: spermatheca 0.18–0.24 mm, body narrow, gradually narrowed in apical third, weakly sinuate, collum straight, long, 2/3 as long as body, at base weakly enlarged, ramus very short (Fig. 73); spiculum ventrale with arms slightly divergent from base to apex (Fig. 78).

Remarks and comparative notes. For detailed data on synonymies see Caldara & Legalov (2016). This is an apparently variable species with a wide distribution. The two most variable characters are the colour of the dorsal vestiture, which varies from whitish grey to light brown, and the density of the elytral scales sometimes moderately sparse, sometimes completely covering the integument. The rostrum varies somewhat in length and curvature, especially in the female. It is clear that it would be very interesting to perform a detailed molecular study of various populations. Cleopomiarus graminis differs from the other Chinese species by the shape of the uncus of metatibiae in male, the shape of the rostra and that of median lobe and spermatheca.

We identified temporarily as C. graminis the only male specimen (Fig. 5–6) collected at Habahe Baihaba Canyon (Xinjiang) (Fig. 86), characterized mainly by a single row of white elytral scales, which makes this specimen distinct from the other Chinese specimens of C. graminis (see fig. 1–4 vs Fig. 5–6). However it is know that some specimens from western Palaearctic countries have similar elytral vestiture (Caldara & Legalov 2 016).

Distribution: Previously reported from Europe, West and Central Siberia (Caldara & Legalov 2016). New record from China (northern regions).