Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae Cabras & Bollino, 2023

Cabras, Analyn A., Buenavente, Perry Archival C., Medina, Milton Norman & Bollino, Maurizio, 2023, Two new species of the genus Metapocyrtus Heller 1912 subgenus Trachycyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Pachyrhynchini) from the Philippines, Zootaxa 5383 (3), pp. 383-390 : 384-386

Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae Cabras & Bollino sp. nov.

( Figures 1 , 3A–E )

Holotype ( Figs 1 ), male: Philippines-Luzon / Cagayan / Hotspring Baggro / May, 1989 / coll. V. Samarita (typed on white card) // HOLOTYPE male / Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae / CABRAS & BOLLINO, 2023 (typed on red card). Deposited in PNM .

Paratypes (13 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀): 1 ♂: Philippines-Luzon / Sta Ana Appari / Cagayan / May , 1989/ coll. V. Samarita ; 1♂: Philippines-Luzon / Baggao / Cagayan / May 1989 / coll. V. Samarita , all in PNM; 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: Philippines-N. Luzon / Baggao / (Cagayan Prov.) / coll. M. Bollino ; 1 ♂: Philippines-N. Luzon / Santa Ana / Cagayan / IX.2015 / ex I. Lumawig —coll. Bollino ; 6 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀: Philippines-N. Luzon / Kayapa / (Nueva Vizcaya) / February 2017 / Ex Lumawig —coll. Bollino , all in MBLI; 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Philippines-N. Luzon / Santa Ana / Cagayan / IX.2015 / ex I. Lumawig —coll. Bollino , will be deposited in SMTD. All paratypes with additional red label : PARATYPE / Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae / CABRAS & BOLLINO, 2023.

Diagnosis. The new species has distinct elytral markings which do not match any existing Trachycyrtus species in the Philippines. It bears a superficial resemblance in body shape to Metapocyrus (Trachycyrtus) chevrolati (Waterhouse, 1843) (Type locality: Philippine Islands [Luzon]), but differs in shape and color of elytral markings. Metapocyrus (T.) gibbicollis (Faust, 1895) (TL: N. Luzon) shares the same body shape, but differs in lacking any pronotal colored scales, and any elytral marking, but a thick colored band of scales at the base of the elytra.

Description. Male.

Dimensions: LB: 6.9–9.1 (HT: 7.0 mm; â: 7.9); LR: 1.2–1.9 (1.8 mm; â: 1.6); WR: 1.0–1.3 (1.0 mm; â: 1.2); LP: 2.9–3.4 (2.9 mm; â: 3.0); WP: 2.9–3.5 (2.9 mm; â: 3.0); LE: 3.6–5.4 (3.6 mm; â: 4.6); WE: 3.0–3.6 (3.0 mm; â: 3.3). N=10

Body integument reddish brown except head, rostrum, and tarsus black. Body surface, rostrum, head, legs and underside matte.

Head dorsal surface with sparse yellow-green and turquoise round scales interspersed with cream-colored pubescence; lateroventral side below the eye with metallic turquoise elliptical scales interspersed with adpressed colored piliform scales; forehead between eyes flattish with distinct midline groove; eyes medium-sized and feebly convex, barely protruding on the lateral outline of head.

Rostrum moderately punctured and rugose except apical parts with a blunt V-shaped ridge dorsally, lateral sides basally with shallow pit-like depression below dorsolateral edge, longer than wide (LR/WR:1.8), dorsum with adpressed light blue piliform scales on basal half, sparse pubescence near apex, lateral surface with adpressed pubescence which is longer apically, and anterolateral surface with whitish and yellowish long setae; transverse basal groove deep and distinct; dorsum with distinct median shallow furrow reaching a little over basal half; lateral sides widened at base then gradually narrowed towards middle and terminating in very weakly widened apex. Antennal scape longer than funicle, sparsely covered with adpressed white pubescence, funicle with suberect white pubescence. Funicular segments I and II of the same length, segments III–VII as long as wide; club sub-ellipsoidal.

Prothorax subglobular, weakly tapered towards basal and apical margin, as long as wide (LP/WP: 1.0), granulate, covered with metallic yellow-green round scales which become denser laterally, interspersed with very minute reclined pubescence; widest before middle, moderately convex on dorsal surface.

Elytra ovate (LE/WE:1.18), longer than wide, slightly wider and moderately longer than prothorax (WE/WP: 1.17, LE/LP: 1.41), with irregular weak punctures and minute tubercles; dorsum moderately convex, dorsal contour highest at middle, lateral contour evenly arcuate, widest at middle, apex with minute sparse, white, fine setae, apical declivity gradual. Each elytron with the following scaly markings of metallic yellow-green and turquoise contiguous round scales: a) two basal circular spots, one near the suture and one near the lateral margin, b) two circular spots in the middle, one near suture and one near the lateral margin, c) one circular spot on apical third, and d) sub-elliptical patch from the middle towards apical third on lateral margin, at times confluent with the circular spot on apical third.

Legs with strongly clavate femora, covered with adpressed white setae. Tibiae covered with white adpressed piliform scales except along inner edge with suberect long brownish setae, weakly serrate along inner edge with few protruding teeth. Fore and mid tibiae with mucro at apex. Tarsomeres pubescent. Coxae covered with reclining colored piliform scales interspersed with white setae.

Abdomen with ventrites covered with long whitish pubescence.

Male genitalia and endophallus as shown in Figure 3 A–E .

Female. Dimensions: LB: 8.4–9.7 (â: 8.8). LR: 1.2–1.6 (â: 1.4). WR: 1.1–1.4 (â: 1.25). LP: 2.6–3.1 (â: 2.8). WP: 2.6–3.2 (â: 2.8). LE: 5.4–6.6 (â: 5.9). WE: 3.5–4.4 (â: 3.8). N=7

The female differs from the male due to slightly larger dimensions (â LB ♂ / â LB ♀: 0.89); elytra with small lateral tubercles just below the humerus, parasutural curved setae along the declivity pointing towards the apex and arranged in 3–4 rows, elytral apex elongate; last ventrite with semispherical concavity.

Etymology. The new species is named after Dr. Clare Baltazar for her contribution to Philippine entomology. She was the first Filipina entomologist and was bestowed the title National Scientist in 2001.

Distribution. Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae is known so far from Cagayan Valley specifically Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya.

Comments. It seems interesting to point out that the morphology of the endophallus, in specimens coming from populations distant from each other by about 200 km is completely overlapping as can be seen in Fig. 3D (male from Baggao, Cagayan Prov.), and Fig. 3E (male from Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya Prov.). In our opinion, this data confirms the importance of the morphology of the everted endophallus as a species-specific diagnostic characteristic.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae, holotype, male: dorsal view (A), idem, lateral view (B); female: dorsal view (C), idem, lateral view (D).

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia: Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) baltazarae, (A–E), Metapocyrtus (Trachycyrtus) siargaonon, (F–I). Aedeagus, dorsal view (A, F), idem, lateral view (B, G), sternite IX, dorsal view (C, H), endophallus in lateral view (F, G, I). In Fig. 3E the profile of the left basal diverticulum has been highlighted to allow a correct view of its morphology.