Maleuterpes watti, Kuschel, 2008

Kuschel, Guillermo, 2008, Curculionoidea (weevils) of New Caledonia and Vanuatu: Basal families and some Curculionidae, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 197, pp. 99-250 : 175

Maleuterpes watti n. sp.

Fig. 71

DESCRIPTION. — Derm black or dark brown; antennae, legs and abdomen more reddened at least in part. Scaling dull white on rostrum and below eyes, on base of first three interstriae, on suture beyond middle, on elytral margin and interstria 10 on either side at apex, on distal part of dorsal edge of all tibiae, on lower edge of all femora, and possibly a conspicuous spot on top of hind femora as well as one on interstriae 7 and 8 just past middle; pronotum black, with scattered small or minute pale scales; dark scales on elytra only partly covering shiny derm, distinctly smaller than white scales; most of interstriae 9-11 bare, very shiny.

Rostrum on middle with a conspicuous bare impression behind epistome. Pronotum in male with low or high hump, in lateral view convex throughout. Elytra converging from humeral callus to apex, coarsely striate; interstriae flat, suture in male on middler raised to low tubercle or prominent spine, in female with small spine near top of declivity; elytra at apex in male jointly rounded, in female diverging, separately rounded much like as for M. montanus . Metasternum and ventrite 1 with only a faint impression. Claws fine, equal.

Length: 2.4-3.1 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype male, 2.4 x 1.1 mm, data as above , NZAC. Paratypes with NHMW, NZAC, QMBA .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. 2 males, 3 females, Pic d’Amoa , 20º58’S, 165º17’E, northern slopes, 27.XI.2003 -

Mt. Panié, 500-1300 m, 2.II.2004, M. Wanat; 1 male, Mt. Rembai 31.I.2004, Malaise trap, G. Monteith. 8 specimens.

nr Col d’Amieu, 800 m, 17.X.1978, J. C. Watt; 1 male, 1 female,

ETYMOLOGY. — This distinctive species is named after Dr J. C. Watt for his contribution to the systematics of Coleoptera , and collector of the earliest specimen recorded above of this species.