Viticis vanuatensis, 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 : 195-196

Viticis vanuatensis n. sp.

Fig. 88

DESCRIPTION. — Integument black, legs dark brown, antennae yellowish brown. Vestiture consisting mostly of whitish, coppery or greenish round scales, sparse in some areas, concentrated in others, thus with or without an uninterrupted lateral ‘vitta’ on prothorax, with or without a small patch on shoulders, usually with an oblique patch on interstriae 4-6 at 1/3 and 2/3 of each elytron, besides some concentration on interstria 2 and 9 at apex (in fact much as in figure 1B of V. aeratus of Morimoto (1983)).

Head densely punctate, dull; frons at back above eyes with a tubercle or ridge-like elevation, in rear view usually somewhat concave; depression between forehead and rostrum distinct. Prothorax coarsely, rather evenly punctate on disk and sides. Stria 1 on dorsum usually sulcate, interstriae usually about as wide as striae. Fore femur with a large tooth basad from middle and two teeth as or nearly as large, these placed almost transversely at about the middle; fore tibiae in lateral view robust, morte so than in any other species of the genus; last tarsites very variable in width, from twice as wide as long to longer than wide.

Length: 1.9-2.7 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype female, 2.5 x 1.25 mm, Vaemali, Epi I., 100-150 m, 6-10.VIII.1967, J. & M. Sedlacek, BPBM. 12 paratypes with BPBM, NHML, NZAC.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Vanuatu. Espíritu Santo : 1 male, gné. Malekula: 2 males, 4 females, N Lakatoro, 22-30.IX.1967, 1927, J. R. Baker & P Sladen; 3 females, VIII-IX.1929, L. E. Chee- J. & M. Sedlacek. Epi: 1 male, 2 females, Vaemali, 100-150 m, seman; 1 male, below Namatasopa, 250 m, 1.IX.1957, J. L. Gres- 6-20.VIII.1967. Aneityum: 1 spec., X.1930, L. E. Cheeseman. 16 sitt; 1 female, 5 km N of Luganville, 50 m, 11.IX.1979, W. C. Ga- specimens .

ETYMOLOGY. — The species is named after Vanuatu, formerly New Hebrides.

REMARKS. — The specimens from Malekula I. and Epi I. had moth scales stuck to the body and were presumably caught in light traps. The variations in vestiture designs, sculpture of elytra, fore femora teeth size and position, and width of tarsite 3 are baffling. A specimen in the Natural History Museum, London from Espíritu Santo collected in 1927 has an elongated last segment on the middle tarsi, which is hardly any wider than segment 2. A key follows to facilitate identification of the known species.

KEY TO SPECIES OF VITICIS

1. Claw segment present ..................................................................................................................................... 2

— Claw segment absent ....................................................................................................................................... 3

2 (1). Fore and middle femora having a pair of nearly transversely placed teeth at about the middle, besides a large tooth basad from middle. 2.2-2.4 mm. Japan (Ishigaki I., Iriomote I.) ............................ .......................................................................................................................................... [ maculatus (Morimoto) ] — Fore and middle femora lacking a pair of teeth at about the middle, besides a large tooth basad from middle. 2.3-2.4 mm. Japan (Iriomote I.) ........................................................... [ aeratus (Morimoto) ]

3 (1). Frons against head with a slight elevation on either side above eyes ........................................... 4 — Frons against head evenly convex in lateral view, lacking an elevation on either side above eyes ....... 5

4 (3). Fore and/or middle femora with one or two small teeth at about the middle, besides a large tooth basad from middle. 1.8-2.0 mm. Fiji ( Viti Levu, Vanua Levu) ........................... [ bidentatus (Lea) ] – Fore and/or middle femora with two large teeth at about the middle, these about as large as the

one basad from middle. 1.9-2.7 mm. Vanuatu (Espíritu Santo, Malekula, Epi, Aneityum) ....................

................................................................................................................................................ vanuatensis Kuschel

5 (3). Integument lacking metallic sheen. Legs and antennae about as dark as remainder of body.

1.9-2.0 mm. New Caledonia, Loyalty ....................................................................... aspersus (Montrouzier)

– Integument with metallic sheen. Legs and antennae reddish brown, contrasting in colour with

remainder of body. 1.8-2.3 mm. Marquesas (Nuku Hiva), Cook Is. (Mangaia I.) .....................................

................................................................................................................................... [ marquesanus Zimmerman ]