Aralius olivieri (Montrouzier)

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 : 113-114

Aralius olivieri (Montrouzier)

Fig. 6

Platycephala olivieri Montrouzier, 1861 b: 268 . — Paulian 1944: 118, figs 12, 17.

Aralius olivieri – Kuschel 1990b: 79.

DESCRIPTION. — Reddish brown, inclusive of antennae and legs, or dark brown with reddish antennae and legs; integument apparently dull (obscured by a waxy film). Vestiture consisting of very small yellowish or golden tapering scales, and rows of long, broad, curved erect setae on sutural and even interstriae.

Head sexually dimorphic, transverse, 0.88 as long as wide across eyes in both sexes; temples in dorsal view usually a little shorter than an anteroposterior diameter of eyes. Punctation large, shallow, largely obscured by wax. Vestiture with fine appressed scales and short, broad squamiform setae on vertex, frons, and basal half of rostrum; setae fine on apical half of rostrum. Underside in male with a small, tight tuft of white setae, and fine, transverse rugae behind postmentum, in female largely smooth and shiny except at gular angle where finely, transversely rugose.

Prothorax in male hardly wider than head across eyes, in female 1.20 x wider, in both sexes 1.30 x wider than long, usually with strong, laterally protruding knob or blunt tooth, followed by rounded sides formed either by the pronotal sides or by somewhat laterally protruding flanks farther down, with or without a small tooth or knob at basal angle; apex truncate, base convexly rounded; disc with three usually well marked depressions, one anteromedian, the other on eitrher side of middle. Vestiture rather long on sides of pronotum.

Elytra 1.20-1.30 x wider than prothorax, 1.62-1.67 x longer than their own combined width, converging from base or middle to a broadly rounded apex, flattish on middle of dorsum. Striae usually narrower than interstriae.

Male: genitalia largely as for A. wollastoni (Figs 92-98 in Kuschel 2003: 74).

Female: genitalia doubtfully distinguishable from those of A. wollastoni , Figs 110, 112, 114.

Length: 1.8-2.7 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Montrouzier described the species, found under bark, without specifying numbers or locality. Only one specimen located, here designated as primary type. Lectotype male, 2.5 x 1.0 mm, Lifou, Platycephala olivieri (mihi), 217, p. 268, Coll. A. Grouvelle, Muséum Paris, MNHN; locality and name in Montrouzier’s handwriting. The originally pinned specimen had been remounted on a card, its loose parts glued together; it is largely complete except for parts of the legs. An apparently recent writing on the card says ‘ Platycephala olivieri Mont. Type. Ins. Lifu’. Identified materials with BPBM, IRSN, NZAC, SRFP.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. Col d’Amieu (300 m), Col des Roussettes (500 m), Farino, La Crouen (nr Canala), Farino, La Foa, Mt. Koghi (500 m), Mt. Rembai nr Col d’Amieu (700 m), Pocquereux nr La Foa. 131 specimens .

HOSTPLANTS. — Schefflera gabriellae , and other unidentified species of Araliaceae .

REMARKS. — A. olivieri is readily separated from the other two species of New Caledonia by the presence of a distinct lateroapical tooth on the prothorax and by three distinct impressions on the pronotum; furthermore, in the female, by more numerous and smaller teeth on tergite 8.