Naupactus leucoloma Boheman

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 : 121-122

Naupactus leucoloma Boheman

Fig. 8

Naupactus leucoloma Boheman, 1840: 62 .

Pantomorus (Graphognathus) leucoloma – Buchanan 1939: 12.

Naupactus leucoloma – Lanteri & Marvaldi 1995: 206 (= Graphognathus leucoloma ).

DESCRIPTION. — Brownish or grayish white scales and semierect or erect piliform setae of diverse length, short and long setae on all interstriae; sides of elytra with a pinkish white stripe from shoulders to apex, the stripe more conspicuous because of being flanked by black. Basal half of rostrum with a deep sulcus extending, in dorsal view, to about an imaginary line across hind margin of eyes. Flightless although hind wings still rather long.

Length: 8.0-12.0 mm.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. 9 females, Pocquereux nr La Foa, 21º44’S, 165º54’E, II.1998 to II.2002, C. Mille and S. Cazères .

HOSTPLANTS. — The hostplant range of N. leucoloma is immense, already well over 200 species of monocots and dicots recorded.

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific name ‘leucolóma’ is a Greek noun derived from ‘léukos’ = white, and ‘lóma’ = stripe, referring to the conspicuous white lateral stripe on elytra, a feature expressed by the official English name’whitefringed weevil’ of the species.

REMARKS. — N. leucoloma is already widely distributed over the world, the dispersal facilitated by parthenogenetic reproduction. It was described from Tucumán, northern Argentina. Males are extremely rare, known apparently only from either side of the Uruguay River, the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay at the latitude of Entre Ríos.