Hellerius deplancheae, 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 : 135-136

Hellerius deplancheae n. sp.

Figs 23, 24

DESCRIPTION. — By and large agreeing with H. ignambius except for having the abbreviated striae 4 and 5 ending on the elytral dorsum, thus lacking a small, low, densely squamose knob or tubercle on the space between striae 3 and 6 at the upper part of the declivity just below the tubercle of interstria 3.

Male: aedeagus more strongly converging apicad, before apex only one-half of the width at base; basal sclerite similar but shorter, as long as aedeagal body.

Female: tergite 8 at base pale, not intensely pigmented; spermathecal duct extension short, considerably shorter than the spermathecal hook; spermathecal duct 2.5 x as long as spermatheca.

Length: 7.5-12.5 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype female, 9.0 x 4.2 mm, Poindimié, 11.II.1963, on Deplanchea, G. Kuschel, NZAC . Paratypes with ANIC, BPBM, MNHN, MNHW, NZAC, QMBA, SRFP .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. 2 males, Pic d’Amoa , female, 2.V.2005, G. B. Monteith; 9 males, 10 females, Aoupinié , 480 m, 3.I.2005, G. B. Monteith; 3 males, 2 females, Poindimié, 600-950 m, M. Wanat; 1 female, Me Maoya, 21°22’S, 165°20’E, 11.II.1963, on Deplanchea, G. Kuschel ; 1 male, 1 female, Aou- 1150 m, 11-13.XI.2002, S. Wright, E. C. Zimmerman Coll. 30 pinié, 21°11’S, 165°18’E, 850 m, top camp, 1.II.2002, and 1 specimens .

HOSTPLANTS. — Deplanchea (Bignoniaceae) , five specimens obtained in Poindimié from this plant by G. Kuschel.

ETYMOLOGY. — Named after the only known host genus for adults.

REMARKS. — The tubercle on interstria 3 in females is rather variable in size and shape, that of the specimens of Aoupinié is large and curved over the declivity.