Celeuthetes sanctus, 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 : 155-156

Celeuthetes sanctus n. sp.

Fig. 51

DESCRIPTION. — Derm reddish brown throughout, scales dull pale brown. Features largely in agreement with those of C. hebridarum . Transverse sulcus at base of rostrum obsolete or obsolescent on middle, distinct on sides in front of eyes. Setae longer, straighter, in female distinctlly raised or semierect on interstriae 1-5. Apex of elytra, in lateral view, strongly curved downwards.

Male: apart from the characters listed in key, apex of aedeagus more gently tapering and more broadly rounded, and flagellum considerably longer.

Female: apart from features in the key, sternite 8 over 1.5 x longer than venter; spermathecal duct much longer, about half as long again as genital pocket, over 8 x longer than spermatheca deep.

Length: 5.5-6.5 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype male, 5.6 x 2.8 mm, Namatasopa, 300 m, SW Espíritu Santo, 1-2.IX.1957, J. L. Gressitt , BPBM. Paratypes with BPBM, NZAC .

MATERIAL EXAMINED.— Vanuatu. Espíritu Santo : 3 males, 2 females, Namatasopa, 300 m, 1-2.IX.1957, J. L.Gressitt; 3 males, 9 females, below Namatasopa, 250 m, 1.IX.1957, J. L. Gressitt; 1 female, ‘Nambauk’, 200 m, 19.X.1981, on Cocos, J. L. Gressitt. 18 specimens .

HOSTPLANTS. — No information, except for one found on Cocos . ETYMOLOGY. — The epithet ‘sanctus’ is Latin for the Spanish santo = holy or saint.

REMARKS. — C. hebridarum is present from several localities of Espíritu Santo but not from Namatasopa or ‘Nambauk’, where C. sanctus was collected.