Otiorhynchus (Nihus) muffi, Germann, 2014

Germann, Christoph, 2014, On the identity of Otiorhynchus (Nihus) subcostatus STIERLIN, 1866, description of Otiorhynchus muffi sp. nov., and an illustrated key to the species of Nihus REITTER, 1912 with taxonomic comments on both the subgenera Nihus and Eunihus REITTER, 1912 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Contributions to Natural History 25, pp. 45-69 : 48-52

Otiorhynchus (Nihus) muffi sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 4 , 16–18 , 29 , 31 )

Holotype ♀: 200_13.2 [collecting number] Switzerland, GR, S-charl, 1800 m, Hochstauden entlang Clemgia, 5.7.2013, leg. C. Germann ( NMBE).

Paratypes: (39 in total), all from Switzerland : 2 ♀ [GR], Bernina , coll. L. v. Heyden ( SDEI) . 1 ♀ [GR], St. Mtz. [St. Moritz, most likely collected 1862 after von Heyden (1863)], coll. L. v. Heyden ( SDEI) . 2 ♀ GR, Miralago , 18.7.1970, leg. P. Scherler ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Alp Grüm , 21.7.1970, leg. P. Scherler ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Val dal Fain , 23.7.1979, Mousses sol [sifted], leg. P. Scherler ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, E Alp Trupchun , Kurzrasen , 22. 6.–16.7.2000, 2100 m, 802.480/163.680 [barber traps], leg. B. Lüscher ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Alp Chaschauna , 2200 m, 800.380/161.760, 14. 7.–4.8.2000 [barber traps], leg. B. Lüscher ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Alp Trupchun , Vegetationsmosaik, Seggen, Kurzweide, 2060 m, 802.360/163.920, 16. 7.–5.8.2000 [barber traps], leg. B. Lüscher ( NMBE) . 2 ♀ GR, W Alp Trupchun , Vegetationsmosaik, Eisenhut/Seggen/Kurzweide, 2020 m, 802.040/164.100, 5. 8.–1.9.2000 [barber traps], leg. B. Lüscher ( NMBE) . 2 ♀ GR, W Alp Trupchun , Vegetationsmosaik Eisenhut, Seggen, Kurzweide, 2020 m, 802.040/164.100, 31. 8.–28.9.2000 [barber traps], leg. B. Lüscher ( cCG, NMBE) . 4 ♀ GR, W Alp Chaschauna , Vegetation mosaikartig, feucht, 2200 m, 800.280/162.030, 21.10.2000 – 19.6.2001 [barber traps], leg. B. Lüscher ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Sur, Alp Flix , 2145 m, 770.700/154.500, Gesiebe Rhododendron, Polsterpflanzen, Moos und unter Stein, 20.6.2002, leg. C. Germann ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Valle Poschiavo , Garbela, 2 km NW Brusio, 1000 m, 28.8.2004, leg. C. Germann ( NMBE) . 3 ♀ GR, Alp Flix , Salategnas, 1960 m, 24. 7.–21.8.2005, leg. P. Muff ( BNM, NMBE) . 1 ♀ 021_06.1 & 2 [collecting number] GR, Ftan, 812.730/186.400, 1900 m, Gesiebe Moos, S-Hang, 9.11.2006, leg. C. Germann ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ GR, Ardez, Chanoua , 811.850/184.850, 1600 m, 30.6.2007, Käscherfang, leg. M. Geiser ( cMG) . 4 ♀ GR, 4 km SW Zernez, Prazet , 1650 m, 46°40‘12"N, 10°02‘51"E, leg. C. Braunert ( cCB) . 1 ♀ GR, Ftan, Piz Clünas , 814.100/188.854, S-exp. Hang, 2560 m, Gesiebe Felssimse Flechten & Polsterpflanzen, 12.8.2011, leg. C. Germann ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ 199_13.5 [collecting number] GR, Val Mora , DÖss Radond, 823.289/161.728, 2230 m, 28.6.2013, leg. C. Germann ( NMBE) . 1 ♀ 199_13.1 [collecting number] GR, Valchava, Val Vau , Spi da Vau , 826/164, 1700–1800 m, 28.6.2013, leg. C. Germann ( NML) . 7 ♀ 200_13.2 [collecting number] GR, S-charl , 1800 m, Hochstauden entlang Clemgia, 5.7.2013, leg. C. Germann ( cCG, cHW, NMBE) .

Further specimens examined:

Italy: 1 ♀ Südtirol, oberhalb Trafoi , 1700 m, 10.8.1973, in Schlag abends gestreift, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ [Trentino] Val Camonica , [locality handwritten, illegible, without date], leg. G. Krüger, coll. O. Leonhard ( SDEI) . 1 ♀ [Trentino] Mt. Pari , Judicaria [without date], coll. Reiss ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ [Trentino] P. Fugazza [Vallarsa], 24.6.1897, coll. Knabl ( TLMF) . 2 ♀ [Trentino] Piano della Fugazza , 30.7.09, Vallarsa Südtirol, Gesiebt aus Laub, leg. StÖcklein ( NMBA) . 1 ♀ Trentino, Rollepass , 1950 m, 4.6.1977, unter Stein, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ Trentino, Cma. Pari , 1950–1990 m, 15.6.1979, Rasengesiebe, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ Trentino, Cima Pari, Gipfel , 1950–1980 m, Grünerlenstreu, 6.7.1986, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ Trentino, Monte Pari, Baitone di Gelos , 1450 m, 14.6.1984, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 2 ♀ Trentino, Cima Pari, Gipfel, 1950–1990 m, Grünerlenstreu, 6.7.1986, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ [Veneto] Vicenza, Altipiano d’Asiago, Cma. Undici , W-Hang, 2100 m, 9.8.1978, Rasengesiebe, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ [Veneto] Campogrosso [without date], coll. Knabl ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ [Veneto] Vicenza, Altipiano d’Asiago, Dosso del Cuvolin , 2100 m, 30.5.1980, Alpenrosenmulm, leg. M. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ [Veneto] Alpi Lessini, Cima Carega , 2100–2200 m, 25.6.2007, leg. A. Szallies ( cAS) .

Slovenia: 1 ♀ Julijske Alpe , M. Mojstrovka, N-Kar, 1800 m, 3.6.1980, Rhododendron , leg. Kahlen ( TLMF) . 1 ♀ Steiner Alpen, Logarska Dolina, 27.6.1988, leg. M. Egger ( SDEI) .

Size holotype: 4.6 mm

Body colour: Auburn, head and rostrum dark brown.

Head, rostrum and antennae: Head globular, eyes inversely drop-shaped, flat, not protruding from the heads outline. Frons between the eyes narrower than rostrum between the antennal insertion. Upper part of head and epistome up to insertion of antennae densely covered with narrow, oval and beige coppery shimmering scales. Rostrum a little longer than its widest part at the outline of the pterygia. Pterygia prominent, rostral apex glossy and sloped, V-shaped, where both tips are prolonged in form of little horns. Antennal scape strong, clubbed, thickest after its last third. First two segments of antennal funiculus longer than wide (L/B 1 st and 2 nd: 2.3), following five segments as long as wide, globular, club fusiform, twice as wide as last antennal segment.

Pronotum: Index (L/B): 0.9. Transverse, laterally strongly rounded, widest in or just behind middle, constricted at front and hind margin. Surface tuberculate and microgranulate. Vestiture consisting of adherent round, beige coppery shimmering scales and raised, narrow and dark brown setulae, radially pointing to the middle of the pronotum.

Elytra: Index (L/B): 1.3. Base slightly broader than pronotum, elytra oval, egg shaped, without humeral callus (apterous). Vestiture consisting of irregularly dispersed, beige to darker brown, coppery shimmering, adherent round scales. Uneven intervals (3, 5, 7) weakly elevated, regularly set with long and raised, clubbed setulae, up to 4 times longer than wide. Even intervals with somewhat shorter raised, clubbed setulae, best visible towards apex. Striae regularly punctuate with round scales inserting at their frontal margin.

Legs: strong, femora unarmed, three visible tarsal segments (fourth minute), first twice as long as second, third twice the width of second, claw segment as long as second and third combined, claws simple.

Spiculum ventrale, spermatheca and ovipositor: branches of the spiculum at base of plate angular and slightly diverging towards apex ( Fig. 16 ). Spermatheca with well-developed long and bowed cornu, and short globular ramus and nodulus ( Fig. 17 ). Ovipositor as in Fig. 18 .

Variation: Sizes vary (3.5–4.6 mm), proportions are rather constant, as is same with the contrasting vestiture. Body colour varies from auburn to dark brown. The branches of the spiculum's plate vary from diverging to parallel.

Derivation of name: The new species is dedicated to Patrick Muff (Bern), passionate biologist, enthusiastic gymnasium teacher of future biologists and collector of the new species.

Bionomy

Otiorhynchus muffi sp. nov. is presently known from Grisons in the West to Slovenia in the East ( Fig. 29 ) and was collected at altitudes from 1000 m (Garbela, Valle Poschiavo) up to 2560 m a. s. l. at Piz Clünas, lower Engadine ( Fig. 31 ). The habitat varies from spruce tree forests ( Larix decidua, Piceae abies) where O. muffi sp. nov. was beaten from tall forbs and Alnus incana , to moss and leaf litter and from low vegetation on rocks where the new species was sifted and extracted with the method illustrated in Germann (2014a). On Alp Trupchun and Alp Flix (Grisons) both O. muffi sp. nov. and O. subcostatus were collected together in barber/pitfall-traps set in mosaic like growing plants as Aconitum and Carex in alpine meadows. Manfred Kahlen collected specimens of O. muffi sp. nov. by sifting leaf litter under Alnus and Rhododendron and from alpine meadows.

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of Otiorhynchus muffi sp. nov. Illustration by Olena Domschke.

Figs 2–5. Habitus of female specimens of 2. Otiorhynchus uncinatus (Sagno), 3. O. carinatopunctatus (Tarasp), 4. O. muffi sp. nov. (holotype, S-charl), 5. O. subcostatus (lectotype, Engadine).

Figs 16–18. Genital structures of O. muffi sp. nov. 16. Spiculum ventrale, 17. Spermatheca, 18. Ovipositor. Illustrations by Olena Domschke.

Fig. 29. Map showing all localities of revised specimens of Otiorhynchus subcostatus (black circles) and those of O. muffi sp. nov. (white circles). Note that O. subcostatus is also recorded from the French Massif Central (records not shown on this map).

Fig. 31. Habitat of Otiorhynchus muffi sp. nov. on Piz Clünas at 2500 m in the lower Engadine.