Ebenacobius rhodesianus ( Hesse, 1929 )

Haran, Julien, Benoit, Laure, Procheş, Şerban & Kergoat, Gael J., 2022, Ebenacobius Haran, a new southern African genus of flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculioninae: Derelomini) associated with dicotyledonous plants, European Journal of Taxonomy 818 (1), pp. 1-54 : 48-49

Ebenacobius rhodesianus ( Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov.

Figs 1A–B, D, F–H, J–O , 3I, 5H, 6R

Derelomus rhodesianus Hesse, 1929: 529 .

Differential diagnosis

This species is distinct from all Ebenacobius by the presence of small whitish scales on prothorax and elytra ( Fig. 1I ). It is closest in general appearance to E. turneri gen. et comb. nov. but the latter species has appendiculate claws (claws simple in E. rhodesianus gen. et comb. nov.).

Type material

Holotype ZIMBABWE • ♂; “[ZIMBABWE] Bulawayo; H. C. Pead; Sept 1911 ” “ Derelomus ; rhodesianus ; Type Hesse” “Type [red label]” “Type; SAM/Ent; 4036 [red label]” “Holotype ♂; Derelomus ; rhodesianus ; Hesse, 1929; Kuschel 2004” “ Ebenacobius ; rhodesianus ; ( Hesse, 1929); Haran 2022”; SAMC.

Other material examined

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Mpumalanga Province • 1 ♂; SA Wildlife College , 10 km west of Orpen Gate of Kruger National Park; 24.30° S, 31.19° E; 17 Oct. 2000; W. Breytenbach leg.; collected along tar road on flowering Lonchocarpus capassa Fabaceae ; SANC . – Limpopo Province • 2 ♂♂, 20 specs (preserved in ethanol); Thohoyandou; 30.65° E, 22.89° S; 4 Jul. 2018; J. Haran leg.; on flowers of Euclea cf. crispa ; JHAR01136 ; CBGP.

ZIMBABWE • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Shanghani farm; 19°32.775′ S, 29°12.371′ E; 6 Dec. 2017; R. Borovec leg.; beating shrubs and trees, miombo forest; FFWS.

Remarks

The single card mounted specimen used by Hesse (1929) for the description of Derelomus rhodesianus Hesse was located in the collection housed at SAMC. This specimen bears a red type label, it was identified as the holotype for this species and labelled accordingly.

Life history

This species was collected in large numbers on Euclea cf. crispa . Adults were observed on the branches, near the flower buds before blooming. The single record on flowers of Lonchocarpus (Fabaceae) is probably accidental. Adults were collected from July to October.

Distribution

Republic of South Africa (Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces), Zimbabwe.

Figures

Fig. 1(see preceding page). A–M. Details of morphology and measurements of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov. and Derelomus Schoenherr, 1825. A. Ebenacobius rhodesianus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. in dorsal view, with the white arrows showing where the measurements of width (w) and length (L) are made for the prothorax (top) and elytra (bottom). Black arrow showing the narrowing of prothorax near apical margin. B. Head in lateral view of E. rhodesianus with white arrow showing the groove on forehead and the black arrow showing the convexity of the eyes, exceeding the lateral curve of head. C. Head and apex of prothorax in dorsal view of Derelomus chamaeropsis Fabricius, 1798 with the white arrow showing flat forehead, lacking groove and black arrow showing the constriction on the prothorax near apical margin. D. Detail of the top-left part of the right elytron in E. rhodesianus showing the white scales on interstriae and with the well aligned punctures at base of stria 1 highlighted in white. E. Detail of the top-left part of the right elytron in E. costalis (Fåhraeus, 1844) gen. et comb. nov. showing the setae on interstriae and with the misaligned punctures at base of stria 1 highlighted in white. F. Protibia of males of E. rhodesianus, showing the apical acute mucro and the ante-apical brush of setae. G. Head and prothorax of E. rhodesianus in lateral view with the arrows showing where measurements of rostrum and prothorax length are made. H. Right maxilla of E. rhodesianus in dorsal view. I. Penis of E. costalis in dorsal view showing were measurements are made for the body of penis (white arrows: width; top right black arrows: length) and the length of apodemes (bottom right black arrows).J. Stridulatory plate (tergite VII) in male of E. rhodesianus in dorsal view, with the cuticular tubercles used for stridulation highlighted in white. K–M. Female genitalia. K. Ovipositor in E. rhodesianus. L. Sternite VIII, same species. M. Spermatheca, same species. N. Right mandible, same species. O. Labial prementum, same species. A–O: not to scale.

Fig. 6 (part 1). A–I. Male genitalia of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov., penis in dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view.A. E. curvisetis Haran gen. et sp. nov.B. E. rectirostrisHaran gen. et sp. nov.C. E. duplicatus Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. grobbelaarae Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. costalis (Fåhraeus, 1844) gen. et comb. nov. F. E. thoracicus Haran gen. et sp. nov. G. E. xhosa Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. san Haran gen. et sp. nov. I. E. kuscheli Haran gen. et sp. nov. A–I = not to scale.