Heilus Kuschel, 1955

Lira, Aline De Oliveira, Sousa, Wesley Oliveira De, Rosado-Neto, Germano Henrique, Santos, Geane Brizzola Dos & Marques, Marinêz Isaac, 2020, A review of the South American species of Heilus Kuschel, 1955 (Curculionidae Molytinae: Molytini: Hylobiina) with emphasis on those from Brazil, Zootaxa 4861 (2), pp. 151-187 : 155-156

Heilus Kuschel, 1955

Heilus Kuschel, 1955:292 (key); O’Brien & Wibmer 1982:79 (catalog); Wibmer & O’Brien 1986:144 (catalog); Maes & O’Brien 1990:24 (checklist); Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999:201 (catalog); Morrone 1999:55 (checklist); Rheinheimer 2010:68 (checklist); O’Brien & Turnbow 2011:28 (checklist).

Type species. Heilipus inaequalis Boheman, 1836 [designation of Kuschel 1955:292].

Diagnosis. The genus Heilus can be distinguished from other genera of Hylobiina by the presence of a basal fold expanded into the first abdominal ventrite surrounding the posterior coxae, a unique character of the genus ( Figs. 2 D–E). The genera Heilipus Germar, 1824 and Helipodus Kuschel, 1955 may contain the fold around the coxae, however without the evident expansion at the posterior margin. In addition, the following combination of characters are used to define the genus: second article of the antenal funicle longer than the other antenomeres; pronotum and elytra with narrow to wide scales, sparse or densely distributed with granules and tubercules of varying shapes, sizes, and distribution; metasternum with wide or fine scales and coarse punctures on the sides, smooth longitudinal median line; fifth abdominal ventrite with coarse punctures; internal sac with sclerites of varying shapes.

Redescription. Length: 7.0 mm to 13.7 mm (pronotum + elytra). Vestiture. Dense, with short flattened or fine scales on pronotum and elytra; most species with dark, rounded, or irregular macula in central region of elytra between striae 3 and 8, or with transverse bands of yellowish scales on posterior margin of apical elytral area or covering the elytral apex; flattened, dense scales on scutellum; elongate or fine scales on sides of metasternum; legs with short or elongate yellowish or whitish scales, sparsely, evenly covering femur and tibia; ventral face of tarsus densely pilose; elongate scales more condensed on first and second abdominal ventrites, sparse on the rest. Integument. Color varies from light brown to black. Pronotum and elytra with granules of different shapes and heights, rounded or transverse, except for H. freyreissi , which has elytral tubercules. Dense punctures at base of rostrum, fine toward apex; elytral striae with punctures ranging from fine to coarse; elytral striae 8, 9, and 10 generally more strongly marked than striae 1–7; coarse punctures on sides of metasternum; coarse or fine punctures on fifth abdominal ventrite.

Mouthparts ( Figs. 3 A–F). Mandibles asymmetric ( Figs. 3 A–B), as wide as long; inner margin tridentate, with apical and median teeth wider and more developed than basal ones. Maxillae elongate ( Figs. 3 C–D), palpifer (pf) elongate and subtriangular, with two long setae laterally inserted into apical region; maxillary palps (mp) elongate, first and second basal articles with short seta on each side inserted into apical region, apical article with three tiny apical sensilla; apex of mala (m) exceeding first article of maxillary palp, with numerous short, dense, and long setae in basal region, shortening toward first retractable tooth, with four strong retractable teeth on lateral margin; stipe (s) merged with mala, with seta of medium size; cardo (c) elongate. Labium flat, narrow ( Figs. 3 E–F); prementum (pr) transverse, basal margin straight, with two lateral setae; narrow submentum (sb); labial palps (pl) with three segments, longer and wider basal article, laterally with long seta, short apical article with three sensilla; ligula (li) inserted into prementum, visible laterally, with long, condensed setae in apical region, shortening toward the base.

Rostrum. Cylindrical, longer than length of pronotum, basal width most often subequal to apical width, slightly curved, antennal scrobe deep, starting in apical third in males, median third in females. Antennae inserted in apical third of rostrum in males, and median third in females; second article of funiculus longer than others; club oblong.

Head. Globose; front with deep or shallow fovea; large, rounded, flat, subcontiguous eyes.

Thorax. Pronotum transverse, wider than long, narrowing to apex; prosternum with three tuberculiform projections; metasternum with smooth longitudinal midline. Elytra about 1.3 to 2 times longer than wide; moderately convex or flat from base to apical elytral calli; dense to moderately granulated, or with granules only on humeri and apical elytral calli; jointly rounded apex; scutellum elongate, U-shaped; humeri prominent; interstriae flat or slightly convex, union between striae with pattern 1 + 10, 2 + 9, 3 + 8, 4 + 7, and 5 + 6. Legs. Anterior and median coxae globose, posterior coxae transverse; femur claviform, with pointed tooth on ventral face, posterior femur usually not exceeding fourth abdominal ventrite; tibiae compressed; tarsi compressed dorsoventrally.

Abdomen. Ventrites I and II wider than long, ventrites III and IV longer than wide, individually shorter than ventrite V; basal fold expanded on first abdominal ventrite surrounding posterior coxae ( Figs. 2 D–E).

Male genitalia. Aedeagus ( Figs. 18 A–L). Median lobe (ml) with length subequal or less than median lobe apodemes (mla), slightly curved in lateral view and with subparallel sides; straight, acuminate, with apical margin trapezoidal or depressed in center; with elongate or short setae, evenly distributed in rows, or forming lateral tufts; internal sac with spicules and sclerites (sc) of variable shape ( Figs. 19 A–K). Tegmen partially sclerotized ( Figs. 20 A–K), with variations in lengths of dorsal lobes (dl) and manubrium (m). Spiculum gastrale with curved stem, strongly sclerotized, enlarged at apex. Abdominal tergite VIII uniform, with two sclerotized subtriangular plates containing elongate setae at apex.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 21 A–K). Coxites (cx) longer than wide, subtriangular, sclerotized on sides, with scarce setae at apex; cylindrical styli (st), with elongate setae densely covering apex. Bursa copulatrix (bc) of irregular shape; spermathecal duct (spd) with varying length and location among species. Spermathecal capsule (sp) ( Figs. 22 A–K) sclerotized, curved, with varying roughness; collum (cl) elongate, ramus (ra) with varying degrees of development, cornu (cr) rounded to slightly tapered at apex. Spermathecal gland (spg) elongate, of varying shape and size. Abdominal tergite VII with narrower apex than base, usually subtriangular, apex with elongate or short setae. Abdominal sternite VII with slightly bisinuate apex, apical lobes subequal in length or wider than long; spicule ventral (sv) straight, sclerotized, slightly enlarged at apex.

Sexual dimorphism. Rostrum length longer in females than in males; rostrum punctures thicker in males forming wrinkles, sometimes forming longitudinal grooves; males with antennae inserted into apical region of rostrum and females with antennae inserted into median third of rostrum; females with greater maximum body length than males.

Species studied. H. inaequalis ( Boheman, 1836) (type species), H. admixtus ( Hustache, 1938) , H. asperulus ( Erichson, 1847) , H. bistigma ( Hustache, 1938) , H. faldermanni ( Boheman, 1836) , H. fasciculatus ( Boheman, 1843) , H. freyreissi ( Boheman 1836) , H. iniquus ( Kirsch, 1874) , H. inornatus ( Kirsch, 1874) , H. myops ( Boheman, 1836) , H. ochrifer ( Boheman, 1843) , H. pupillatus ( Olivier, 1790) , H. rufescens ( Boheman, 1836) and H. tuberculosus ( Perty, 1832) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Measures used in Heilus redescriptions and diagnostic character of the Genus. A. dorsal view. B. lateral view. C. head. D–E. basal fold in the first abdominal ventrite. Legends: pronotum dorsal length (PnL), pronotum median width (PnMW), pronotum basal width (PnBW), elytra width between the humeri (EW), elytral dorsal length (EL), total body length (TBL), total rostrum length (TRL), maximum body height (Mhx), interorbital distance (IO), rostrum basal width (RBW), rostrum apical width (RAW).

FIGURE 3. Mouthparts of Heilus inaequalis. A. left mandible, dorsal view. B. right mandible, dorsal view. C. left maxilla, ventral view. D. right maxilla, ventral view. E. labium, ventral view. F. labium, lateral view.

FIGURE 18. Aedeagus. A. Heilus inaequalis, dorsal view. B. Heilus inaequalis, lateral view. C. Heilus pupillatus. D. Heilus tuberculosus. E. Heilus rufescens. F. Heilus freyreissi. G. Heilus myops. H. Heilus faldermanni. I. Heilus ochrifer. J. Heilus fasciculatus. K. Heilus iniquus. L. Heilus bistigma. Legends: median lobe (ml), internal sac sclerite (sc), median lobe apodemes (mla).

FIGURE 19. Internal sac sclerite. A. Heilus inaequalis. B. Heilus pupillatus. C. Heilus tuberculosus. D. Heilus rufescens. E. Heilus freyreissi. F. Heilus myops. G. Heilus faldermanni. H. Heilus ochrifer. I. Heilus fasciculatus. J. Heilus iniquus. K. Heilus bistigma.

FIGURE 20. Tegmen. A. Heilus inaequalis. B. Heilus pupillatus. C. Heilus tuberculosus. D. Heilus rufescens. E. Heilus freyreissi. F. Heilus myops. G. Heilus faldermanni. H. Heilus ochrifer. I. Heilus fasciculatus. J. Heilus iniquus. K. Heilus bistigma. Legends: dorsal lobe (ld), manubrium (m).

FIGURE 21. Female genitalia. A. Heilus inaequalis. B. Heilus pupillatus. C. Heilus tuberculosus. D. Heilus rufescens. E. Heilus freyreissi. F. Heilus myops. G. Heilus faldermanni. H. Heilus ochrifer. I. Heilus fasciculatus. J. Heilus iniquus. K. Heilus bistigma. Legends: coxite (cx), styli (st), common oviduct (co), bursa copulatrix (bc), spermathecal duct (spd), spermathecal capsule (sp), spermathecal gland (spg).

FIGURE 22. Spermathecal capsule. A. Heilus inaequalis. B. Heilus pupillatus. C. Heilus tuberculosus. D. Heilus rufescens. E. Heilus freyreissi. F. Heilus myops. G. Heilus faldermanni. H. Heilus ochrifer. I. Heilus fasciculatus; J. Heilus iniquus; K. Heilus bistigma. Legends: cornu (cr), collum (cl), ramus (ra).