Theognete balli Anderson, 2010

Anderson, Robert S., 2010, A taxonomic monograph of the Middle American leaf-litter inhabiting weevil genus Theognete Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Molytinae; Lymantini) 2458, Zootaxa 2458 (1), pp. 1-127 : 59

57. Theognete balli Anderson , new species ( Figures 157 , 192 , 227 )

Diagnosis. Size. Length, male, 3.20–3.71mm; female, 3.43–4.10mm. Width, male, 1.91–2.14mm; female, 1.97–2.25mm. As for T. backorum except scales of pronotum denser, longer and feebly arched to suberect, apices plumose, somewhat clumped at anterolateral margin and on each side of midline just before midlength. Elytra with scales similar, suberect and plumose at apices, moderately dense with apices overlapping on most intervals; scales of strial regions very small and fine. Aedeagus as in Fig. 192 .

Geographical distribution. México (Chiapas).

Natural history. Collected from berlese extraction of cloud forest leaf litter at elevations from 1950– 2000m.

Derivation of specific name. Named after George E. Ball of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Material examined. 12♂, 11♀♀ ( CMNC, ECOS). Holotype ♂ ( CMNC): MÉXICO: Chiapas. Volcán Tacaná , lower slopes, ca. 4 km. N. Unión Juárez, 2000m, 19.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92-110, cloud forest litter / HOLOTYPE ♂, Theognete balli sp. nov., R. S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted. Paratypes: MÉXICO. Chiapas. Volcán Tacaná, lower slopes, ca. 4 km. N. Unión Juárez, 1950m, 18.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92- 109, cloud forest litter (2♂ CMNC). Volcán Tacaná, lower slopes, ca. 4 km. N. Unión Juárez, 2000m, 19.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92-110, cloud forest litter (2♂, 1♀♀ CMNC). Volcán Tacaná, lower slopes, ca. 4 km. N. Unión Juárez, 2000m, 20.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92-111, cloud forest litter (2♂ CMNC). Motozintla de Mendoza (7.4 km. S.), 2000m, 17.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92-107, cloud forest litter (cut over) (2♂ CMNC). Motozintla de Mendoza (7.4 km. S.), 2000m, 21.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92-112, cloud forest litter (cut over) (9♀♀ CMNC). Municipio Motozintla, Benito Juárez,15º 22.1’00” N 92º 19’07” W, 2050m, 28.VII.2005, R.Anderson, oak/pine forest litter, 2005-013 (3♂, 1♀ CMNC, ECOS) .

Chorological relationships. Sympatric with T. confusa , T. chiapaneca and T. hortenseae .

Figures

FIGURES 155–164. Habitus, dorsal view, Theognete tzotzil species group. 155. T. confusa. 156. T. lapouimetorum. 157. T. balli. 158. T.gaia. 159. T. sylvatica. 160. T. campbelli. 161. T. weadockae. 162. T.jonesi. 163. T. coleadesi. 164. T. ludvigseni.

FIGURES 190–192. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view, Theognete tzotzil species group. 190. T. confusa. 191. T. lapouimetorum. 192. T. balli.

FIGURES 204–227. Abdominal ventrite 5, male, ventral view, Theognete tzotzil species group. 204. T. galvezi. 205. T. echinata. 206. T. schaubeli. 207. T. clavisetosa. 208. T. schusteri. 209. T. cortesi. 210. T. trusterae. 211. T. cavei. 212. T. peckorum. 213. T. huitepec. 214. T. tzotzil. 215. T. braunae. 216. T. zapatista. 217. T. howdenorum. 218. T. maturini. 219. T. montana. 220. T. lalannei. 221. T. hortenseae. 222. T. scopulus. 223. T. backorum. 224. T. lutulenta. 225. T. confusa. 226. T. lapouimetorum. 227. T. balli.