Theognete humilis 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 : 29-30

19. Theognete humilis Anderson , new species ( Figures 77 , 82 , 87 )

Diagnosis. Size. Length, male, 2.81–3.32mm; female, 3.09–3.46mm. Width, male, 1.35–1.74mm; female, 1.69–1.85mm. Pronotum virtually impunctate, apical constriction evident laterally as pilose crease (no punctures evident). Pronotum and elytra with scales broad, linearly arranged on intervals on elytra, transversely arranged on pronotum. Elytra very feebly impressed in middle at sutural stria, evidenced only by depressed area surrounding one or two punctures. Aedeagus as in Fig. 82 .

Geographical distribution. México (Oaxaca).

Natural history. Collected from berlese extraction of cloud forest leaf litter at elevations from 1125– 1775m.

Derivation of specific name. Named from the Latin humilis , meaning close to the earth, in reference to the ground-dwelling habits.

Material examined. 17♂, 10♀♀ ( CMNC, CWOB, MCZC) . Holotype ♂ ( CMNC) : MÉXICO: Oaxaca. 17mi. SW. Valle Nacional 3700', 24.vi.83, R. Anderson, cloud forest / HOLOTYPE ♂, Theognete humilis sp. nov., R.S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted. Paratypes: MÉXICO. Oaxaca. Valle Nacional (23 km. S. W.) , 1300m, 26.VII.1992, R. Anderson, cloud forest leaf litter berlese (3♂, 1♀ CMNC) . Valle Nacional (15 mi. S.), 4000', 21.V.1971, S. Peck, leaflitter, Ber 204 (2♂, 1♀ CMNC) . Valle Nacional (15.1 mi. S.), 4300', 11– 18.VIII.1973, berlese cloud forest litter (1♀ MCZC) . Valle Nacional (22.4 mi. S.), 5600', 11–18.VIII.1973, A. Newton, berlese cloud forest litter, (2♂ CWOB) (3♂, 3♀♀ CMNC, MCZC) . Valle Nacional (22 mi. S. Hwy 175), 5800', 3.VI.1983, C. W. & L. O'Brien & G.B. Marshall, berlese sifted cloud forest litter (1♀ CWOB) . Valle Nacional (17 mi. S. W.) , 3700', 24.VI.1983, R. Anderson, cloud forest (4♂, 1♀ CMNC) . Valle Nacional (23 km. S.), 1250m, 21.XI.1989, R. Baranowski, sifting litter in tropical montane forest (1♂, 1♀ MZLU) . Valle Nacional (33 km. S.), 1600m, 7.IX.1986, R. Baranowski, sifting litter cloud forest (1♀ MZLU) . Valle Nacional (24–26 km. S.), 1300m, 14.IX.1990, R. Baranowski, sifting litter in cloud forest (1♂ MZLU) .

Chorological relationships. Sympatric with T. lutulenta , T. dansereaui , T. desautelsi , T. ludvigseni , T. peckorum , T. howdenorum , T. terrestris , T. romanoi and T. weiri .

Figures

FIGURES 74–78. Habitus, dorsal view, Theognete semistriata species group. 74. T. akros. 75. T. semistriata. 76. T.elongata. 77. T. humilis. 78. T. semiopaca.

FIGURES 82–83. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view, Theognete semistriata species group. 82. T. humilis. 83. T. semiopaca.

FIGURES 84–88. Abdominal ventrite 5, male, ventral view, Theognete semistriata species group. 84. T. akros. 85. T. semistriata. 86. T. elongata. 87. T. humilis. 88. T. semiopaca.