Tychius breviusculus Desbrochers, 1873

Jiang, Chunyan, Caldara, Roberto & Zhang, Runzhi, 2020, The genus Tychius Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae) in China, with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4856 (1), pp. 1-62 : 25-26

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4856.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0C2E90FC-25FD-455D-86A7-0BA8210C0A30
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4501844
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/632E87E8-FFA7-FFE8-E6D5-F9BFFA5287AE
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tychius breviusculus Desbrochers
status

Treatment

22. Tychius breviusculus Desbrochers View in CoL des Loges, 1873

( Figures 63–66 View FIGURES 55–72 , 187–190 View FIGURES 173–196 , 277–278 View FIGURES 275–306 , 325 View FIGURES 307–339 , 381 View FIGURES 380–387 , 416 View FIGURES 397–431 , 446 View FIGURES 432–457 , 472 View FIGURES 458–484 )

Tychius breviusculus Desbrochers View in CoL des Loges, 1873: 106. Caldara, 1985a: 345; 1990: 182.

Material examined. CHINA: Beijing: Baihuashan Linchang , 6-VII-1972, leg Youwei Zhang (1); Beiping: Gongzhuling, 3-VI-1950, leg Hongfu Zhu (1) . Hebei: Tanghai Ernongchang , 23-IV-1989, leg Shanchun Jiang (1) . Heilongjiang: Ercengdianzi , 15-VI-1941 (1); Haerbin, 16-VI-1960 (1); same data, 17-VII-1951 (2); Xiaoling, 1- VII-1943 (1) . Jilin: Beishan , 25-VI-1963, leg Hongxing Li (1); Changchun Jingyuetan, 22-VI-1963, leg Hongxing Li (1) . Liaoning: Shenyang Dongling , Medicago sp., 27-V-1962, leg Hongxing Li (1) . Shaanxi: Ankang Ningshan Guanghuojie Yuanyanggou (33°46’N; 108°45’E, 1264 m), 27-VII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (4); GoogleMaps same data, leg Menglei Zhang (1); GoogleMaps Shangluo Danfeng Gengling Jiefang (33°51’N; 110°25’E, 1215 m), 11-VIII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); GoogleMaps Shangluo Danfeng Zhaizigou, (33°52’N; 110°25’E, 1157 m), 10-VIII-2014, leg Menglei Zhang (3); GoogleMaps Shangluo Zhashui Yingpan Zaoyuangou, (33°48’N; 109°2’E, 1026 m), 29-VII-2014. leg Menglei Zhang (1) GoogleMaps . Shanxi: Lishan Xiachuancun (1450 m), 10-VIII-2013, leg Lizhi Huo (1) . Sichuan: Aba Jiuzhaigou, 8-VII-2011, leg Zhiliang Wang (2); Aba Songfan Huanglong entrance (3167 m), 5-VII-2011, leg Zhiliang Wang (3); Jiuzhaogou Tiantang (2735 m), 7-VII-2011, leg Zhiliang Wang (4) . Xinjiang: Habahe County, 2-VII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); GoogleMaps Jimunai County (47°22’N; 85°49’E, 1126m), 2-VII-2013, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); GoogleMaps Jimunai County (47°22’N; 85°53’E, 1089 m), 3-VII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (3); GoogleMaps Tacheng County (46°53’N; 86°23’E, 1239 m), 3-VII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (2); GoogleMaps Hejing (1880 m), 8-VII-1958, leg Changqing Li (1); GoogleMaps Qinghe (1260 m), 6-VII-1960, leg Shuyong Wang (1); GoogleMaps Qinghe Ertai (940 m), 30-VI-1960, leg Shuyong Wang (1); GoogleMaps Qinghe Kekesulishidi (47°1’N; 89°45’E, 1328 m), 29-VII-2013, leg Chunyan Jiang (2); GoogleMaps Qinghe Takeshiken Buergen (46°10’N; 90°48’E, 1111 m), 28-VII-2013, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); GoogleMaps Qinghe Talaticun, 26-VI-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); GoogleMaps Shanshan (22-550 m), 20-VI-1958, leg Changqing Li (1); GoogleMaps Tulufan (20-140 m), 23-V-1958, leg Changqing Li (1); same data, 29-V-1958, leg Guang Wang (2); GoogleMaps Glycyrrhiza uralensis , 7-VII-1981 (1); 1984 (8) GoogleMaps .

Redescription. Length 1.90–2.55 mm ( Fig. 63–66 View FIGURES 55–72 ). Integument blackish brown except for reddish apical half of rostrum, antennae and legs; on dorsum covered with dense, moderately long, subelliptical, yellowish scales irregularly arranged on elytral interstriae. Rostrum ( Fig. 187–190 View FIGURES 173–196 ) in lateral view regularly tapered in male, more abruptly tapered in female (Rl/Rw 4.33–4.53 in male, 4.33–4.87 in female; Rl/Pl 0.77–0.91 in male, 0.75–0.94 in female). Antennal funicle 7-segmented. Eyes flat. Pronotum moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.12–1.26), with curvilinear sides from base, widest at middle, moderately convex on disc. Elytra oblong (Ew/Pw 1.20–1.35; El/Ew 1.36–1.48), with weakly rounded sides, widest in basal half. Femora ( Fig. 277–278 View FIGURES 275–306 ) with distinct tooth. Profemora and protibiae ( Fig. 325 View FIGURES 307–339 ) without sexual characters. Claws with robust medial teeth, as long as half of claw. Male genitalia: body of penis ( Fig. 381 View FIGURES 380–387 ) with nearly parallel sides in basal half then gradually and distinctly narrowed to apex, with blunted rounded tip ( Fig. 416 View FIGURES 397–431 ), as long as apodeme. Female genitalia: spermatheca ( Fig. 446 View FIGURES 432–457 ) with short ramus, very short and small collum, indistinct nodulus, long cornu distinctly narrowed in apical half; spiculum ventrale ( Fig. 472 View FIGURES 458–484 ) with poorly sclerotized large arms joined at base, then thin distinctly sclerotized and moderately spaced, finally newly joined at apex.

Remarks and comparative notes. This species shares its unusual character of completely flat eyes with T. meliloti , from which it differs by the rostrum in lateral view being less tapered in the apical half (especially in the female) and the lack of a tooth at the middle of the inner margin of the protibiae in the male.

Biology. This is another species living on Melilotus ( M. officinalis G. G., M. altissima Thuil. , M. alba Lam. , M. arvensis Wallr. ) often together with T. meliloti ( Caldara, 1990) . The immature stages were recently described by Skuhrovec et al. (2014). Some specimens examined were labeled as collected from Medicago sp. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis ), however, we believe these associations to be incidental.

Distribution. This is a common Palearctic species known from all of Europe, Asia and North Africa. It was already reported from North and Northeast China (BEI HEB HEI TIA). New from JIL LIA SHA SHX SCH XIN.