Tychius meliloti Stephens, 1831

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 : 24

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.4411307
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/632E87E8-FFA8-FFE6-E6D5-FF51FB9B846F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tychius meliloti Stephens, 1831
status

Treatment

19. Tychius meliloti Stephens, 1831 View in CoL

( Figures 55–58 View FIGURES 55–72 , 179–182 View FIGURES 173–196 , 273–274 View FIGURES 243–274 , 322–323 View FIGURES 307–339 , 379 View FIGURES 372–379 , 412–413 View FIGURES 397–431 , 444 View FIGURES 432–457 , 470 View FIGURES 458–484 )

Tychius meliloti Stephens, 1831: 55 View in CoL . Caldara, 1983: 88; 1990: 179.

Tychius sorex Gyllenhal, 1835: 411 View in CoL . Franz, 1949: 267. Caldara, 1990: 179.

Material examined. CHINA: Beijing: Dahongmen, 25-VIII-1958 (3); Huilongguan, Sophora sp., 14-V-1962, leg Shuyong Wang (1). Xinjiang: Aletai City (47°28’N; 87°21’E, 482m), 30-VI-2014, leg Yingchao Ji (2); Fukang Observatary, (44°17’N; 87°56’E, 474m), 23-V-2007, leg Ye Liu (3); Habahe County (48°3’N; 86°25’E, 532m), 30-VI-2014, leg Yingchao Ji (1); Jimunai County (47°25’N; 85°53’E, 1089m), 3-VII-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (9); Aletai Daaokeng (47°25’N; 87°31’E, 493m), 30-VI-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); Qinghe Talaticun (46°28’N; 90°27’E, 1285m), 26-VI-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); Qinghe Akexilike, 26-VI-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (1); Qinghe Takeshiken Buergen (46°10’N; 90°48’E, 1111m), 28-VII-2013, leg Chunyan Jiang (3); same data, 26- VI-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (3); Qinghe Talaticun (46°28’N; 90°27’E, 1285m), 26-VI-2014, leg Chunyan Jiang (14); Qitaishanqiu Huangmo2#, 2-VII-1996 (6); Tuoli, 2-VII-1955, leg Shijun Ma, Kailing Xia, Yonglin Chen (1); Ziniquan, 12-VI-1957, leg Weiyi Yang (1). Gansu: Jiuquan, Chengjiao Nongchang, Medicago sp., 23-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (1); same data, 25-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (6); same data, Glycyrrhiza uralensis , 24-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (1); Jiuquan, Medicago sp., 23-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (22); Weiwu Beiguan Medicago sp., 7-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (3); Weiwu Huangyanghe (1700m), 2-VII-1962, leg Hongxing Li (1). Heilongjiang: Haerbin, 31-V-1943 (1). Shaanxi: Zhouzhi Louguantai, 24-V-2007, leg Lijie Zhang (1). Inner Mongolia: Yakeshi, Nanshan, (49°16’N; 120°43’E, 657m), 8-VII-2018, leg Yizhe Li (1). Shandong: Dongying, Huanghekou (37°40’N; 118°55’E, 0m), 16-V-2019, leg Chunyan Jiang (2).

Redescription. Length 1.80–2.40 mm ( Fig. 55–58 View FIGURES 55–72 ). Integument blackish brown except for reddish apical 2/3 of elytra, tibiae and tarsi; on dorsum covered with elongate seta-like, grayish yellow scales and wide paler scales at base of pronotum, scutellum and elytral interstria 1. Rostrum ( Fig. 179–182 View FIGURES 173–196 ) strongly tapered in distal half especially in female (Rl/Rw 3.93–4.07 in male, 4.29–4.36 in female; Rl/Pl 0.72–0.81 in male, 0.80–0.92 in female). Antennal funicle 7-segmented. Eyes completely flat. Pronotum slightly wider than long (Pw/Pl 1.08–1.19), with subparallel sides in basal half. Elytra (El/Ew 1.40–1.55; Ew/Pw 1.25–1.40) subparallel-sided in basal half. Femora ( Fig. 273–274 View FIGURES 243–274 ) unarmed. In male profemora with short fringe of white scales and protibiae ( Fig. 322–323 View FIGURES 307–339 ) toothed at middle of inner margin. Claws with robust medial teeth, as long as 2/3 of claw. Male genitalia: body of penis ( Fig. 379 View FIGURES 372–379 ) elongate, slightly narrow at middle on dorsal view, moderately narrowed until near apex ( Fig. 412–413 View FIGURES 397–431 ) nearly being widely truncate, as long as apodeme. Female genitalia: spermatheca ( Fig. 444 View FIGURES 432–457 ) with long stout ramus, slightly enlarged at apex, distinct arcuate thin collum, indistinct nodulus, robust cornu abruptly constricted near apex; spiculum ventrale ( Fig. 470 View FIGURES 458–484 ) with parallel-sided moderately wide arms, slightly spaced but joined near apex.

Remarks and comparative notes. Due to the completely flat eyes, this species may be mainly confused with T. breviusculus , from which it is distinguishable by the rostrum being distinctly and abruptly tapered in the apical half especially in the female and the presence of a sharp tooth at the middle of the inner margin of the protibiae in the male.

Biology. This species feeds on Melilotus ( M. officinalis G. G., M. altissima Thuil. , M. alba Lam. ) often together with T. breviusculus ( Caldara, 1990) . The immature stages were recently described by Skuhrovec et al. (2014).

Distribution. This is a common Palearctic species known from all of Europe, Asia and North Africa. It was already reported from Northwest China (XIN), it is here newly reported from GAN, North China (BEI HEI) and Northeast China (NMO SHN). It is introduced in central Africa and North America.