Mecinus elongatus (H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862)

Caldara, Roberto & Fogato, Valter, 2013, Systematics of the weevil genus <i> Mecinus </ i> Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I. Taxonomic treatment of the species, Zootaxa 3654 (1), pp. 1-105 : 42-44

Mecinus elongatus complex

Diagnosis. Elytra elongate, oval to subcylindrical, and in part with reddish integument, protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward.

Remarks and comparative notes. As for the M. pascuorum group, also in this case we prefer to use the term complex instead of group, since these species are here assembled by an overall similar aspect that is not strengthened by apomorphyes.

22. Mecinus elongatus (H. Brisout de Barneville)

Figs 20 , 67–68 , 162

Gymnetron elongatum H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862: 629 , 638; 1865: 620. Desbrochers des Loges, 1893: 35. Rey, 1894: 74. Reitter, 1907: 28. Hustache, 1931: 408, 422. Tempère, 1935: 270. Hoffmann, 1958: 1278, 1295.

Mecinus elongatus (H. Brisout de Barneville) . Sainte Claire Deville, 1923: 68, 70. Caldara, 2001: 183.

Gymnetron pyrenaeum H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862: 641 . Reitter, 1907: 24. Hustache, 1931: 419. Hoffmann, 1958: 1291 (syn. n.).

Type locality. Pau and Mont-de-Marsan ( France) (ICZN 1999 Art. 73.2.3).

Type series. This species was described from specimens from southern France (Pau and Mont-de-Marsan), which we did not find.

Synonyms. Gymnetron pyrenaeum was described from a single male specimen from Reiche's collection, collected in the Pyrenees without more precise indications. H. Brisout de Barneville (1862) compared this species with G. beccabungae , from which it should differ by the more elongate body and the bigger size (length about 3.0 mm); moreover it has the rostrum as long as the head and pronotum taken together, the elytra completely black and the femora with a sharp tooth. Reitter (1907) reported that he did not know this species and listed the main features of the original description. Subsequently Hustache (1931) treated M. pyrenaeus as a variety of M. pascuorum based on one male and one female in Rey's collection, which he erroneously considered as “cotypes”. Hoffmann (1958) followed Hustache's opinion. Due to the original description (mainly the size of this species) it is obvious that Hustache's concept of this taxon is incorrect. We do not know whether the type of G. pyrenaeum is still available, since Reiche's collection no longer exist. However the original description completely fits that of M. elongatus , of which we have also examined specimens with black elytra.

Redescription. Male. Length 2.8 mm. Body: elongate, subcylindrical, moderately stout ( Fig. 20 ). Rostrum: black with reddish apex, very long (Rl/ Pl 1.36); in lateral view subcylindrical, weakly curved, weakly narrowed in basal third ( Fig. 67 ); in dorsal view with subparallel sides, weakly widened at antennal insertion, with moderately visible scrobes, distinctly striate-punctured to near apex, in basal half with subrecumbent, moderately dense, white, moderately long to long (l/w 4–8), seta-like scales. Head: frons weakly narrower than rostrum at base, with shallow fovea; eyes weakly convex. Antennae: reddish with brown club, inserted just in front of middle of rostrum; scape long, 6.0x longer than wide; funicle about as long as scape, segment 1 5x longer than wide, slightly stouter and twice as long as segment 2, which is 1.5x longer than wide, segments 3–5 gradually more transverse; club short, oval, segment 1 less pubescent than others. Pronotum: black, with dense and regular punctures, intervals between punctures smooth and shining, clearly visible between recumbent, sparse, whitish and light brown, long (l/w 8–10), seta-like scales; weakly transverse (Pw/Pl 1.24), subconical, with moderately rounded sides, widest at basal third, with moderately prominent apical constriction, moderately convex. Elytra: black except interstriae 1 (apical third), 4 (median third) and 6–9, which are reddish; long (El/Ew 1.53), suboval, moderately wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.31), at base moderately concave, widest at basal third, with weakly rounded sides, moderately convex on disc; interstriae clearly visible between recumbent (suberect at apex, especially on interstria 1), sparse, whitish and light brown, long (slightly shorter than width of interstria; l/w 8–10), seta-like scales, which are arranged in irregular rows; striae moderately visible, one third narrower than interstriae, with a row of scales similar to those of interstriae. Legs: moderately stout, with recumbent to suberect, sparse, whitish, seta-like scales, which are distinctly shorter than width of tibia; femora blackish and reddish, subclavate, with distinct sharp tooth; tibiae reddish, moderately stout; protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward; unci blackish, moderately stout; tarsi reddish, tarsomere 1 1.5x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 1.2x longer than wide, tarsomere 3 bilobed and distinctly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium slightly shorter than tarsomeres 1–3 taken together, claws blackish, equal in length, fused in basal half. Venter: metasternum black, clearly visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, almost hair-like scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna with somewhat dense, whitish, narrow, seta-like scales; abdomen black, with ventrites 1 and 2 concave along midline, with somewhat dense and regular punctures, which are clearly visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, seta-like scales; ventrites length ratio 1–2/3–4 1.74. Penis: as in M. comosus ( Fig. 130 ).

Female. As in male except rostrum distinctly longer (Rl/Pl 1.56), almost straight, cylindrical ( Fig. 68 ), antennae inserted at middle of rostrum; uncus of metatibiae smaller than others. Sternite 8: as in M. circulatus ( Fig. 149 ). Spermatheca: with a distinct prominence near the nodus, fig. 162.

Variability. Length 2.7–3.0. Sometimes the elytra are almost completely black. Also the legs, except tarsi, may be black. Sometimes on the pronotum the scales are closer along the midline. Finally, the length of the elytra is somewhat variable (El/Ew 1.50–1.55).

Remarks and comparative notes. This species is easily distinguishable from others by the shape of the body, which is elongate but subelliptical and not cylindrical, by the very elongate and straight rostrum, especially in the female (Rl/Pl> 1.30), the dorsal vestiture formed by recumbent and sparse scales. The latter two characters, together with the colour of the elytral integument, allow for the separation of M. elongatus from the overall similar M. alternans .

Biological notes. Tempère (1935) quoted that M. elongatus lives probably on Plantago lanceolata L., whereas I. Ugarte (pers. comm.) collected this species on Plantago monosperma subsp. discolor (Gand.) M. Laínz.

Distribution. Eastern Spain, south-western France.

Non-type specimens examined. SPAIN: Pais Vasco, Álava, Arroiabe , 8.V.2009, Ugarte & Salgueira legg. (4, USCA) ; Pais Vasco, Álava, Elosu , 29.V.2009, Ugarte leg. (1, USCA) ; Pais Vasco, Montes de Iturrieta, Ibisate , 25.V.2010, on Plantago discolor, Ugarte & Salgueira legg. (2, USCA) ; Pais Vasco, Gipuzkoa, Aiako Harria Natural Park, Malmazar-Errenteria , 14.VIII.2011, Zabalegui leg. (2, UZCA) ; Cataluña, Alp La Molina , 1550 m, 6.VI.1994, Borovec leg. (1, RBCS) ; Navarra, Roncesvalles , VII.1961, González leg. (4, MCNM) ; Navarra, Sierra Urbasa, S slopes W Pamplona , 11.V.1999, Białooki leg. (3, PBCS) ; Navarra, Valle del Baztàn , 20.VI.1947 (1, MCNM) ; Navarra, Lezaun , 29.V.2002, Zabalegui leg. (1, UZCA) ; Navarra, Erromantzatua, Isu , 23.V.2003, Zabalegui leg. (1, UZCA) ; Pirineos oriental, Piagcerda , 26.VI.1979, Meregalli leg. (6, MMCT) . FRANCE: Aquitaine, Gironde, Bordeaux (5, MNHN) ; Aquitaine, Gironde, Cavignac , 9.VI.1929, Tempère leg. (12, MHNH) ; Aquitaine, Gironde, Cavignac , 23.VI.1935, Tempère leg. (3, CPCM) ; Aquitaine, Landes, Solferino , 5.VII.1970 (2, MNHN) ; Aquitaine, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Larrau , 27.VII.1951, Péricart leg. (4, MNHN) ; Languedoc-Roussillon, Pyrénées-Orientales, Cerdagne, Estavar , Targassonne , 15.VII.1994, Dauphin & Péricart legg. (1, MNHN) ; Languedoc-Roussillon, Pyrénées-Orientales, Vinasque , VII.1888 (1, BMNH) ; Midi-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne , Montrejeau (1, CPCM) ; Midi-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne , Saint Gaudéns (5, MNHN) ; Midi-Pyrénées, HautePyrénées , Bagnères-de-Bigorre (2, MSNM; 1, ZMUC) ; Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Alpes Maritimes, Beuil (1, MHNH) ; Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Var , Hyères (2, MHNH) .

Figures

FIGURES 19–27. Habitus of (19) Mecinus henrici; (20) M. elongatus; (21) M. alternans; (22) M. tanaiticus; (23) M. reichei; (24) M. humeralis; (25) M. circulatus; (26) M. suturalis; (27) M. pyraster. Not to the same scale.

FIGURES 58–68. Rostrum in lateral view of (58) Mecinus alboscutellatus alboscutellatus; (59) idem, female; (60) M. paratychioides, male; (61) M. linnavuori, male; (62) M. desertorum, male; (63) M. henrici, male; (64) M. reichei, female; (65) M. marina, male; (66) idem, female; (67) M. elongatus; (68) idem, female. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 157–171. Spermatheca of (157) Mecinus pascuorum; (158) M. caucasicus; (159) M. haemorrhoidalis; (160) M. labilis; (161) M. marina; (162) M. elongatus; (163) M. reichei; (164) M. circulatus; (165) M. pyraster; (166) M. simus; (167) M. comosus; (168) M. lixoides; (169) M. janthinus; (170) M. heydenii; (171) M. collaris. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 121–132. Penis in dorsal and lateral view of (121) Mecinus desertorum; (122) M. marina; (123) M. henrici; (124) M. alternans; (125) M. reichei; (126) M. tanaiticus; (127) M. circulatus; (128) M. humeralis; (129) M. pyraster; (130) M. comosus; (131) M. simus; (132) M. pirazzolii. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 144–156. Sternite 8 of (144) Mecinus pascuorum; (145) M. caucasicus; (146) M. marina; (147) M. reichei; (148) M. humeralis; (149) M. circulatus; (150) M. pyraster; (151) M. simus; (152) M. collaris; (153) M. janthinus; (154) M. lixoides; (155) M. sicardi; (156) M. heydenii. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.