Mecinus haemorrhoidalis (H. Brisout de Barneville)

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 : 22-24

8. Mecinus haemorrhoidalis (H. Brisout de Barneville)

Figs 7 , 50–51 , 115 , 159

Gymnetron haemorrhoidale H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862: 639 . Desbrochers des Loges, 1893: 46. Reitter, 1907: 24. Hustache,1931: 420. Hoffmann, 1958: 1291.

Mecinus haemorrhoidalis (H. Brisout de Barneville) . Caldara & Zarazaga, 2010: 401. Caldara et al., 2010: 241.

Gymnetron variabile var. haemorrhoidale (H. Brisout de Barneville) . Peyerimhoff, 1911: 310.

Mecinus fairmairei Tournier, 1873: 86 ; 1874: 46. Fairmaire, 1880: 28. Reitter, 1907: 14 (syn. n.).

Gymnetron variabile var. brevipenne Desbrochers des Loges, 1893: 46 ; 1908: 95. Reitter, 1907: 24. Hoffmann, 1958:: 1291 (syn. n.).

Gymnetron variabile var. curtulum Reitter, 1907: 24 . Hoffmann, 1958:: 1291 (syn. n.).

Type locality. Italy.

Type series. Mecinus haemorrhoidalis was described by H. Brisout de Barneville based on a single specimen from Kraatz's collection, collected by Kahr in Italy without more precise information. We examined this specimen (DEIM), which is a male, on the contrary of that reported by H. Brisout de Barneville who believed it to be a female. It is labelled: “ Italy / Kahr / Coll. Kraatz / haemorrhoidalis Bris, Ital., Kahr ”. After the study of this specimen Caldara et al. (2010) could ascertain that this taxon, which was usually reported as a synonymous with M. variabilis ( Rosenhauer, 1856) , is a distinct species. H. Brisout de Barneville's name is available in the genus Mecinus , because the name M. haemorrhoidalis attributed to Stephens by Klima (1934) actually does not exist since Stephens always quoted Herbst as author of this taxon, although erroneously as a synonym with M. circulatus ( Marsham, 1802) . Herbst’s species is a synonym of Hypera postica ( Gyllenhal, 1813) .

Synonyms. We examined a male syntype of M. fairmairei in Tournier's collection (MNHN) labelled “ Tanger, Fairm. / semini= tens [sic] Fai. In litt. / type / Type” (lectotype here designated), which corresponds exactly to the original description and to the holotype of M. haemorrhoidalis .

The variety brevipennis of M. variabilis was described from specimens from Algeria. Below a card bearing this name in Desbrochers des Loges' collection we examined a male labelled “Bône” (lectotype here designated), which does not show differences from the holotype of M. haemorrhoidalis .

The variety curtulus of M. variabilis was described from specimens from Lyon (southern France) and Algeria. In Reitter's collection we examined two syntypes of this taxon, one male labelled “ Constantine / J. Sahlb. / Holotypus, 1907, Gymnetron variabile Rosh. var. curtulum Reitter “ (lectotype here designated) and one female labelled “ Constantine / J. Sahlb. / Paratypus, 1907, Gymnetron variabile Rosh. var. curtulum Reitter / v. brevipenne m. [this last card handwritten by Desbrochers des Loges]”. Also these specimens match the holotype of M. haemorrhoidalis . It is highly likely that the specimens from Lyon, which we did not find, belong to M. seriatus .

Redescription. Male. Length 1.3 mm. Body: short, oval, stout ( Fig. 7 ). Rostrum: black with reddish apical half, moderately short (Rl/Pl 0.78), in lateral view subcylindrical, weakly narrowed in apical half, weakly curved ( Fig. 50 ); in dorsal view with subparallel sides, with hardly visible scrobes, moderately striate-punctured in basal half then smooth and shining, in basal half with recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, moderately long (l/w 4–7), seta-like scales. Head: frons as wide as rostrum at base, without fovea; eyes nearly flat. Antennae: reddish with brown club, inserted just before middle of rostrum; scape short, 3.0x longer than wide; funicle distinctly longer than scape, with segment 1 2.5x longer than wide, stouter and 1.5x longer than segment 2, which is 1.5x longer than wide, segments 3 and 4 slightly longer than wide, segment 5 about as long as wide; club short, oval, with segment 1 almost glabrous. Pronotum: black, with dense, variable in size and slightly irregular punctures, intervals between punctures weakly rugose, matte and broader than punctures, clearly visible between suberect to erect, sparse, whitish, long to very long (l/w 8–12), seta-like scales; moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.43), with moderately rounded sides, with moderately prominent apical constriction, widest at basal third, moderately convex. Elytra: blackish brown; moderately short (El/Ew 1.25), suboval, at base weakly concave, slightly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.12), widest in basal half, moderately convex on disc; interstriae clearly visible between suberect to erect, sparse, whitish, long to very long (1.0–1.3x as long as width of interstria; l/w 8–12), seta-like scales, which are arranged in a single regular row; striae moderately visible, as wide as half of interstria, with a row of scales thinner and slightly shorter than those covering interstriae. Legs: stout, with recumbent to suberect, sparse, whitish, seta-like scales, which are slightly shorter than width of tibia; femora reddish, unarmed; tibiae reddish, moderately stout, protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward; unci blackish, thin, all equal in length; tarsi reddish brown, tarsomere 1 1.5x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 about as long as 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, shining, sparsely punctured, clearly visible between subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, hair-like scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna with sparse, whitish, narrow, mostly seta-like scales and some wider scales; abdomen black, with ventrite 5 brown, shining, with sparse, irregular (in size and disposition) punctures, which are clearly visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, hair-like scales; ventrites length ratio 1–2/3–4 1.80. Penis: fig. 115.

Female. As in male except rostrum distinctly longer (Rl/Pl 1.11), antennae inserted at basal third of rostrum with shorter scape (l/ w 2.5) ( Fig. 51 ). Sternite 8: as in M. caucasicus ( Fig. 145 ). Spermatheca: fig. 159.

Variability. Length 1.2–1.5 mm. The elytral integument vary from almost completely black to almost completely reddish brown. Pronotum and elytra vary slightly in width and in the curvature of the sides.

Remarks and comparative notes. This species is very closely related to M. seriatus , from which it differs by the antennae in female having their insertion to the rostrum placed slightly more anteriorly and with the scape slightly longer; the scales of the dorsal vestiture, especially those covering the elytral interstriae, are longer, more erect, more irregular in length and arranged more irregularly.

Biological notes. No data are available.

Distribution. Southern Spain, southern Italy and Sicily, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.

Non-type specimens examined. SPAIN: Andalucía (1, MNHN) ; Andalucía, Cádiz, Algeciras , de Ferrer leg. (4, MCNM) ; Andalucía, Cádiz, Pto. del Algarrobo , Jerez de la Fronsra, 2.V.1992, Alonso-Zarazaga leg. (2, AZCM) ; Andalucía, Cádiz, San Roque , 14.V.1984, de Ferrer leg. (4, AZCM) ; Andalucía, Manilva , 9.V.1984, Podlussány leg. (1, APCB) ; Andalucía, Tarifa , IV.1992, Poot leg. (1, DEIM) . ITALY: Puglia, Foggia, Lago San Giovanni , Gargano, Holdhaus leg. (2, MSNP) ; Puglia, Foggia , Monte Gargano (1, ZMHB) ; Puglia, Taranto , 29.II.1976, Montemurro leg. (1, LDCC) ; Puglia, Taranto, Francavilla Fontana , I.1997, Bellò leg. (2, GOCA) ; Basilicata, Matera , 14.X.2001, Angelini leg. (1, FACF) ; Basilicata, Matera, Calciano, Bosco Gallipoli , 28.V.1976, Angelini & Montemurro legg. (3, CPCM; 1, LDCC) ; Basilicata, Potenza, Pollino, Timpone Salomene , 1200 m, 25.VI.1988 (4, ECCR) ; Matera, Lido Scanzano , 28.I.2001, Montemurro leg. (1, RCCM) ; Calabria, Cosenza, Petilia, Policastro , V.1976 (1, CPCM) ; Calabria, Cosenza, Roseto Capo Spulico , 10.XII.2000, Montemurro leg. (2, FACF) . ITALY (Sicily): Messina , 24.V.1919, Vitale leg. (2, MNHN) ; Palermo, Geraci , 8.VI.1992 (1, GOCA) . MALTA: San Thomas Bay , 20.IV.1991, Mifsud leg. (1, DMCM) . MOROCCO: Boulhaut (1, MNHN) . ALGERIA: Guelma, Djebel Makouna , 3.VI.1971 (1, GOCA) ; Lalla Marnia (2, MNHN) ; Oran (1, MNHN) ; Philippeville (1, MNHN) ; Teniet-el-Haad (6, MNHN) ; Yakouren ( Park National ), 21.VI.1971, Hoffer & Horák legg. (1, OVCK) . TUNISIA: Le Kef, Normand leg. (1, MNHN) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Habitus of (1) Mecinus pascuorum; (2) M. ictericus; (3) M. latiusculus; (4) M. caucasicus; (5) M. ludyi; (6) M. variabilis; (7) M. haemorrhoidalis; (8) M. seriatus; (9) M. sanctus. Not to the same scale.

FIGURES 43–57. Rostrum in lateral view of (43) Mecinus pascuorum, male; (44) idem, female; (45) M. ictericus, female; (46) M. caucasicus, male; (47) idem, female; (48) Mecinus variabilis, male; (49) idem, female; (50) M. haemorrhoidalis, male; (51) idem, female; (52) M. seriatus, female; (53) M. longulus, female; (54) M. tychioides, male; (55) M. labilis, male; (56) idem, female; (57) M. plantaginis, male. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 108–120. Penis in dorsal and lateral view of (108) Mecinus pascuorum; (109) M. crassifemur; (110) M. ictericus; (111) M. latiusculus; (112) M. caucasicus; (113) M. variabilis; (114) M. tychioides; (115) M. haemorrhoidalis; (116) M. longulus; (117) M. labilis; (118) M. plantaginis; (119) M. alboscutellatus alboscutellatus; (120) M. paratychioides. Scale bar = 0.2 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 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.