Rhinusa mauritii ( Desbrochers des Loges, 1898 )

Caldara, Roberto & Toševski, Ivo, 2019, Rhinusa Stephens: a taxonomic revision of the species belonging to the R. linariae R. herbarum, R. melas, and R. mauritii groups (Coleoptera Curculionidae), Zootaxa 4679 (2), pp. 318-340 : 335-338

Rhinusa mauritii ( Desbrochers des Loges, 1898)

Figs 9 , 20, 21 , 32 , 38, 44

Gymnetron mauritii Desbrochers des Loges, 1898: 40 . Reitter 1907: 29.

Rhinusa mauritii (Desbrochers des Loges) . Caldara 2001: 185. Caldara et al. 2010: 52. Alonso-Zarazaga et al. 2017: 204. Gymnetron mauritii var. squamidorsum Desbrochers des Loges, 1898: 41 . Reitter 1907: 29 (infrasubspecific name).

Type locality. Aïn Sefra ( Algeria) .

Type series. We examined a female syntype ( MNHN) labelled: “Ain-Sefra / Gymnetron Mauritii Dbr. in lit. (Ain-Sefra) / Musaeo Desbrochers des Loges, 1914” and designated it as the lectotype of Gymnetron mauritii Desbrochers des Loges by adding the label “ LECTOTYPUS Gymnetron mauritii Desbr. Caldara des. 2006 [printed red label]”.

Synonyms. Desbrochers des Loges described the variety squamidorsum of R. mauritii from specimens collected together with the typical form and characterized by denser, wider, rounded scales of the dorsal vestiture, and by the stouter rostrum. We examined seven specimens of this variety: two females on a single pin and labelled “A. Sefra / squamidorsum (Db.) / Ex Musaeo Desbrochers des Loges, 1914” ( MNHN), one female labelled “Ain-Sefra / 5 / Gymnetron nov. sp. xx / Mauritii Dsbr. / v. squamidorsum Desb. ” ( MNHN), one male and one female labelled “A Sefra / Ex Musaeo Dr. Ch. H-Martin” ( MNHN), one male labelled “Ain-Sefra, Algeria, Desbrochers des Loges” ( MSNM); one female labelled “Ain-Sefra, Algeria, Pic” ( MSNM). As quoted by Desbrochers des Loges, the differences in the dorsal vestiture between these specimens and the lectotype of R. mauritii are clear, but they are in the range of variability of this species. Moreover, the taxon squamidorsum was unambiguously described as infrasubspecific ( ICZN, 1999 Art. 45.6.1) and therefore this name is unavailable ( ICZN, 1999 Art. 46.6).

Redescription. Male. Body: subcylindrical, slender ( Fig. 9 ). Rostrum: reddish, short (Rl/Pl 0.69); in lateral view subconical, straight, distinctly narrowed in apical third ( Fig. 20 ); in dorsal view with subparallel sides, with moderately visible scrobes, distinctly striate-punctate to apex, in basal third with dense recumbent short (l/w 2–3) suboval light brown scales. Head: between eyes as wide as rostrum at base, without fovea. Eyes almost flat. Antennae: reddish brown with dark brown club, inserted just beyond middle of rostrum; scape 3.1× longer than wide, funicle moderately longer than scape, with segment 1 1.7× longer than wide, distinctly stouter and 1.3× as long as segment 2, which is 1.3× longer than wide, segment 3 as long as wide, segments 4 and 5 gradually more transverse; club short, oval, with segment 1 pubescent similarly to others. Pronotum: black, with dense and regular punctures, intervals between punctures narrow, slightly convex and slightly shining, poorly visible between dense recumbent short (l/w 2–3) suboval light brown scales; transverse (Pw/Pl 1.43), with moderately rounded sides, widest in basal third, almost flat. Elytra: brown, 1.31× as long as wide, at base moderately concave, 1.28× as wide as pronotum, with sides parallel in basal 3/4, further abruptly narrowed, almost flat on disc; interstriae completely concealed by dense recumbent partly imbricate short (l/w 2–3) rectangular to suboval light brown scales, arranged in two partly three irregular rows; striae poorly visible, one third as wide as interstriae, with a row of scales narrower than those of interstriae. Legs: slender, with dense recumbent suboval to sublanceolate greyish brown scales distinctly shorter than width of tibia; femora reddish, subclavate, with small sharp tooth; tibiae reddish, slender, with outer margin curved inward apically; unci blackish brown, fine, all similar in size; tarsi dark brown, with tarsomere 1 twice as long as wide, tarsomere 2 1.5× longer than wide, tarsomere 3 bilobed and distinctly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium thin, as long as tarsomeres 1–3 taken together; inner claw somewhat shorter than outer claw. Venter: metasternum reddish, with dense, wide and subelliptical at sides, narrow and setiform along midline, greyish brown scales. Mesepimera, mes- and metepisterna concealed by wide scales. Abdomen reddish, with dense irregular punctures, moderately visible between dense broad and subelliptical at sides and narrow and setiform medially greyish brown scales; length ventrites 1+2/3+4 2.23. Penis: body of penis moderately long (l/ w 3.5), gradually narrowing from base to middle further nearly parallel-sided, with subacute narrowly rounded apex, endophallus with very short flagellum at base of body, apodemes as long as body and in lateral view on same ideal plane joining base and apex of median lobe Fig. 32 .

Female. As male except rostrum longer (Rl/Pl 0.82), more curved ( Fig. 21 ), smoother and more shining especially in apical half, femora with smaller tooth, uncus of metatibiae slightly smaller than others. Spiculum ventrale: arms long, moderately spaced each other, apodeme shorter than arms ( Fig. 38 ). Spermatheca: ramus and collum well-developed, ramus shorter than collum ( Fig. 44 ).

Variability. Length 1.6–2.1 mm. The scales of the dorsal vestiture vary in shape from suboval to lanceolate and subelliptical, also in specimens of the same population (see Synonyms).

Remarks and comparative notes. Except for the broad scales of the dorsal vestiture, which easily allow the distinction of this species from all others of the tribe Mecinini , the shape of the rostrum is similar to that of R. herbarum and the shape of the elytra to that of R. algirica (H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862) , whereas the shape of the aedeagus is similar to that of R. depressa (Rottenberg, 1862) . It is the unique species in Rhinusa with asymmetrical claws.

Biological notes. This species was collected on Antirrhinum ramosissimum Coss. & Durieu both in Morocco and Algeria.

Distribution. Morocco, Algeria.

Non-type material examined. Morocco: 25 km N of Errachidia , 1400 m, 15.IV.1989, leg. Meregalli ( MMCT) ; Errachidia, Erfoud , 14.VII.1971, on Antirrhinum ramosissimum , leg. Péricart (5, MNHN) ; Figuig, Defilia Oasis , 17.IV.1965 (3, BMNH) ; Beni Ourif de Figuig , on Antirrhinum ramosissimum (4, MNHN) ; Guelmim , 23.V.2001, leg. Borovec (2, RBCS) ; Ouarzazate , 25.IV.1993, leg. Carapezza (9, GOCV) ; 5 km E of Ouarzazate , dry river bank, 3.V.2008, leg. Kresl (25, PKCJ) ; Ouarzazate, Oued Dades valley , 1200 m, 4.V.1991, on Antirrhinum ramosissimum , leg. Košťál (9, MKCH) ; Taroudannt, Oued Déja, Oued Fared , 21.III.1997, leg. Colonnelli (7, ECCR) ; Taroudannt, Aoulouz, Oued Souss , 23.III.1997, leg. Colonnelli (26, ECCR) ; Tizi-n-Talharmt Pass , 1900 m, 15.IV.1989, leg. Meregalli (1, MMCT) . Algeria: Aïn Sefra , 25.IV.1987, leg. Strejcek (1, NMPC) ; Mekmene Benamar near Aïn Sefra (3, MNHN) ; Béchar, 27.IV.1987, leg. Strejcek (3, NMPC) ; Béchar, Ben Zireg , 3.IV.1988, leg. Colonnelli (1, ECCR) ; Béchar, Hassi Rheressa , 3.IV.1988, leg. Colonnelli (13, ECCR) ; Béchar, Merires , 8.VI.1986, leg. Magnani (11, GOCV) ; 30 km S of Ghardaia, 2.V.1987, leg. Strejcek (3, NMPC) .

Figures

FIGURES 1‒9. Habitus of (1) Rhinusa linariae, male; (2) R. brisouti, male; (3) R. kumatschevi, male; (4) R. herbarum, male; (5) R. vulpeculus, holotype male; (6) R. mateui, female; (7) R. melas, male; (8) R. korotyaevi, paratype male; (9) R. mauritii, male. Not to the same scale

FIGURES 10‒22. Rostrum of (10) Rhinusa linariae, male; (11) R. linariae, female; (12) R. herbarum, male; (13) R. herbarum, female; (14) R. mateui, male; (15) R. mateui, female; (16) R. melas, male; (17) R. melas, female; (18) R. korotyaevi, male; (19) R. korotyaevi, female; (20) R. mauritii, male; (21) R. mauritii, female; (22) R. antirrhini, male.

FIGURES 23‒32. Profemur and protibia of (23) Rhinusa bipustulata, male; (24) R. linariae, male; (25) R. tetra, male; (26) R. tetra, female. Penis in dorsal view of (27) R. linariae; (28) R. herbarum; (29) R. mateui; (30) R. melas; (31) R. korotyaevi; (32) R. mauritii.

FIGURES 33‒44. Spiculum ventrale of (33) Rhinusa linariae; (34) R. herbarum; (35) R. mateui; (36) R. melas; (37) R. korotyaevi; (38) R. mauritii. Spermatheca of (39) R. linariae; (40) R. herbarum; (41) R. mateui; (42) R. melas; (43) R. korotyaevi; (44) R. mauritii.