Trigonopterus variabilis Riedel

Riedel, Alexander, Sagata, Katayo, Surbakti, Suriani, Rene Taenzler, & Michael Balke,, 2013, One hundred and one new species of Trigonopterus weevils from New Guinea, ZooKeys 280, pp. 1-150 : 83-84

94. Trigonopterus variabilis Riedel sp. n.

Diagnostic description.

Holotype, male (Fig. 94a). Length 1.38 mm. Color of head ferruginous; legs and pronotum largely black; elytra ferruginous, in apical half each side with one black spot. Body subovate; in dorsal aspect and in profile with distinct constriction between pronotum and elytron. Eyes large. Rostrum punctate, sparsely setose, without distinct longitudinal ridges; antennal insertion in apical 1/3, anteriorly rostrum with shallow constriction; epistome simple. Pronotum densely punctate-reticulate; each puncture containing one inconspicuous seta. Elytra with striae deeply impressed, intervals costate, subglabrous. Meso- and metafemur ventrally with acute tooth. Tibial uncus simple, curved. Metafemur subapically with indistinct stridulatory patch. Aedeagus (Fig. 94b) with body flattened, almond-shaped, its central portion rather hyaline; transfer apparatus dentiform, encased by capsule stained blue by chlorazol black; ductus ejaculatorius without bulbus. Intraspecific variation. Length 1.19-1.66 mm. Color ranging from ferruginous with more or less extensive black pattern to completely black. Female rostrum dorsally subglabrous, punctate, basally with lateral furrows containing sparse row of setae; antennal insertion of females near middle of rostrum.

Material examined.

Holotype (SMNK): ARC1096 (EMBL # HE615725), PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Simbu Prov., Karimui Dist., Haia, S06°40.976', E145°00.979', 1135 m, 27-IX-2009, sifted. Paratypes (NAIC, SMNK, ZSM): PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Simbu Prov.: 6 exx, ARC1097 (EMBL # HE615726), ARC1102 (EMBL # HE615731), ARC1103 (EMBL # HE615732), same data as holotype; 13 exx, Haia, S06°40.976', E145°00.979', 1135 m, 04-X-2009, sifted; 7 exx, Haia, S06°41.018', E145°00.995', 1090 m, 04-X-2009, sifted.

Distribution.

Simbu Prov. (Haia). Elevation: 1090-1135 m.

Biology.

Sifted from leaf litter in primary forest.

Etymology.

This epithet is based on the Latin adjective variabilis (variable) and refers to the coloration which differs considerably among specimens.

Notes.

Trigonopterus variabilis Riedel, sp. n. was coded as " Trigonopterus sp. 162" by Tänzler et al. (2012).