Microplinthus longipennis Meregalli, 2020

Meregalli, Massimo, 2020, Revision of the Nepalese genus Microplinthus Zherichin, 1987 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae), with description of 25 new species, Zootaxa 4794 (1), pp. 1-63 : 40-42

Microplinthus longipennis Meregalli n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:20C4002C-0B5B-47E8-89ED-C6AB35FC7998

Fig. 20

Material examined. Holotype ♂: “ NEPAL Manaslu Himal , Bhara / Pokhari lekh, 3000–3100 m / N 28°18’24; E 84°28’06. / Rhododendron forest / 3–4.IV.1999, leg. O. Jäger ” ( MTD).

Diagnostic description. Length 4.42 mm. Body elongate, very slender, integument dark ferruginous, slightly glossy. Vestiture almost absent, composed of few small setae appressed to integument, more distinct on elytral declivity. Rostrum robust, sides linearly convergent, interantennal dorsal width half as width at base; in lateral view strongly curved, more so in basal part, evenly thick from base to apex, junction to head slightly concave, dorsum with dense large punctures, irregularly and shallowly impressed, oblong, longitudinally aligned but not forming clearly delimited longitudinal rows, longitudinal lines not clearly delimited, not continuous on the entire length of rostrum, sculpture of rostrum extended to head. Antennal scape regularly thickened at apex; antennomeres 1 and 2 elongate, 1 conical, less than twice as long as wide, 2 slightly broadened in apical part, twice as long as wide; 3–7 globose, 7 barely larger than 6; club oblong. Eye oblong, with about 45 ommatidia. Pronotum subcylindrical, reddish in apical part, longer than wide, sides very feebly broadened from base to apical quarter, sharply constricted to apex; median line undifferentiated, a very short longitudinal obtuse line present in apical third; surface covered with large punctures irregularly impressed, of variable size and form, on disc shallow and merged in groups, separated by irregular glossy lines, towards apex, on the part with reddish integument, punctures very small, reciprocally isolate, interspaces between them broader than punctures; punctures towards base denser, with narrower interspaces, but always reciprocally isolate. Elytra elongate-elliptical, barely broader than pronotum, intervals convex, linear, with low oblong humps, more frequent on odd intervals; striae narrower than intervals, well distinct, slightly impressed, with seriate punctures. Femur robust, scarcely thickened at midlength, weakly restricted before articulation with tibia, provided with a small triangular tooth; tibia slender, with sparse setae, inner part scarcely sinuate, towards apex with three strong spine-like setae, apex rounded, not extended along outer margin. Tarsomere 3 with scarcely developed lobes; claws with minute internal teeth. Ventrites with sides subparallel from 2 to 5, only in 2 sides more curved, 5 broad, subtrapezoidal, sides almost parallel, 1 and 2 sparsely punctured, 5 with traces of very shallow punctures. Penis subangularly curved at midlength, lamella flat, very elongate, sides rectilinearly narrowed, apex sub-acutely rounded.

Differential remarks. This species is sympatric with M. brevipennis , a species that has shortly oval elytra.

Origin of the name. This species name derives from the main distinctive character of the species, the narrow and slender elytra.

Distribution. Western Nepal, mountains on the east side of the Marsyangdi river valley ( Fig. 29 ).

Figures

FIGURE 20. Microplinthus longipennis, Holotype ♂. Body (A, B); rostrum (E, H); antenna (C); pronotum (F); elytra (D); femur (N); foretibia (L); tarsus (M); claws (O); ventrites (G); penis (I, J, K). Bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 29. Distribution map of some species of Microplinthus. Map data: Google Earth, Maxar Technologies, used according to Google Earth Terms of Service..