Microplinthus karnalicus 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 : 36

Microplinthus karnalicus Meregalli n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7D89AEE9-F41F-425B-ACA9-A7317DC0793C

Fig. 17

Material examined. Holotype ♂: “ NEPAL Prov. Karnali / Distr. Jumla, 5 km E / Charta [approximately 29°18’N 82°20’E] 3400 m 05.V. / 1995 leg. A. Weigel ” ( NMEG).

Diagnostic description. Length 5.21 mm. Body oval-oblong, integument dark reddish-ferruginous, matt, reticulate. Vestiture composed of scattered narrow setae, appressed to integument on dorsal part of elytra, inserted in a small pit in a single row, denser and progressively more raised on declivity, particularly on low humps, alternate to other smaller, narrower setae sparsely scattered on surface. Rostrum stout, dorsal margins slightly broadened near base, linearly slightly convergent to antennal insertion, ratio width at antennal insertion vs. width at base 0.80; in lateral view strongly and regularly curved, thick, pregenae deeply punctured; dorsal sculpture composed of irregularly impressed punctures, near sides better distinct, individually impressed, near median part more or less merged in short longitudinal rows, shallowly impressed, longitudinal lines irregular, partly merged in some flat, densely reticulate areas near base, apical part smooth, glossy, with few small hair-like setae, extended beyond antennal insertion. Antennal scape sharply thickened at apex, funicle antennomeres 1 and 2 slender, conical, more than twice as long as wide, 3–7 globose, reciprocally well separate; club oblong, acutely pointed. Eye oblong, comparatively large, with almost 50 ommatidia. Pronotum longer than wide, sides weakly and irregularly curvilinear, maximum width at midlength, apical margin in lateral view with a distinct ocular lobe, sinuate at midlength; dorsum with a low median line, narrowly and obtusely raised, surface with small punctures shallowly impressed, not well delimited, interspaces irregular, as wide as or wider than punctures, with two small unpunctured dorso-lateral areas. Elytra ovateoblong, intervals linear, slightly and regularly convex, with low humps on declivity, striae with shallowly impressed small punctures, evenly spaced, interspaces of punctures as wide as punctures. Femur robust, thickened medially, with a triangular inner tooth; tibia strongly rugose, with evenly spaced erect setae, apex almost perpendicularly cut, not extended along outer margin of tibia. Claws with strong inner teeth. Ventrites regularly narrowed from 2 to 5, 1 and 2 sparsely punctured, interspaces of punctures at least as wide as punctures or wider, 3–4 with few shallow punctures, 5 densely punctured on the entire surface. Penis moderately and regularly curved downwards, dorsum with parallel sides from base to anterior part of ostium, curved towards lamella, lamella short, weakly prominent, regularly rounded.

Differential remarks. The only other species found in western Nepal is the related M. kaumarya , which differs in the oblong, slender elytra, scarcely thickened in lateral view, with ratio length/width 1.50 (ratio l/w 1.33 in M. karnalicus ), the deeply impressed punctures on the rostrum, the foretibia obliquely angled at apex, the apex of the antennal scape sharply thickened.

Origin of the name. This name derives from the type locality in Karnali Province .

Distribution. Mid-western Nepal, Karnali Province ( Fig. 29 ).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Microplinthus karnalicus, Holotype ♂. Body (A, B); rostrum (F, H); antenna (C); pronotum (E); elytra (D); femur and foretibia (G); apex of foretibia (I); claws (N); ventrites (M); penis (J, K, L). 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..