Microplinthus kaskianus 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 : 15-18

Microplinthus kaskianus Meregalli n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C5B7B793-C33B-4AFA-8EB9-86F0FFFEB702

Fig. 6

Material examined. Holotype ♂: “ Nepal 426, Kaski Distr. / above Pothana [28°19’N 83°51’E] / 2000 m 29.IV.1995 / Martens & Schawaller” ( SMNS)

Diagnostic description. Length 3.61 mm. Body oblong, almost matt, dark brownish. Vestiture composed of sparse setae, on elytra broader, slightly spatulate, mainly condensed on tubercles. Rostrum robust, dorsal sides broadened basally, slightly curvilinear converging apicad, in lateral view regularly curved, junction with head slightly concave, sculpture deep, formed by longitudinal rows of appressed punctures separated by 7 narrow longitudinal lines, sculpture extended beyond antennal insertion. Antennal scape regularly thickened towards apex; antennomeres 1 and 2 conical, 1 broader than 2, barely longer than wide, 2 almost twice as long as wide, 3–6 globose, 7 slightly wider; club oblong. Eye oblong-elliptical, with about 35 ommatidia. Pronotum as long as wide, sides irregularly weakly curvilinear, maximum width around midlength, median keel high, glossy, extended from basal quarter to almost apex; dorsum very densely and irregularly sculptured, punctures seldom individually impressed, mainly towards base and apex, on disc merged into irregular pits formed by groups of punctures fused, separated by narrow irregular lines. Elytra oblong, convex, intervals convex, with low humps more distinct on declivity; striae irregularly impressed, with poorly delimited punctures of various shape, interspaces between punctures as high as intervals. Femur robust, with a triangular obtuse tooth, strongly narrowed before articulation with tibia; tibia short, distinctly sinuate internally, apex rounded, not extended along outer margin of tibia. Tarsomere 3 with broadly expanded lobes; claws simple. Ventrites with sides strongly curvilinear from 2 to 5, 1 punctured and with two large median round foveae, 2 sparsely punctured; 5 short, punctured. Penis flattened, in lateral view regularly curved in apical half, dorsal sides slightly broadened from base to midlength, apex regularly narrowed, slightly prominent.

Differential remarks. Microplinthus kaskianus is sympatric with M. schawalleri , which differs in the small glossy, reddish body, the slender elytra, barely larger than pronotum, the very thick and curved rostrum. See description of M. annapurnae for differentiation of that species. Microplinthus kaskianus is morphologically quite similar to M. franzi , from which it differs in the simple claws (with small inner teeth in M. franzi ), the pronotum with shallow punctures, and the penis with broader apex.

Origin of the name. This name derives from the type locality in the Kaski district.

Distribution. Western Nepal, west of Pokhara ( Fig. 28 ).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Microplinthus kaskianus, Holotype ♂. Body (A, B); rostrum (E, I); antenna (C); pronotum (F); elytra (D); femur (G), foretibia and its apex (H, O); tarsus (N); claws (P); ventrites (J); penis (K, L, M). Bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 28. Distribution map of some species of Microplinthus. Map data: Google Earth, Maxar Technologies, used according to Google Earth Terms of Service.