Melanterius curvistriatus, Pinzón-Navarro & Jennings & Oberprieler, 2017

Pinzón-Navarro, Sara V., Jennings, Debbie & Oberprieler, Rolf G., 2017, Host associations of Melanterius Erichson (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cleogonini), with a diagnosis and delimitation of the genus and description of five new species, Zootaxa 4298 (1), pp. 1-77 : 33-34

Melanterius curvistriatus sp. n.

( Figs. 54–58 )

Description. Size: length 2.1–2.8 mm in male, 2.2–2.9 mm in female; width 0.9–1.2 mm in male, 1.0– 1.3 mm in female. Colour and vestiture: body dark reddish-brown, pronotum darker than elytra; head, pronotum and elytra sparsely clothed with small, pale, truncate hair-scales, legs with similar hair-scales but slightly denser. Head with dense, large, shallow punctures, vertex strongly shagreened. Eyes large, slightly convex but not protruding, dorsally in middle of their length separated by slightly more than width of rostrum at base. Rostrum robust, about 1.2x longer than prothorax in both sexes; moderately downcurved, dorsally continuous in outline with head in profile; dorsally with large, confluent punctures forming irregular short grooves in proximal two-thirds in male, about one-fifth in female, distal part glabrous with sparse, much smaller, finely setiferous punctures. Antennae inserted in apical quarter of rostrum in male, just before middle in female; with funicle 1.2x longer than scape, funicle segment 1 and 2 subequal, each about as long as 2+3, club 2.0x longer than wide in middle. Prothorax trapezoidal in outline, at apex 0.6x as wide as at base, length along midline 0.75x of width at base; pronotum densely punctate, punctures moderately sized, oval, shallow, each in posterior wall carrying a pale hair-scale curved anteriad and just exceeding anterior margin of puncture. Elytra 3.25x longer than pronotum, at base as wide as pronotum but across humeri ca. 1.35x wider; striae deep, with elongate, confluent punctures; interstriae broad, convex to subcostate on disc but bluntly costate on sides and declivity, surface rugulose, all with irregular row of short fine silvery-white setae on either side of midline (costa); striae 2–4 and interstriae 3–4 distinctly curved outwards at basal one-fifth of length, interstriae 4 there with distinct elongate callus ( Fig. 56 ). Metanepisterna with a single row of ca. 10–12 large, shallow, punctures (in some females a second, lower row indicated anteriorly and posteriorly), metanepisternal sutures ventrally fringed with minute white sclerolepidia. Mesoventrite with median process shallowly concave; surface finely rugulose and setose, setae in shallow transverse punctures. Metaventrite with disc raised laterally between meso- and metacoxae but not carinate; surface moderately densely covered with large, shallow punctures each with a stout, broad, blunt, pale seta inserted in anterior wall and directed caudad, lateral setae long, suberect, denser. Abdominal ventrites 1 and 2 laterally each about as long as 3+4; 1 medially shallowly depressed in male, flat to slightly convex in female, 3 and 4 with two irregular transverse rows of sparse, small punctures each carrying a fine pale seta. Legs. Procoxae well separated by a concave septum about as broad as half width of rostrum, meso- and metacoxae separated by slightly less than their width; femora with small ventral tooth (smallest in profemora), underside with shallow indistinct groove for reception of tibiae; tibiae with small but distinct uncus arising at inner side of apex in both sexes and continuing into large bare flange across tibial apex (forming false corbel), flange at outer angle bluntly produced (forming a broad lobe on metatibiae), setal comb transverse on protibiae, oblique on meso- and metatibiae. Genitalia. Aedeagus ( Fig. 57 ) with body of penis 2x longer than broad at apex, parallel-sided, flat, strongly curved, apex broadly truncate with slight tip, sclerites indistinct; temones terete, twice longer than body of penis; endophallus without sclerite. Spermatheca ( Fig. 58 ) evenly thick, straight with abruptly angled cornu with narrowed apex; gland very large, bulbous, with short, straight, sclerotised duct inserted on elongate, apically slightly inflated ramus.

Material examined (34 ♂, 12 ♀). Holotype ♂: “1645’ 25.9 S 13732’ 23.7E / NT: Pungalina, Seven / Emu Reserve , Lake / Jabiru / 29 June 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 13 / beating Acacia leptocarpa / with flowers // ♂ // ANIC / Image // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 67550 // HOLOTYPE / Melanterius curvistriatus / Pinzón-Navarro , Jennings & Oberprieler, 2017” ( ANIC). Paratypes (all labelled “ PARATYPE / Melanterius curvistriatus / Pinzón- Navarro , Jennings & Oberprieler 2017, in ANIC): 1 ♂: 1634’38 S 13729 ’19E / NT: Mystery Shovel / Australian Wildlife / Conservancy , Pungalina / Seven Emu Reserve / 27/06/12 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 7 / beating old pods on / Acacia holosericea / DNA 2605 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 64680 // ♂ ; 1 ♂: 1634’38 S 13729 ’19E / NT: Pungalina, Mystery / Shovel , 17.7 km NE by N / Pungalina Hmstd / 27 June 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 7 / beating old pods on / Acacia holosericea // ♂ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067516 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067517 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067518 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067519 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067520 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067521 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067522 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067523 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067524 ; 1 ♀: same data except ♀ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067525 ; 1 ♀: same data except ♀ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067526 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC / Image // ANIC Database No. / 25 067552 ; 1 ♀: 1639’ 35.3 S 13724’ 51.7E / NT: Pungalina, Mystery / Shovel 7 km track to / Calvert River / 27 June 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 8 / beating Acacia / holosericea // ♀ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067530 ; 1 ♀: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067531 ; 1 ♀: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067532 ; 1 ♂: 1647’ 29.8 S 13727’ 37.1E / NT: Pungalina, Karns / Creek , 9.6 km SE by S / Pungalina Hmstd / 28 June 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 12 / beating Acacia dimidiata // ♂ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067527 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067528 ; 1 ♀: same data except ♀ // ANIC Databse No. / 25 067529 ; 1 ♂: 1645’ 25.9 S 13732’ 23.7E / NT: Pungalina, Seven / Emu Reserve , Lake / Jabiru / 29 June 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 13 / beating Acacia leptocarpa / DNA 2608 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63691 // ♂ ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067539 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067540 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067541 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067542 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067543 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067544 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067545 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067546 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067547 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067548 ; 1 ♀: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 0 67549 // ♀ ; 1 ♀: same data except ANIC / Image / ANIC Database No. / 25 0 67551 // ♀ ; 1 ♀: 1627’52 S 13733 ’17E / NT: Australian Wildlife / Cons. Pungalina. Seven / Emu Reserve / 02/07/12 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // AWC camp near Cycad / Creek, Site 22 / Acacia hammondii / DNA 2618 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63682 // ♀ ; 1 ♂: 1627’ 52.3 S 13733’ 17.2E / NT: Pungalina , 32 km NE / by N Pungalina Hmstd / Camp near Cycad Creek / 0 2 July 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // Site 22 / beating / Acacia leptocarpa // ♂ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067535 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067536 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067537 ; 1 ♂: same data except “ ANIC Database No. / 25 067538 ; 1 ♀: same data except “NT S 22 / beating Phyllodine / DNA 4519 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63531 // ANIC / Image // ♀ ; 1 ♂: 1622’ 03.7 S 13740’ 17.5E / NT: Big Stinking Lagoon , / Pungalina , near Calvert / River / 03/07/12 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // beating clump of flowering / beating Acacia leptocarpa (plant DNA 80 ) / DNA 2621 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63704 // ♂ ; 1 ♂: 1630’50 S 13732 ’ 08.9E / NT: Pungalina, Edge of / Calvert River , Rocky side / 04/07/12 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // old pods and flowers / beating Acacia / holosericea / Site 26 DNA 2623 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63695 // ♂ ; 1 ♀: same data except “ DNA 2626 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63698 // ♀ ; 1 ♂: same data except “ DNA 2627 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 64664 // ♀ ; 1 ♂: 1644’ 04.9 S 13729’ 22.8E / NT: Karns Creek , / Pungalina / 08/07/12 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // beating old pods / Acacia holosericea / DNA 2602 // ANIC Database No. / 25 0 63700 // ♂ ; 1 ♂: 1647’29.8” S 13727 ’37”E / NT: Pungalina Karns / Creek near entrance of / camp rd / 8 July 2012 / S. Pinzón-Navarro // beating / Acacia holosericea / mating couple // ♂ // ANIC Database No. / 25 067533 ; 1 ♀: same data except ANIC Database No. / 25 0 67534 // ♀.

Distribution. The species is thus far only known from a small area near the Gulf of Carpenteria in the Northern Territory ( Fig. 69).

Host-plants. The type series was largely collected from Acacia holosericea (22 specimens) and A. leptocarpa (18), with a few specimens from A. dimidiata (3) and A. hammondii (1) ( Table 1).

Remarks. This species is readily distinguishable from all others in the M. latipennis group by its elongate shape and especially the curved striae 2 to 4 with intervening interstriae, for which the species is named.

Figures

FIGURES 54 – 58. Melanterius curvistriatus sp. n. 54: holotype, male, dorsal habitus (Northern Territory, Pungalina, Lake Jabiru); 55: holotype, male, lateral habitus; 56: holotype, male, elytra showing curved striae 2 – 4 (arrows pointing at bend of striae 3); 57: male genitalia (Northern Territory, Pungalina, Mystery Shovel); a, aedeagus, lateral view, b, aedeagus dorsal view, C, sternite IX, dorsal view; 58: spermatheca (Northern Territory, Pungalina, Mystery Shovel).