Thunbergapion Alonso-Zarazaga

Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., 2013, Types of species of Apionidae (Coleoptera) described by Carl Peter Thunberg (1743 - 1828) with description of a new genus, ZooKeys 317, pp. 89-101 : 94-97

Thunbergapion Alonso-Zarazaga gen. n. Figs 1-2, 6-11

Type species.

Apion limbatum Thunberg, 1813. Gender neuter.

Description.

With the characters of tribe Aplemonini Kissinger, 1968, as detailed by Alonso-Zarazaga (1990: 88).

Integument. Colour black, elytra with a faint leaden-bluish glint.

Vestiture subsquamose, scales elliptical to lanceolate, in one ordered row on each interstria, sometimes row disordered in the middle of some interstriae. Pronotal vestiture centripetal.

Rostrum 1.28 × as long as pronotum, sparsely squamose in basal third, almost glabrous in apical two thirds, in dorsal view sides slightly convergent to mesorostrum, tubiform from mesorostrum to apex, 5.2 × as long as wide at apex, mesorostrum not dilated, punctures dense and large at base, becoming progressively less dense and smaller towards apex, integument scarcely microreticulate, bright; in side view straight at basal half, weakly deflexed and curved in apical half. Scrobes weakly sulciform.

Head short, separated from occiput by a dorsal transversal depression, forehead little narrower than rostral apex, with two irregular lines of scale-bearing punctures near inner margin of eyes and a central oblong-elliptical, moderately deep fovea. Eyes slightly oblong, moderately convex. Temples very short, ca. ¼ length of eye.

Antennae inserted at basal 0.33 of rostrum. Scapes moderately long, 1.33 × as long as mesorostral width. Clubs elongate, fusiform, 2.6 × as long as wide, sutures visible.

Pronotum moderately transverse, 0.90 × as long as wide, maximum width near middle, weakly narrowed towards base, more strongly so towards apex. Basal flange absent. Prescutellar fovea obsolete, reduced to a very weak oblong depression near base, not longer than a puncture. Base straight.

Scutellum small, subtriangular, glabrous, impunctate.

Elytra oval-elongate, ca. 1.6 × as long as wide (a more precise measure impossible due to the condition of the specimen), widest at middle, humeral calli moderately developed. Striae at apex joining 1+2+9, 3+4, 5+6, 7+8, 2nd not extended outwards, at base 1st shortened before scutellum. No specialized setae.

Ventral areas. Mesocoxae tangent. Median apophysis of mesoventrite triangular, short, median apophysis of metaventrite rather narrow and elongate, tuberculiform. Anterior metasternal rim fine. Abdomen (Fig. 6) strongly and densely punctate, punctures moderately deep, scales not condensed, finer than on disc of metaventrite. First abdominal ventrite ca. 1.8 × as long as 2nd, this as long as 5th. Suture I marked. Fifth ventrite subtruncate at apex.

Pygidium (Fig. 7) of apionine type, with apical flange weakly and widely notched medially.

Legs. Tibiae unarmed. Tarsi robust, 1st protarsomere 1.11 × as long as wide, 2nd transverse, 0.73 × as long as wide, 0.8 × as long as 1st, 3rd 0.69 × as long as wide, deeply bilobed, onychium 3.24 × as long as wide, surpassing lobes of 3rd tarsomere by 0.54 × its own length. No tarsomere ventrally spined. Claws weakly incrassate at base, not toothed.

Genitalia and terminalia: Tegmen (Fig. 11) with parameroid lobes shorter than dorsal portion of ring, apically subtriangular, with short apical membranous microsetose area, basal sclerotized area with some irregularly arranged short macrochaetae and sensilla. Fenestrae separated, curved. Prostegium fused to free ring, with a deep triangular notch and one basal tooth on each side, the teeth with a small inner prominence. Linea arquata obsolete. Free ring and manubrium flattened. Penis (Figs 9-10) weakly compressed, apex of pedon prominent as a trapezoidal truncate plate in dorsal view, in side view gently curved with the apex weakly recurved. Internal sac with apical spicules uniform, ca. 10 µm long, rather condensed in a subtriangular patch, medially with two pieces apparently formed by conglomerate teeth, ca. 80 µm long, and basally with some sparse minute spicules and asperities. Spiculum gastrale (Fig. 8) Y-shaped, slightly asymmetrically curved, manubrium ca. 2.5 × as long as arms.

Note.

This description is based only on the male sex, the female is presently unknown.

Material examined.

The lectotype male of Apion limbatum Thunberg, 1813, as mentioned above.

Etymology.

This genus is named after Carl Peter Thunberg, the illustrious Swedish naturalist and almost certainly the collector of the type species, during his travels in present-day South Africa.