Smicronyx gossypii Marshall, 1942

Haran, Julien, 2018, A review of the genus Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae) in tropical Africa, Zootaxa 4508 (2), pp. 267-287 : 277-278

Smicronyx gossypii Marshall, 1942

Figs 1G , 3G , 5G

Smicronyx gossypii Marshall, 1942: 1

Material examined. Lectotype Ƌ [here designated]: [ Eritrea] ‘Type’ ‘ Red Sea: Dahalak. 19-iii-1903. Dr. M. Cameron. B.M. 1928-109’ ‘Sweeping’ ‘ Smicronyx gossypii, Mshl. TYPE’ (fitted with a red lectotype label: “ LECTOTYPE / Smicronyx gossypii / Marshall, 1942/ Haran J. des. 2018”, BMNH). Paralectotypes [here designated]. Sudan, G. R. F. Wad Medani, 15.x.1932, W. P. L. Cameron, on Cotton bracts, “cotype” (2♂, fitted with a red Paralectotype label: “ PARALECTOTYPE / Smicronyx gossypii / Marshall, 1942/ Haran J. des. 2018”, BMNH); 7.v.1933, from Ishan Cotton (3♂, fitted with a red Paralectotype label: “ PARALECTOTYPE / Smicronyx gossypii / Marshall, 1942/ Haran J. des. 2018”, BMNH). Other material. Burkina Faso, Sanguié, Sorobouli forest, 270 m, 11°47’44’’N 002°53’25’’O, 28.vii.2006, Sudanian savanna with trees, light trap, F. & S. Génier, 2006-83 (2♀, CMNC); Nahouri, Nazinga forest, Boulieselo, 310 m, 11°11’50’’N 001°35’09’’O, 27.vii.2006, Sudanian savanna with trees, light trap, F. & S. Génier, 2006-82 (1 [sex not determined], CMNC); Nahouri, Nazinga forest, Naguio, 270 m, 11°07’52’’N 001°34’38’’O, 24.vii.2006, Sudanian savanna with trees, light trap, F. & S. Génier, 2006-66 (1 [sex not determined], CMNC); Nahouri, Nazinga forest, Akwazena, 275 m, 11°09’24’’N 001°36’44’’O, 26.vii.2006, Sudanian savanna with trees, light trap, F. & S. Génier, 2006-76 (4 [sex not determined], CMNC); Loroum, Toulfé, 300 m, 13°53’43’’N 001°52’25’O, 16.vii.2006, Sudanian savanna with trees, light trap, F. & S. Génier, 2006-40 (2 [sex not determined], CMNC); Loroum, Toulfé, 325 m, 13°53’33’’N 001°53’39’O, 17.vii.2006, Sahelian savanna with trees, light trap, F. & S. Génier, 2006-41 (1 [sex not determined], CMNC). Chad, moyen chari, Fort Archambault Bakaré ou Soungoul, iv.1904, J. Decorse leg. (1♀, MNHN, Gene.coll). Islands of Cape Verde, S. Tiago, Sao Jorge Ansaugfalle, viii.1984, v. Harten leg. 1075 (1♂, BMNH); S. Tiago, 3.ii.1989, M. Geisthardt leg., Smicronyx gossypii Mshl, M. L. Cox det. 2001 (1♂, BMNH); Fogo, Flughaven, xi.1982, Ohm leg., on Prosopsis sp. (1♀, BMNH). Mali, Kéniéroba, 75 km South of Bamako, xii.2012, V. Kravchenko & G Muller leg. (1♂, SMNHTAU). Senegal, Richard Toll, 8.x.1978, black light, G. Hevel & J. Fortin leg. (5 [sex not determined], NMNH); 16°26’25’’N 015°39’29’’O, 9m, 16.viii.2009, Sahelian zone tigred bush, light trap, F. Génier, 2009-36 (3 [sex not determined], CMNC).

Diagnosis. Body length 2.0 mm. Colour. Body integument black; vestiture of elytra consisting of recumbent, slightly overlapping brownish scales, distinctly longer than wide, not concealing integument, and rounded whitish scales usually forming a pale band between humeri and apical third of elytral suture. Head. Rostrum moderately downcurved in lateral view, slightly longer than head capsule + prothorax. Prothorax. quadrate (w/l ratio: 1), sides moderately rounded in basal 2/3, constricted in apical 1/3, base 1.5 longer than width at apex, with spots of whitish scales near humeri and at base near scutellum. Elytra. Subparallel in basal two-thirds (w/l ratio: 0.69), rounded toward apex in apical third. Legs. Covered with narrow whitish and pale brown scales; femora clavate, armed with distinct ventral tooth, tibiae straight. Genitalia. Penis elongate (w/l ratio: 0.36), sides straight, subparallel, converging near apex, apex rounded; curvature moderate in lateral view, reversed at apex ( Fig. 5G ). Females are hardly distinguishable from males based on external morphology (Marshall 1942). Rostrum of females is slightly longer than that of males.

Life history. Adults of this species were recorded on bracts and flowers of cotton (Gossypum sp., Malvaceae ), however no proof of larva development in this plant was established ( Anderson 1962). The recording of this species on Prosopsis ( Mimosaceae ) is probably accidental. Adults were collected all year round.

Distribution. Widely distributed throughout the northern semi-desert climates of sub-Saharan Africa. Localities examined: Chad, Eritrea, Islands of Cape Verde, Mali, Senegal and Sudan.

Discussion. Smicronyx gossypii is close to S. pauperculus and particularly resembles black specimens of the latter species. The two species can be distinguished by the coating of the elytra, which is darker in S. gossypii and forms two whitish oblique stripes (transverse whitish stripes in S. pauperculus ). The penis of S. gossypii is narrower and more elongate (w/l ratio: 0.36) than in S. pauperculus (w/l ratio: 0.57).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of species of Smicronyx from tropical Africa (Part 1). A. Smicronyx bisignatus Hoffmann, holotype ♂. B. S. remaudierei Hoffmann, holotype ♂. C. S. adjamati, sp. n., holotype ♂. D. S. crassithorax sp. n., paratype ♀. E. S. zambianus sp. n. holotype ♂. F. S. syriacus Faust, specimen from Israel (♂). G. S. gossypii Marshall, holotype ♂. H. S. albosquamosus Wollaston, specimen from Israel (♂). I. S. pauperculus Wollaston, specimen from Tanzania (♂). J. S. rufus sp. n., holotype ♂. K. S. zonatus sp. n., holotype ♂. L. S. kenyanus sp. n., holotype ♂. Scale bars (A to L): 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Head and prothorax in lateral view of species of Smicronyx from tropical Africa (Part 1). A. Smicronyx bisignatus Hoffmann, holotype ♂. B. S. remaudierei Hoffmann, holotype ♂. C. S. adjamati, sp. n., holotype ♂. D. S. crassithorax sp. n., paratype ♀. E. S. zambianus sp. n. holotype ♂. F. S. syriacus Faust, specimen from Israel (♂). G. S. gossypii Marshall, holotype ♂. H. S. albosquamosus Wollaston, specimen from Israel (♂).

FIGURE 5. Penis of Smicronyx from tropical Africa, in dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view. A. Smicronyx bisignatus Hoffmann, holotype ♂. B. S. remaudierei Hoffmann, holotype ♂. C. S. adjamati, sp. n., holotype ♂. D. S. crassithorax sp. n., paratype ♀. E. S. zambianus sp. n. holotype ♂. F. S. syriacus Faust, specimen from Israel (♂). G. S. gossypii Marshall, holotype ♂. H. S. albosquamosus Wollaston, specimen from Israel (♂). I. S. pauperculus Wollaston, specimen from Tanzania (♂). J. S. rufus sp. n., holotype ♂. K. S. zonatus sp. n., holotype ♂. L. S. kenyanus sp. n., holotype ♂. M. S. namibicus sp. n., holotype ♂. N. S. kiboanus Voss, paratype ♂. O. S. guineanus Voss, specimen from Senegal (♂). P. S. buchnerae sp. n., holotype ♂. Scale bars (A to N): 100 µm.