Alcidodes ramezei Lyal, 2000

Lyal, C. H. C. & Curran, L. M., 2000, Seed-feeding beetles of the weevil tribe Mecysolobini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae) developing in seeds of trees in the Dipterocarpaceae, Journal of Natural History 34 (9), pp. 1743-1847 : 1797-1799

Alcidodes ramezei Lyal , n.sp.

Robust insects, with prominent humeral angles. Length 9±11 mm (xÅ5 10.11), PW5 4.10±4.90 mm (xÅ5 4.55), HW 5 5.50±6.40 mm (xÅ5 6.0) (n 5 27) (®gures 25, 57, 77).

Head. Rostrum virtually straight, longer, more slender and less punctate in female (RL 5 4.4±5.0 mm, xÅ5 4.74 mm; RL/PW 5 0.99±1.10, xÅ5 1.03; RB/RD 5 0.80±0.90, xÅ5 0.85; n 5 13) (®gure 191) than in male (RL 5 3.6±4.2 mm, xÅ5 3.91; RL/PW5 0.83±0.92, xÅ5 0.87; RB/RD 5 0.90±1.22, xÅ5 1.06; n 5 13) (®gure 192).

Thorax. Sides of thorax in dorsal view with relatively weak demarcation between anterior and posterior parts (®gures 25, 57); PL/PW, m, 0.71±0.76 (xÅ5 0.74, n 5 13),, l0.68±0.76 (xÅ5 0.71, n 5 13); prothorax with tooth posterior to each coxa. Elytra with interstriae weakly wrinkled proximally, strial punctures deep, generally narrower than interstriae, humeri with interstria 9 not, or only just, projecting beyond 8 in dorsal view; EL/HW, m, 1.19±1.28 (xÅ5 1.23, n 5 13),, l1.19±1.28 (xÅ5 1.24, n 5 13). Elytra generally brown, with darker spot on disk of each elytron and on humeri; scale cover sparse, usually least dense on disc and dark patches. Fore femur with ventral tooth subtriangular, lacking a large proximal lobe, proximal margin at c.90ss to long axis of the femur and shorter than length of tooth, distal margin dentate (®gures 132, 154, 155); all tibiae with small ventral tooth. Metasternum strongly produced posteroventrally before hind coxae, its ventral margin strongly diverging from elytral margin (®gure 266).

Abdomen. Ventrite 5 with two caudal setal tufts on prominences in male, tufts weaker or absent in female and not on prominences; depressed laterally in both sexes although more noticeably in female (®gures 98, 99).

Male terminalia. Tergite 7 as in ®gure 267; diagonally-oriented patch of 12±14 plectral tubercles on each side, in glabrous area. Segment 8 as ®gure 268. Genitalia as in ®gures 269±273. Tegmen with parameres fused for more than half their length (®gure 269). Aedeagus with apex more or less acuminate, sides converging from base, sclerotization complete across dorsal surface in basal part, ostium elongate and extending nearly to apex, aedeagus smoothly curved in lateral view (®gures 271±273). Endophallus with small spines.

Female terminalia. (®gures 274±279) Tergite 7 with 3 or 4 plectral tubercles in line on each side of midline (®gure 274). Tergite 8 quadrate, with virtually truncate posterior margin, weakly sclerotized anteriorly (®gure 275). Spiculum ventrale (®gure 276) with broad part at an angle to apodeme; sclerotized arms of broad part separate for more than half total length of sternite (®gure 276). Female genitalia as in ®gures 277±279; spermathecal duct arising at junction of bursa and oviduct; ovipositor sheath weakly sclerotized; hemisternites broad, less than half length of broad part of spiculum ventrale, with small styli; spermatheca with tubular gland lobe ¯exed or straight, wrinkled (®gure 278).

Distinguishing features. The species belongs to the sub-group of the crassus group with the more gradual slope to the fore femoral tooth (®gure 154, cf. ®gure 160 showing the less gradual slope). Of these, ramezei has the narrowest strial punctures (®gure 57), with the striae, especially posteriorly, appearing more as longitudinal furrows than those of most other species in the group, although curranae approaches this condition. On the dark spot on each elytron interstriae 2 and 3 are broader than elsewhere, and broader than interstria 4; they are also raised relative to interstriae 1 and 4. This character is replicated to a much lesser extent in curranae . The two species curranae and ramezei can be separated by the ratio of the elytral length to humeral width (EL:HW 5 1.30±1.40 in curranae , 1.19±1.28 in ramezei ) and by the male and female genitalia (®gures 269±279, cf. 255±264). So far curranae is known only from Borneo, while ramezei is known only from mainland Asia.

Comments. The male genitalia indicate that the species is close to A. themus from Peninsular Malaysia, although the apex of the aedeagus more is acuminate in A. ramezei . There is, however, quite a lot of variation in the apex of the aedeagus in this species.

Etymology. The species is named for Mr Ramez Ghazoul.

Specimens examined

HOLOTYPE, l Thailand : with labels`Holo- / type’ on red-bordered disc, and` THAILAND / Huay Kha Khaeng / Wildlife Sanct. / 15ss26¾N 99ss20¾E’ and`23 April ± 15 June 1996 / J.Ghazoul / B.M. 1997±97’ and` Reared from fruit / of Dipterocarpus / obtusifolius’. ( BMNH)

PARATYPES: Thailand: 12 ll, 12mm, same data as holotype. ( BMNH) .

Laos: 2 ll, 2mm, Vientiane Province, Ban Van Eue, 30 November 1968 , 15± 31 May 1965; 30 November 1965 and 30 December 1968 ( BPBM) .

Range. Thailand, Laos.

Hosts. Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teysm.