Curculio lyali Pelsue and Zhang

Pelsue, Frank W. & Zhang, Runzhi, 2003, A Review of the Genus Curculio from China with Descriptions of Fourteen New Species. Part IV. The Curculio sikkimensis (Heller) Group (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Curculionini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 57 (3), pp. 311-333 : 332

Curculio lyali Pelsue and Zhang , new species

( Figs. 37–38 )

Holotype. China. Hangchow (Hangzhou) male[ China /Hangchow(Hangzhou)/09

October 1921/ G. A. K. Marshall] (BMNH).

Description. Male: length: 7.0 mm (n ¼ 1). width: 3.3 mm (n ¼ 1). Head: Small-sized; punctures small, oval, with small white scales; ventral macula of short, clavate, cretaceous scales between eyes; frons 0.2 (n ¼ 1) as broad as head across eyes. Rostrum: length: 4.3 mm (n ¼ 1); 0.61 as long as body; subcylindrical; middorsal carina flanked by sulci converging distad of antennal insertion; gradually deflected; scrobe ventral; scape inserted in apical half. Antennae: length scape 2.4 mm, funiculus segment one 0.5 mm, two 0.45 mm, three 0.3 mm, four 0.25 mm, five 0.25 mm, six 0.20 mm, seven 0.25 mm, club 0.65 mm, funicle 2.2 mm (n ¼ 1); scape 0.9 as long as funicle; club elongate, oval, acuminate. Thorax: length: 2.2 mm (n ¼ 1). width: 2.9 mm (n ¼ 1); 0.76 as long as broad; disc broadly rounded to constriction, slightly convex in lateral view, punctures small, shallow, with distinct margins, set in rugae, nude; pleuron punctures set in rugae with clavate testaceous scales; anterior ventral macula of clavate cretaceous scales, with few cinerous scales mixed; base deflected; mesosternal intercoxal process not prominent; scutellum small, scutate, clothed with piceous scales; mesepimeron clothed with clavate, testaceous scales anteriorly and cretaceous scales ventrally; mesepisternum clothed with clavate testaceous scales; metepisternum clothed with narrow, elongate, cretaceous scales; procoxae clothed with narrow, elongate, cretaceous scales; metasternum clothed with broad, clavate, cretaceous scales, few testaceous scales mixed. Elytra: length: 3.9 mm (n ¼ 1); striae deep with deep punctures and narrow, elongate, piceous scales; humeri rounded; intervals broad, flat, clothed with piceous scales; basal macula flanking scutellum on intervals 1–4 of clavate, / cretaceous scales; before midpoint macular fascia on intervals 1–4, 6–9; past midpoint in distal 1 3 macular fascia of clavate, cretaceous scales on intervals 1–9; crosshatch setae prominent, cretaceous. Legs: length hind femur 3.2 mm (n ¼ 1), tooth medium, does not exceed apex; pro-, and mesofemoral teeth small; vestiture of narrow, elongate, white scales; basally lateral sulcus proximal to clava; tibiae straight, pro-, mesouncus large, metauncus small. Abdomen: sternite 2 longer than 1 behind coxal cavity, ascending to 3; sternite 3 longer than 4, combined longer than 5; clothed with short, broad, clavate, to longer clavate, cretaceous scales. Pygidium : medium-sized, with short testaceous and white setalike scales. Genitalia: not dissected.

Remarks. This species appears similar to Curculio tauricus Ter-Minessian , but can be distinguished by the more pronounced basal pronotal macula, lack of short vittae distad of the scutellum on interval 1, and the piceous scutellum.

Etymology. Named in honor of Christopher H. C. Lyal of The Natural History Museum, London.

Figures

Figs. 37–38. Curculio lyali. n. sp. Male, habitus dorsal and lateral views, holotype. Various scales.