Curculio dijoui 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 : 320

Curculio dijoui Pelsue and Zhang , new species

(Figs. 17–18)

Holotype. China. Wang-Chia-ying female[ China / Hubei (Hupeh)/Wang-Chia-ying to Suisipal / 3,500 –4,700 9 / 21 July 1948 /Gressitt and Dijou] ( CASC).

Description. Female: length: 2.8 mm (n ¼ 1). width: 1.5 mm (n ¼ 1). Head: small-sized; punctures medium sized, clothed with short, testaceous scales almost indistinguishable; frons 0.28 as broad as head across eyes, margins with narrow, elongate, white scales. Rostrum: length: 1.5 mm (n ¼ 1); 0.54 as long as body; cylindrical; glabrous; straight to past antennal insertion then deflected back to apex; scrobe lateral; scape inserted in basal half. Antennae: length: scape 0.5 mm. funiculus: segment one 0.22 mm, two 0.1 mm, three 0.1 mm, four 0.06 mm, five 0.04 mm, six 0.08 mm; seven 0.08 mm, club 0.28 mm, funicle 0.58 mm (n ¼ 1); scape 0.86 as long as funicle; club small, oval, compact, not as long as funicular segments 2–7, segment 1 longer than funicular segment 7. Thorax: length: 0.7 mm (n ¼ 1). width: 1.1 mm (n ¼ 1); 0.63 as long as broad; broadly rounded to constriction; base sinuate; disc punctures moderate-sized with short, narrow, testaceous to brown scales; base with a few basolateral clavate, white scales and indication of a median vittae of clavate, white scales basally with testaceous scales apically; pleuron clothed with clavate, white scales; mesosternal intercoxal process feeble; scutellum as long as broad, clothed with white scales; mesepimeron, mesepisternum, metepisternum, and sternum clothed with narrow, elongate, clavate, white scales. Elytra: length: 1.8 mm (n ¼ 1). striae deep with large punctures and narrow, elongate, brown scales; scutellar declivity absent; humeri prominent; intervals flat with basal fascia of clavate, white scales becoming vittae on interval 1, shorter on intervals 2–3, with mid macular fascia of clavate white scales on intervals 1–7, fascia and vittae form back to back ‘‘C,’’ remaining scales short, and brown; crosshatched setae short, semierect, white. Legs: length of hind femur 0.9 mm (n ¼ 1); all femora with small teeth, moderately clavate; vestiture of narrow, elongate, white scales; tibiae somewhat sinuate, pro-, mesouncus small, metauncus absent; left hind leg missing. Abdomen: sternite 1 longer than 2 behind coxal cavity; sternite 3 and 4 same length, together longer than 5; sternite 5 apex truncate; all sternites clothed with narrow, elongate, clavate white scales. Pygidium : small-sized, crescent shaped with long seta-like white scales. Genitalia: not dissected.

Remarks. This taxon stands alone from the remainder of the group by the pattern of white scales on the elytra forming a cross.

Etymology. Named in honor of J. L. Gressitt’s co-collector ‘‘Dijou.’’