Euplister megalophthalmus, Pierotti & Bellò & Alonso-Zarazaga, 2010

Pierotti, Helio, Bellò, Cesare & Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., 2010, 2376, Zootaxa 2376, pp. 1-96 : 40-41

Euplister megalophthalmus sp. n.

( Figs. 36a–b, 55c, 75)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:925F6092-E721-4A29-903F-146B488D3CEA

Peritelus susanae Seidlitz sensu Roudier, 1962: 31 ; Gurrea Sanz & Sanz Benito, 2000: 239.

Diagnosis. Species of small size (3.6–4.6 mm), characterised by indistinct pterygia, narrow antennal funicle, very large eyes, and subglobose elytra, with scales not or hardly imbricate and setae grouped in desquamulate areoles on elytra.

Description. Body outline globose. Dorsal vestiture of elongate scales on head and pronotum, tear-shaped and not or hardly imbricate on elytra, almost uniformly brown or grey or with a discal band on pronotum and elongate paler or silvery spots on even interstriae, always with metallic shimmer, and of appressed setae of similar width as scales; vestiture on sides of head and pronotum of paler scales and finer setae. Head transverse, sides more (female) or less (male) converging apicad. Rostrum transverse, pterygia obsolete or obsolescent; metarostrum elongate, with median keel. Frons hardly wider than metarostrum, with vestigial median fovea. Eyes large, convex, not prominent beyond genae. Antennae more (male) or less (female) robust, scape not incrassate from base to ca. two thirds of length, funicle moderately robust, desmomere 1 a little longer than 2, this a little shorter than 3+4, 3 a little longer than wide, 4–7 usually moniliform, rarely transverse; club more or less elongate, first segment widely cup-shaped. Pronotum distinctly transverse, wider at base than at apex, rounded at sides, punctures not particularly dense, superficial. Elytra subglobose, strial punctures close, not completely covered by scales, interstriae almost flat. Legs not particularly robust, tibiae strongly widened at apex, metatibiae on inner margin with a series of more (male) or less (female) developed denticles. Aedeagus in dorsal view broadly cordiform in pre-apical region ( Fig. 36a); endophallic structures as in Fig. 36b. Spermatheca as in Fig. 55c.

Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective of Greek origin referring to the large eyes.

Distribution. Iberian endemite: north-eastern Spain: Catalonia ( Fig. 75).

Material examined. Holotype male: Monistrol , 04, leg. Strobl ( GON); paratypes: Barcelona : Monistrol , 04, leg. Strobl (1 GON, 1 FLE, 2 SOL); Barcelona , Prat , 4.61, Mones leg. (2 MBA); Olérdola , 26. V.60, Lagar leg. (1 MBA); Barcelona , 30.V.1929, Dr. W. Eichler (1 FLE); Besós , 28.III, leg. Zariquiey (2 SOL); Prat , 4.63, leg. González (1 MBA). Lérida : Lerida , Catalogne, Espagne, IV.55 (2 HOF); do., IV.55, Pardo (1 HOF); do., Pardo Alcaide (2 HOF); Sonadell , Lérida , 2. VI.63 leg., J. Ribes (4 MBA); El Soleras , Lérida , 6.IV.66, leg. J. Ribes (2 MBA). Tarragona : C-246 près La Bisbal del Penedés , 29.IV.1995, sur cirse, J.M. Ehret rec. (1 BEL, 1 PIE); Tarragona , Valls , Esp. (1 HUS); Valls , Tarragona , leg. Español (3 MBA); Hisp., prov. Tarragona , Torredembarra , 8.4.84, Gfeller leg. (2 BEL, 1 PIE); Tarragona , Altafulla , N 41º08.692 " E 01º20.989 ", 3.4.2004, leg. Bellò (30 BEL, 1 OSE, 9 PIE); do., leg. Pierotti (1 MPA, 1 OSE, 20 PIE); do., 6.VI.2005 leg. Bellò (1 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (1 PIE); Tarragona, Creixell de Mar, N 41º09.736 " E 01º25.605 ", 3.4.2004, leg. Bellò (5 BEL); do., leg. Pierotti (3 PIE).

Biology. One adult collected on Cirsium sp. (Asteraceae) .