Euplister hybridus (Seidlitz) Pierotti & Bellò & Alonso-Zarazaga, 2010

Pierotti, Helio, Bellò, Cesare & Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., 2010, 2376, Zootaxa 2376, pp. 1-96 : 37-38

Euplister hybridus (Seidlitz) comb. n.

( Figs. 2c, 3b, 5c, 7a, 10c, 11c, 32a–b, 54b, 74)

Peritelus (Peritelus) hybridus Seidlitz in Marseul, 1871a: 39; Marseul, 1871b: 61; Stierlin, 1883: 589; Lona, 1937: 258. Peritelus hybridus Seidlitz : Iglesias Iglesias, 1922: 6; Torres Sala, 1962: 360; Pierotti & Bellò, 1998: 104; Alonso-Zaraz-

aga, 2002: 24.

Diagnosis. Species of medium size (5.0–7.0 mm), characterised by weakly developed pterygia, subovoid elytra widest across humeral calli, dorsal scales strongly imbricate and setae appressed but reclinate and visible on elytral declivity, condensed in desquamulate areoles, particularly robust before apex of metatibia.

Redescription (lectotype). Body outline robust, slightly elongate. Dorsal vestiture composed of bronze scales, elongate and strongly imbricate on elytra, and of appressed setae, slightly reclinate and conspicuous on elytral declivity, grouped in sparse small desquamulate areoles, very dense and robust before apex on outer margin of metatibia, forming a swelling ( Fig. 3b). Rostrum elongate, sides convergent apicad, epistome elevated; pterygia elongate, weakly developed but distinct; prorostrum at middle a little narrower than metarostrum, both slightly elevated on sides, the former with median longitudinal keel. Frons a little wider than metarostrum, with indistinct median fovea. Eyes normal, moderately subconvex. Antennae with scape elongate, not incrassate from base to ca. two thirds of length, funicle robust, desmomeres 1–3 longer than wide, 1 shorter than 2+3, 2 distinctly longer than 4+5, 3 subglobular, 6 and 7 transverse, all with very fine setae; club elongate, subcylindrical, first segment very widely cup-shaped; maxilla as in Fig. 7a. Pronotum transverse, wider at base than at apex, rounded at sides, disc with double, dense, deep punctures excepting a narrow median strip. Elytra subovoidal, widest across humeral calli, these widely rounded; strial punctures close, deep, completely covered by scales; interstriae very weakly convex, finely but distinctly punctate; ventrites strongly narrowing caudad ( Fig. 5c). Legs moderately robust, tibiae strongly widened at apex ( Fig. 2c), metatibiae on inner margin with a series of moderately developed denticles. Aedeagus in dorsal view widely rounded before apex, here shortly papillate ( Fig. 32a); endophallic structures as in Fig. 32b. Hemisternites as in Fig. 10c. Spiculum ventrale as in Fig. 11c. Spermatheca as in Fig. 54b.

Variability. Females present a less robust antennal funicle, with desmomeres progressively narrowing towards apex, 6 and 7 less distinctly transverse, sides of rostrum more definitely converging apicad, elytra more globose and denticles of metatibiae less robust. In both sexes the dorsal vestiture of the elytra often includes more or less rounded, ochreous to dark-brown scales, usually unicolored or paler on sides, rarely forming irregular paler spots on apical third of elytra, sometimes uniformly silvery or golden; also in some populations the setae are shorter and broader. Some specimens size may be as small as 3.6 or as large as 7.4 mm, the apical region of the aedeagus can have more or less pronounced lateral angles and the spiculum ventrale may have different shapes, although these characters are rather constant within each population. Specimens from Fuensanguínea, Alhaurín el Grande and Monda correspond well with the type in external features (having only a less robust antennal scape), specimens from Sierra de las Nieves, Frigiliana and Monte de San Antón are smaller and often paler in colour with broader elytral setae, while those from Guájar Fondón have flatter eyes and those from Puerto de Ojén shorter and more robust bodies, shorter elytral setae and more indistinct pterygia than those from El Juanar (despite the localities being only 1500 m apart). Each population appears to be associated, at least in the adult stage, with a particular host plant, usually but not exclusively belonging to Lamiaceae , even in the presence of hosts preferred elsewhere. The species seems to be fragmented into numerous, rather well differentiated populations, which only a study of a larger sample could delimit more precisely.

Distribution. Iberian endemite: southern Spain (type locality: Andalusia). Spanish literature records: Andalusia (type loc.); Gibraltar ( Marseul, 1871b); Valencia: Alcira (La Murta) (Torres-Sala, 1962). The last record is in fact referable to the very similar E. moroderi .

Material examined ( Fig. 74). Lectotype male (here designated), labelled: 1) hybrida n.sp. Andal. (and some undecypherable signs); 2) type Peritelus hybridus Seidl. ; 3) Sammlung v. Seidlitz; 4) Zool. Staatsslg. München ( SEI) . Other specimens: Spain: Andalusia ( SEI, typus) . Gibraltar: Gibilterra, leg. Cameron ( DOD, SOL) . Málaga: Alhaurín de la Torre, Fuensanguínea, 25.III.85, leg. Bastazo-Vela ( ALZ) ; do., 26.IV.98, leg. Pierotti ( PIE); Alhaurín el Grande, Km. 9, carr. Coín-Málaga, 23.IV.88, leg. Alonso-Zarazaga ( ALZ) ; do., 27.IV.98, leg. Pierotti (BEL, PIE); Monda, m. 350, N36º37.930 " W04º45.570 ", 6.IV.03, leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE) ; Coín, El Nacimiento, 14.III.79, leg. Alonso-Zarazaga ( ALZ) ; do., m. 300, N36º38.312 " W04º44.731 ", 7.IV.03 leg. Bellò (BEL), do. leg. Pierotti ( PIE) ; Comarcal 337, Km. 5, carr. Monda-Málaga, 15.III.81, leg. Alonso-Zarazaga ( ALZ) ; Nerja, Arroyo Calailla, 18.II.82, leg. Baena ( ALZ) ; do., 22. V.90, leg. Bastazo-Vela ( ALZ); Monte San Antón, 18.II.96, leg. Bastazo-Vela ( ALZ) ; 1 Km NO Monte San Antón, 19.III.82, leg. Bastazo-Vela ( ALZ) ; Ojén, El Juanar, m. 850, 16. VI.84, leg. Alonso-Zarazaga ( ALZ) ; Puerto de Ojén , m. 500, 6.IV.03, leg. Bellò (BEL), do.; leg. Pierotti ( PIE) ; Torremolinos, Palacio Congresos, 1.I.80, leg. Alonso-Zarazaga ( ALZ) ; Yunquera, Sra. de las Nieves, 13. V.78, leg. Alonso-Zarazaga ( ALZ) ; s.ra de las Nieves, 1300 m, 15. V.1988, leg. Warchalowski ( DEI) ; Yunquera, 1300 m, 18. V.1988, leg. Warchalowski ( DEI) ; Frigiliana, m. 450 N36º48.283 " W03º54.756 ", 8.IV.03, leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE) ; Marbella, 10–30.IV.60 ( PIE) ; Ronda Mts. M. 1000, 14. V.91, leg. Kantner ( PIE) ; Colmenar, 9.IV.1946, leg. Cobos Sánchez ( SOL) . Granada: Guájar Fondón, río de la Toba, m. 100, 8. V.83, leg. Archila ( ALZ) ; do., m. 250, N36º48.985 " W03º34.317 ", 8.4.2003, leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE) .

Biology. Adults were collected on Ranunculus flabellatus Desf. (Ranunculaceae) , Buxus balearica Lam. (Buxaceae) , Daphne gnidium L. ( Thymelaeaceae ), Phlomis sp. , Thymus sp. (Lamiaceae) and in winter under stones.