Dinas (Microspina) sitonaeformis Wollaston, 1867

Skuhrovec, JiĜí & Batelka, Jan, 2014, Taxonomy of the Cape Verde endemic weevil genus Dinas (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). Part I: Description of a new subgenus, and two new species from São Nicolau Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54 (1), pp. 315-336 : 326-327

Dinas (Microspina) sitonaeformis Wollaston, 1867

( Figs 2E , 3C , 7D )

Type locality. Cape Verde Isl., São Nicolau.

Type material examined. LECTOTYPE (here designated): 3, ‘Type // sitonaeformis // T.V.Wollaston Coll. / B. M. 1867-82 / CAPE VERDE IS.’ PARALECTOTYPES: 2 33, ‘sitonaeformis // T.V.Wollaston Coll. / B. M. 1867-82 / CAPE VERDE IS.’ (all BMNH).Specimens are provided with one red printed label: ‘ Lectotype [or Paralectotype] / DINAS (MICROSPINA) / SITONAEFORMIS / Wollaston, 1867 / JiĜí Skuhrovec & / Jan Batelka design. 2013’.

Additional material examined. 30 spec. ( FMNH), ‘Ins. Cabo Verde / Nicolau Mte Gordo / 9, 15.12.1953 / Lindberg // http://id.luomus.¿/ / HT.2122-2131 / Dinas / angusticeps x / Roudier, 1957 / unknown det. // C13 499-500, 505- 512; 2333 11 ♀♀, ‘ON FLOWERS OF / PERIPLOCA / LAEVIGATA // CAPE VERDE Isl. SAO / NICOLAU, W – south of / Cachaco, Cha da Caldeira [approx. 600 m a. s. l.] / 12.xi.2011 / J. Batelka & J. Straka lgt. [printed label]’ (20 338 ♀♀ SMNS; 2 332 ♀♀ JSKC; 13 1♀ RBOC); 1 3, 1 ♀, ‘ON FLOWERS OF / EUPHORBIA / TUCKEYANA // CAPE VERDE Isl. SAO / NICOLAU, W – south of / Cachaco, cha da Caldeira / 12.xi.2011 / J. Batelka & J. Straka lgt. [printed label]’ (both SMNS). Specimens are provided with one printed label: ‘ DINAS (MICROSPINA) / SITONAEFORMIS / Wollaston, 1867 / JiĜí Skuhrovec & / Jan Batelka det. 2013’.

Differential diagnosis. Dinas sitonaeformis has narrow elongate elytra in male, much wider and more oval in female, and rostrum distinctly narrowed in the middle (in which it differs from Microspina species from the Southern Chain, see Table 2). It differs from other species of the subgenus Microspina by the absence of stout, long, erect setae on elytra ( Fig. 3C ). By this character it may be distinguished from D. afonsoi sp. nov. (with stout long setae only on apical third of elytra; Fig. 3B ), D. angusticeps , D. angustula and D. obsita (with stout long setae on the whole elytra; Fig. 3D ). Rostrum of D. sitonaeformis is only slightly narrowed in the middle (ratio 1: 1.1) and eyes are distinctly bulging, in which it differs from D. pallipes (with rostrum distinctly narrowed in the middle (ratio 1: 1.05) and slightly bulging eyes).

Lectotype designation. WOLLASTON (1867) described the species from ‘several specimens’ without designating a holotype. The label ‘Typus’ pinned under one of the syntypes was pre- sumably attached later by the collection curators, and has no signi¿cance. Since the existence of other syntypes cannot be excluded, we designate one male as a lectotype to stabilize the nomenclature in the group.

Bionomics. Dinas sitonaeformis was collected by J. Batelka & J. Straka on flowers of Periploca laevigata chevalieri (a subspecies endemic to Cape Verde, Asclepiadaceae ) ( Figs. 7D–E ) and also on flowers of Euphorbia tuckeyana (Euphorbiaceae) . WOLLASTON (1867) reported that the type series was brushed off introduced Malva parviflora (Malvaceae) .

Distribution. Cape Verde Islands – São Nicolau (western part). The type locality is not given in WOLLASTON (1867), he only mentioned altitude 2.000 feet (approx. 600 m). Material collected by H. Hölzel, W. Lobin & P. Ohm (see also GEISTHARDT 1982) and by J. Batelka & J. Straka proved that this species seems to occur in elevations between 600– 1.000 m just around the massive of Monte Gordo.

Figures

Fig. 2. Differential diagnosis of the subgenera of Dinas: Dinas (Microspina) afonsoi sp. nov.:A – head, dorsal view; C – pronotum; G – elytra, dorsal view; Dinas (Microspina) sitonaeformis Wollaston, 1867: E – spina on profemora; Dinas (s. str.) strakai sp. nov.: B – variability of rostrum of Dinas (s. str.) strakai sp. nov., dorsal view; D – pronotum; F – spina on profemora; H – elytra, male, dorsal view.

Fig. 3. Dinas (Microspina) afonsoi sp. nov., holotype, male (A–B, E–F), female (G–I): A – habitus, dorsal view; B – elytra, lateral view; C – elytra of Dinas (Microspina) sitonaeformis Wollaston, 1867, lateral view; D – elytra of Dinas (Microspina) angusticeps Roudier, 1957, lateral view; E – aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view; F – spiculum gastrale; G – female sternite VIII; H – ovipositor; I – spermatheca. Scales: 1 mm, scale with ‘*’=2 mm, scale with ‘**’=0.5 mm.

Fig. 7. Habitats and biology of Dinas species: A–C – Dinas (Microspina) afonsoi sp. nov. on flowers of Euphorbia tuckeyana; D – Dinas sitonaeformis Wollaston, 1867 on twig of Periploca laevigata chevalieri in Chã de Caldeira; E – grassy slopes of Chã de Caldeira, São Nicolau with scattered Periploca laevigata chevalieri – locality of Dinas sitonaeformis. (Photos by Jakub Straka).