Laparocerus heres jocoensis, Machado, Antonio, 2007

Machado, Antonio, 2007, New species of Laparocerus Schönherr, 1834 from La Gomera, Canary Islands (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae), Zootaxa 1643, pp. 1-38 : 35-36

Laparocerus heres jocoensis n. ssp.

Diagnosis: Length without rostrum: ɗɗ 3.3–4.0 mm, ΨΨ 3.5–4.6 mm. Structural details as in the nominal subspecies but with more rounded, less conical eyes, the frontal fovea developed as a deep sulcus along the whole metarostrum and posteriorly often surpassing the level of the eyes, the head punctation deeper, the premarginal depression of the pronotum more noticeable and the elytra laterally less strongly curved, more subparallel towards the base. Etymology: The species epithet derives from the type locality, the mountain of Joco, where the insect was discovered.

Material examined. [ssp. heres ]. Holotype: La Gomera: Las Hayas N, 800 m (UTM = 28R 0 27410 311365), 7-4-2000, leg. A. Machado, 1 ɗ (slightly teneral) ( TFMC, reg. CO-15514). Paratypes: same data, 7- 4-2000, 8 exx. ( MNHN, AMC); same locality, 14-9-2003, leg. A. Machado, 56 exx. ( TFMC, NHM, AMC); same locality, 9-7-2001, leg. R. García, 4 exx. (RGB). Other specimens: Benchijigua , 1-9-1989, leg. P. Oromí, 1 ex. (POM). [ssp. jocoensis]. Holotype: Tenerife: Montaña de Joco, 1958 m (UTM = 28R 0 3564 31389), 1-8-2003, leg. A. Machado, 1 ɗ ( TFMC, reg. CO-15534). Paratypes: same data, leg. A. Machado, 74 exx. ( TFMC, MNHN, MNCN, NHM, AMC); same data, leg. A. Aguiar, 63 exx. ( AAC); Fuente Joco, 1958 m, 30-6-2003, leg. A. Machado, 1 ex. (AM).

Distribution and ecology. Laparocerus heres heres is endemic to La Gomera, where it occurs in the higher parts of the island on scrub vegetation formed by Chamaecytisus proliferus , Erica arborea , Adenocarpus foliolosus and Cistus monspeliensis . It was collected at night from these woody plants, 5 of 9 specimens taken in April being males (some teneral) but all 50 specimens collected in September being females. Laparocerus heres jocoensis is endemic to the island of Tenerife, where it was collected at high altitude in an open locality (earth mixed with lapilli) surrounded by Canary Pine forest. The weevils were feeding on the lower branches of Adenocarpus viscosus , mainly on those touching the ground, with again a preponderance of females (64 from 75 specimens). The subspecies is apparently also active in summer.