Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus caeruleus, Bollino & Sandel, 2017

Bollino, Maurizio & Sandel, Franco, 2017, Two new taxa of the Subgenus Artapocyrtus Heller, 1912, Genus Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 from the Philippines (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Pachyrhynchini), Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 17 (1), pp. 1-14 : 6-12

Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus caeruleus ssp. nov.

(Plate 3 a-d)

Diagnosis

Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus caeruleus is very similar in general appearance to M. (A.) quadriplagiatus quadriplagiatus (Roelofs, 1876) , but is readily distinguishable mainly by the unique markings of pale blue metallic scales of elytra, and the presence of scales of the same color on mesepisternum and metasternum.

Description. Male. Dimensions: LB: 9.80 - 11.00 (holotype 10.6; â: 10.3). LR: 1.67 - 2.00 (1.90; â: 1.814). WR: 1.68 - 1.99 (1.85; â: 1.804). LP: 3.70 - 4.20 (4.10; â: 3.95). WP: 3.70 - 4.25 (4.00; â: 3.95). LE: 6.2 - 6.98 (6.60; â: 6.50). WE: 4.48 - 5.13 (4.80; â: 4.70). N = 5 for all measurements.

Habitus as shown in Plate 3 a-b.

Integument black. Body surface strongly shiny, except underside and tibiae with weaker luster. Body mostly subglabrous. Head covered with sparse minute light-colored h air s on later o-ven tr al par ts. Rostrum moderately covered with minute hairs on dorsum; lateral parts moderately covered with short brownish hairs, which become longer apically. Prothorax with markings of metallic pale blue round scales as follows: a broad latero-ventral stripe on each side and a narrow band along apical margin. Elytra with paired patches of metallic pale blue scales in subbasal and subapical parts; sub-basal patches transversely ovate, extending from intervals VI to XI; subapical patches longer, extending from intervals III to XI, constricted between intervals VIII and X, sometimes divided into an internal and a smaller external patches; apical part sparsely covered with minute hairs. Femora covered with fine brownish hairs, which become sparse and minute medially. Tibiae moderately covered with fine brownish hairs, which become denser apically; internal margin of each tibia fringed with longer, stouter hairs. Coxae, sterna and venter sparsely covered with fine brownish hairs, except intercoxal parts of proand mesosternum densely covered with longer hairs; mesepisternum with an obscure spot of pale blue metallic round to lanceolate scales on apical half; metasternum with a spot of pale blue metallic round to lanceolate scales on each side.

Forehead flat, finely sparsely punctured, with a fine longitudinal median groove along the entire length. Antennae with scape slender, slightly longer than funicle; funicular segment I nearly three times as long as wide, slightly longer than II; segment II nearly 2.7 times as long as wide, nearly twice as long as III; segments IIIG VII subequal in length, nearly as long as wide; club lanceolate, nearly 2.4 times as long as wide. Rostrum nearly as long as wide, (LR/WR 0.99G 1.03), widened apically; dorsum finely punctured, with a deep basal transverse groove across entire width and with a longitudinal groove along midline on basal half, strongly convex on basal 2/3; dorsal contour of rostrum discontinuous with that of forehead, rather rapidly raised from base; dorso-lateral edges well-defined in entire length, not interrupted by basal transverse groove, weakly constricted in the middle; dorso-lateral part on each side with a subtriangular depression between dorso-lateral edge and upper margin of antennal scrobe, which is interrupted by the depression; ventral surface with a large conical projection in the middle. Prothorax subglobular, nearly as long as wide (WP/LP 0.98G 1.01); dorsum finely punctured, also on interstices between punctures, rather strongly convex; dorsal contour more elevate before the middle; sides rather strongly dilated from strongly constricted base, widest before the middle, strongly convergent apicad, and then narrowly constricted at apex; basal margin shallowly widely emarginate in the middle; apical margin weakly arched; sub-basal and subapical grooves entirely distinct. Elytra subovate (LE/WE 1.35G 1.43), moderately wider than prothorax (WE/ WP 1.11 - 1.23, LE/LP 1.61 - 1.70), finely striate-punctured; striae distorted in median part; dorsum strongly convex, with subtruncate basal margin; dorsal contour rather rapidly raised from base, highest behind the middle, with continuous but rather steep apical declivity; sides strongly dilated from base to subapical parts, gradually widened apicad, widest at the middle, sharply strongly narrowed apicad, and then gently rounded at apices. Ventrite I deeply depressed on disc. Ventrite V flattened, finely densely punctured along apical margin. Legs slender; femora moderately clavate; tibiae weakly incurved apically, mucronate at apex; fore tibiae sharply serrate along internal margin; mid and hind tibiae finely serrate along internal margins; apical mucrones on hind tibiae vestigial.

Genitalia as illustrated on Plate 4 a-d. Spiculum gastrale (Plate 4 d) slender, nearly 1.5 times as long as penis body, curved leftward to the apex. Penis body (Plate 4 a-b) slender, in lateral view ventral side uniformly curved, dorsal side gradually curved towards the apex to form a tubercle, bent to the ventral side with a more obtuse angle than in A. lumawigi ; in dorsal view (Plate 4 b) it is not or slightly sinuate in subbasal part, apical 1/3 regularly and gradually sinuate to the apical tubercle. Penis apodemes slender, nearly 1.6 times as long as penis body. Tegmen (Plate 4 c) with slender apodeme, nearly 1,7 times longer than the diameter of tegminal ring and curved leftward to the apex.

The evertion of the endophallus of Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus quadriplagiatus and M. (A.) quadriplagiatus caeruleus was particularly difficult because almost always the median diverticulum (or flagellar diverticulum) intruded one of the latero-basal diverticula, so that we obtained a success rate of less than 10%. The success rate was higher with species without latero-basal diverticula, or with shorter flagellar diverticulum.

Since the morphology of the everted endophallus of either Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus quadriplagiatus (Plate 5 b, d) and M. (A.) quadriplagiatus caeruleus (Plate 5 a, c) is identical, except for minimal differences due to individual variability, we concluded that they represent only two subspecies of the same species.

Female. Dimensions: LB: 11.10 - 12.70 (â: 11.88). LR: 1.70 - 2.00 (â: 1.84). WR: 1.85 - 2.20 (â: 2.01). LP: 3.75 - 4.35 (â: 4.01). WP: 3.80 - 4.50 (â: 4.14). LE: 7.49 - 8.55 (â: 8.03). WE: 5.80 - 6.50 (â: 6.08). N = 5 for all measurements.

Habitus as shown on Plate 3 c-d.

Elytra often with a pair of spots of metallic pale blue round scales on the middle of intervals III. Forehead slightly wider than that of males. Rostrum slightly wider (LR/WR 0.90 - 0.95). Prothorax barely wider (WP/LP 1.01 - 1.06), more strongly punctured, rugose on the middle of dorsum. Elytra longer and wider, (LE/LP 1.97 - 2.03, LE/WE 1.28 - 1.36, WE/WP 1.40 -

Two new taxa of the Subgenus Artapocyrtus Heller, 1912 , Genus Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 from the Philippines...

1.54), slightly compressed laterally in sub-basal and postmedian parts, respectively, bearing a small round prominence on intervals VIII and IX of each elytron; apical declivity steeper before prominent apex. Ventrite I simple, not depressed. Ventrite V with a pair of deep oblique-ovate depressions along margins; interstices between depressions narrow, Yshaped. Tarsi smaller. Otherwise practically as in male.

Terminalia as illustrated in Plate 4 e-g.

Type material. Holotype male, Philippines - NE. Luzon / Sierra Madre - Aurora / Ibuna - Umiray Area / XII.2010 / Lg. local collectors - coll. Bollino ” (typed on white card) // HOLOTYPE male / Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) / quadriplagiatus caeruleus BOLLINO & SANDEL, 2017 (typed on red card), presently in MBLI, will be deposited in SMTD .

Paratypes (128 males, 97 females: 60 males, 41 females, same data as holotype ; 1 female, Philippines - N. Luzon / Dingalan / Aurora Prov. / X. 2012 / ex Noel Mohagan - coll. Bollino ; 2 males, Philippines - Luzon Is. / Labuyo / (Aurora) / June 2013 / Ex Mari G. Felipe - coll. Bollino ; 1 female, Philippines - N. Luzon / Dingalan / Aurora Prov. / X. 2015 / ex Noel Mohagan - coll. Bollino ; 4 males, 4 females, Philippines - E. Luzon / Sierra Madre-Dingalan / (Aurora) / IX-XI.2016 / Ex Lumawig - coll. Bollino , all in MBLI; 6 males, 4 females, Philippines - N. Luzon / Dingalan / Aurora Prov. / XII. 2010 / ex Noel Mohagan - coll. Bollino ; 1 female, Philippines - N. Luzon / Dingalan / Aurora Prov. / X. 2012 / ex Noel Mohagan - coll. Bollino ; 4 males, 5 females, Philipphines - NE. LUZON / Sierra Madre - Aurora / Dingalan - III.2012 / Ex Ismael Lumawig / coll. Franco Sandel ; 3 males, 1 female, idem, but III.2014 ; 2 males, idem, but XI.2014 ; 2 males, 3 females, idem, but XII.2014 ; 4 males, 2 females, idem, but XII.2015 ; 9 males, 3 females, idem, but II.2016 ; 8 males, 6 females, idem, but III.2016 ; 9 males, 9 females, Philippines - E. Luzon / Sierra Madre-Dingalan / (Aurora) / IX-XI.2016 / Ex Ismael Lumawig / coll. Franco Sandel , all in CFS; 3 males, Philippines / N. Luzon, Aurora / Labuyo , III.2014 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 1 female, Philippines / N. Luzon, Sierra Madre / Aurora, VIII.2014 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 1 male, Philippines, N. Luzon / Sierra Madre , Isabela / VIII.2013 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 1 male, Philippines / Sierra Madre, Dingalan, Aurora / E. Luzon / November 2015 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 2 females, Philippines / N. Luzon, Aurora, Dingalan / May 2015 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 1 female, Philippines / N. Luzon, Aurora, Labuyo / May 2015 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 1 male, 1 - female, Philippines, C. Luzon / Aurora, Dingalan / June 2015, local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; 1 female, Philippines / N. Luzon, Aurora, Dingalan / May 2015 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll. ; all in DUBC; 3 males, 3 females, Philippines - E. Luzon / Sierra Madre-Dingalan / (Aurora) / IX-XI.2016 / Ex Lumawig - coll. Bollino , all in SMTD; 3 males, 3 females, Philippines - E. Luzon / Sierra Madre-Dingalan / (Aurora) / IX-XI.2016 / Ex Lumawig - coll. Bollino , all in SDEI; 1 male, 1 female,[ PHILIPPINES: Luzon], Sierra Madre , Aurora, X 2012, native (Munetoshi Maruyama Collection) ; 3 females [ PHILIPPINES: Luzon ], Dingalan , Aurora, 9-12 III 2013, M. Maruyama, ( Munetoshi Maruyama Collection ), all in KUM ; 1 male, 1 female, [ PHILIPPINES: Luzon], Central Luzon region, Province of Aurora, Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Dingalan , III. 2013, native collector leg. (Hiraku Yoshitake Collection), in NIAES .

Specimens non included in the type series: 1 male, Philippines - South Luzon / Luisiana (Laguna) / September 2014 / ex Lumawig - coll. Bollino; 1 female, Philippines - S. Luzon / Ocampo - Camarines Sur / XII.2014-I.2015 / Ex Lumawig / lg. local people - coll. Bollino; 1 female, Philippines G T–@S. Luzon / Tigaon - Camarines Sur / XII.2014-I.2015 / Ex Lumawig / lg. local people - coll. Bollino, all in MBLI; 1 male, Philippines / Luzon, Isabela / VIII.2014 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll.; 1 male, Philippines, N. Luzon / Nueva Vizcaya / Malico, VII.2014 / local collector leg. // ex. Prof. A. Barsevskis coll., all in DUBC.

Distribution. At the best of our knowledge, the new subspecies is known only from the type locality, where it is fairly common, and from the nearby areas of Dingalan and Labuyo ( map 1 ). Some specimens are not included in the type series, due that their collecting data are doubtful, as easily happens with traded material. The range of Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) quadriplagiatus falls within the Sierra Madre subregion of the Greater Luzon biogeographical region (subregion C3 of Ong et al. 2002), but, while the nominotypical subspecies is endemic of sub-subregion C3c, the new subspecies is restricted to sub-subregion C3b.

Etymology. The Latin adjective caeruleus means blue and refers to the scale markings of elytra.

Figures

Map 1. Distribution of M. (A.) lumawigi sp. n., M. (A.) quadriplagiatus caeruleus ssp. nov. and M. (A.) quadriplagiatus quadriplagiatus