Simmeiropsis algharbensis, Pierotti, Helio, Germann, Christoph & Braunert, Carlo, 2013

Pierotti, Helio, Germann, Christoph & Braunert, Carlo, 2013, New or interesting Peritelini of the West-Mediterranean fauna. XXIV. Two new Simmeiropsis Pierotti & Bellò, 2013 from Portugal (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae), Zootaxa 3734 (2), pp. 273-280 : 274-277

Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n.

( Figs 1–6 , 13, 14 )

Holotype. male, Portugal, Loulé, W Alte, N 37°14’24’’ W 8°06’04’’, 280 m, 7.4.2013, leg. Germann. Red label: Holotype Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n. Pierotti, Germann & Braunert, 2013 (NMBE).

Paratypes. 1 female, ibidem, 7.4.2013, leg. Germann (GER); 11 males, 2 females Portugal, Loulé, E Alte, N 37°14’13’’ W 8°05’58’’, 250 m, 7.4.2013, leg. Germann (GER 5 ex., PIE 2 ex., NMBE 6 ex); 5males, 1 female Portugal, Loulé, W Alte, N 37°13’53’’ W 8°12’41’’, 96 m, 6.4.2013, leg. Germann (GER 4 ex., PIE 1 ex., NMBE 1 ex.); 1 male Portugal, N Loulé, Querença, fonte Benémola, N 37°12’12’’ W 8°00’15’’, 120 m, Bachtal, 15.4.2013, leg. Germann (GER); 1 male, 1 female Loulé, Pena, Rocha da Pena, N37°15’14“ / W8°05’40“, 430 m, 8.4.2013, leg. C. Germann (GER 1 ex, NMBE 1 ex.); 2 males, 2 females P-Algarve, 3 km W Alte, Macchie an N124, 37°13’53’’ N 8°12’41’’ W, 100 m, 0 6.04.2013, leg. Braunert (BRA); 3 males, 2 females P-Algarve, 1 km SW Pena, Macchie an N124, 37°14’24’’ N 8°6’4’’ W, 280 m, 0 7.04.2013, leg. Braunert (BRA 4 ex., PIE 1 ex.). All 32 paratypes with red labels: Paratype Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n. Pierotti, Germann & Braunert, 2013.

Length: 4.0– 5.8 mm (males 4.0– 5.8 mm; females 4.9–5.3 mm). Habitus elongate, oblong ( Figs 13, 14 ).

Vestiture of head and pronotum consisting exclusively of narrow bristles, only a lateral band on the pronotum where bright, spatuliform adherent scales are intermixed with more robust bristles.

Vestiture of elytra consisting of roundish golden and brownish scales, not dense, not adjoining each other and leaving nude areolae between them. Narrow bristles present, adherent on disc and the sides of the elytra, elevated at declivity, here grouped on the nude areolae.

Rostrum subtetragonal, laterally converging towards apex. Epistome clearly concave; pterygia very prominent; clypeus elevated, not or hardly impressed longitudinally; frons little convex, partly with a pit behind. Eyes subdorsal, convex, protruding.

Antennae rather slender, antennal scape little thickened from base to apical third, first desmomere elongate, second a bit shorter than first, and subequal to the combined following ones, desmomeres 5–7 submoniliform or a little elongate; club drop-shaped, first segment largely expanded, elongate and pedunculate.

Pronotum more or less as long as wide, laterally rounded, at base as wide as anterior margin, at disc densely punctate, sometimes impunctuate along a longitudinal median line.

Elytra more (females) or less (males) elongate ( Figs 13, 14 ), widest behind humeral calli, sides more (males) or less (females) rounded; interstriae flattened; propygidium sublanceolate at apex in females.

Legs long, slender; protibiae straight at outer margin up to the apex, there visibly dilated, at inner margin very weakly bisinuate; metatibiae at inner margin weakly bisinuate and with a long series of small denticules, hardly present in females; metatarsi rather robust and onychia elongate.

Penis in dorsal view with sides attenuate towards apex and subtriangularly shaped in apical part ( Fig. 1 ); in lateral view regularly curved before apex ( Fig. 2 ); genital armature of the internal sac as in Fig. 3 .

Spermatheca with well-developed cornu and ramus ( Fig. 4 ); gonocoxites with styli ( Fig. 5 ); spiculum ventrale with rather elongate manubrium ( Fig. 6 ).

Distribution. Algarve.

Derivation of species name. From the ancient Arabian name (Al Gharb) referring to the region where the new species was discovered.

Notes. Simmeiropsis algharbensis shares with S. schoenherri the slender habitus and the apex of the elytra shaped as pointed arch. It differs by the very prominent pterygia, the bare disc of the pronotum, the short adherent bristles at the elytral disc, the nude areolae at the declivity, the shape of the penis and the genital armature of the internal sac.

Bionomy. The habitat of Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n. in the hills North of Loulé consisted of Macchialike vegetation on limestone with Quercus coccifera , Pistacia lentiscus , Lavandula stoechas , Rosmarinus officinalis, Ceratonia siliqua and several species of Cistus . Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n. was collected with a beating tray mainly under Rosmarinus and Lavandula in rather dry conditions in natural habitats, extensively cultivated Olive orchards and along abandoned fields ( Fig. 17 ).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Habitat of Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n. near Alte, Algarve, Portugal.

FIGURES 1 – 6. Genitalia of Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n. 1. apical part of penis in dorsal view; 2. penis in lateral view; 3. genital armature of the internal sac; 4. spermatheca; 5. gonocoxites; 6. spiculum ventrale.

FIGURES 13 – 14. Habitus of Simmeiropsis algharbensis sp. n., 13. male; 14, female.