Mecinus crassifemur (Arzanov)

Caldara, Roberto & Fogato, Valter, 2013, Systematics of the weevil genus <i> Mecinus </ i> Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I. Taxonomic treatment of the species, Zootaxa 3654 (1), pp. 1-105 : 12-13

2. Mecinus crassifemur (Arzanov)

Fig. 109

Gymnetron crassifemur Arzanov, 1991: 426 .

Mecinus crassifemur (Arzanov) . Caldara, 2001: 183.

Type locality. Kislovodsk , Skalistyi (Stavropolsky Territory, Russia).

Type series. We examined many paratypes of this species ( ZISP), which was described from southern Russia, Armenia and Azerbaidjan.

Redescription. Male. Length mm 2.3. Body: short, oval, stout. Rostrum: black with reddish apex, moderately long (Rl/Pl 0.85), subcylindrical; in lateral view moderately curved, slightly narrowing in apical half; in dorsal view with subparallel sides, with hardly visible scrobes, distinctly striate-punctured to near apex then smooth and shining, in basal half with recumbent, sparse, greyish, long (l/w 7–10), seta-like scales. Head: frons as wide as rostrum at base, with shallow fovea; eyes nearly flat. Antennae: reddish with dark brown club, inserted at middle of rostrum; scape moderately long, 5.0x longer than wide; funicle slightly longer than scape, segment 1 twice as long as wide, slightly stouter and slightly longer than segment 2, which is 1.5x longer than wide, segments 3–5 gradually more transverse; club short, oval, segment 1 almost glabrous. Pronotum: black, with dense and regular punctures, intervals between punctures narrow, smooth and shining, somewhat visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, moderately dense, long to very long (l/w 7–12), greyish, seta-like scales; moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.37), with weakly rounded sides, with moderately prominent apical constriction, widest at basal third, moderately convex. Elytra: reddish and blackish (basal third, interstriae 1–3 and sides); short (El/Ew 1.17), suboval, at base weakly concave, moderately wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.27), with weakly rounded sides, widest at middle, somewhat convex on disc; interstriae moderately visible between recumbent to suberect, somewhat dense, greyish and light brown, long (1.5x longer than width of interstria; l/w 7–12), seta-like scales, which are arranged in 3–4 irregular rows; striae moderately visible, one third narrower than interstriae, with a row of scales similar to the thinner ones covering interstriae. Legs: moderately stout, with recumbent to suberect, sparse, whitish, seta-like scales, which are distinctly shorter than width of tibia; femora blackish, clavate, profemora with big tooth, mesofemora with slightly smaller tooth and metafemora subdented; tibiae reddish, short, protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward; unci blackish, moderately stout; segment 1 1.5x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 as long as wide, tarsomere 3 bilobed and distinctly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium about as long as tarsomeres 1–3 taken together; claws blackish, equal in length, fused in basal half. Venter: metasternum blackish brown, clearly visible between subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, seta-like scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna covered densely with whitish, wide, fringed scales; abdomen: reddish brown, with dense and regular punctures, which are clearly visible between subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, seta-like scales; ventrites length ratio: 1–2/3–4 2,04. Penis: as in M. pascuorum ( Fig. 108 ) except for apex ( Fig. 109 ).

Female. As in male except rostrum distinctly longer (Rl/Pl 1.04), thinner, smoother and shining, antennae inserted between basal and median third of rostrum, all femora subdentate, unci of metatibiae smaller than others. Sternite 8 and spermatheca: as in M. pascuorum ( Figs 144 and 157 ).

Variability. Length 2.1–2.4 mm. The colour of the elytra (and seldom of the pronotum) varies from completely reddish to almost completely black, except for a narrow apical part. Also the femora are often reddish. The elytral scales are more or less erect and the pronotum is more or less subconical in shape.

Remarks and comparative notes. This species is closely related to M. pascuorum , from which it differs only by the bigger size (2.1–2.4 vs. 1.4–1.8 mm), the slightly denser dorsal vestiture and the body of the penis which is slightly wider especially at base and with a more rounded apex.

Biological notes. This species feeds on Plantago saxatilis M. (B.A. Korotyaev pers. comm.).

Distribution. Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaidjan, Turkey.

Non-type specimens examined. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Suchoj Fontan , 1910, Kulzer leg. (3, MNHN) ; Travnik (3, MNHN) . RUSSIA: Caucasus, Kislovodsk , V.1912, Roubal leg. (3, JSCP) . GEORGIA: Tiflis, 5.XI.1910 (1, MNHN) . ARMENIA: Lake Sevan, Shoger near Tsovagiukh , 1950–2300 m, 25.–26.V.1985, Košťál leg. (1, MKCB) . TURKEY: Ardaham, Yalnizcam , 2000 m, 1.VII.1996, Podlussány leg. (3, APCB) ; Kars, Ararat Mt. , 4.VI.1989, Podlussány leg. (2, APCB) .

Figures

FIGURES 108–120. Penis in dorsal and lateral view of (108) Mecinus pascuorum; (109) M. crassifemur; (110) M. ictericus; (111) M. latiusculus; (112) M. caucasicus; (113) M. variabilis; (114) M. tychioides; (115) M. haemorrhoidalis; (116) M. longulus; (117) M. labilis; (118) M. plantaginis; (119) M. alboscutellatus alboscutellatus; (120) M. paratychioides. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 144–156. Sternite 8 of (144) Mecinus pascuorum; (145) M. caucasicus; (146) M. marina; (147) M. reichei; (148) M. humeralis; (149) M. circulatus; (150) M. pyraster; (151) M. simus; (152) M. collaris; (153) M. janthinus; (154) M. lixoides; (155) M. sicardi; (156) M. heydenii. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 157–171. Spermatheca of (157) Mecinus pascuorum; (158) M. caucasicus; (159) M. haemorrhoidalis; (160) M. labilis; (161) M. marina; (162) M. elongatus; (163) M. reichei; (164) M. circulatus; (165) M. pyraster; (166) M. simus; (167) M. comosus; (168) M. lixoides; (169) M. janthinus; (170) M. heydenii; (171) M. collaris. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.