Etheophanus nitidellus Broun, 1923

Davis, Steven R., Brav-Cubitt, Talia, Buckley, Thomas R. & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2019, Systematics of the New Zealand Weevil Etheophanus Broun (Curculionidae: Molytinae), Zootaxa 4543 (3), pp. 341-374 : 352-355

Etheophanus nitidellus Broun

( Figs 1B , 2B , 3B , 4 , 5B, 5F , 8 , 9 )

Etheophanus nitidellus Broun, 1923: 701 . Type locality: Mount Alfred.

Etheophanus obscurus Broun, 1923: 701 . Type locality: Harris Saddle, southwest Otago. New Synonymy.

Diagnosis. Dorsal surfaces apunctate, alveolate microsculpture present, primary dorsal setae adpressed. Pronotal vibrissae present. Procoxa without semi-lamellate process. Eighth sternite of male with each sclerite bearing ca. 6 or 7 setae along apical margins; spiculum relictum slender. Aedeagus with setae present at apex of parameroid lobes; median lobe in dorsal view narrowing to subrounded, and slightly blunted apex with simple edges, in lateral view narrow and elongate and strongly curved ventrally near apex; apico-lateral margin of median lobe bearing a bundle of ca. 6 setae at each corner. Female tergite VIII apically subrounded; eighth sternite with arms of base parallel-sided, apices with 6–7 setae. Gonostylus with 5 apical setae. Spermatheca falciform without globular base.

Comments. Broun based the description of E. nitidellus on a single specimen that we confirmed as the holotype collected from Mount Alfred located north of Glenorchy. Immediately following this description, Broun described a second species from Harris Saddle, also located north of Glenorchy, that we we confirmed as the holotype of E. obscurus , and with the comment “this obscurely coloured species is separable by the elytral sculpture.” The differences among the specimens are well within the range of variation present in E. nitidellus and we consider the two as synonymns.

Distribution. South Island: MK, OL, WD, FD, SI.

Type material examined. E. nitidellus : Holotype ( BMNH): card-mounted, “ Type [round label with red border] // 4310 [Broun number in pencil, unknown hand] // New Zealand. [red underline] Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922-482. // Mount Alfred. 3.2.1914. [in Broun’s hand] // Etheophanus nitidellus . [in Broun’s hand] // HOLOTYPE [printed] ♂ Etheophanus nitidellus Broun, 1923 det. R. Craw, 1987 [in Craw’s hand on orange dayglow label]”. E. obscurus : Holotype ( BMNH): card-mounted, “ Type [round label with red border] // 4311 [Broun number in pencil, unknown hand] // New Zealand. [red underline] Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922-482. // Harris Saddle. 12.2.1914. [in Broun’s hand] // Etheophanus obscurus . [in Broun’s hand] // HOLOTYPE [printed] ♀ Etheophanus obscurus Broun, 1923 det. R. Craw, 1987 [in Craw’s hand on orange dayglow label]” .

Dissected material (NZAC). South Island. WD/OL. Haast Pass summit, 560 m, 27 Jan 1978, G. Kuschel, litter, ground plants, and decayed wood (1 male). WD . Haast Pass W. of summit, 550m, 24 Jan. 1978, G. Kuschel, sifted litter and rotten wood, 78/52 (1 male); Simonin Pass, W. Olivine Rd, 1067m, FD , 27 Jan. 1975, G.W. Ramsay, litter in Nothofagus forest, 75/38 (1 male). FD . Secretary 1, Grono Bay, 26–30 Nov. 1981, C.F. Butcher, pan trap (1 female, dissected); Lake Monowai, 700', 30 Jan. 1962, J.I. Townsend (1 female, dissected, NZAC) .

Figures

FIGURES 1A–G. Dorsal habiti of Etheophanus spp. A, E. kuscheli sp. n.; B, E. nitidellus; C, E. optandus; D, E. pingius; E, E. striatus.

FIGURES 2A–G. Lateral habiti of Etheophanus spp. A, E. kuscheli sp. n.; B, E. nitidellus; C, E. optandus; D, E. pingius; E, E. striatus.

FIGURES 3A–B. Anterolateral view of Etheophanus spp. A, E. kuscheli sp. n.; B, E. nitidellus.

FIGURES 4A–D. Mouthparts of E. nitidellus. A, labium, dorsal view; B, left maxilla; C, left mandible; D, pharyngeal plate.

FIGURES 5A–G. Key characters of Etheophanus spp. A, E. kuscheli sp. n., apical half of median lobe (dorsal view); B, E. nitidellus, apical half of median lobe (dorsal view); C, E. optandus, apical half of median lobe (dorsal view); D, E. pingius, apical half of median lobe (dorsal view); E, E. striatus, apical half of median lobe (dorsal view); F, E. nitidellus (female), internal view of abdominal ventrites showing pair of apodemes on fifth ventrite; G, E. kuscheli, showing semi-lamellate process on procoxa (arrow).

FIGURES 8A–D. Etheophanus nitidellus, male terminalia. A, aedeagus, dorsal view; B, aedeagus, lateral view; C, tegmen, dorsal view; D, sternites VIII and IX, showing spiculum relictum.

FIGURES 9A–D. Etheophanus nitidellus, female terminalia. A, sternite VIII; B, tergite VIII; C, gonocoxites; D, spermatheca.