Theognete elongata Anderson, 2010

Anderson, Robert S., 2010, A taxonomic monograph of the Middle American leaf-litter inhabiting weevil genus Theognete Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Molytinae; Lymantini) 2458, Zootaxa 2458 (1), pp. 1-127 : 30-32

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2458.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7E42061C-9D11-49C5-8737-CEED0864E699
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1013593C-CFE5-437D-A8EC-0143E05A5DDB
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:1013593C-CFE5-437D-A8EC-0143E05A5DDB
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Theognete elongata Anderson
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

20. Theognete elongata Anderson , new species ( Figures 76 View FIGURES 74–78 , 81 View FIGURES 79–81 , 86 View FIGURES 84–88 )

Diagnosis. Size. Length, male, 3.09–3.54mm; female, 3.60–3.77mm. Width, male, 1.52–1.80mm; female, 1.69–1.80mm. As for T. akros but with pronotum more elongate, lateral margins subparallel to subapical constriction; elytra with disk flattened dorsally in middle, with sutural stria shallowly linearly impressed for short length in flat area, stria not punctate. Aedeagus as in Fig. 81 View FIGURES 79–81 .

Geographical distribution. México (Oaxaca).

Natural history. Collected from berlese extraction of mixed oak forest leaf litter at elevations ranging from 2200–2250m.

Derivation of specific name. Named from the Latin elongatus, meaning prolonged, in reference to the elongate body form.

Material examined. 13♂, 6♀♀ ( CMNC, MZLU). Holotype ♂ ( MZLU): MÉXICO: Oaxaca. 25km E Teotitlán del Camino , 2200m, 24.IX.1990, leg. R. Baranowski / HOLOTYPE ♂, Theognete elongata sp. nov., R.S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted. Paratypes: MÉXICO. Oaxaca. Teotitlán del Camino (26 km. E.), 2250m, 26.IX.1990, R. Baranowski, sifting litter mixed oak forest (3♂, 1♀ MZLU) (2♂, 1♀ CMNC). Teotitlán del Camino (25 km. E.), 2200m, 25.IX.1990, R. Baranowski, sifting litter mixed oak forest (3♂, 2♀ MZLU) (4♂, 2♀♀ CMNC) .

Chorological relationships. Sympatric with T. stefurinoi , T. cristata , T. tomneyeae and T. baranowskii .

Theognete bothynometopon species group

Recognition. The species of the T. bothynometopon group are recognized by a combination of the pro- and mesosternal sculpture, subapically anterolaterally tuberculate pronotum and variously tuberculate elytra with all, or nearly all, striae impressed ( Figs. 89–98 View FIGURES 89–94 View FIGURES 95–98 ). The prosternum is not to slightly swollen immediately in front of the procoxae, and there is no raised shelf and no impression or other modifications between the coxae ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 2–7 ). The dorsal vestiture on most species is composed of long, distinctly plumose scales arranged on the pronotum and elytra in distinct clumps ( Figs. 89–98 View FIGURES 89–94 View FIGURES 95–98 ). In addition, two species have the area of the head above the eyes excavated to a various extent ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ); five have the pronotum variously medially carinate ( Figs. 89, 94 View FIGURES 89–94 , 95–96, 98 View FIGURES 95–98 ) and another five have a long aedeagus with an abruptly deflexed and broadly rounded apex.

Diagnosis. Length 3.7–5.9 mm. Cuticle black. Legs moderate in length; femora with moderately large, moderately deep punctures. Pronotal disk elongate (5 species), cordate (2 species) or subcordate (3 species); medially carinate (5 species) or not (5 species); moderately densely, deeply punctate, irregularly sculptured, subapically tuberculate laterodorsally to various extent; with vestiture of sparse, fine to coarse, appressed to erect, not plumose to distinctly plumose scales, more or less evenly distributed over disk or concentrated in paramedial and laterodorsal clumps. Pronotum with flanks subtuberculate to tuberculate anterodorsally. Elytra rounded to elongate, widest at or near middle, variously tuberculate, striae evident, slightly to distinctly impressed or punctate throughout; with vestiture of fine to coarse, appressed to erect, sometimes long, distinctly plumose scales concentrated in variously situated clumps; strial punctures impressed in lateral region of elytra. Posterolateral area of elytra with punctures variously impressed, continuous with strial punctures in lateral region of elytra. Procoxae moderately (9 species) or widely (1 species) separated by less than width of coxa. Mesocoxae separated by less than 1.5x width of coxa. Prosternum not to slightly swollen immediately in front of coxae; without raised shelf, not impressed or otherwise modified between coxae. Mesosternum slightly sloping anteriad, not impressed, punctate to various extent in transverse band at extreme apex (usually obscured by prosternum), junction with metasternum distinct (2 species) or with median transverse pit-like, usually pilose, impression bounded posteriorly by metasternum (8 species). Metasternum with moderately deep median impression, with small pits or setose punctures laterally behind mesocoxa distinct and separate from median impression (8 species) or with continuous deep transverse impression (2 species). Abdominal ventrite 5 more or less punctate throughout. Aedeagus moderate in length (4 species) to long (5 species), apex rounded and abruptly deflexed (6 species) or slightly acuminate, slightly produced (4 species); dorsally not sclerotized across base.

Comments. Nine of the ten species placed in this group are found in wet cloud forests at higher elevations, from 2000–2925m. The single remaining species, T. ashei , was found in cloud forest at and slightly above 1850m.

Distribution. Click here for GoogleEarth® maps of T. bothynometopon species group distributions.

Key to species of T. bothynometopon species group

1 Head with area above and behind eyes excavate, excavation divided by median carina or ridge ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ) .................. 2

1’ Head with area above and behind eyes not excavate, impressed such that head appears constricted behind eyes in lateral view. (a low rounded median line may be evident) .............................................................................................. 3

2 Pronotum and elytra with vestiture moderately dense, suberect to erect and long; elytra rounded, inflated ( Fig. 90 View FIGURES 89–94 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 100 View FIGURES 99–101 .................................................................................................................. T. bothynometopon

2’ Pronotum and elytra with vestiture very sparse, appressed and very short; elytra elongate, slender, not at all inflated ( Fig. 92 View FIGURES 89–94 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 102 View FIGURES 102–104 .................................................................................................................. T. giselae

3 Pronotum and elytra with vestiture as tufts of very long, erect, plumose scales ( Fig. 97 View FIGURES 95–98 ) ........................... T. plumosa

3’ Pronotum and elytra with vestiture as tufts of short to moderately long appressed to erect, plumose scales ............. 4

4 Pronotum cordate, lateral margins divergent from base to subapical constriction; subapical constriction distinct, abrupt and extensive ( Figs. 91, 93, 94 View FIGURES 89–94 , 98 View FIGURES 95–98 ) .................................................................................................................. 5

4’ Pronotum elongate, lateral margins subparallel from base to subapical constriction; subapical constriction less distinct, gradual and less extensive ( Figs. 89 View FIGURES 89–94 , 95–96 View FIGURES 95–98 ) ...................................................................................................... 8

5 Body size larger than 5.5 mm; elytral disk with all striae with individually distinct punctures ( Fig. 94 View FIGURES 89–94 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 104 View FIGURES 102–104 ......................................................................................................................................................... T. birdi

5’ Body size smaller than 5.0 mm; elytral disk with only stria 1 with individually distinct punctures, otherwise indistinct although stria may be somewhat linearly impressed ........................................................................................... 6

6 Elytra with broad clumps of scales, scales irregularly placed within clump, not at all linearly arranged ( Fig. 93 View FIGURES 89–94 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 103 View FIGURES 102–104 ..................................................................................................................................... T. ashei

6’ Elytra with narrow clumps of scales, scales regularly linearly arranged in single longitudinal row ( Figs. 91 View FIGURES 89–94 , 98 View FIGURES 95–98 ) ... 7 7 Pronotum with punctures large, deep and individually distinct; elytra more elongate ( Fig. 91 View FIGURES 89–94 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 101 View FIGURES 99–101 ............................................................................................................................................................ T. pragudemi

7’ Pronotum with punctures shallow, irregular and often effaced in discal area; elytra more rounded ( Fig. 98 View FIGURES 95–98 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 107 View FIGURES 105–107 ........................................................................................................................................... T. chiapaneca

8 Pronotum and elytra with vestiture of tubercles appressed, very short; elytra not strongly inflated ( Fig. 96 View FIGURES 95–98 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 106 View FIGURES 105–107 ................................................................................................................................................ T. carinata

8’ Pronotum and elytra with vestiture of tubercles suberect, longer; elytra more strongly inflated ( Figs. 89 View FIGURES 89–94 , 95 View FIGURES 95–98 ) ......... 9

9 Guatemala (Quetzaltenango); aedeagus as in Fig. 105 View FIGURES 105–107 .................................................................................. T. genieri

9’ El Salvador (Chaltenango), Honduras (Lempira); aedeagus as in Fig. 99 View FIGURES 99–101 ..................................................... T. jeanae