Theognete hesmos 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 : 14-16

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/F5E35F93-E4C7-4950-9325-BDDDCB561ED0
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:F5E35F93-E4C7-4950-9325-BDDDCB561ED0
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Theognete hesmos Anderson
status

Treatment

Theognete hesmos species group (10)

85. Theognete hesmos Anderson , new species; México (Hidalgo)

86. Theognete minuta Anderson , new species; México (Hidalgo)

87. Theognete harbini Anderson , new species; México (Hidalgo)

88. Theognete reprela Anderson , new species; México (Veracruz)

89. Theognete michaudi Anderson , new species; México ( México)

90. Theognete lakarms Anderson , new species; México (Veracruz)

91. Theognete tomneyeae Anderson , new species; México (Oaxaca)

92. Theognete cristata Anderson , new species; México (Oaxaca)

93. Theognete grimblyae Anderson , new species; México (Querétaro)

94. Theognete draco Anderson , new species; México (Oaxaca)

Key to species groups of Theognete Champion View in CoL

1 Mesosternal and metasternal excavations cavernous and continuous ( Figs. 2–3 View FIGURES 2–7 ); procoxae very widely separated by at least width of coxa or more ( Figs. 2–3 View FIGURES 2–7 ); prosternum in front of coxae with posteriorly broadly emarginate shelf ( Figs. 2–3 View FIGURES 2–7 ), shelf not distinctly swollen, area under shelf excavated, each side with single lateral pit; legs of some species long and spindly or with strigae ......................................................................... T. araneiformis species group

1’ Mesosternal and metasternal excavations separate, deep (but not cavernous) or shallow, distinctly separated by transverse portion at posterior edge of mesosternum ( Figs. 4–18 View FIGURES 2–7 View FIGURES 8–13 View FIGURES 14–18 ); procoxae separated by less than width of coxa ( Figs. 4– 18 View FIGURES 2–7 View FIGURES 8–13 View FIGURES 14–18 ); prosternum various; legs stouter, without strigae ................................................................................................. 2

2 Middle portion of flanks of pronotum impressed with deep, oblique sulcus or crease, area above and behind crease variously subacutely tuberculate ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 19–24 ); ventrite 5 with large median semicircular basal excavation in addition to other large punctures ( Figs. 55–58 View FIGURES 55–58 ) .......................................................................................... T. laevis View in CoL species group

2’ Flanks of pronotum not deeply sulcate or at most with 2 or 3 shallow sulci formed by rows of contiguous punctures ( Figs. 21–24 View FIGURES 19–24 ); ventrite 5 lacking large median basal excavation in addition to other generally small punctures ( Figs. 68–72 View FIGURES 68–72 ; 84–88 View FIGURES 84–88 ; 108–116 View FIGURES 108–116 ; 204–235 View FIGURES 204–227 View FIGURES 228–235 ; 271–287 View FIGURES 271–287 ; 307–308; 310–311; 313–315 View FIGURES 307–315 ) or with large median basal excavation in addition to other punctures ( Figs. 309, 312 View FIGURES 307–315 ) ............................................................................................................... 3

3 Ventrite 5 with pair of relatively large, isolated, deep median punctures basally or subbasally in addition to other punctures, apicomedian portion slightly to distinctly excavate (formed by broadly contiguous punctures) or with arc of large distinct punctures ( Figs. 68–72 View FIGURES 68–72 ); elytra widest distinctly before midlength ( Figs. 59–63 View FIGURES 59–63 ); pronotum and especially elytra with sparse and appressed dorsal vestiture ( Figs. 59–63 View FIGURES 59–63 ) ..................... T. denticulata species group

3’ Ventrite 5 various, but not with isolated median pair of relatively large, deep punctures basally or subbasally; elytra more rounded in form, widest at or near midlength; pronotum and elytra with dorsal vestiture various, generally dense and often suberect to erect ................................................................................................................................. 4

4 Prosternum not to slightly swollen immediately in front of coxae, no raised shelf present, not otherwise modified between coxae ( Figs. 5, 7 View FIGURES 2–7 , 16–18 View FIGURES 14–18 ); elytra in many specimens with tubercles or variously impressed striae ( Figs. 75, 78 View FIGURES 74–78 , 89–98 View FIGURES 89–94 View FIGURES 95–98 ) .................................................................................................................................................................... 5

4’ Prosternum various but with some type of raised shelf present, impressed or otherwise modified between coxae ( Figs. 8–15 View FIGURES 8–13 View FIGURES 14–18 ); elytra in few, if any, specimens with tubercles or impressed striae ........................................................ 7

5 Elytra with tubercles and/or with all striae distinctly impressed, scales concentrated in clumps of various size and position ( Figs. 89–98 View FIGURES 89–94 View FIGURES 95–98 ); pronotum with subapical anterolateral tubercles ( Figs. 89–98 View FIGURES 89–94 View FIGURES 95–98 ) ............................................... ................................................................................................................................... T. bothynometopon species group 5’ Elytra lacking tubercles or with at most sutural and adjacent striae impressed in discal area, scales regularly distributed, generally linearly arranged on intervals, clumped in some species; pronotum lacking tubercles or with at most low paramedian tubercles ............................................................................................................................................ 6

6 Pronotum elongate-cylindrical in form, more or less subequal in width throughout most of length ( Figs. 74–78 View FIGURES 74–78 ); elytra with sutural and, in some specimens, adjacent stria on disk impressed and/or shallowly punctate ( Figs. 74–78 View FIGURES 74–78 ), discal area somewhat flattened in some specimens ......................................................... T. semistriata species group

6’ Pronotum more robust, subcordate to cordate, widest at or before middle, inflated in some specimens, almost as wide as basal portion of elytra ( Figs. 288–297 View FIGURES 288–297 ); elytra at most with very shallowly impressed sutural stria, not distinctly punctate; discal area generally not flattened .......................................................................... T. hesmos species group

7 Prosternum in front of coxae swollen transversely, middle part of swelling produced posteriad into distinct “V”shape directed between coxae; procoxae narrowly separated ( Figs. 8–11 View FIGURES 8–13 ) ........................................ T. tzotzil species group

7’ Prosternum in front of coxae swollen transversely, middle part of swelling emarginate posteriorly as distinct “U”shape directed between coxae; procoxae more widely separated ( Figs. 12–15 View FIGURES 8–13 View FIGURES 14–18 ) ............. T. distenta species group

Theognete araneiformis species group

Recognition. Species in the T. araneiformis species group are best recognized by the structure of the thoracic sterna. The pro- and mesocoxae are moderately to widely separated and the mesosternal and metasternal excavations cavernous and continuous ( Figs. 2–3 View FIGURES 2–7 ). In addition, the prosternum in front of the coxae possesses a posteriorly broadly emarginate shelf, which is not distinctly swollen, and with the area under the shelf excavated and each side with a single lateral pit ( Fig. 2–3 View FIGURES 2–7 ). Three of the species are additionally easily recognized by the combination of a black cuticle infused with orange and long and spindly legs, and another two species by having faint to very distinct strigae on the femora.

Diagnosis. Length 3.2–4.5 mm. Cuticle black (3 species) or black infused with dark orange (3 species). Legs moderate in length (3 species) or elongate and spindly (3 species); femora without strigae (4 species) or with strigae (2 species). Pronotal disk weakly to strongly cordate; very finely punctate, not sculptured; with vestiture of sparse, fine, appressed, not distinctly plumose scales, concentrated in anterior half of disk. Pronotum with flanks unsculptured (4 species) or with oblique sulcus in anterior half (2 species). Elytral form more or less round, widest at or near midlength. Elytra smooth, lacking impressed striae (3 species) or with low, rounded tubercles (3 species); with vestiture of sparse, fine, scattered, appressed, not distinctly plumose scales. Posterolateral area of elytra without punctures (3 species), with series of 3–6 variously impressed punctures (1 species) or with single anteriorly directed puncture situated on low swelling (2 species). Procoxae separated by about width of coxa (3 species) to distance distinctly greater than width of coxa (3 species). Mesocoxae separated by more than 1.5x width of coxa. Prosternum in front of coxae with posteriorly broadly emarginate shelf, not distinctly swollen, area under shelf excavated and with single lateral pit. Mesosternum with deep cavernous, usually pilose impression continuous with that of metasternum. Metasternum cavernous, strongly sloping anteriad and continuous with impression of mesosternum. Abdominal ventrite 5 punctate throughout (4 species) or with median basal region impunctate (2 species). Aedeagus moderate to long, moderately to markedly produced at apex, apex acuminate; dorsally not sclerotized across base.

Comments. Members of this species group are apparently restricted to cloud forests from 1000–1600m in the Sierra Madre Oriental in eastern México. One species, T. tuberosa , has been collected from higher elevations up to 2450m .

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

Key to species of T. araneiformis species group

1 Cuticle black but infused with dark orange on elytra laterally and across base ........................................................... 2

1’ Cuticle entirely black .................................................................................................................................................... 4

2 Eyes very closely spaced in dorsal view; aedeagus as in Fig. 36 View FIGURES 35–37 ..................................................................... T. azteca

2’ Eyes slightly more widely separated in dorsal view .................................................................................................... 3

3 Pronotum slightly narrower and elytra slightly more elongate-oval ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 29–34 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 39 T View FIGURES 38–40 . araneiformis

3’ Pronotum slightly more robust and elytra slightly more rounded ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 29–34 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 40 View FIGURES 38–40 ............. T. gracilis

4 Femora not striate distally; elytra with numerous low rounded tubercles ( Fig. 32 View FIGURES 29–34 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 38 T View FIGURES 38–40 . tuberosa

4’ Femora striate distally; elytra with at most only basal area of interval 3 swollen ....................................................... 5

5 Femora distally with deep, distinct longitudinal striations; aedeagus as in Fig. 37 View FIGURES 35–37 ............................... T. striatifemur

5’ Femora distally with very shallow, indistinct longitudinal striations; aedeagus as in Fig. 35 View FIGURES 35–37 ...................... T. kovariki