Theognete minuta 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 : 79-80

86. Theognete minuta Anderson , new species ( Figures 296 , 305 , 314 )

Diagnosis. Size. Length, male, 2.30–2.56mm; female, 2.59–2.98mm. Width, male, 1.24–1.35mm; female, 1.35–1.69mm. As for T. hesmos but smaller, pronotum not as distinctly cordate and with no trace of median ridge; scales very fine and hair-like. Ventrite 5 with punctures fine and separate. Aedeagus as in Fig. 305 .

Geographical distribution. México (Hidalgo).

Natural history. Collected from berlese extraction of cloud forest leaf litter at elevations from 1375– 1525m.

Derivation of specific name. Named from the Latin minutus, meaning small, in reference to this being the smallest of all known Theognete species.

Material examined. 29♂, 11♀♀ ( CMNC, CWOB, ECOS) . Holotype ♂ ( CMNC) : MÉXICO: Hidalgo. 2.4 mi. N.E. Tlanchinol, 4500', 14.VI.83, S. & J. Peck, cloud for. litter / HOLOTYPE ♂, Theognete minuta sp. nov., R.S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted. Paratypes: MÉXICO. Hidalgo. Tlanchinol (2.7 mi. N. Hwy 105), 5000', 15.VI.1983, L. O'Brien & G.B. Marshall, berlese sifted cloud forest litter (1♂ CWOB) . 17.VI.1983, L. O'Brien & G.B. Marshall, berlese sifted cloud forest litter (21♂, 10♀♀ CMNC, CWOB, ECOS) . Tlanchinol (2.4 mi. N.E.), 4500', 14.VI.1983, S. & J. Peck, cloud forest litter (3♂ CMNC) . Tlanchinol (43 km S. W. Huejutla ), 1490m, 1.VIII.1983, S. & J. Peck, cloud forest litter (3♂, 1♀ CMNC) .

Chorological relationships. Sympatric with T. hesmos , T. harbini , T. gracilis and T. caviventris .

Figures

FIGURES 288–297. Habitus, dorsal view, Theognete hesmos species group. 288. T. hesmos. 289. T. michaudi. 290. T. cristata. 291. T. lakarms. 292. T. harbini. 293. T. draco. 294. T. tomneyeae. 295. T. reprela. 296. T. minuta. 297. T. grimblyae.

FIGURES 304–306. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view, Theognete hesmos species group. 304. T. reprela. 305. T.minuta. 306. T. grimblyae.

FIGURES 307–315. Abdominal ventrite 5, male, ventral view, Theognete hesmos species group. 307. T. hesmos. 308. T. michaudi. 309. T. cristata. 310. T. lakarms. 311. T. harbini. 312. T. tomneyeae. 313. T. reprela. 314. T. minuta. 315. T. grimblyae.