Panscopus (Nocheles) ovalis Pierce, 1913

Spanton, Timothy G. & Anderson, Robert S., 2016, A Taxonomic Revision of Weevils of the Genus Panscopus Schönherr (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Tropiphorini), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 15) 70, pp. 1-86 : 48-50

Panscopus (Nocheles) ovalis Pierce, 1913

( Plate 5 , Figs. 18 , 44 , 67 , Map 19 )

Panscopus (Nomidus) ovalis Pierce 1913: 396 . Buchanan 1927: 30, 1936: 15; Schenkling and Marshall 1931: 41; Blackwelder 1939: 66; Bousquet et al. 2013: 345.

Panscopus ovalis ; Hatch 1971: 292; O’ Brien and Wibmer 1982: 63; Bright and Bouchard 2008: 261.

Type Material. Holotype female ( USNM No. 14643): “Banff Springs, Alberta, 10 June Coll Hubbard & Schwarz.”

Specific Epithet. The Latin adjective ‘ ovalis ’ means egg-shaped. Females of this species are slightly broader and more ovoid (hence egg-like) in body shape than most species in the genus.

Diagnosis. The straight tibia 3, alternate elytral intervals elevated, with an irregular double or partly triple row of blunt setae, and even elytral intervals flat without setae distinguish P. ovalis from all other species of Panscopus except P. bakeri . Buchanan’ s key character to separate P. ovalis from P. bakeri , the proportion of width/ length of antennomere 8, does not hold, even for the type specimens. Antennomere 8 of P. ovalis is slightly wider than long by a ratio of 6/4 or 7/5, but is not twice as wide as long as Buchanan (1936) indicated. The width/length ratio of antennomere 8 of P. bakeri measures 1/ 1 in most specimens. In addition, specimens of P. ovalis possess a coarsely tricarinate rostrum, whereas in P. bakeri the rostrum is unicarinate, with the lateral carinae not, or only very slightly, evident.

Redescription. Females: Length 6.5–7.5 mm (n = 8); width across elytra 2.9–3.4 mm (n = 8). Males: Length 6.1–6.8 mm (n = 5); width across elytra 2.3–2.7 mm (n = 5). Color: Grey-brown; under magnification, vestiture of predominantly beige to light brown scales and areas of lighter, pale grey scales near margins of elytra and lateral portions of pronotum; integument, where visible among scales of dorsum, black as well as on distal portions of legs and antennae, integument rufescent. Head: Transverse shallow depression at base of frons evident, frons and dorsal surface of rostrum discontinuous in lateral view; distinct median longitudinal carina clearly visible through scales, distinct lateral longitudinal carinae on dorsum of rostrum; vestiture of frons and rostrum of dense scales and scattered setae, with supraorbital group of 8–10 setae; nasal plate evident, glabrous; nasal carina V-shaped. Antennae: Scape short, extending to anterior margin of eye; integument obscured by vestiture of scales and setae; funiculus with long and short setae, integument visible, antennomere 8 approximately 1/3 wider than long. Pronotum: Approximately 1/4 wider than long in females, narrower in males; median longitudinal sulcus evident; surface rugose tuberculate; vestiture of dense grey to beige scales and scattered setae, inserted in apices of tubercles. Elytra: Broadly oval, combined width 75% length, 50% wider than pronotum in females; combined width approximately 70% length and 1/3 wider than pronotum in males; alternate intervals elevated, more so in males, with double to partly triple row of setae; even intervals flat, without setae or with few setae near anterior margin or near declivity; serial pits each with round scale larger than surrounding scales. Legs: Tibiae 1 and 2 with few amber-colored spines on ventral margin in apical half; tibia 3 nearly straight, without such spines; corbellar area of tibia 3 narrowly and indistinctly closed. Abdomen: With 5 ventrites in both sexes; ventrite 1 shallowly concave at middle in males; slightly convex at middle in females. Genitalia: Females ( Figs. 18 , 44 ): Sternum VIII with apical expansion approximately 1/3 total length; vagina membranous; pair of crescent-shaped sclerites anteriorly in vagina, near confluence of common oviduct; spermatheca thick and robust. Males ( Fig. 67 ): Median lobe of aedeagus slightly decurved; apex of median lobe with angular acuity apically; manubrium of tegmen, median struts, and median lobe all of approximately equal length; with a crudely horseshoe-shaped sclerite with angular apex posteriorly and small, broadly v-shaped piece anteriorly in inverted sac.

Life History. Adult specimens of this species have been collected from May through August.

Plant Associations. In the area around Edmonton, Alberta, specimens have been found on the foliage of Alnus tenuifolia Nutt. , Cornus stolonifera Michx. , Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , Salix sp. , and Vaccinium sp.

Geographical Distribution. Weevils of this species live in northern Idaho, southwestern British Columbia, and western and central Alberta as far north as Fawcett ( Map 19 ). A single specimen ( CNCI) bears a label of ‘PANP, Saskatchewan’ which probably indicates Prince Albert National Park .

Chorological affinities. See this topic for P. torpidus above.

Material Examined. In addition to the type material mentioned above, approximately 35 specimens were examined. CANADA: Alberta: Edmonton, Whitemud Creek , 7.VI.1989, T.G. Spanton, Cornus stolonifera (1, CMNC) ; Prunus (1, CMNC); Vaccinium (1, CMNC); 14.VII.1989, R.S. Anderson, beating at night (8, CMNC) ; Edmonton, North Saskatchewan River Valley , 25.VI.1989, T.G. Spanton, Alnus tenuifolia at night (1, CMNC) ; Cornus stolonifera at night (1, CMNC); Fawcett , 20.VI.1932, E.H. Strickland (2, UASM) ; Laggan , 4.XI.1892, Bean Collection (1, AMNH) ; Olds, T.N. Willing (1, SMDV) .

British Columbia: Creston , 13.VI.1952, G. Stace- Smith (2, SMDV) ; E. Palliser River basin 21. VIII.1986, D. Langor & G. Pohl (1, CMNC) ; Fort Steele , 23.V.1977, B.F. & J.L. Carr (1, CNCI) ; Nixon Creek, Kootenay National Park , 28.VII.1942, G.R. Hopping (1, CNCI) . Saskatchewan. Prince Albert National Park , 9.VI.1945, F.I.S.W-356 Salix (1, CNCI) . USA: Idaho: Idaho Co., Deep Saddle, Lolo Trail , 24.VIII.1952, H. C. Mania (5, USNM) . Latah Co., Laird Park , 20.V.1951, R.B. Spurrier (2, WSU) ; Laird Park , 20.V.1951, M.T. James (3, WSU) ; Laird Park , 14.V.1962, W.F. Barr (2, UICM) ; Moscow , 20.V.1951, L.R. Campbell (1, WSU) .

Figures

Plate 5. Panscopus ovalis, dorsal habitus. From Bright and Bouchard (2008), used with permission.

Map 19. Geographical distribution of Panscopus ovalis.

Figs. 17–26. Panscopus species, sternum 8 (spiculum ventrale), ventral (a) and left lateral (b) views. 17) P. torpidus; 18) P. ovalis; 19) P. tricarinatus; 20) P. bufo; 21) P. schwarzi; 22) P. coloradensis; 23) P. aequalis; 24) P. squamifrons; 25) P. abruptus; 26) P. rugicollis. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Figs. 41–46. Panscopus species, coxites and vagina, dorsal (a), ventral (b), and left lateral (c) views. 41) P. bakeri;

Figs. 65–67. Panscopus species, aedeagus, dorsal (a), ventral (b), and left lateral (c) views. 65) P. longus; 66) P. torpidus; 67) P. ovalis. b = belt of tegmen; is = internal sac; mb = manubrium of tegmen; ml = median lobe; ms = median strut; t = tegmen. Scale bar = 1 mm.