Cionus stalsi, Caldara & Košťál, 2023

Caldara, Roberto & Košťál, Michael, 2023, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Afrotropical Species Of The Weevil Genus Cionus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Zootaxa 5288 (1), pp. 1-98 : 68-69

37. Cionus stalsi sp. n. ( Figs 37a–f )

Type series. Giant’s Castle Natural Park (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) .

Type specimens. Holotype, male: “ SOUTH AFRICA Giant’s Castle Nat. Park . 29.16S 29.32E 23.i.1991 S Neser /Adults on Buddleja salviifolia ” ( SANC) . Paratypes: same data as holotype (2 females, RCCM; 2 females, SANC) .

Diagnosis. Rostrum with few white scales being larger on sides. Pronotum with four distinct, transversely arranged protuberances emphasized by tufts of erect white and brown scales. Elytral interstriae slightly convex except interstriae 8–10 rugulose, more distinctly convex. Ventrites with elongated scales being hair-like at midline of all ventrites, without tuft on V 2 in male. Claws asymmetrical in male.

Description. Male (holotype) ( Figs 37a–b ). Body: short, globose. Head: rostrum moderately stout, long (Rl/Rw 4.27, Rl/Pl 1.65), black; in lateral view slightly curved, of same width from base to apex, in dorsal view slightly widened from base to apex, distinctly striate-punctate from base to apex, with distinct longitudinal carina in midline, with moderately dense, recumbent, thin, elongated (l/w 4–7), grayish scales, on sides with several clusters of 4–6 whitish scales slightly wider than others. Head between eyes moderately narrow, 0.6× as wide as rostrum at base, with dense, elliptical, grayish scales forming a comb around apex of eyes. Eyes flat. Antennae brown with dark brown club, inserted between middle and apical third; scape long (l/w 10); funicle moderately shorter than scape, S1 slightly more robust and slightly longer than S2, 3.0× as long as wide, S2 2.5 × as long as wide, S3–5 as long as wide; club oblongly oval, shorter than funicle, pubescent. Pronotum: black, with moderately irregular, very small, indistinct, very shallow punctures completely hidden by recumbent, dense, elongated (l/w 5–8), intermixed grayish and light brown scales; conical, moderately transverse (Pw/l 1.63–1.70), widest at base, sides rectilinear, moderately convex on disc, with four distinct, transversely arranged protuberances emphasized by tufts of erect white and brown scales. Prosternum: anterior margin distinctly emarginated. Scutellar shield: heart-shaped, densely covered with elongated grayish scales similar to those on elytra. Elytra: black, globose, moderately short (El/Ew 1.13–1.17), widest at middle, distinctly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.75–1.80), humeri prominent, sides slightly rounded, moderately convex on disc; odd interstriae rugulose, flat, with slightly convex short section, almost straight except interstria 3 sinuate and more convex at base, with indistinct, very shallow punctures completely hidden by variously arranged, dense, recumbent, light brown scales, with numerous fuzzy spots formed by brown and whitish scales on odd interstriae; striae not visible, with punctures moderately deep, as wide as interstriae, intervals between punctures situated at same level as interstriae. Venter: mesosternal process slightly convex, moderately emarginated. Metasternum densely covered with elongated pale brown and predominating whitish scales being hair-like in middle. Abdomen with somewhat irregular, very small, indistinct, very shallow punctures, moderately visible between elongated whitish scales, more elongated, hair-like scales at midline of all ventrites, without tuft on V2; V1 1.9× longer than V2, V1+2 5.0× longer than V3+4, latter ones as long as V5. Legs: densely covered with elongated whitish and light brown scales; femora black, with robust sharp teeth; tibiae brown, without unci; tarsi brown, onychium as long as T1–3 combined; claws asymmetrical, one claw half as long as other. Penis: Figs 37d–f , its body very slightly wider in basal half, with subparallel sides in apical half, tip acute. Flagellum robust, long, bifurcated at base.

Female. Rostrum longer (Rl/Rw 5.48–5.56; Rl/Pl 2.08–2.15) ( Fig. 37c ), claws symmetrical.

Variability. Length 4.0– 4.2 mm. There are no noteworthy differences among specimens of the type series.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of our friend and colleague Riaan Stals, who allowed us to study the vast material deposited in SANC.

Remarks. This species seems to be closely related to C. natalensis together with which it was probably collected. It differs from this species at a glance by the generally paler dorsal vestiture (mainly whitish and light brown vs. grayish and blackish brown). Moreover, the rostrum especially in the female and the elytra are longer, with odd interstriae less convex (especially interstria 3 at base). This species is also similar to C. zimbabwicus in the pattern of the vestiture. In the latter species are all elytral interstriae including the lateral ones, slightly convex, the rostrum and elytra shorter, and the vestiture of the metasternum is much denser.

Biological notes. Collected in the type locality from Buddleja salviifolia by S. Neser.

Distribution. South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).

Figures

FIGURES 37–38. FIGURE 37. Cionus stalsi sp. n. a: body in dorsal view (male), b: body in lateral view (male), c: rostrum in lateral view (female), d: penis in ventral view, e: penis in lateral view, f: apex of penis in dorsal view. FIGURE 38. Cionus natalensis sp. n. a: body in dorsal view (male), b: body in lateral view (male), c: rostrum in lateral view (female), d: penis in ventral view, e: penis in lateral view, f: apex of penis in dorsal view. Not to scale.