Cionus atlanticus Peyerimhoff, 1926

Košťál, Michael & Caldara, Roberto, 2019, Revision of Palaearctic species of the genus Cionus Clairville (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cionini), Zootaxa 4631 (1), pp. 1-144 : 84-85

50. Cionus atlanticus Peyerimhoff, 1926 stat. prom.

Figs 50 a–f.

Cionus longicollis atlanticus Peyerimhoff, 1926: 379 . Zumpt, 1937: 223. A. Hoffmann, 1958: 1221. Caldara, 2013: 123. Alonso-Zarazaga et al., 2017: 185.

Type locality. Tachdirt ( Morocco) .

Type series. The species was described based on an unspecified number of specimens from Tachdirt in Morocco, “Grand-Atlas marocain” without the designation of the holotype. In coll. Peyerimhoff ( MNHN), there are five specimens (2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀) from Tachdirt, one male on a separate card and pin, and the remaining four speci- mens each on a single card on one pin. The data on the labels as well as all differentiating characters in the original description correspond completely to these specimens. The first, 3.77 mm long, well-preserved male with missing right antenna from the third segment of the funicle and the right anterior onychium, labeled “Tachdirt / longicollis atlanticus Peyrh. type / coll. M. Paris Peyerimh.” was dissected for genitalia and designated as the lectotype of Cionus longicollis ssp. atlanticus Peyerimhoff by adding the printed red label “ LECTOTYPUS Cionus longicollis ssp. atlanticus Peyerimhoff M.Košťál et R.Caldara des. 2018”. The other four specimens labeled “Tachdirt Gr. At- las, 2.300 m 8 juillet1923 / s. Verbascum Hookerianum Ball. / Cionus longicollis atlanticus Peyerh. types/ coll. M. Paris Peyerimh.” were labeled as paralectotypes accordingly. In coll. A. Hoffmann ( MNHN), there is a completely preserved female labeled “dj. Tachdirt Grand Atlas maroc. vers 2.300 m / C. longicollis Bris v.atlanticus Peyer. Hoffmann det. / coll. M.Paris Hoffmann”. There is no doubt that also this specimen is a syntype. Highly probably, the specimen was later transferred to Hoffmann´s collection (H. Perrin pers. comm.). We labeled this specimen as paralectotype too. Interspecific morphological differences and allopatric distribution gave us a reason to raise this subspecies to species rank.

Synonyms. None.

Redescription. Male. Body stout, subparallel. Head: rostrum moderately stout, medium long (l/ w 4.0, Rl/Pl 1.11), black; in lateral view distinctly, evenly curved, not enlarged at antennal insertion; in dorsal view as in C. longicollis ; punctation and scales as in C. longicollis . Head between eyes narrow, of about 0.4 rostrum width at base. Eyes as in C. longicollis . Antennae as in C. longicollis except club being not more than twice as long as wide. Pronotum: black, somewhat wider than long (Pl/Pw 0.68), punctation and scales as in C. longicollis except dark yellow color of scales; widest shortly beyond base, in basal part slightly rounded to subparallel, then conically narrowed to anterior margin, in lateral view very similar to C. longicollis . Prosternum: anterior margin with relatively shallow, semicircular emargination bounded by tiny shiny tubercles, separated from coxae by narrow prosternal area. Scutellum: except for thinner scales as in C. longicollis . Elytra: brown, in basal 2/3 subparallel, then slightly rounded, at apex broadly rounded, relatively elongate (El/Ew 1.37), widest at about 1/3 of their length, at base moderately wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.53), humeri and posthumeral impression as in C. longicollis ; flat on disc; interstria 1 from about 0.25 to 0.40 of medial length and in preapical area broadened, interstria 2 at same lengths narrowed and slightly constricted laterally encompassing small round black tomentous maculae without differently colored scale border, interstria 3 straight; interstriae, interstrial pattern and striae as in C. longicollis , scales on entire elytra except their on average shorter shape (l/w 4–6), dark yellow color and sparsely intermixed hair-like recumbent tiny scales, as in C. longicollis . Venter: scales, mesosternal process as in C. longicollis ; metasternum flat, transversally ribbed, ventrite 1 with relatively shallow impression, ventrite 2 with only indistinct impression, similarly textured as in C. longicollis ; ventrite 1 1.6 × as long as ventrite 2, ventrites 1–2 combined 5.3 × as long as ventrites 3–4 combined, ventrites 3–4 combined of 0.7 length of ventrite 5. Legs: as in C. longicollis except profemora thinner, with smaller teeth. Penis: Figs 50 d–f, very similar to that in C. longicollis .

Female. Rostrum markedly longer (Rl/Pl 1.49), apical part in dorsal view slightly concave. Ventrites and claws as in C. longicollis .

Variability. Length ♂♂ 3.64–3.77 mm, ♀♀ 4.02–4.22 mm. The small number of specimens examined shows no remarkable variability.

Diagnosis. This species is recognizable by almost concealed elytral integument, subparallel elytra, small dorsal and preapical elytral maculae without border of differently colored scales, relatively stout and short rostrum, and short oval antennal club.

Comparative notes. Cionus atlanticus is most closely related to C. longicollis , from which it differs by smaller body size, shorter oval antennal club, shorter rostrum especially in males (Rl/Pl 1.11 vs. 1.30), smaller dorsal and preapical elytral maculae, and dark yellow vestiture.

Biological notes. In the original description there is a reference to Verbascum hookerianum Ball as a host plant. Montane species found at 2,300 m a s. l.

Distribution. Morocco (High Atlas Mts.).

Non-type specimens examined. None.

Figures

FIGURES 49–50. FIGURE 49. Cionus montanus. 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 50. Cionus atlanticus. 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.