Viticis guamae, Zimmerman, 1942

Zimmerman, Elwood C., 1942, Curculionidae of Guam, Insects of Guam I, Honolulu, Hawaii: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, pp. 73-146 : 80-81

1. Viticis guamae , new species (pl. 1, B).

Derm black, dulled by coarse reticulation, tarsi diluted with red, antennae amber colored (scales moderately dense, somewhat irregularly condensed on some areas, especially at base of pronotum and on sides of elytra near base and beyond middle, the scales oval, convex, solid, with a pearly luster.

Head with crown finely punctate, setae fine, prostrate near top, becoming broader and more squamiform toward eyes; front broadly, shallowly, slightly or distinctly concave between eyes, the concavity extending well above level of tops of eyes in middle; eyes slightly longer than shortest distance between them, separated from prothorax by a distance about equal to two thirds of their length. Rostrmn straightly expanded on sides, sub A-shaped from base to apex, but with the epistome projecting and making middle two thirds of the otherwise truncate apex strongly convex, as broad across broadest apical part as length plus one half length of an eye; squamose on either side of front to antennae, thence coarsely reticulate and with scattered punctures, densely squamose on sides along fore margins of scrobes. Antennae with scape as long as funicle excluding club; first funicular segment about as broad as long, as long as 2 plus 3, 2 hardly longer than 3, 4 to 6 successively slightly broader; club but slightly longer than broad, as long as the preceding five funicular segments. Prothora:i: four fifths as long as broad, apex slightly convex, base concave on either side of middle, but slightly arcuate on sides from base to apex, distance across base one fifth broader than that of apex; coarsely and densely punctate throughout; longitudinal dorsal contour evenly and slightly arcuate. Elytra. two thirds as broad as long, three times as long as the prothorax; longitudinal dorsal outline rising evenly from base to reach summit at or slightly behind middle; broadest at apical third, almost straightly and slightly expanded on the sides from the obtusely angulate humeri to apical third, lateral outline then constricted, then broadly rounded at apex; base convex on either side of bare scutellum; striae coarse, punctures coarse and as broad or broader than intervals basally, but becoming smaller and narrower than intervals distally, setae borne by punctures minute; in,tervals convex, the tenth costate behind. Legs with femora and tibiae rather densely clothed with elongate prostrate squamae; fore femora with strongly developed subtriangular tooth at basal fourth, apex of which is slightly bent distad, mid femora with two small tubercle-like teeth at about basal fourth, hind femora not toothed; fore and mid tibiae with a distinct tooth at inner apical angle and some small denticles along lower edge in apical half; third fore tarsal segment as broad as its length plus that of second segment. Stermmi with scattered squamae at sides only, otherwise bare; metasternum coarsely reticulate, almost impunctate except along coxal cavities and at sides. Venter almost entirely bare, with a few scattered setae, almost impunctate in middle; fifth ventrite with a small median fovea. Length, 2 mm.; breadth, 1 mm.

Holotype, sex not determined, Asan, Aug. 22, 1936, Swezey ; one paratype, Upi Trail, May 5, Usinger .

This species may perhaps be distinguished from the genotype most readily by its lack of conspicuous asperate callosities above the eyes. It is distinct from any other Guam weevil.