Pseudomeira quadraticollis (Desbrochers)

Pierotti, Helio, Bellò, Cesare & Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A., 2010, 2376, Zootaxa 2376, pp. 1-96 : 25-26

Pseudomeira quadraticollis (Desbrochers)

( Figs. 6a, 22a–b, 51c, 72)

Peritelus quadraticollis Desbrochers, 1905: 22 ; Iglesias Iglesias, 1922: 6; Torres Sala, 1962: 360.

Peritelus (Homorhythmus) quadraticollis Desbrochers : Solari & Solari, 1922: 59; Lona, 1937: 253.

Pseudomeira quadraticollis (Desbrochers) : Pierotti & Bellò, 1998: 105; Alonso-Zarazaga, 2002: 24.

Homorrythmus [sic!] quadraticollis (Desbrochers) : Gurrea Sanz & Sanz Benito, 2000: 187.

Diagnosis. Species of medium size (4.0–5.0 mm), distinguished by transverse rostrum with subparallel sides and weakly prominent pterygia, robust antennal funicle, flattened eyes, pronotum not or hardly transverse, elytra very elongate and vestiture whitish with strong bronze shimmer or greenish-grey.

Redescription. Body outline very elongate, with subparallel sides. Dorsal vestiture composed of silvery scales with strong bronze shimmer, or greenish with emerald or bronze shimmer, not strongly imbricate, and of sparse setae on elytral interstriae, short, spatulate, appressed even on supraocular margin, elongate and scarcely broadened on funicle, pale at least on first three desmomeres. Rostrum strongly transverse, sides subparallel, epistome deeply notched, pterygia not or scarcely projecting from lateral margins of rostrum. Metarostrum with a median keel, often only indicated, prorostrum with a longitudinal sulcus sometimes confluent with the frontal fovea. Frons scarcely wider than metarostrum. Eyes flattened. Antennae with scape and funicle robust, desmomeres progressively incrassate, sixth usually transverse; club robust, first segment widely cup-shaped. Pronotum not or hardly transverse, sides weakly sinuate, base more or less as wide as apex, disc with rather strong but not very dense punctures. Elytra strongly elongate, sides weakly sinuate near metacoxae, widest at middle (male) or near humeral calli (female), striae with evident punctures, interstriae flat. Legs robust, protibiae almost straight to apex on outer margin, metatibiae with a series of teeth more (male) or less (female) developed on inner margin. Tegmen as in Fig. 6a. Aedeagus in dorsal view with widely cordiform outline in pre-apical region ( Fig. 22a); endophallic structures as in Fig. 22b. Spermatheca as in Fig. 51c.

Distribution. Iberian endemite: eastern Spain (type locality: Murcia). Spanish literature records: Murcia (type loc.); Valencia: La Murta, Alcira (Torres-Sala, 1962).

Material examined ( Fig. 72). Spain: Valencia: Alcira, 17.9.1911, leg. Moroder ( HOF). Alicante : Benimaurell , 01.06.2002, leg. Liebenow (BEL, DEI, PIE); Benimaurell , N 38° 46. 264 '' E 00° 09. 382 '' 29.IV.2005, leg. Pierotti ( PIE); Pego , 21.8.68, leg. Español (MBA); do., m. 475, N 38° 48. 868 '' W 00° 07. 397 '' , 1. VI .2005 , leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE); do., ibidem Vall de Ebo N 39° 49.142 ’’ W 00° 07. 302 ’’ 29. V .2005 leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE); Benichembla , m. 300, N 38° 45. 428 '' W 00° 06. 108 '' 1. VI .2005 , leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE); Forna , m. 150, N 38° 52. 793 '' W 00° 08. 921 '' 1. VI .2005 , leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE); Orba , N 38° 46. 065 '' W 00° 03. 556 '' 1. VI .2005 , leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE); Callosa de Ensarriá m. 235 N 38° 39.970 ’’ W 00°05.718 ’’ 1. VI.2005 leg. Bellò (BEL); do., leg. Pierotti ( PIE).

Biology. The species is usually found on Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) C.H. Stirt. ( Fabaceae ).

Notes. Even though we could not compare the specimens examined with the type, which we were unable to locate in DES, they fit the original description well and evidently represent this species. In contrast, a large series of specimens we collected near Alcira (a locality recorded for P. quadraticollis by Torres Sala, 1962) represents a closely similar but new species described below as P.lepida . Thorough field research is, however, required to better delimit the ranges of these two species.