Cionus nhlosanicus, 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 : 71-72

39. Cionus nhlosanicus sp. n. ( Figs 39a–e )

Type locality. Dargle , Mount Nhlosane (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) .

Type series. Holotype, male: “ SOUTH AFRICA, Natal , Mt. Nhlosane nr Dargle, 1900 m, 29.33S 29.58E, 28.ii.1984, R. Oberprieler ” ( SANC).

Diagnosis. Rostrum in male in lateral view straight, with few white scales larger on sides. Pronotum with four moderately prominent protuberances. Elytra covered with intermixed grayish white and light brown scales, with several dark brown spots on odd interstriae, in apical half of interstria 1 with alternating spots formed by yellowish and dark brown scales, with sparse white suberect scales, interstria 3 carinate at base, dark, striae not visible. Ventrites covered with elongated, narrow to hair-like, whitish scales, almost same in shape and length at sides and in middle. Claws distinctly asymmetrical in male with one claw very short, almost completely connate with other.

Description. Male (holotype). Body: short, globose (length 2.3 mm). Head: rostrum moderately stout, moderately long (Rl/Rw 4.23, Rl/Pl 1.38), blackish; in lateral view almost straight, of same width from base to apex, in dorsal view from base to antennal insertion parallel, then very slightly widened to apex, with sparse, subrecumbent to recumbent grayish brown scales (l/w 5–7) and few white scales larger on sides. Head between eyes moderately narrow, half as wide as rostrum at base, with dense, elliptical, grayish scales forming a comb around apex of eyes. Eyes flat. Antennae dark brown, inserted between middle and apical third; scape long (l/w 9); funicle 0.8× as long as scape, S1 slightly more robust than and as long as S2, 2.7× as long as wide, S2 3.0 × as long as wide, S3–4 as long as wide, S5 transverse; club oblongly oval, shorter than funicle, pubescent. Pronotum: black, with slightly irregular, very small, indistinct, very shallow punctures almost completely hidden by recumbent, dense, elongated (l/w 5–8), intermixed grayish and light brown scales, latter ones more numerous in mediobasal area; conical, moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.50), widest at base, sides rectilinear, slightly convex on disc, with four transversely arranged protuberances emphasized by tuft of erect light brown and dark brown scales. Prosternum: anterior margin distinctly emarginated. Scutellar shield: triangular, densely covered with grayish and light brown scales. Elytra: black, short (El/Ew 1.03), globose, widest at middle, distinctly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.74), humeri prominent, sides slightly rounded, moderately convex on disc; interstriae slightly convex, almost straight except interstria 3 moderately sinuate and slightly more convex at base, with moderately irregular, very small, indistinct, very shallow punctures completely hidden by dense, recumbent, intermixed grayish and light brown scales, with several dark brown spots on odd interstriae, in apical half of interstria 1 with alternating spots formed by yellowish and dark brown scales, with sparse white suberect scales; striae not visible, with punctures moderately deep, somewhat narrower than interstriae, with intervals between punctures situated at same level as interstriae. Venter: mesosternal process moderately convex, somewhat emarginated. Metasternum with dense, elongated, thin, brown and grayish scales, latter ones hair-like in middle. Abdomen with somewhat irregular, very small, indistinct, very shallow punctures, feebly visible between elongated grayish scales being more elongated, hair-like in middle; V1 1.6× longer than V2, V1+2 5.2× longer than V3+4, latter ones as long as V5. Legs: femora black, with robust sharp teeth; tibiae brown, without unci; tarsi brown, onychium as long as T1–3 combined; claws weakly asymmetrical, one claw 2/3 as long as other. Penis: Figs 39c–e , its body from base to proximity of apex with subparallel sides, tip blunted. Flagellum elongated, robust, bifurcated at base, thin in apical half.

Female. Unknown.

Variability. We know only the holotype of this species.

Etymology. The Latin adjective refers to the name of the mount where this species was collected.

Remarks. This species is very similar to C. natalensis , from which it differs by the rostrum of the male in lateral view straight, and the presence of sparse whitish suberect scales on elytra, which are slightly broader than the others.

Biological notes. No data are available.

Distribution. South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).

Figures

FIGURES 39–40. FIGURE 39. Cionus nhlosanicus sp. n. a: body in dorsal view (male), b: body in lateral view (male), c: penis in ventral view, d: penis in lateral view, e: apex of penis in dorsal view. FIGURE 40. Cionus oberprieleri sp. n. a: body in dorsal view (male), b: body in lateral view (male), c: penis in ventral view, d: penis in lateral view, e: apex of penis in dorsal view. Not to scale.