Cionus pustulatus Fåhraeus

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 : 44-45

22. Cionus pustulatus Fåhraeus ( Figs 22a–f )

Cionus pustulatus Fåhraeus, 1871: 251 .

Type locality. “Caffraria” ( South Africa).

Type series. This species was described from an unspecified number of specimens collected in “Caffraria” ( South Africa) without more precise data. In NHRS we examined one female specimen labelled “Caffraria / pustulatus Boh. / Typus”, which we designated as the lectotype by adding the following label “ LECTOTYPE Cionus pustulatus Fåhraeus des. Caldara & Košťál 2014”.

Diagnosis. Pronotum with two moderately pronounced protuberances. Elytral vestiture grayish, with alternating white and dark spots, striae weakly visible. Elongated, hair-like scales forming distinct tuft on V 2 in male. Claws distinctly asymmetrical in both sexes.

Redescription. Male ( Figs 22a–b ). Body: robust, globose. Head: rostrum stout, short (Rl/Rw 3.60–3.66, Rl/ Pl 1.15–1.19), black, in lateral view regularly moderately curved, slightly tapered from base to apex, in dorsal view parallel-sided, slightly enlarged apicad, striate-punctate; from base to near apex with recumbent, moderately dense, elliptical, short to moderately long (l/w 3–7), whitish and light brown scales. Head between eyes moderately wide, half as wide as rostrum at base. Eyes very slightly convex. Antennae dark brown, inserted between middle and apical third; scape long (l/w 10); funicle slightly shorter than scape, S1 moderately robust, slightly more robust and slightly longer than S2, 2.5× as long as wide, S2 2.0 × as long as wide, S3–5 transverse; club oblongly oval, as long as funicle, uniformly pubescent, Pronotum: dark brown, completely hidden by dense, recumbent, rectangular, moderately long (l/w 4–6), intermixed whitish and brown scales, whitish ones more numerous at sides and along basal half of midline; conical, moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.50–1.55), widest at base, with rectilinear sides, with small regular punctures and two small lateral protuberances, weakly convex. Prosternum: anterior margin distinctly emarginated. Scutellar shield: subtriangular, densely covered with narrow scales, usually white in middle and brown at sides. Elytra: dark brown, moderately long (El/Ew 1.15–1.20), subrectangular, widest at basal half, distinctly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.61–1.65), humeri distinct, rounded, sides subrectilinear in basal half, moderately convex on disc; interstriae almost flat, with relatively small punctures, almost smooth, completely hidden by recumbent, rectangular, whitish scales, on odd interstriae small alternating dark brown and whitish spots, more or less numerous dark brown scales at base of interstria 1; striae with small, moderately deep punctures, half as wide as interstriae, completely hidden by scales. Venter: mesosternal process moderately convex, not emarginated. Metasternum densely covered with wide white and reddish-brown intermixed scales, distinctly shorter than V1. Abdomen with small and shallow punctures, completely hidden by moderately elongated scales, partly more elongated, hair-like scales in middle of V1, V2 and V5, forming distinct tuft on V2; V1 1.7× as long as V2; V1+2 5.3× as long as V3+4, latter ones 0.9× as long as V5. Legs: densely covered with narrow white and brown intermixed scales; femora black, with robust sharp teeth; tibiae black, unci absent; tarsi black, onychium 2.2× longer than T3; claws distinctly asymmetrical, one claw 1/4 as long as other. Penis: Figs 22d–f , its body with subparallel sides, distinctly narrowed in apical third, with subacute tip. Flagellum robust, long, bifurcated at base.

Female. Rostrum slightly longer (Rl/Rw 4.20–4.25; Rl/Pl 1.20–1.24) ( Fig. 22c ), claws almost symmetrical, abdomen with all scales similar in shape.

Variability. Length 2.6–3.1 mm. Sometimes dark spots on odd elytral interspaces and especially at their base are less numerous, poorly visible.

Remarks. This species is very similar to C. nubilosus from which it differs by the more conical pronotum with less pronounced prominences, more parallel-sided elytra without vittae of pale scales on odd interstriae.

Biological notes. In Boston near Pietermaritzburg (see below) swept from perennial and low shrubby vegetation with a small Buddleja sp.

Distribution. South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape).

Non-type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Natal, Dr. Martin (1, ZFMK); Boston nr. Pietermaritzburg, 1450 m, 29°40’S 30°04’E, 24.XI.2017, leg. Košťál (5, MKCS); Durban, 1902, leg. Muir (1, BMNH); between Nottingham Road and Fort Nottingham, 1450 m, 29°23’57”S 29°59’27”E, 30.IV.2005, leg. Colonnelli (1, ECCR); Umhlali, X.1901 (1, BMNH).

Figures

FIGURES 21–22. FIGURE 21. Cionus notatus. 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 22. Cionus pustulatus. 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.