Linogeraeus appalachensis Prena, 2009

Prena, Jens, 2009, A Review of the Species of Geraeus Pascoe and Linogeraeus Casey Found in the Continental United States (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Baridinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (2), pp. 123-172 : 155

Linogeraeus appalachensis Prena , new species

( Figs. 43–45 , 60 , 76 )

Holotype male, dissected, labeled ‘‘ Balsam, N.C. / 22.IV.1963 / W. Rosenberg,’’ ‘‘TYPUS/ Linogeraeus / appalachensis/ Prena, 2009’’ ( USNM).

Paratypes: 2 males, 3 females. North Carolina, Balsam , 24 Jul 1956, W. Rosenberg, female ( USNM) ; ditto, 2 Jul 1962, male ( USNM) ; North Carolina, RndKnob [Round Knob], 26 Jun, male ( USNM) ; ditto, 23 Jun , female ( USNM) ; North Carolina [South Carolina on label], Macon Co., Potts Br [anch] Cp. , 3 Jul 1969, J. Stibick, female ( CWOB) .

Description. Total length 2.8–3.1 mm, standard length 2.7–3.0 mm; body slender ( Fig. 43 ), derm chestnut brown, antenna and tarsi light brown, dorsally with brown and some yellow scales, ventrally with dingy white scales; rostrum moderately stout, evenly curved, male 1.22–1.30X length of pronotum, female 1.19–1.31X length of pronotum, anteantennal portion of male 0.52–0.54X length of rostrum, of female 0.56–0.58X length of rostrum, male with blunt tubercle on submentum; pronotum with greatest width at base, sides round, apical constriction without special punctures, dorsal punctation coarse and confluent; prosternum with scales radiating from central point lying on posterior line of tubulate portion, prosternal spines absent; elytral interstriae with 1–3 irregular rows of slightly raised scales; all legs with ventrodistal tibial spine, special characters absent; dorsal aspect of aedeagus as in Fig. 60 , body of aedeagus dorsoventrally compressed, with pair of small sclerites near base, apodemes approximately as long as body of aedeagus, internal sac short, without flagellum or sclerites, female genitalia not examined.

Distribution. The species is known only from three sites in the Appalachian Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina ( Fig. 76 ).

Temporal occurrence. April to July.

Plant associations. Unknown.

Specific epithet. The name is a Latinized adjective, third declension, referring to the mountain range where the species was collected.

Note. The regionally restricted occurrence of L. appalachensis may indicate that this species is either a relict of a formerly more widely distributed population or that it is adventive. The slender and dorsally vaulted body approaches the facies of L. laevirostris , previously considered to represent a separate genus, Pachygeraeus .

Figures

Figs. 41–48. Linogeraeus species, dorsal and lateral aspects; scale bar 1 mm. 41, 42) L. laevirostris, male; 43–45) L. appalachensis, male; 46) L. hospes, male; 47, 48) L. hospes, female.

Figs. 57–60. Geraeus and Linogeraeus species, aedeagus, dorsal aspect; scale bars

Figs. 76–77. Map of United States (without northwestern part) and Central America showing distributions of Linogeraeus appalachensis, L. capillatus, L. crucifer, L. finitimus, and L. urbanus.