Picia sinuatocollis (Faust)

Caldara, Roberto, 2008, A taxonomic revision of the weevil genus Picia Tournier, 1895 (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Erirhinidae), Zootaxa 1959 (1), pp. 39-57 : 41-49

Picia sinuatocollis (Faust)

Hydronomus sinuatocollis Faust, 1885: 178 ; 1887: 150. Dieckmann, 1983: 373.

Echinocnemus sinuatocollis (Faust) : Schilsky, 1907: 33.

Ephimeropus sinuatocollis (Faust) : Zumpt, 1929: 213.

Picia sinuatocollis (Faust) : Solari, 1930: 46; Caldara & O'Brien, 1995: 396.

Faustia ephimeropoides Tournier, 1889: 153 (syn. n.).

Picia ephimeropoides (Tournier) : Tournier, 1895: CCLXXX; Solari, 1930: 46.

Ephimeropus fenestratus Reitter, 1889 . 125 (syn. n.).

Hydronomus fenestratus (Reitter) : Reitter, 1890: 146.

Echinocnemus fenestratus (Reitter) : Schilsky, 1907: 33 (as syn. of sinuatocollis ).

Picia fenestrata (Reitter) : Solari, 1930: 46.

Picia alfierii Pic, 1914: 49 (syn. n.).

Picia druinei Pic, 1917: 10 (syn. n.).

Hydronomidius punjabensis Pajni & Kamal Tewari, 1985: 610 (syn. n.).

Type locality. Margelan (Uzbekhistan).

Redescription ( Fig. 1 ). Length 3.8–4.9 mm (rostrum excluded).

Rostrum ( Fig. 9 ) moderately robust, slightly (0.80–0.86x) shorter than pronotum, in lateral view weakly narrowed at apical quarter, densely covered with greyish scales except apical quarter glabrous, scales partly imbricate, rounded to polygonal, flattened to slightly convex.

Antennae reddish, integument of funicle and segment 1 of club somewhat visible as covered with sparser, almost transparent scales; funicle with segment 1 2.2 times longer than wide, more robust and 1.2 times longer than segment 2, which is 2.4 times longer than wide, with segments 3–7 about 1.2 times longer than wide.

Pronotum slightly wider than long (length / width 1.10–1.04), with sides nearly rectilinear and distinctly divergent from base to beyond middle, widest beyond middle then gradually narrowed and somewhat rounded to apex, distinctly convex, with integument completely hidden by scales, which are partly imbricate, dark brown and greyish, mostly flattened except on disc where they are partly distinctly concave, dark brown, shining with metallic reflection, subcircular to polygonal.

Elytra long (length / width 1.56–1.63), distinctly (1.58–1.65x) wider than pronotum, oval, with base nearly rectilinear, humeri slightly protruding, sides slightly divergent just beyond middle then distinctly and slightly sinuously narrowing to apex, interstriae nearly flat to weakly convex, striae distinctly narrower than interstriae, densely covered with partly imbricate, dark brown and greyish, flat, polygonal to lanceolate scales: the greyish ones denser at sides and forming spots on disc, two of which more clearly distinct at middle of interstria 3 and part of interstriae 2 and 4, the dark brown ones more numerous on first five interstriae, shining with metallic reflection and distinctly convex.

Legs fine, long, densely covered mainly with brown and greyish scales; femora long, thin, not clavate; tibiae long, slightly sinuous at basal three quarters; tarsi ( Fig. 6 ) with segment 1 2.5 times longer than wide, segments 2 and 3 2 times longer than wide, segments 1–3 as long as 5 excluding claws; segment 5 5.5 times as long as wide; claws slightly longer than half of segment 3.

Male terminalia. Aedeagus ( Figs. 12, 13 ): tectum with a narrow linear transverse part more distinctly sclerotised, with broad anteapical membranous extroversion; endophallus with a robust axe-shaped sclerite; ejaculatory duct with a long basal portion distinctly sclerotised; tegmen at apex with narrow subtriangular membranous part and two close, narrow, elongate, sclerotised segments along midline ( Fig. 14 ). Sternite 8 with sclerotised portion of hemisternites ending before apical margin ( Fig. 15 ).

Female terminalia. Nodus of spermatheca distinctly globose ( Fig. 21 ). Sclerotised part of basal portion of sternite 8 oval ( Fig. 26 ). Apical portion of tergite 8 with broadly blunted lip ( Fig. 10 ).

Variability. On the pronotum and elytra the extension of the dark greyish scales with metallic reflection is somewhat variable, sometimes they are more numerous than the light grey ones. The sides of the pronotum at the basal two-thirds sometimes are only slightly divergent. The unique specimen from Senegal does not show any differences from the eastern specimens.

Material examined. Type series.

Hydronomus sinuatocollis was described from specimens collected at Margelan and Andidjan (= Andijan) in Uzbekhistan. At SMTD I examined four syntypes labelled “Margelan, Balassoglo / sinuatocollis Faust / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900 / Syntypus ” (male, here designated as lectotype), “Margelan, Akinin / sinuatocollis Faust / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900 / Syntypus ” (two males, here designated as paralectotypes) and “Andidjan, Kuschakewitsch / sinuatocollis Faust / Coll. J. Faust, Ankauf 1900 / Syntypus ” (one female, here designated as paralectotype) .

Faustia ephimeropoides was described from specimens collected at Derbent and in Mesopotamia, without further indications. In Tournier’s collection ( MNHN) I located one male labelled “Mesopotam., Milling / TYPE” (here designated as lectotype). This specimen does not differ from the lectotype of sinuatocollis , and ephimeropoides is therefore here synonymised with sinuatocollis .

Ephimeropus fenestratus was based on specimens from Askhabad ( Turkmenistan), of which I examined one male syntype labelled “Turcmenien, Reitter / Aschabad / Ephimeropus fenestratus m. 1889 / Hydronomus / Holotypus, 1888, Ephimeropus fenestratus Reitter [label arbitrarily placed by a conservator of HNHM] (here designated as lectotype). I could not find any significant differences between this specimen and the lectotype of sinuatocollis and thus confirm Schilsky’s synonymy of fenestratus with sinuatocollis .

Picia alfierii was described from specimens from Egypt (without other indications) and considered by Pic to be very similar to P. ephimeropoides and perhaps only a variety of P. sinuatocollis . I examined two syntypes of this species in Tournier's collection ( MNHN), respectively labelled “Dekela, mai 1912 / 112 / coll. Alfieri, Egypte / Picia Alfierii Pic / type” (male,here designated as lectotype) and “ Egypte (Alfieri) / Picia Alfierii Pic ” (female, here designated as paralectotype). Again these specimens do not differ from the lectotype of sinuatocollis , and alfieri is therefore here synonymised with sinuatocollis .

Picia druinei was described from Mossoul ( Iraq) and considered by Pic as very similar to P. ephimeropoides . I examined one male in Tournier’s collection ( MNHN), labelled “Mossoul / type / Picia Druinei Pic / TYPE” (here designated as lectotype), which does not differ substantially from the lectotype of sinuatocollis . Druinei is therefore here synonymised with sinuatocollis .

Hydronomidius punjabensis was described from specimens collected at Amloh (Punjab) and Chandigarh in the north-western India. I have not examined specimens of the type series, which is deposited in the entomological collections of the Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. However, from the original description, the photograph of its habitus and the careful illustration of its genitalia by Pajni & Kamal Tewari (1985), it undoubtedly does not belong to Hydronomidius Faust, 1898 but is conspecific with P. sinuatocollis . This synonymy is also supported by two specimens of P. sinuatocollis from Afghanistan identified as Hydronomidius punjabensis by C.W. O'Brien from examination of the type series of this species.

Non-type specimens. RUSSIA: Astrakhan, Volga, Enotaevka , 14.V.1891, leg. Suvorov (1, ZIN) ; Northern Daghestan, Steppae Karanogaicae, Ciscaucasia (1, ZIN) ; Daghestan, Terekli-Mekteb , 16.V.1925, leg. Kiritschenko (1, ZIN) . ARMENIA: Eriwan [= Yerevan] (1, HNHM) . GEORGIA: Lagodekhi, Caucasus , coll. Yakovlev (1, ZIN) . AZERBAIJAN. Ad Š ikent, Elizavetpol [= Kirovabad], 23.VI.1914 (1, ZIN) ; Aresch, Kr [eis], Caucasus , leg. Koenig (1, ZIN) ; Aresch, Kr [eis], Caucasus , leg. Koenig (2, NHMW) ; Aresch, Caucasus , leg. Schelkownikow (1, MSNM) ; Dzhevat, Nikolaevka , 14.VI.1916 (1, ZIN) ; Eldar, Chaban-Dagh , 1.VI.1934, leg. Lukjanovitsh (1, ZIN) ; Geok-Tapa , leg. Schelkownikow (1, ZIN) ; idem, at light, 2.VII.1901, leg. Schmidt (1, ZIN) ; Geok-Tapa , leg. Mesmin (2, MHNP) ; Geok-Tapa, Caucasus , leg. Schelkownikow (1, MCSN coll. Dodero) ; Sal’yany, Sabir-Abad , 20.V.1928, leg. Aleksandrov (1, ZIN) . TURKEY: Içel, Silifke, Kurtulus , 16.V.1994, leg. Kovalovski (4, HWCB; 1, RBCN; 2, RCCM) . IRAQ: Arbil, host rice, 15.VI.1957 (1, BMNH) . IRAN: Bampur Country , 2–3.VI.1898, leg. Zarudnyi (1, ZIN) ; Feschar, Nachtfang , 21.VII.1949, leg Löffler (2, NHMW) . KAZAKHSTAN: Vernyi [= Almaty], ex coll. Semenov (1, ZIN) . UZBEKISTAN: Amu Darya , 30.V.1910, leg. Fischer (15, ZIN) ; Amu Darya Delta, Itkyr Hights , 24.VI.1911, leg. Molchanov (1, ZIN) ; Boukharie-Est. , summer 1891, leg. Barstkewski (1, JPCM) ; Kyzyl-Kum desert, Buchara , 20.V.1999, leg. Putshkov (2, OVCK) ; Kemar-Tepe , 22.V.1910, leg. Zarudnyi (1, ZIN) ; Khairovat , 3.VIII.1926, leg. Tratnikov (6, ZIN) ; Khiva, Ravat , sands, at light, 26.VI.1927, leg. Gussakovskii (12, ZIN) ; idem, 29.VII.1927, leg. Gussakovskii (4, ZIN) ; idem, 1.VII.1927, leg. Zimin (8, ZIN) ; idem, 26.VI.1927, leg. Zimin (2, ZIN) ; idem, 31.VII.1927, leg. Zimin (6, ZIN) ; idem, 23.VI.1927, leg. Zimin (4, ZIN) ; idem, 3.V.1927, leg. Zimin (2, ZIN) ; idem, 15.IV.1927, leg. Zimin (1, ZIN) ; Dargan-Ata, Khiva , 2.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (16, ZIN) ; idem, 3.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (26, ZIN) ; idem, 4.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (4, ZIN) ; idem, 5.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (35, ZIN) ; idem, 12.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (3, ZIN) ; idem, 13.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (10, ZIN) ; idem, 14.VII.1910, leg. Fischer (23, ZIN) ; idem, 1910, leg. Fischer (1, ZIN) ; Fergana valley 25 km N Kokand, 30.VI.1994 (3, JPCM) ; Sachsaul-Steppe , 40 km E Kokand, 16.V.1979, leg. Muche (1, ZMHB) ; Nukus , 22.VI–11.VII.1874, leg. Dohrandt (1, ZIN) ; Nukus , 28.VI.1875, leg. Dohrandt (1, ZIN) ; Nukus , leg. Dohrandt (1, ZIN) ; Samarkand , coll. Sumakov (4, ZIN) ; Samarkand, Termez Highway, Akrabad , 1904, leg. Suvorov (1, ZIN) ; Syrdar’ya, Yanghier Soviet Farm , 29.V.1980 (1, ZIN) ; Tashkent , 19.VI.1931, leg. Arnoldi (5, ZIN) ; Tashkent, Naukcha 13.VI.1931, leg. Gussakovskii (1, ZIN) . TURKMENISTAN: Ashkhabad , at light, 8.VI.1898, leg. Ahnger (1, ZIN) ; Ashkhabad , 17.IV.1993, leg. Podlussany (3, APCB) ; Badghyz, Morgunovka , at light, 18.V.1982, leg. Atamuradov (1, ZIN) ; Bairam-Ali , 22–23.V.1900, leg. Sumakov (3, ZIN) ; Farab Stn. , 1.VI.1905, leg. Sumakov (1, ZIN) ; idem, 4–6.VI.1905, leg. Sumakov (1, ZIN) ; Imam-Baba (1, ZIN) ; Iolotan’ , 12.VI.1898, leg. Ahnger (1, ZIN) ; idem, 4–5.V.1926, leg. Lukjanovitsh (2, ZIN) ; idem, 28.V.1926, leg. Lukjanovitsh (1, ZIN) ; idem, 22–25.V.1927, leg. Lukjanovitsh (1, ZIN) ; Kopet-Dagh Mts., Germob, Kurkulab , 19.IV.1993, leg Podlussany (4, APCB) ; Kopet-Dagh Mts., Kara-Kala , 24.IV.1991, leg. Csorba (1, APCB) ; 40 km N Kyzyl-Arvat [= Serdar], Kara-Bogaz , at light, 19.V.1952, leg. Shteinberg (1, ZIN) ; Murgab Emperor’s Estate , 9–10.V.1906, leg. Demokidov (1, ZIN) ; Repetek , IV.1900, coll. Hauser (1, HNHM; 2, NHMW) ; Tedzhen , 4.V.1888, leg. Semenov (2, ZIN) . TAJIKISTAN: Chilu-Chor-Chashma, 9.V.1974, leg. Nasreddinov (1, ZIN) ; Chubek , 23.VI.1910, leg. Zarudnyi (1, ZIN) ; between Dzhar-Tepe and Hissar , 19.V.1897, leg. Kaznakov (1, ZIN) ; Aruktau Mt. Range, Ganzhina , 2.IV.1964, leg. Chikatunoiv (1, ZIN) ; Aktau Mt. Range, Garauty , at light, 10.V.1973, leg. Kononenko (1, ZIN) ; idem, 10.V.1973, leg. Kononenko (1, ZIN) ; idem, 10.V.1974, leg. Nasreddinov (1, ZIN) ; Kabadian , 19.VI.1934, leg. Gussakovskii (1, ZIN) ; Karatag, Hissar Valley , V–VI.1899 (2, ZIN) ; Khodzhent Distr., Golodnaya Step’ Stn. , 20–24.V.1903, leg. Jacobson (3, ZIN) ; Khovalingskii Distr. , at rice fields, 1938 (17, ZIN) ; Kulyab , VI.1942, leg. Semenov (1, ZIN) ; Kurgan-Tyube , at light, 19–20.VII.1939, leg. Kryzhanovskii (8, ZIN) ; Kurgan-Tyube , 20.VI.1939, leg. Kryzhanovskii (1, ZIN) ; idem, 9.VII.1939, leg. Kryzhanovskii (4, ZIN) ; Parkhar, Karatau Mt. Range , 11.VI.1960, leg. Isamov (3, ZIN) ; idem, 10.VI.1960, leg. Lopatin (1, ZIN) ; Parkhar, on Pyandzh River , 18–20.VI.1934, leg. Luppova (1, ZIN) ; idem, at light, 2.VII.1934, leg. Luppova (4, ZIN) ; Parkhar, Ishan, Pyandzh River , 9.VII.1934, leg. Luppova (2, ZIN) ; idem, rice field, at sunset, 27.VII.1934, leg. Luppova (1, ZIN) ; “Tigrovaya Balka” Nature Reserve , at light, 19.IV.1972, leg. Nasreddinov (1, ZIN) ; idem, 20.VI.1973, leg. Nasreddinov (1, ZIN) ; Vakhsh Distr. , 10.VIII.1948, leg. Luppova (1, ZIN) ; Vakhsh River, Kzyl-Kala , 31.V.1960, leg. Isamov (5, ZIN) ; southern Vakhsh valley, Lake Dzhilikul’ , 10.VII.1963, leg. Lopatin (1, ZIN) . AFGHANISTAN: Badaghšan, Pyandzh River, Samti , 15.V.1971, leg. Kabakov (5, ZIN) ; Baghlan, Khenjan , 1.VIII.1972, leg. Kabakov (3, ZIN) ; idem, 2.VIII.1972, leg. Kabakov (5, ZIN) ; 25 km N Barikot , 1800 m, Nuristan, 12–17.VII.1963, leg. Kasy & Vartian (7, NHMW) ; Kunduz, 1100 ft., at light, leg. Ahmad, 8–9.VII.1939 (2, CWOB) ; Seistan, Neizar, Gilmend mouth, 23.V.1898, leg. Zarudnyi (1, ZIN) . EGYPT: Cairo, 10.VII.1937, leg. Macri (1, MSNM) ; Fayed , leg. Priesner (1, NHMB) ; Jebel El-Tih , 3.II.1929 (1, NHMB) ; Mansura , 1–15.VII.1937, leg. Macri (1, MSNM) ; Meadi , 19.VI.1931, leg. Priesner (2, NHMB) ; Sakkara , 3.IX.1933, leg. Wittmer (1, MSNM) . SENEGAL: Grande colonie d'Ardéichés, P. N. Djoudj , 25.IX.1979, leg. Voisin (1, JVCP) .

Distribution ( Fig. 29 ). South-western Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, southern Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Senegal. The occurrence of this species in Senegal is not surprising, since P. sinuatocollis probably lives on rice (see biological notes below) and in this country there are several areas where rice is cultivated ( Marshall, 1950, Lyal, 1990; Heinrichs & Barrion, 2004). It is well known that species associated with rice can be accidentally transported with seeds of this plant very far from their area of origin, i.e. the erirhinine Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, 1952 ( Caldara et al. 2004). This fact must be given due consideration in the description of new species possibly living on rice, requiring a thorough knowledge of related species ( Caldara & O'Brien, 1995; Caldara & Diotti, 2005).

The apparent gap in distribution between the two known African localities, Egypt and Senegal, might be real, since almost no cultivation of rice takes place in the central part of North Africa ( Heinrichs & Barrion, 2004).

Remarks. Picia sinuatocollis appears to be the commonest species of the genus and the one with the widest distribution. Due to the shape of its humeri, pronotum and tarsi it resembles P. mesopotamica more than P. syriaca . However, it differs from both species by the presence on the elytra of scales that are concave, shining and dark grey on the first interstria and light grey, forming a distinct small spot between the middle and apical thirds of interstriae 2–4. Moreover, in the male the axe-shaped sclerite of the endophallus is more robust, the sclerotised part of the ejaculatory duct more elongate, the membranous apical part of the tegmen narrower and with a median sclerotised portion formed by two narrow segments and the hemisternites of sternite 8 are not sclerotised at the apex, whereas in the female tergite 8 has a broadly blunted lip and the nodus of the spermatheca is distinctly globose.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Distribution (confirmed localities) of Picia sinuatocollis (dots); P. mesopotamica (stars); P. syriaca (squares)

FIGURES 1–4. Habitus of Picia sinuatocollis (1); P.mesopotamica (2); P. syriaca (3); Echinocnemus femoralis (4). Not to scale.

FIGURES 5–11. Hind tarsi of Echinocnemus femoralis (5); Picia sinuatocollis (6); P. mesopotamica (7); P.syriaca (8). Rostrum of P. sinuatocollis (9). Tergite 8 of P. sinuatocollis (10); P. mesopotamica (11). Scale-bars 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 12–19. Picia sinuatocollis: aedeagus in dorsal (12) and lateral (13) view; tegmen (14); sternite 8 (15); spiculum gastrale (16). P. mesopotamica: tegmen (17); aedeagus in dorsal view (18); sternite 8 (19). Scale-bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 20–28. Ovipositor of Picia sinuatocollis (20). Spermatheca of Picia sinuatocollis (21); P. mesopotamica (22, 23); P.syriaca (24,25). Sternite 8 of Picia sinuatocollis (26); P.mesopotamica (27); P.syriaca (28). Scale-bar 0.5 mm.