Palmelampius heinrichi O’Brien, 2000

O’Brien, Charles W. & Kovarik, Peter W., 2000, A New Genus And New Species Of Weevil Infesting Fruits Of The Palm Bactris Gasipaes H. B. K. (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 54 (4), pp. 459-465 : 461-464

Palmelampius heinrichi O’Brien , new species

( Figs. 1–8 )

Description. Body small to medium­sized (2.50–3.60 mm); moderately broad­oval; subparallel in dorsal view behind weakly developed humeri to

declivity, there broadly rounded to weakly emarginate apices; cuticle piceous to black, coarsely alutaceous, brightly shining; moderately coarsely to finely punctate, with variable straplike to fine hairlike seta in each puncture, setae well­separated.

Holotype Male. Rostrum 1.30 3 as long as pronotum; moderately, evenly curved; ca. basal ¼ strongly swollen, laterodorsally with dense course deep punctures, ventrad with coarsely alutaceous punctures; basal area dorsally subgibbous, with several rows of subcontiguous punctures, with broad median impunctate line, extending to apex; apically cylindrical, with evenly spread moderately fine punctures; dorsal margin of scrobe subcarinate ( Fig. 4 ). Head smooth, weakly shining, strongly alutaceous; with fine, shallow, moderately dense punctures; frons 0.80 3 as wide as width of basal area of rostrum, with moderately strong transverse impression and small distinct median fovea. Antennae inserted just behind apical l/10 of rostrum; scape strongly clavate, short, subequal to funicular antennomere 1; antennomere 2 subequal to 1, 3–7 elongate and subequal; club ca. 1.40 3 as long as scape, weakly oval and apically rounded; article 1 of club with sides weakly expanding apicad, slightly less than ½ length of club, darker, tomentose. Pronotum 0.75 3 as long as broad; sides evenly and gradually narrowed to weakly constricted apical 1/5; disc weakly convex, densely covered with coarse deep punctures, becoming denser and rugosely contiguous towards margins, medial ½ with short very fine brownish seta in each puncture, laterally each with evident recumbent white scalelike seta. Elytra with weakly obtusely angulate, very weakly developed, subcallous humeri, scarcely evident well behind basal elytral margins ( Fig. 3 ); 1.17 3 wider than pronotum; intervals 1–3 subequal in width, flattened for entire length, 4–7 slightly widened basally and narrowed and subacute to acute apicad, 8 and 9 similar but more sharply carinate for most of length, 10 broad flat and basally externally rounded along metepisternum, then very narrow and sharply carinate to apex; each interval with single row of moderately coarse, shallow punctures; punctures each bearing recumbent straplike seta, becoming finer on intervals apically and laterally, intervals 3 and 8 fused just in front of apical margin; sides with interval 9 visible in dorsal view, unevenly subparallel to declivity, then gradually narrowed to broadly rounded, weakly emarginate apices. Prosternum with medial broad longitudinal sulcus in front of procoxae, narrowing and deeper apically, side margins of sulcus with indistinct carina from near apex to procoxa; longitudinal sulcus deep narrow and transverse at area of subtubulate apex, with pair of deep lateral foveae; propleural constriction with large deep pit and row of several shallow punctures; pleural areas densely coarsely punctate, except for impunctate line above procoxae. Thoracic sterna rather sparsely finely punctate, each puncture with recumbent coarse to fine seta. Abdominal sterna 1 and 2 similarly punctate and setose, coarser and denser on sterna 3–5, each puncture with recumbent coarse straplike seta; sternum 1 flattened, very weakly medially impressed, impression not extended onto sternum 2; sternal sulci 2–4 laterally strongly directed posteriad; sternum 2 long, 0.60 3 as long as 1, two 1.27 3 as long as 3 and 4 together, five 0.67 3 as long as 3 and 4 together. Legs alutaceous, densely, finely punctate; each puncture with recumbent straplike white seta; femora relatively slen­ der, not distinctly clavate; tibiae stout, margins sinuate, outer surface carinate, apical ¼ to ⅓ with long dense fine white to golden setae, with small but evident apical mucro. Length, pronotum and elytron: 3.15 mm.

Genitalia and associated structures. Median lobe ( Figs. 5–6 ) moderate in length; moderately slender and weakly curved in lateral view; hyaline con­ nection of apodemes ca. 0.16 3 as long as median lobe; apodemes including hyaline connection more than 2.30 3 as long as median lobe.

Allotype Female. Same as male except: Rostrum with width of base subequal to width of frons; less cylindrical, with ventral surface flattened ( Fig. 2 ). Abdominal sternum 1 weakly convex medially, not impressed. Length, pronotum and elytron: 3.20 mm.

Intraspecific Variation. Size range 2.50–3.60 mm in length. This is a relatively uniform species without significant variation. The slight sexual dimorphism of the rostrum is shown in the lateral view of the head and thorax ( Figs. 2, 4 ).

Etymological Note. I take great pleasure in naming this species for my friend and colleague, Dr. Heinrich Lehmann­Danzinger, who first brought this species to my attention, and who collected the majority of the type series, many of which he reared from the fruits of the host plant, Bactris gasipaes H. B.K. (pejibaye).

Remarks and Comparative Notes. This species keys to couplet 47 in Casey’s (1922) key to the genera of the Centrinini (pp. 101–110). From there it traces either to Revena Casey or Melampius Casey. Revena differs from Palmelampius in the following characters: mandibles simple, without external basal process; body very broadly oval; large, more than 5 mm in length, and nearly glabrous, with only small, scarcely visible setae on venter; rostrum not separated from head by transverse groove; thorax much more abruptly and distinctly tubulate at apex; rostrum dimorphic, in female strongly narrowed, usually markedly dorsoventrally flattened apically. Species of Revena are associated with fruits of several genera of palms, but not Bactris Jacq. ex Scop.

Palmelampius appears to be more closely related to Melampius , but Melampius differs in the following characters: surface coarsely punctate, often rugosely sculptured; with much coarser scalelike setae, especially dense at base of elytra; mandible with very acute toothlike basal process, mandible appearing bifid; scape not subbasal, longer, ranging in length from at least as long as first three funicular antennomeres, to longer than funicle; males at very least, with stumplike prosternal process, processes usually long and acute; base of rostrum dorsally gibbous, not swollen laterally; large, usually more than 5 mm in length, broader and more robust; prothorax strongly tubulate apically.

The male genitalia of Palmelampius , while distinct, are more similar to that of Melampius than Revena . Species of Melampius are associated with bromeliads, not palms (Kuschel, in litt.).

Biological Notes. This species is a serious pest of the palm Bactris gasipaes H. B.K., known to have numerous common names including pejibaye, pijuayo, pupunha and peach palm. This species of palm is unknown in the wild ( Henderson et al. 1995). The palms are cultivated for their fruits, which are an important part of the diet in many countries. They are also grown as a source of palm hearts used widely in salads ( Henderson et al. 1995). The weevils attack the immature fruit and the developing larvae cause the fruit to fall, with losses of 95 to 100% (in litt. G. Couturier, and H. Lehmann­Danzinger). Several groups of researchers are planning publications on the life history and control of this weevil, and others, attacking fruits of this important palm.

Type Locality. Colombia, Department Valle, Rio Naya.

Notes on Type Specimen. Holotype male (not dissected) with the following labels 1) [rectangular; white; printed male symbol in black ink]? 2) [rectangular; white; printed in black ink] COLOMBIA,/Valle, Rio Naya,/ 19.iv.1993,/H.Lehmann D. 3) [rectangular, white; printed in black ink] from larvae from/immature fruits/of palm Bactris gasipaes 4) [rectangular, red; printed in black ink] HOLOTYPE / Palmelampius / heinrichi /O’Brien 2000.

Point mounted. Deposited in the C. W. O’Brien Collection, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307­4100, USA.

Range. Known from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Material Examined. Holotype, allotype and 559 paratypes. BRESIL: Manaus, Km. 60 I.N.P.A. 17 Mars 1986, G. Couturier Bactris gasipaes ‘‘pupunha’’ (17 paratypes). COLOMBIA: Narino, 32 km. S.W. Tumaco, Centro de Investigación El Mira , 22­II­2000, E. Peña Rojas, ex pejibaye palm inflorescence (158 paratypes) . Valle, Ca. Buenaventura 40 m., on Chantaduro , I­14­1994, H. Pino, 94001 (13 paratypes) , same data except date, III­8­1994, (5 paratypes) ; El Cacao , 15. iv. 1993, H. Lehmann­D., swept from fruits Bactris gasipaes palm (63 paratypes) ; Rio Naya , 13 iii. 1993, H.Lehmann­D., from larvae from immature fruits of palm Bactris gasipaes (2 paratypes) , same data except date, 19.iv.1993 (holotype, allotype and 128 paratypes) ; R. Yurumanqui & R. Cajambre , 11. iii. 1993, H. Lehmann­D., on palm Bactris gasipaes (109 paratypes) . ECUADOR: Pichincha, St. Domingo, 550 m., Hda. El Cortigo, km. 8.5 via La Concordia , Nov. 1997, M. Neira, P. Lugo, ex fruits Bactris gasipaes (3, paratypes) . PERU: Loreto, Iquitos 21 x 1994, G. Couturier Col. Centro Experimental El Dorado, INIAA, larvas dans pulpe fruits de Bactris gasipaes (Palmae) (28 paratypes) , same data except, km. 25, plante hôte Bactris gasipaes Palmae , Ex­ larva (26 paratypes) ; Iquitos plant, El Dorado , 8­8­1992, G. Couturier & E. Tanchiva, ex larvae in fruits Bactris gasipaes H. B.K. (pijuayo) (Palmae) (9 paratypes) .

Deposition of holotype and allotype, C.W.O’Brien Collection; paratypes in the following collections: Alexander Riedel Collection, Private, Stuttgart, Germany ; Canadian Museum of Nature , Ottawa, ON, Canada ; Catholic Zoology Museum, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador; Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical Cali , Colombia ; Charles W. O’Brien Collection, Private, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL; Deutsche Entomologische Institut, Eberswalde, Germany ; Florida State Collection of Arthropods , Gainesville, FL; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Colecão Sistemática da Entomologia, Manaus, Brazil ; Museo de Entomologia , Universidad Agraria la Molina, Lima, Peru ; Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden ; National Museum of Natural History , Washington, D.C.; The Natural History Museum, London, England ; Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde, Dresden, Germany; Zoological Museum, Københavns Universitet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Figures

Figs. 1–4. Photographs of: Palmelampius heinrichi O’Brien, n. gen., n. sp. 1, 3) habitus, dorsal and lateral respectively, line scale 5 1.00 mm; 2, 4) lateral view, head and thorax / and? respectively; line scale 5 0.50 mm.

Figs. 5–8. Palmelampius heinrichi O’Brien, n. gen., n. sp.; male genitalia. 5, 6) median lobe and apodemes, dorsal and lateral respectively; 7) spiculum gastrale; 8) tegmen; line scale 5 0.50 mm.