Giavarhynchus amicorum Bellò, Osella & Ruzzier, 2021

Bello’, Cesare, Colonnelli, Enzo, Forbicioni, Leonardo, Osella, Giuseppe & Ruzzier, Enrico, 2021, A new genus and species of anophthalmous Otiorhynchini from Greece, with a new synonymy and new combinations (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Entiminae), Zootaxa 4938 (1), pp. 69-84 : 75

Giavarhynchus amicorum Bellò, Osella & Ruzzier sp. n.

( Figures 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f)

Type series. Holotype. Female with labels: [genitalia in DHMF] [transparent card] / ♀ [w, p] / Grecia, nom.[os] Thesprotía, O. [ros] Paramithlăs [Paramythyás], Agia Mavra, 620m, N 39°30’06.8” E 20°30’06.3”, 23.VI.2014 - 20.IX.2015, Giachino & Vailati leg. [w, p] / Collezione Cesare Bellò, Castelfranco Veneto [g, p] / Giavarhynchus amicorum Holotype det. Bellò & Osella, 2020 [r, p] / esemplare fotografato by Francesco Sacco [y, p] ( GOPC) .

Paratype. Female with labels: [genitalia in DHMF] [transparent card] / ♀ [w, p] / Grecia, nom. [ros] Thesprotía, O. [ros] Paramithlăs [Paramythyás], Agia Mavra, 620m, N 39°30’06.8” E 20°30’06.3”, 23.VI.2014 - 20.IX.2015, Giachino & Vailati leg. [w, p] / Collezione Cesare Bellò, Castelfranco Veneto [g, p] / Giavarhynchus amicorum Paratype det. Bellò & Osella, 2020 [r, p] / esemplare fotografato by Francesco Sacco [y, p] ( CBPC) .

Holotype. Body elongate, size: 8.00 mm (TL), 6.60 mm ( BL). Integument blackish-brownish, dull or weakly glossy, with antennae and tarsi lighter, only with sparse setae on head and slightly longer setae on pronotum and elytra.

Rostrum elongate ( RL: 1.60 mm, RW: 0.60 mm, RL / RW: 2.67). Forehead (FW / MW: ratio 1.60) slightly convex in lateral view.

Antennae quite elongate (SL: 1.40 mm, FL: 2.10 mm, SL/ FL: 0.67). Funicle 7-segmented, all segments with very thin and elongate setae, their relative lengths are: 0,34 mm, 0.32 mm, 0.20 mm, 0.20 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.18 mm, 0.18 mm, the club is 0.60 mm.

Pronotum longer than wide ( PL: 1.90 mm, PW: 1.80 mm, PL / PW: 1.06).

Elytra elongate-oval ( EL: 4.80 mm, EW: 2.80 mm, EL / EW: 1.72). Elytral declivity inclined at about 60 degrees down the dorsal plane of elytra.

Paratype. The paratype is similar to the holotype but differs in size (TL: 7.30 mm, BL: 5.60 mm, RL: 1.30 mm, RW: 0.50 mm, RL/RW: 2.60; SL: 1.30 mm, FL: 2.00 mm, SL/FL: 0.65; PL: 1.80 mm, PW: 1.70 mm, PL / PW: 1.05, EL: 4.40 mm, EW: 2.60 mm, EL / EW: 1.70).

Etymology. Amicorum is the genitive plural of the Latin word “amicus” (= friend). The authors are pleased to name this species for their friendship with Pier Mauro Giachino and Dante Vailati, collectors of the type series ( Fig. 3b).

Reproduction. Since only two females are known it is impossible to say whether the species is bisexual or parthenogenetic like several other Palaearctic otiorhynchines.

Collecting conditions. Both specimens of G. amicorum were collected using endogean pitfall traps placed in a calcareous environment covered by degraded Mediterranean shrub on the SSW slope of Mount Paramythyás, at 620 meters of elevation. The traps were set on 23 rd June 2014 and recovered on 20 th September 2015. It is plausible that the new species has a biology similar to those of other endogean weevils, which have rhizophagous adults and larvae developing inside roots, not necessarily in the deepest part of the soil.

Distribution. Giavarhynchus amicorum is known only for the type locality ( Figs 3a, 4b).