Theognete tuberosa Anderson, 2010

Anderson, Robert S., 2010, A taxonomic monograph of the Middle American leaf-litter inhabiting weevil genus Theognete Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Molytinae; Lymantini) 2458, Zootaxa 2458 (1), pp. 1-127 : 18-20

6. Theognete tuberosa Anderson , new species ( Figures 32 , 38 , 44 )

Diagnosis. Size. Length, male, 3.55–4.50mm; female, 3.89–4.59mm. Width, male, 2.16–2.75mm; female, 2.42–2.60mm. Cuticle black. Pronotum with short, recurved simple scales condensed in anterior median area as well as on paired lateral tubercles. Tubercles not well-defined, the area between them not distinctly impressed, no sulcus evident; flanks with only shallow, broad vertical impression. Elytra with numerous low, rounded tubercles, each topped with a few linearly arranged recurved to suberect simple scales. Aedeagus as in Fig. 38 .

Geographical distribution. México (Querétaro, San Luis Potosí) .

Natural history. Collected from berlese extraction of cloud forest leaf litter at elevations of 1600–1800m in cloud and liquidambar-oak forest fragments.

Derivation of specific name. Named after the Latin tuberosus, meaning bearing lumps, in reference to the swellings on the elytra.

Material examined. 46♂, 37♀♀ ( BMNH, CMNC, CWOB, ECOS, UAQM, UNAM) .

Holotype ♂ ( CMNC): MÉXICO: San Luis Potosí. 20km. W. Xilitla , 1600m, 12.vi.83, S.&J. Peck, cloud for. litter / HOLOTYPE ♂ Theognete tuberosa sp. nov. R.S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted. Paratypes: MÉX- ICO. Querétaro. Municipio Pinal de Amoles, El Llano , 8.I.2001, J.L. Cozar, Hojarasca (1♂ UAQM) ; Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Camino a San Pedro Escanela , a 400 mts de la carretera a Jalpan , (21°07’15”N, 99°33’38”W), J.L Cozar, 14.IX.1997 (3♂, 1♀ CMNC) ; Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Huasquilico , 1790 m, 21°9.5'N 99°33'W, 26.II.1999, R. Jones, Hojarasca (1♀ ECOS) ; Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Huasquilico , 1750m, 21°0960'N 99°34.39'W, 24.IX.2004 (1♂, 2♀♀ CMNC) . Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Cruz de Palo (near Pinal de Amoles ), 2450m, 21º08.095N, 99º38.021W, 28.VII.2006, J.L. Cozar, oak-pine forest litter (8♂, 6♀♀ CMNC) . Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Huasquilico , 1750m, 21º09.652N, 99º34.454W, 28.VII.2006, J.L. Cozar, hardwood forest litter (28♂, 23♀♀ BMNH, CMNC, CWOB, UNAM) . Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Huasquilico , 1750m, 21º09.652N, 99º34.454W, 28.VII.2006, P.J. Horsley, hardwood forest litter (1♀ CMNC) . Municipio Pinal de Amoles, Huasquilico , 1750m, 21º09.652N, 99º34.454W, 28.VII.2006, R.S. Anderson, hardwood forest litter, 2006-23 (4♂, 3♀♀ CMNC) . Municipio Pinal de Amoles, 3.4 km E. Pinal de Amoles , 2120m, 21º09.095N, 99º36.659W, 28.VII.2006, R.S. Anderson, alder-oak-pine forest litter (1♀ CMNC) .

Chorological relationships. Sympatric with T. chauliothorax , T. caviventris and T. grimblyae .

Theognete laevis species group

Recognition. The four species in the T. laevis species group are recognized best by the combination of the punctation of the last visible abdominal sternite (ventrite 5), by the structure of the thoracic sterna and by the sculpture of the flanks of the pronotum. Ventrite 5 has a large median semicircular basal excavation in addition to the other punctures ( Figs. 55–58 ) (this state is also found in T. tomneyeae and T. cristata but these have different thoracic sternal structure and belong in the T. hesmos species group). The procoxae are moderately separated and the mesocoxae more widely so, and the mesosternal and metasternal excavations are deep, but not cavernous, and separate. In addition the prosternum anteriorly of the coxae is variously swollen, with the swelling with a broad, posteriorly directed, “U-shaped” emargination medially and with the area under the swelling impressed and pit-like posteriorly. The four species also have the middle portion of the flanks of the pronotum impressed with a deep, oblique sulcus ( Fig. 19 ) (also found in T. araneiformis group members T. striatifemur and T. kovariki , both of which are recognized by strigae on the femora and different thoracic sternal structure).

Diagnosis. Length 3.9–5.1 mm. Cuticle black. Legs moderate in length; femora with small (2 species) to very large, deep punctures (2 species). Pronotal disk weakly to strongly cordate; very finely punctate, not sculptured; with vestiture of sparse, fine, appressed, not distinctly plumose scales, more or less concentrated in anterior half of disk. Pronotum with flanks with deep oblique sulcus at about midlength, lateral margins variously subacutely tuberculate in dorsal view. Elytral form more or less round, widest at or near midlength. Elytra smooth, lacking impressed striae (2 species) or with sutural stria very slightly (1 species) to distinctly (1 species) impressed; with vestiture of sparsely scattered, fine, appressed, not distinctly plumose scales. Posterolateral area of elytra with single anteriorly directed puncture situated on low swelling (2 species) or with deep pilose crease (2 species). Procoxae moderately separated by less than width of coxa. Mesocoxae separated by less than 1.5x width of coxa (2 species) to more than 1.5x width of coxa (2 species). Prosternum in front of coxae variously swollen, swelling with broad, posteriorly directed, “U-shaped” emargination medially, area under swelling impressed and pit-like posteriorly. Mesosternum with transverse, pit-like, usually pilose impression, bounded posteriorly by metasternum. Metasternum with deep transverse impression and small pits or setose punctures laterally behind mesocoxae; pits continuous with median impression (1 species), setose punctures separate from median impression (1 species), or with lateral pits or punctures lacking (2 species). Abdominal ventrite 5 very coarsely punctate throughout apical portion, with large median basal excavation. Aedeagus long, markedly produced at apex, apex acuminate; dorsally not sclerotized across base.

Comments. Members of the T. laevis species group are the only Theognete species known from lowland forests. Specimens of T. laevis and T. janzeni have been collected in Atlantic lowland forest in the Mexican states of Veracruz and Oaxaca; T. cozari in Lacandon forest in Chiapas at 1000m and T. championi between 4000 and 5000 feet on Cerro Zunil and at 1600m in San Marcos, Guatemala, in wet oak cloud forest.

Distribution. Click here for GoogleEarth® maps of T. laevis species group distributions.

Key to species of T. laevis species group

1 Elytra with disk somewhat flattened in middle and with stria 1 impressed longitudinally in this flat area ( Figs. 48, 50 ); posterolateral portion of elytra with pilose crease (as in Fig. 27 ) ......................................................................... 2

1’ Elytra with disk convex in middle, stria 1 not impressed; posterolateral portion of elytra with single, anteriorly directed puncture ( Fig. 25 ) ........................................................................................................................................... 3

2 Rostrum with dorsal median area sparsely punctate, mid-line broadly impunctate along length; male with aedeagus expanded laterally towards apex, apex broadly truncate ( Fig. 54 ); femora virtually impunctate.................... T. cozari

2’ Rostrum with dorsal median area moderately densely punctate, mid-line with some punctures along length, especially towards base; male with aedeagus narrowed laterally towards apex, apex acuminate ( Fig. 52 ); femora with very fine, shallow punctures .................................................................................................................... T. championi

3 Dorsal vestiture of pronotum and elytra coarse, scattered, gently arched ( Fig. 47 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 51 .... T. laevis

3’ Dorsal vestiture of pronotum and elytra fine, dense, strongly arched and distinctly linearly arranged on elytra ( Fig. 49 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 53 ............................................................................................................................. T. janzeni

Figures

FIGURES 29–34. Habitus, dorsal view, Theognete araneiformis species group. 29. T. kovariki. 30. T. azteca. 31. T. striatifemur. 32. T. tuberosa. 33. T. araneiformis. 34. T. gracilis.

FIGURES 38–40. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view, Theognete araneiformis species group. 38. T. tuberosa. 39. T. araneiformis. 40. T. gracilis.

FIGURES 41–46. Abdominal ventrite 5, male, ventral view, Theognete araneiformis species group. 41. T. kovariki. 42. T. azteca. 43. T. striatifemur. 44. T. tuberosa. 45. T. araneiformis. 46. T. gracilis.

FIGURES 55–58. Abdominal ventrite 5, male, ventral view, Theognete laevis species group. 55. T. laevis. 56. T. championi. 57. T. janzeni. 58. T. cozari.

FIGURES 19–24. Head, lateral view, Theognete species. 19. T. laevis. 20. T. caviventris. 21. T. carinata. 22. T. braunae. 23. T. weiri. 24. T. hesmos.

FIGURES 47–50. Habitus, dorsal view, Theognete laevis species group. 47. T. laevis. 48. T. championi. 49. T. janzeni. 50. T. cozari.

FIGURES 25–28. Apex of elytra, lateral view, Theognete species. 25. T. laevis. 26. T. braunae. 27. T. ludvigseni. 28. T. semiopaca.

FIGURES 51–54. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view, Theognete laevis species group. 51. T. laevis. 52. T. championi. 53. T. janzeni. 54. T. cozari.