Mecinus ludyi (Reitter)

Caldara, Roberto & Fogato, Valter, 2013, Systematics of the weevil genus <i> Mecinus </ i> Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I. Taxonomic treatment of the species, Zootaxa 3654 (1), pp. 1-105 : 18-19

6. Mecinus ludyi (Reitter)

Fig. 5

Gymnetron ludyi Reitter, 1907: 21 . Porta, 1932: 284. Stöcklein, 1950: 281. Lohse & Tischler, 1983: 267.

Mecinus ludyi (Reitter) . Caldara, 2001: 183.

Type locality. Carinthia, Carniola, Gorizia (ICZN 1999 Art. 73.2.3).

Type series. This species was described from specimens from Carinthia (southern Austria), Carniola ( Slovenia) and Gorizia ( Italy, Venezia Giulia ), which we have not found. However, we have studied some specimens named as M. ludyi by Reitter and which correspond to the original description.

Redescription. Male. Length 2.1 mm. Body: moderately long, subcylindrical, moderately slender ( Fig. 5 ). Rostrum: black with reddish apex, moderately short (Rl/Pl 0.67), subcylindrical; in lateral view weakly curved, especially at antennal insertion, weakly narrowed in apical third (as in M. caucasicus , fig. 46); in dorsal view with subparallel sides, with moderately visible scrobes, distinctly striate-punctured to near apex, in basal half with recumbent to subrecumbent, somewhat dense, whitish with golden reflexions, long (l/w 5–9), seta-like scales. Head: frons as wide as rostrum at base, without fovea; eyes nearly flat. Antennae: reddish with blackish brown club, inserted at middle of rostrum; scape short, 3.5x longer than wide; funicle distinctly longer than scape, segment 1 twice as long as wide, stouter and 1.3x longer than segment 2, which is 1.5x longer than wide, segments 3–5 gradually more transverse; club short, oval, segment 1 almost glabrous. Pronotum: black, with dense and regular punctures, intervals between punctures smooth and shining, hardly visible between recumbent, dense, whitish with golden reflexions, long to very long (l/w 8–12), seta-like scales; weakly transverse (Pw/Pl 1.23), with weakly rounded sides, with weakly prominent apical constriction, widest in basal half, moderately convex. Elytra: reddish except basal third, three quartes of interstriae 2 and 3, and basal half of sides, which are black; long (El/Ew 1.49), subrectangular, at base weakly concave, slightly wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.15), with sides almost parallel in basal two thirds, weakly convex on disc; interstriae hardly visible between dense, whitish with golden reflexions, long to very long (0.75–1.5x as long as width of interstria; l/w 8–15), seta-like scales, which are in part recumbent and in part suberect, the latter arranged in a single row especially in apical half; striae hardly visible, as wide as half of interstriae, with a row of whitish scales similar to shorter ones covering interstriae. Legs: moderately slender, with recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, seta-like scales, which are distinctly shorter than width of tibia; femora reddish, with small tooth; tibiae reddish, moderately slender, protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward; unci blackish, stout; tarsi reddish, tarsomere 1 1.5x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 weakly transverse, tarsomere 3 bilobed and distinctly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium slightly shorter than tarsomeres 1–3 taken together; claws blackish brown, equal in length, fused in basal half. Venter: metasternum black, somewhat visible between recumbent, whitish, seta-like scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna with somewhat dense, whitish, seta-like scales and wide, fringed scales; abdomen black, with dense and somewhat regular punctures, which are clearly visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, moderately dense, whitish, long, seta-like scales; ventrites length ratio 1–2/3–4 2.07. Penis: as in M. caucasicus ( Fig. 112 ).

Female. As in male except rostrum longer (Rl/Pl 0.79) and more curved (as in M. caucasicus , fig. 47), smooth and shining, antennae inserted between basal third and median third of rostrum, femora with very small tooth. Sternite 8 and spermatheca: as in M. caucasicus ( Figs 145 and 158 ).

Variability. Length 2.0– 2.3 mm. Sometimes the elytra are completely reddish except for the black base.

Remarks and comparative notes. This species is very similar to M. caucasicus , from which it differs by the slightly bigger size, the elytra being only slightly wider than the pronotum, the recumbent scales on pronotum and elytra being denser and longer. The different distributions of the two species is also noteworthy.

Biological notes. No data are available.

Distribution. Southern Austria, north-eastern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia.

Non-type specimens examined. ITALY: Veneto, Venezia, Noghera , 25.V.1911 (1, MSNM) ; Veneto, Venezia, Noghera , 2.V.1920, Schatzmayr leg. (5, MSNM) ; Venezia Giulia, Gorizia, Pieris , Isonzo river , 18.XI.1951, Springer leg. (1, MSNM) ; Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Duino , 27.V.1928 (1, MSNM) ; Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Monfalcone , VI.1938, Mancini leg. (2, MSNG; 2, MSNM) ; Venezia Giulia, Trieste , Monfalcone , 15.IV.1942, Springer leg. (1, MSNM) ; Venezia Giulia, Udine , Cavazzo lake , 12.VII.1953, Springer leg. (2, MSNM) . SLOVENIA: Jezica , 12.VI.1991, Furlan leg. (1, OVCK) ; Krain, Wippach (1, SMTD) ; Nemska vas , 9.IX.1939, Springer leg. (1, CPCM) ; Otok , 1.VII.1998, Döberl leg. (4, DEIM) ; Petelinsko jezero, Petelinje , 25.V.2000, Drovenik leg. (2, DEIM) ; Planina Planinsko polje , 10.VI.1998, Drovenik leg. (2, DEIM) ; Zadnji krai, Cerk-iezero , 21.VIII.1997, Drovenik leg. (3, DEIM) . CROATIA: Istria, Bisterza , 12.VI.1932, Springer leg. (2, MSNM; 1, CPCM) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Habitus of (1) Mecinus pascuorum; (2) M. ictericus; (3) M. latiusculus; (4) M. caucasicus; (5) M. ludyi; (6) M. variabilis; (7) M. haemorrhoidalis; (8) M. seriatus; (9) M. sanctus. Not to the same scale.

FIGURES 108–120. Penis in dorsal and lateral view of (108) Mecinus pascuorum; (109) M. crassifemur; (110) M. ictericus; (111) M. latiusculus; (112) M. caucasicus; (113) M. variabilis; (114) M. tychioides; (115) M. haemorrhoidalis; (116) M. longulus; (117) M. labilis; (118) M. plantaginis; (119) M. alboscutellatus alboscutellatus; (120) M. paratychioides. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 144–156. Sternite 8 of (144) Mecinus pascuorum; (145) M. caucasicus; (146) M. marina; (147) M. reichei; (148) M. humeralis; (149) M. circulatus; (150) M. pyraster; (151) M. simus; (152) M. collaris; (153) M. janthinus; (154) M. lixoides; (155) M. sicardi; (156) M. heydenii. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 157–171. Spermatheca of (157) Mecinus pascuorum; (158) M. caucasicus; (159) M. haemorrhoidalis; (160) M. labilis; (161) M. marina; (162) M. elongatus; (163) M. reichei; (164) M. circulatus; (165) M. pyraster; (166) M. simus; (167) M. comosus; (168) M. lixoides; (169) M. janthinus; (170) M. heydenii; (171) M. collaris. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.