Ebenacobius mulanjensis Haran, 2022

Haran, Julien, Benoit, Laure, Procheş, Şerban & Kergoat, Gael J., 2022, Ebenacobius Haran, a new southern African genus of flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculioninae: Derelomini) associated with dicotyledonous plants, European Journal of Taxonomy 818 (1), pp. 1-54 : 33-36

Ebenacobius mulanjensis Haran gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:73BA65FD-05A5-4A66-BB01-628E0D56663B

Figs 3A , 4J , 6J

Differential diagnosis

Ebenacobius mulanjensis gen. et sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by the transverse 2 nd funicular segment (longer than wide in other Ebenacobius spp. ) and the scattered punctures on the prothorax, being separated by a distance 2 to 3× the diameter of punctures at least in some part of the central area ( Fig. 3A ). The penis is peculiar in this species ( Fig. 6J ), having very short apodemes (only the very distinct E. curvisetis gen. et sp. nov. has such short apodemes; Fig. 6A ).

Etymology

This species name refers to the locality where the holotype was recorded, namely the Mulanje mountains in Southern Malawi.

Type material

Holotype MALAWI • ♂; “MALAWI: Mt. Mulanje ; Chambe plateau , Chambe hut ; 1953 m, sifting, 21.XI.2018; S15°54’18.7’’ E35°32’50.4’’; P. Banar & Hlavac lgt.” “Holotype; Ebenacobius mulanjensis ; Haran 2022”; FFWS.

Description

Male

BODY LENGTH. 2.6 mm.

COLOUR. Body integument pale brown; elytra with transverse dark bands at base and near middle of length of interstriae 1–5, first interstria dark on basal ⅔ of length; dorsum (prothorax + elytra) with short whitish recumbent setae, not contiguous, on prothorax as wide as diameter of larger punctures.

HEAD. Rostrum as long as prothorax in lateral view, slightly and regularly downcurved in lateral view; underside with a row of setae, shorter than 2 nd segment of funicle, integument forming an angle before apex; in dorsal view covered with recumbent not contiguous setae; antennae inserted at apical 1/4 of length; head capsule coarsely punctate in dorsal view, with recumbent whitish setae, longer than diameter of punctures; eyes moderately convex, slightly exceeding the lateral curve of head capsule in dorsal view; antennal funicle with segment 1 short, only slightly longer than wide, as long as 2–4, 2–7 wider than long.

PROTHORAX. Wider than long (W:L ratio: 1.33), widest near middle of length, slightly narrower there than elytra at humeral angles; sides moderately and regularly convex; apical constriction as long as width of funicle at apex; integument punctate, space between punctures smooth and shiny, up to 2–3 × wider than diameter of puncture in the central area; setae short, as long as diameter of punctures; prosternal process absent, integument only slightly raised before procoxae.

ELYTRA. Sides slightly convex, widest near middle of length (W:L ratio: 0.70); humeri raised; apex jointly rounded; striae with punctures well aligned, 1.5–2 × narrower than interstriae; interstriae slightly convex, slightly more convex apically, 9 entirely convex; scutellar shield rounded, glabrous.

ABDOMEN. Underside glabrous.

LEGS. Profemora thickened near middle of length, smooth internally; protibiae with external margin straight, meso- and metatibiae slightly curved outward in apical half; tibiae armed with a small apical mucro; claws simple.

TERMINALIA. Body of penis elongate (W:L ratio: 0.40), 3 × as long as apodemes, sides converging apicad in dorsal view, apex rounded ( Fig. 6J ).

Remarks

This species is only known from a single male specimen. This specimen shows ill-sclerotized external and internal integuments and was probably collected shortly after its emergence from pupa. As a result, the body of penis could not be observed and described in full detail. The patterns on elytra are probably darker than they appear on Fig. 3A and a range of variation of this pattern can be expected with the examination of longer series.

Life history

The host plant of this species is unknown; adults were collected in November in leaf litter.

Distribution

Malawi (Southern Province).

Figures

Fig. 3. A–I. Habitus of males of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov. in dorsal view (part 2). A. E. mulanjensis Haran gen. et sp. nov. B. E. hessei Haran gen. et sp. nov. C. E. pedi Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. tsonga Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. hippopotamorum Haran gen. et sp. nov. F. E. incognitus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. G. E. oberprieleri Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. turneri (Marshall, 1935) gen. et comb. nov. I. E. rhodesianus (Hesse, 1929) gen. et comb. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 4. A–J. Habitus of males of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov. in lateral view (part 1). A. E. curvisetis Haran gen. et sp. nov. B. E. thoracicus Haran gen. et sp. nov. C. E. rectirostris Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. xhosa Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. duplicatus Haran gen. et sp. nov. F. E. san Haran gen. et sp. nov. G. E. grobbelaarae Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. kuscheli Haran gen. et sp. nov. I. E. costalis (Fåhraeus, 1844) gen. et comb. nov. J. E. mulanjensis Haran gen. et sp. nov. A–J = not to scale.

Fig. 6 (part 1). A–I. Male genitalia of Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov., penis in dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view.A. E. curvisetis Haran gen. et sp. nov.B. E. rectirostrisHaran gen. et sp. nov.C. E. duplicatus Haran gen. et sp. nov. D. E. grobbelaarae Haran gen. et sp. nov. E. E. costalis (Fåhraeus, 1844) gen. et comb. nov. F. E. thoracicus Haran gen. et sp. nov. G. E. xhosa Haran gen. et sp. nov. H. E. san Haran gen. et sp. nov. I. E. kuscheli Haran gen. et sp. nov. A–I = not to scale.