Hellerenius tibialis, Wanat, Marek, 2013

Wanat, Marek, 2013, The Apionidae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) of New Caledonia. Genera Archellerenius gen. nov. and Hellerenius Wanat, Zootaxa 3717 (4), pp. 515-542 : 537-541

Hellerenius tibialis sp. nov.

(Figs 123–149)

Type material. Holotype ♂: a)Up. Houailou R., New Caledonia, 5.8.14, P.D.M. b) New Caledonia, P.D.Montague, 1918–87 c) Helleristus novae - caledoniae Holotype!, J. Balfour-Browne det. d) Type (BMNH).

Paratypes (128 ♂ 98 ♀): New Caledonia: 2 ♀, leg. P. Montague (BMNH, MW).

Province Nord: Houadou [=Houaïlou, -21.287/165.634], 28 VII 1914, 1 ♀, leg. P.Montague, labelled as allotype of H. novae - caledoniae by J. Balfour-Browne (BMNH). Mt. St. Arago [-21.233/165.483], 14–20 and 18 VII 1914, 3 ♀, leg. P. Montague (BMNH). Col des Roussettes, nr. Bourail, 500 m, 5 II 1963, 1 ♂, leg. G. Kuschel (NZAC); 300–400 m, 29 I 1969, 1 ♂, N. Krauss (BPBM); 12 XII 1997, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. R. & C. Hornabrook (RH); (rainforest near refuge), -21.4074/165.525, 530 m, 2 XII 2010, 1 ♂ 8 ♀, leg. MW & RR (MW). Mt. Panié, trail, 8– 9 II 1963, 1 ♀, C. Yoshimoto (BPBM); (E slope) [-20.56/164.79], 380 m, malaise trap, 7–18 XII 1990, 1 ♂, Mission ORSTOM-MNHN-MAE, leg. M. Baylac, Th. Bourgoin, J. Bickel, L. Bonnet de Larbogne, J. Chazeau, J. Dugdale & R. Raven (MNHN). Pic d’Amoa, nr. Poindimie, 450–500 m, 26 X 1978, 2 ♂, leg. G. Kuschel (NZAC); (north slope), 20.57.22S/165.17.27E [-20.9561/165.2908], 480 m, rainforest, 15–16 XII 2004, no. 11974, 1 ♂ 2 ♀; no. 11975, 3 I 2005, 3 ♂ 3 ♀ - all leg. G. Monteith (QLDM); (Povila), -20.9528/165.2912, 360 m, 14 I 2007, 3 ♂ 2 ♀, 15 I 2007, 1 ♂, from Hedycarya sp.; (Povila), -20.9528/165.29135, 400 m, rainforest, 22 XI 2008, 24 ♂ 24 ♀; (Povila), ending 0.5 km of road, -20.95659/165.29103, 450 m, 22 XI 2008, 6 ♂ 1 ♀, 23 XI 2008, beating: 1 ♀, at light: 2 ♀ - all leg. MW (MW); (Povila), -20.95/165.2921, 18 XI 2010, 1 ♂, nigth beating; (Povila), -20.951/ 165.2912, 400 m, lower rainforest, 18 XI 2010, 4 ♂ 3 ♀ - all leg. MW & RR (MW). Vallée d’Amoa, 7 II 1963, 1 ♂, leg. G. Kuschel (NZAC). Mt. Rembai, 700 m, 18 X 1978, 2 ♀, leg. J. Watt, G. Kuschel (NZAC); (top junction), 21.34.51S/165.50.36E [-21.5808/165.8433], 780 m, rainforest, no. 12001, 19 XII 2004, pyrethrum on palms, 1 ♂; no. 12003, beating, 7 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. G. Monteith (QLDM). Table Unio [-21.55/165.76], 800–1000 m, 16 X 1978, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. G. Kuschel (NZAC). Aoupinié, (sawmill), 21.09.20 S/165.19.12E [-21.1556/165.32], 550 m, no. 11978, rainforest, 17 XII 2004, beating, 1 ♀, leg. G. Monteith (QLDM); (near Goipin road junction), -21.1795/165.3017, 720 m, from Hedycarya chrysophylla , 18 I 2007, 6 ♂ 3 ♀, 19 I 2007, 2 ♂, 27 XI 2008, 7 ♂ 3 ♀, 28 XI 2008, 1 ♂ 4 ♀, 29 XI 2008, 4 ♂ - all leg. MW (MW, MNHN, IRD, IACP, CMN); (refuge), -21.1489/165.3235, 420 m, 20 I 2007, 1 ♀, leg. RD (MW); 29 III 2008, 1 ♀, at light, leg. R. Dobosz & T. Blaik (USMB), 25 XI 2008, at light, 1 ♀, 29 XI 2008, beating fruiting Hedycarya sp., 2 ♂ 1 ♀ - all leg. MW (MW). Thoven, 20.47S / 164.53E [-20.7833/ 164.8833], 450 m, 5 II 2004, from Hedycarya sp., 11 ♂ 3 ♀. Cascade de Tao, 20.33S /164.48 [-20.55/164.8], 20–50 m, rainforest, 1 II 2004, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ - all leg. MW (MW). Upper Tchamba valley: Wâo Uni, refuge, -21.0057/ 165.2487, 400 m, 15 I 2007, 4 ♂ 3 ♀, night beating, leg. MW (MW, USMB, IRD). Mt Mandjélia (NW trail) - 20.3922/164.52823, 700 m, 20 XI 2008, 1 ♂; (road to summit) -20.4/164.5279, 700–780 m, montane rainforest, 21.11.2008, 1 ♂ - all leg. MW (MW).

Province Sud: Col d’Amieu, 15–17 X 1978, malaise trap, 2 ♂; (Forestry Station), 18–21 X 1978, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ - all leg. J. Dugdale (NZAC); (“sur la route de M. Moglia”) [-21.62407/165.81031, 466 m], 21 III 2005, 1 ♀, leg. J.P. Kataoui (IACP); (2.5 km from gate), -21.58383/165.79667, 420–450 m, 15 III 2008, 3 ♂ 1 ♀, 16 III 2008, 1 ♂ - all FIGURES 123–137. Hellerenius tibialis , male (123–125, 130–132, 135–137), female (126–129, 133, 134): 123) habitus, lateral view; 124) elytra, dorsal view; 125, 126) antenna; 127) apex of elytra; 128) head with rostrum, lateral view; 129) head with rostrum and pronotum, dorsal view; 130) head with rostrum, dorsal view; 131) rostrum (part), ventral view; 132–134) metatibia in lateral (132, 133) and dorsal (134) view; 135) fore femur (part) and tibia, enlarged apex of protibia (135A); 136) protarsus; 137) tarsal claws.

FIGURES 138–148. Hellerenius tibialis , male (138, 142, 144–148), female (139–141, 143): 138, 139) all abdominal ventrites, ventral view; 140) rectum; 141) tergite VII; 142) shaped endophallus in distilled water; 143)spermatheca; 144, 145) tegminal plate and basal piece in dorsal (144) and lateral (145) view; 146) sternite VIII and IX; 147) entire penis, lateral view; 148) pedo-tectal part of penis, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ed, ejaculatory duct; pn, pennons on ventral fold of posttegminal membrane, rr, rectal ribbon-like internal lamina.

leg. RD & T. Blaik (USMB), 14 XI 2008, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. MW (MW). Farino/Barbou L. [-21.61197/165.70272, 364 m, site 13], 20 I 2005, 1 ♂, leg. C. Mille (IACP). Sarraméa/Col d’Amieu, -21.63411/165.89527, 465 m, 2–30 XI 2005, 1 ♂, 7 II 2006, 1 ♀, leg. S. Cazeres, C. Mille & J.P. Kataoui (IACP). Sarramea, 27 XII 2006 – 10 I 2007, 4 ♀, leg. I. Jeniš (CG); Sarramea (trail to Plateau de Dogny), -21.6229/165.8684, 300–560 m, 9 XI 2010, 17 ♂ 9 ♀, leg. MW & RR (MW).

Occurs mainly in northern New Caledonia ( Fig. 149), where it can be frequently collected together with H. plumipes from the same plant. In Southern Province only in Col d’Amieu, Plateau de Dogny and adjacent forests. It was not found in the well studied localities of Mt. Do or Koghi Mts.

Diagnosis. The only species of Hellerenius with sinuate, twisted and compressed hind tibiae (weaker but expressed also in female), all mucronate in male. Most similar to H. plumipes in body size and color, but easy to distinguish by totally bare coxae, trochanters and femora, twisted metatibiae, and completely different modifications of the last abdominal ventrite and aedeagus.

Description. Body length 3.4–3.7 mm. Coloration and most external characters as in H. plumipes sp. nov., except the following.

Rostrum in both sexes slightly shorter than in previous species; underside of prorostrum polished, with subgenal sulci largely vanished ( Fig.7 ). Distal antennal segments more elongate, funicular 7th segment 1.3–1.4×, club 4.4–4.5× as long as wide (Figs 125, 126). Elytra less widened (Fig. 124). Legs shorter, ventrally not protrudingly pilose; hind tibiae sinuate and twisted (Figs 132–134); protarsus as in Fig. 136; claws roundly expanded at base (Fig. 137). Wing: anal 1A retained as single rudiment; 2A without spur.

Male. Rostrum bare ventrally. All tibiae with minute, acute mucro (Fig. 135); mid-tibia irregularly curved; hind tibia strongly sinuate, its distal half compressed and slightly twisted, separated by oblique carina (Fig. 132). Last abdominal ventrite with large, rectangular prominence, lacking setose depression (Fig. 138). Pygidium with third part exposed and separated by complete sulcus; marginal rim present, polished. Sternite VIII entire evenly sclerotised. Sternite IX with untoothed apodeme 1.6–1.7× as long as large fork (Fig. 146). Tegminal plate peculiar, almost 3× as long as broad; membranous lobes about twice as long as parameroid ones, clearly separated; suprafenestral sclerites each with more than 50 long macrochaetae forming dense tuft completely covering membranous lobe; fenestrae large, elongate, well margined; postfenestral plate membranous; prostegium with incomplete median suture (Figs 144, 145). Fold of post tegminal membrane with long pennons (Fig. 147). Penis apodemes slightly shorter than pedon; the latter 5.8–6.0× as long as broad, tapering, with long, narrow tip, ventrally notched from base to nearly apical fourth (Fig. 148); tectum only slightly shorter than pedon, pointed apically, well sclerotised throughout; endophallus as in H. plumipes .

Female. Mid-tibiae straight; hind tibiae slightly sinuate and compressed in distal part (Figs 133, 134), without separating carina; their outer edge sharp. Last abdominal ventrite unevenly convex, with elevation triangular in outline (Fig. 139). Tergite VII strongly transverse, almost twice as wide as long (Fig. 141). Pouch-like median process of membrane small, much longer than wide. Tergite VIII slightly longer than broad, with clear median line as in H. plumipes , but with much denser and longer setae and without transverse strigae. Styli over 2× as long as wide, with apical setae not longer than half stylus length. Spermatheca with short, sinuate corpus (Fig. 143).

Morphological indices in Tab. 1.

Biology. Collected in rainforest from leaves and flowers of various Hedycarya spp.

Etymology. An invariable Latin adjective referring to the modified tibiae, the most outstanding feature of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Mouthparts and rostrum underside, SEM photographs: 1) Hellerenius monteithi, male mouthparts; 2) H. plumipes, male mouthparts (arrow points on U-shaped stripes on outer side of terminal maxillary palp segment); 3) Archellerenius giustoi, female mouthparts; 4) H. plumipes, sensilla on apex of female maxillary palp, magnification 9600 ×; 5) H. monteithi, female prorostrum, ventral view; 6) H. plumipes, male rostrum, ventral view; 7) H. tibialis, female prorostrum, ventral view; 8) H. plumipes, female prorostrum, ventral view. Abbreviations: ls, mixed setae of labial ligula and maxillary malae; m, mandible; mp, maxillary palp (2 - segmented); pf, palpifer; po, postmentum; pr, prementum; sg, subgenal sulcus.