Acalles iblanensis, Schütte, André & Stüben, Peter E., 2015

Schütte, André & Stüben, Peter E., 2015, Molecular systematics and morphological identification of the cryptic species of the genus Acalles Schoenherr, 1825, with descriptions of new species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cryptorhynchinae), Zootaxa 3915 (1), pp. 1-51 : 23-24

Acalles iblanensis sp. nov.

1. Species: 2.3–3.2 mm (without rostrum).

2. Slender and clubbed bristles on the elytral intervals 2.5x as long as wide (couplet 34). 3. Pronotum widest in the middle or immediately behind the middle (digit 34). Acalles almeriaensis

1*. Species smaller: 1.9–2.7mm (without rostrum).

2*. Shorter, wider and more parallelsided bristles on the elytral intervals at most 1.5x as long as wide (digit 24). 3*. Pronotum clearly widest directly in front of the base (digit 24).

Description. Length. 2.3–3.2 mm (without rostrum).

Head & Rostrum. Eyes large, rounded. Rostrum of males red brown; length-width ratio of 4.0 between insertion of antennae; closely covered with white and beige scales in front of base, finely punctate towards apex; rostrum of females clearly longer; length-width ratio of 5.5 between insertion of antennae, more shiny, more finely punctate. Last five antennal segments as long as broad, trapezoidal, clearly separated from club; first two segments elongate.

Pronotum. Only slightly broader than long; widest in middle or immediately behind middle; regularly, strongly rounded laterally towards fore-margin and towards base; with slight depression at sides directly behind fore-margin. In lateral view, contour-lines of pronotum and of elytra form a uniform bend, not clearly separated; in front of fore-margin flattened, towards base slightly more curved. In dorsal view without keels or humps on levelled disc of pronotum. Integument of brown and beige, circular non-overlapping scales, cuticle visible between scales. Small pits of the pronotum are fine, closely separated. Pronotum with very long, slender bristles (dorsal view).

Elytra. Length-width ratio of 1.20 (holotype); widest at end of first fourth, slightly obovate; behind middle acuminate-ovally, rounded towards apex. In lateral view the contour-line of elytra flat behind base, forming arc towards apex at declivity. Integument not rich in contrast of (dark)brown and beige, circular non-overlapping scales, cuticle visible between scales. Striae much smaller than intervals, with elongate, closely packed shallow punctures. Clubbed bristles on sutural stripe and intervals at most 2 to 2.5 times as long as wide, their separation ranging from two to three times length of a bristle.

Legs. Short; margin of front femur reaching fore-margin of eyes, hind femora ending in front of elytral apex. Covered with predominantly beige, not overlapping, elongate scales and very long, erected bristles, male with split apical spine on middle tibia.

Venter. Abdomen with 2nd sternite clearly shorter than 1st sternite and slightly longer than sternite 3 and 4 together.

Female genitalia. Spermatheca, ovipositor, spiculum ventrale, fig. 6

Aedeagus. Apex of the aedeagus elongate, endophallus with two lines, fig. 5

Etymology. The species name refers to the Mountain of Jbel Bou Iblane ( Morocco: Central Atlas).

Ecology. The specimens of the type series were sieved under Bupleurum and Astragalus at an elevation of 2300 m a.s.l.

Distribution. This species is so far only known from the type locality near Imouzzer-des-Marmoucha, the mountain pass “Tizi-Bou-Zabel” of the Jbel Bou Iblane ( Morocco): fig. 7.