Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) villalobosae, Patano Jr & Amoroso & Mohagan & Guiang & Yap, 2021

Patano Jr, Romeo R., Amoroso, Victor B., Mohagan, Alma B., Guiang, Maria Melanie M. & Yap, Sheryl A., 2021, Two new species of the genus Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), from Mindanao Island and an updated checklist of Metapocyrtus species in the Philippines, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 69, pp. 282-303 : 284-287

Metapocyrtus (Artapocyrtus) villalobosae , new species

( Figs. 3–5 )

Type material. Holotype, male: PHILIPPINES: Mindanao, Mount Kabunulan, Hamiguitan Range , Surop , Governor Generoso , Davao Oriental, 6°27′44.29″N, 126°10′18.15″E, 400 m a.s.l., 23–31 January 2021, coll. R. R. Patano Jr., A. B. Mohagan, and V. B. Amoroso ( CMUZS 2365 ); three paratypes, females, same data as the holotype ( CMUZS 2366 , 2367 , 2368 ).

Diagnosis. This new species differs from all known congeners by having a wider than long rostrum, the presence of blue to light yellow and gold scale markings, and having two distinct longitudinal stripes in the apical half of each elytron. The pronotal markings are similar to those of Metapocyrtus (Sclerocyrtus) chamissoi Schultze, 1925 , but differ in the presence of light yellow to gold scales, the presence of an elongated stripe under the eye on each lateral side, and the presence of two distinct longitudinal stripes in the apical half of each elytron.

Description. Measurements (n = 4): BL: 13.2–14.5 (14.5 holotype). EL: 7.9–8.9 (8.9 holotype). WE: 6.0–6.3 (6.3 holotype). PL: 3.5–3.8 (3.8 holotype). WP: 4.0–4.3 (4.3 holotype). RL: 2.4–2.9 (2.9 holotype). WR: 1.9–2.0 (2.0 holotype).

Integument black. Body surface mostly shiny except underside with weaker lustre. Body coarsely and irregularly punctured, with markings of blue and golden yellow, round to oval scales, more or less mingled with minute hairs and scales.

Elytra slight to moderately convex with few minute hairs, regularly weakly striate-punctate. Each elytron with the following mostly blue to light yellow and gold markings: 1) a latitudinal stripe at the anterior base, gradually reducing from the middle to the lateral sides; 2) stripe on lateral margin extending from base towards the apex of the elytra; 3) thin latitudinal band in the middle part of elytra confluent with lateral margin extending from the base to the apex; 4) thin longitudinal stripe between intervals I and II extending from middle of the elytra to apex, may or may not be confluent with lateral margin; and 5) two longitudinal stripes that may or may not be extending from apex of each elytron. Ventral side black with white setae. Dense blue, light yellow, and gold scales present at both sides of the abdomen. Legs black with white short hairs, and light yellow and blue scales on the dorsal side of femora. Fore and mid femora 4.5–4.65 mm long and 1.2–1.3 mm wide. Tibiae armed with tooth-like projections on the inner margin covered with short setae. Tarsomeres covered with brown sparse setae. Female and male genitalia as shown in Fig. 4 . For males, aedegus long, arcuate, apical portion pointed, lateral margins sclerotised. For females, sternite VIII rounded; ovipositor slightly sclerotised, rounded apically with lateral projections; spermatheca rounded basally, distal part strongly curved.

Head sparsely minutely pubescent with elongated stripes of pale blue and yellow scales under eye on each lateral side diminishing towards apex of rostrum. Presence of sparse and evenly distributed yellow and blue scales between eyes or at the centre of the transverse groove. Eyes, antennae, and tarsomeres black. Eyes small and very weakly convex. Antennal scape smaller compared to funicle plus club (2:3). Funiculus composed of seven segments, segment I three times as long as wide and widest at the distal end, longer compared to the segments II and III (1:0.75:0.5). The segments IV, V, VI, and VII identical in size but three times shorter than segment I (0.18 mm). Antennal club almost 1 mm in length and 0.42 mm in width, subellipsoidal in shape and almost entirely covered with brown setae. Rostrum rugose, wider than long, flattened dorso-apically with white setae and long yellow hairs towards apex with prominent transverse basal and longitudinal median grooves forming a cross shape having sparse scales at the base. Ventral and lateral side with scattered short hairs.

Pronotum subglobular, widest at middle, convex, glabrous, with very minute and sparse punctures; with three thin latitudinal stripes of dense blue and sparse yellow scales of which the middle stripe is the thickest. These three latitudinal stripes confluent to the lateral base extending from the anterior to the posterior stripes of the pronotum.

Etymology. This new species is named after DOST Balik Scientist Dr. Annabelle P. Villalobos. Her outstanding support, help, and advice to the researchers of the Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) have been valuable to the realisation of the research undertakings in the Center. The specific epithet is a genitive case noun.

Figures

Fig. 3. Dorsal and lateral views of Metapocyrtus villalobosae habitus, female (A) and male (B).

Fig. 4. Genitalia of Metapocyrtus villalobosae. Male aedegus, lateral (a) and dorsal (b) views. Female sternite VIII in ventral view (c), ovipositor (d), and spermatheca (e). Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 5. Metapocyrtus villalobosae in its natural habitat, perched on a shrub plant along the riverine ecosystem of Mount Kabunulan, Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Surop, Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, Mindanao, Philippines.