Temnocerus giganteus, Hamilton, 2010

Hamilton, R. W., 2010, Central American Temnocerus Thunberg, 1815 (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (128), pp. 1-42 : 15-17

Temnocerus giganteus , new species

( Fig.15, 16 , 65 , 88 )

Type locality. Mexico, Puebla, 4.4 mi SW Acatepec

Type depository. Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas ( TAMU)

Type specimens. Holotype male and allotype with the following data: Mexico , Puebla, 4.4 mi sw Acatepec, July 9, 1977, JC Schaffner ( TAMU) . Paratype data as follows: MEXICO: 4 females, Mexico, Guerrero, 7 km SW Xochipala , 5-vii-87, 1753 m, Acacia-Oak woodland, R Anderson ( CMNC) ; 1 female, Mexico, Mexico, 3 mi S Ixtapande La Sal , vii-18-1974, RL Mangan & DS Chandler ; 1 female, Mexico, Guerrero, Hwy 95, 8 km S Mazatlan , 29-vi-1992, 1130 m, CL Bellamy ( CWOB) ; 1 female, Mexico, Puebla, 4.4 mi sw Acatepec , July 9, 1977, JC Schaffner ; 1 female, Mexico, Puebla, 4.3 mi sw Acatepec , July 16, 1971, Clark, Murray, Hart, Schaffner ; 1 female, Mexico, Guer. 10.7 km SW Xochipala, 5-vii-87, 1,753 m, Acacia-Oak woodland, R Anderson ; 1 male and 1 female, Mexico, Oaxaca, 6 miles ne Mitla , July 20, 1985, Jones, Schaffner ; 1 female, Mexico, Oaxaca, 10 mi. n Miltepec , July 26, 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, Schaffner ; 4 males and 1 female, Mexico, Oaxaca, 1.3 mi. ne Chazumba , July 16, 1971, Clark, Murray, Hart, Schaffner ; 1 male, Mexico, Morelos, 4.4 mi e Cuernavaca , July 6-8, 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, Schaffner ( TAMU) .

Description. Color and pubescence: Body dark bluish-black throughout with a faint bronze luster to the pronotum. Pubescence consists of numerous fine appressed brownish setae. Size: Male (n = 7) 2.8 × 1.2 mm to 3.4 × 1.4 mm; Female (n = 13) 2.9 × 1.2 mm to 4.2 × 1.6 mm. Head quadrate, slightly wider at base, moderately punctured; punctures round, evenly spaced; frons with fewer punctures; interspaces minutely granulose, silky in appearance; eyes moderately protuberant. Rostrum distinctly longer than head, straight, only slightly widened at apex, apically flattened; smooth, shiny, with few punctures, lightly strigate at dorsal base. Antennae inserted at basal 1/5 of rostrum, longer than rostrum; scape and funicular segment 1 ovoglobose, subequal; funicular segments 2 and 3 cylindrical, shorter than segment 1; segments 4 and 5 clavate, subequal to segments 2 and 3 in length; segments 6 and 7 bead-like; club compact; basal segment cone-shaped, longer than middle and terminal segments; middle and terminal segments subequal in length; terminal segment weakly acuminate. Pronotum wider than long, distinctly arched out laterally, widest behind middle, distinctly narrowed at base; densely punctured; interspaces minutely granulose. Scutellum small, rectangular, twice as wide as long. Elytra elongate, nearly twice as long as wide, widest just beyond middle; humeri simple, strial punctures moderately to weakly defined; interspaces between striae with setigerous puncture; intervals transversely rugose, densely set with numerous small irregularly rowed setigerous punctures. Thoracic pleura and sterna moderately to densely punctured. Abdominal ventrites smooth, shiny, with few punctures.

Distribution. Adults are recorded from the Mexican states of Guerrero, Mexico, Morelos, Oaxaca and Puebla ( Fig. 88 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is in reference to the relatively large size of this species.

Comments. Temnocerus giganteus is easily recognized by its large size and bluish-black color. The female has an elongate rostrum that is smooth and shiny from the antennal insertions to the apex. The rostrum of the male is shorter, wider and more punctate ( Fig. 15, 16 ). The aedeagus ( Fig. 65 ) has a distinctly tapered median lobe with the pedon apex narrowly truncate. The tectum is spearhead-shaped and distinctly pointed. The tegminal cap piece is wide at the base, narrowed through the middle and widened again into a broadly rounded apex bearing numerous very long terminal setae. Endophallic bands are long and distinctly pigmented. The aedeagus of this species and that of T. oaxacensis ( Fig.73 ) are similar and indicate a close relationship.

Plant association. Unknown.

Figures

Figure 11-22. Heads of Temnocerus species, frontal view, male left and female right. 11-12) T. cyaneus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 13-14) T. ellus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 15-16) T. giganteus n.sp., holotype and allotype. 17-18) T. guatemalenus (Sharp). 19-20) T. guerrerensis n.sp., holotype and allotype. 21-22) T. herediensis n.sp., holotype and allotype.

Figure 59-86. Aedeagal tegmen and median lobe of Temnocerus species, dorsal view, 64X. 59) T. abdominalis (Voss). 60) T. chiapensis n. sp. 61) T. chiriquensis (Sharp). 62) T. confertus (Sharp). 63) T. cyaneus n. sp. 64) T. ellus n. sp. 65) T. giganteus n. sp.; 66) T. guatemalenus (Sharp). 67) T. guerrerensis n. sp. 68) T. herediensis n. sp. 69) T. mexicanus n. sp. 70) T. michoacensis n. sp. 71) T. minutus n. sp. 72) T. niger n. sp. 73) T. oaxacensis n. sp. 74) T. obrieni n. sp. 75) T. oculatus (Sharp). 76) T. potosi n. sp. 77) T. pseudaeratus n. sp. 78) T. pueblensis n. sp. 79) T. pusillus (Sharp). 80) T. regularis (Sharp). 81) T. rostralis n. sp. 82) T. rugosus n. sp. 83) T. salvensis n. sp. 84) T. tamaulipensis n. sp. 85) T. thesaurus (Sharp) 86) T. yucatensis n. sp.

Figure 87-90. Distribution of Temnocerus species. 87) T. abdominalis, red; T. chiapensis, blue; T. chiriquensis, black; T. rostralis, green. 88) T. confertus, red; T. ellus, blue; T. giganteus, black. 89) T. guerrerensis, blue; T. guatemalenus, red; T. herediensis, black. 90) T. mexicanus, red; T. michoacensis, blue; T. minutus, black.