Smicronyx syriacus Faust, 1887

Haran, Julien, 2018, A review of the genus Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae) in tropical Africa, Zootaxa 4508 (2), pp. 267-287 : 277

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4508.2.9

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:47E77D58-680A-411E-884F-955EE996F42F

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5996800

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A72C87E1-FFAA-5F68-FF5C-CEB4A0C19705

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Smicronyx syriacus Faust, 1887
status

 

Smicronyx syriacus Faust, 1887 View in CoL

Figs 1F View FIGURE 1 , 3F View FIGURE 3 , 5F View FIGURE 5

Smicronyx syriacus Faust, 1887: 84 View in CoL

Material examined. Democratic Republic of Congo, Sibiti , XII-1963, mission A. Descarpentries & A. Villers, “ S. rufipennis Tournier ” A. Hoffmann det. (1♂, MNHN) .

Diagnosis. Body length 1.8–2.2 mm. Colour. Body integument black; vestiture of elytra consisting of recumbent, overlapping scales, distinctly longer that wide, more or less concealing integument, and of a series of semi-erect elongate scales, separate, on all interstriae; scales of elytra whitish, pale to dark brown, pale scales usually forming a spot on humeri and irregular patches on rest of elytra. Head. Rostrum distinctly downcurved in lateral view, especially at base, slightly longer than head capsule + prothorax, as thick as greatest width of profemora. Prothorax. Wider than long (w/l ratio: 1.10), sides greatly rounded in basal two-thirds, constricted apically, slightly narrower at apical margin than at base, widest behind middle; integument of disc distinctly granulate. Elytra. Moderately convex in basal two-thirds (w/l ratio: 0.69), rounded toward apex in apical third, widest near or beyond middle. Legs. Femora moderately clavate, unarmed, tibiae straight. Genitalia. Penis moderately elongate (w/l ratio: 0.57), sides straight, subparallel, converging near apex, apex rounded, slightly and regularly curved in lateral view ( Fig. 5F View FIGURE 5 ).

Life history. This species develops on various species of Cuscuta . It has been recorded on Cuscuta palaestina Boiss. in the Near East (Haran et al. 2017). Adult specimens collected in December in sub-Saharan Africa.

Distribution. Smicronyx syriacus is widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin and in central Asia ( Caldara 2013); in sub-Saharan Africa it is known from the Republic of Congo.

Discussion. Among tropical African Smicronyx , S. syriacus has a general body size and appearance similar to S. gossypii and S. pauperculus . It can be distinguished from these species by its wider prothorax (w/l ratio: 1.10 while only of 1 in S. gossypii and S. pauperculus ).

MNHN

Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Curculionidae

Genus

Smicronyx

Loc

Smicronyx syriacus Faust, 1887

Haran, Julien 2018
2018
Loc

Smicronyx syriacus

Faust, J. 1887: 84
1887
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