Smicronyx albosquamosus Wollaston, 1854

Haran, Julien, 2018, A review of the genus Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae) in tropical Africa, Zootaxa 4508 (2), pp. 267-287 : 278

Smicronyx albosquamosus Wollaston, 1854

Figs 1H , 3H , 5H

Smicronyx albosquamosus Wollaston, 1854: 345

Material examined. Canary Islands, La Gomera, Vallehermoso, ca 300m, 25.xii.2005, P. M. Hammond (1♀, BMNH). Zambia, Kalambo falls , Zambia-Tanzania border, Tanganvika env., 900 m, 27.xi.2006, Z. Jindra leg. (1♀, FFWS) .

Diagnosis. Body length 2.0– 2.1 mm. Colour. Body integument black; vestiture of elytra consisting of recumbent, slightly overlapping brown scales, slightly longer than wide, concealing integument, and white scales usually forming a pale oblique band between humeri and apical third of elytral suture. Head. Rostrum moderately downcurved in lateral view, as long as head capsule + prothorax. Prothorax. Slightly wider than long (w/l ratio: 1.15), sides moderately rounded in basal 2/3, constricted in apical 1/3, with spots of whitish scales near humeri and at base near scutellum. Elytra. Subparallel in basal two-thirds (w/l ratio: 0.65), rounded toward apex in apical third. Legs. Covered with white and brown scales; femora moderately clavate, armed with small but distinct ventral tooth, tibiae straight; claws unequal in length, at least for fore tarsi. Genitalia. Penis elongate (w/l ratio: 0.30), sides straight, subparallel, converging near apex; curvature moderate in lateral view ( Fig. 5H ).

Life history. S. albosquamosus is found on Cuscuta spp. in the Mediterranean region. Adults were collected in Zambia in November.

Distribution. This species is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin. It is here reported here for the first time in tropical Africa.

Discussion. Smicronyx albosquamosus can be distinguished from other species of tropical Africa by its claws, which are unequal in length, at least for the fore tarsi (claws equal in length in other species).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of species of Smicronyx from tropical Africa (Part 1). A. Smicronyx bisignatus Hoffmann, holotype ♂. B. S. remaudierei Hoffmann, holotype ♂. C. S. adjamati, sp. n., holotype ♂. D. S. crassithorax sp. n., paratype ♀. E. S. zambianus sp. n. holotype ♂. F. S. syriacus Faust, specimen from Israel (♂). G. S. gossypii Marshall, holotype ♂. H. S. albosquamosus Wollaston, specimen from Israel (♂). I. S. pauperculus Wollaston, specimen from Tanzania (♂). J. S. rufus sp. n., holotype ♂. K. S. zonatus sp. n., holotype ♂. L. S. kenyanus sp. n., holotype ♂. Scale bars (A to L): 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Head and prothorax in lateral view of species of Smicronyx from tropical Africa (Part 1). A. Smicronyx bisignatus Hoffmann, holotype ♂. B. S. remaudierei Hoffmann, holotype ♂. C. S. adjamati, sp. n., holotype ♂. D. S. crassithorax sp. n., paratype ♀. E. S. zambianus sp. n. holotype ♂. F. S. syriacus Faust, specimen from Israel (♂). G. S. gossypii Marshall, holotype ♂. H. S. albosquamosus Wollaston, specimen from Israel (♂).

FIGURE 5. Penis of Smicronyx from tropical Africa, in dorsal (left) and lateral (right) view. A. Smicronyx bisignatus Hoffmann, holotype ♂. B. S. remaudierei Hoffmann, holotype ♂. C. S. adjamati, sp. n., holotype ♂. D. S. crassithorax sp. n., paratype ♀. E. S. zambianus sp. n. holotype ♂. F. S. syriacus Faust, specimen from Israel (♂). G. S. gossypii Marshall, holotype ♂. H. S. albosquamosus Wollaston, specimen from Israel (♂). I. S. pauperculus Wollaston, specimen from Tanzania (♂). J. S. rufus sp. n., holotype ♂. K. S. zonatus sp. n., holotype ♂. L. S. kenyanus sp. n., holotype ♂. M. S. namibicus sp. n., holotype ♂. N. S. kiboanus Voss, paratype ♂. O. S. guineanus Voss, specimen from Senegal (♂). P. S. buchnerae sp. n., holotype ♂. Scale bars (A to N): 100 µm.