Lea, 1899 : 222
M. servulus
M. servulus
Melanterius maculatus
Melanterius maculatus
Acacia decurrens
M. acaciae
Acacia baileyana in Canberra. In 1976 M. van den Berg
A. baileyana
A. dealbata
A. decurrens
A. elata
A. mearnsii
A. pycnantha
A. baileyana
M. acaciae ( New , 1983 )
M. maculatus
M. acaciae
A. linifolia
A. terminalis
A. rubida
M. maculatus ( Dennill & Donnelly, 1991 )
A. mearnsii
A. mearnsii
M. maculatus
A. dealbata
A. decurrens
A. pycnantha
A. baileyana
A. podalyriifolia
Melanterius maculatus
Acacia
M. maculatus
A. baileyana
A. dealbata
A. deanei
A. decurrens
A. elata
A. mearnsii
A. podalyrifolia
A. pycnantha
A. rubida
A. terminalis
Host associations of Melanterius Erichson (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cleogonini), with a diagnosis and delimitation of the genus and description of five new species
Pinzón-Navarro, Sara V.
Jennings, Debbie
Oberprieler, Rolf G.
Zootaxa
2017
4298
1
1
77
3ZC3K
Lea, 1899
Lea
1899
[151,558,849,875]
Insecta
Curculionidae
Melanterius
Animalia
Coleoptera
10
11
Arthropoda
species
maculatus
Melanterius maculatus Lea, 1899: 222 This species was described from Benalla in north-eastern Victoriabut occurs widely in South Australia, Tasmania, New South Walesand southern Queensland. Itis similar to M. servulusbut distinguishable from the latter by its smaller size and more slender shape, by having its elytral interstriae 2 and 4 flat, not costate as the adjacent ones (especially on the declivity, 3 not costate at base) ( Fig. 12), by the elytral setae forming irregular clusters (maculae) and by the depression of the apical abdominal ventrite being much narrower. The female also differs from that of M. servulusin that its tibial uncus is parallel to the tibial edge ( Fig. 6), and the short, broad penis of the male ( Fig. 23) is diagnostic in its apex having a conspicuous pale “lip” and the base of the body a pair of long, thick, complex endophallic sclerites together with a single median one. Melanterius maculatusis somewhat variable, mostly with respect to the degree of impression of its abdominal ventrites, but no distinct and species-diagnostic differences are detectable among populations from different hosts; in particular the penis with its characteristic apical “lip” and basal sclerites is identical in all males ( Oberprieler & Zimmerman, 2001). Clarke (2002)also found no genetic differences between samples from different host plants. Melanterius maculatushas quite a wide range of host plants. Itwas collected on Acacia decurrensover a century ago ( Lea, 1899)—the specimens though included in the typeseries of M. acaciae(see above) —, and in 1930 L. F. Grahamcollected it on Acacia baileyanain Canberra. In 1976 M. van den Berg, looking for potential biocontrol agents for importation to South Africa, reared the species from seeds of A. baileyana, A. dealbata, A. decurrens, A. elata, A. mearnsiiand A. pycnanthain New South Wales. The specimens reared by T. Newfrom seeds of A. baileyanain 1978 and recorded as M. acaciae( New, 1983)belong to M. maculatusas well (see M. acaciaeabove). Thespecies was also reared from seeds of A. linifoliaand A. terminalisby T. Auldin 1981 ( Auld, 1983, 1989) and from seeds of A. rubidaby R. Adairin 1998. Hostspecificity tests in South Africahave confirmed a wide range of host species for M. maculatus( Dennill & Donnelly, 1991). Thespecies was released in South Africaonly in 1993 because of the protracted conflict of interest between biological control of invasive weeds and commercial benefit of particularly A. mearnsii, one of its hosts ( Dennill& Donnelly, 1991; Impson& Moran, 2004). Severalinitial attempts to establish it on A. mearnsiifailed, and also later releases of stocks from different localities in Australiayielded poor results ( Table 1in Dennill et al., 1999), but it finally established at low to moderate levels in some locations ( Impson et al., 2011). Thepossibility of having released unsuitable or incompatible strains or biotypes of M. maculatusis one of the explanations suggested as reason for this failure ( Dennill et al. 1999). Thespecies was also released in South Africain 1998 against A. dealbataand in 2001 against A. decurrens, on which its impact by 2011 was considered moderate ( Impson et al., 2011), and in 2003, 2006 and 2008against respectively A. pycnantha, A. baileyanaand A. podalyriifolia, on which its impact was not yet ascertained by 2011 ( Impson et al., 2011). We collected a total of 339 specimensof Melanterius maculatusfrom the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmaniaand Victoria, on 33 species of Acacia( Table1). Althoughmany of these records probably represent just coincidental associations, it is evident that M. maculatushas a very wide host range. Tenspecies ( A. baileyana, A. dealbata, A. deanei, A. decurrens, A. elata, A. mearnsii, A. podalyrifolia, A. pycnantha, A. rubida, A. terminalis) have been recorded as true hosts, and several others may belong in this category as well ( Table2).
1585957518
southern Queensland. It
10
11
1
Victoria
1585957509
2006
2008
2006
It & Lea & L. F. Graham & T. New & New & The & T. Auld & Auld & R. Adair & Host & Dennill & Donnelly & Impson & Moran & Several & Table
Australia
Table
13
14
South Africa
Ten
10
11
339
New South Wales
holotype