Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) inexspectatus Riedel

Riedel, Alexander & Kilmaskossu, Agust, 2017, Revision of the subgenus Niphetoscapha Heller of Gymnopholus Heller (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea, Entiminae, Eupholini) and a new species with epizoic symbiosis from West New Guinea, Zootaxa 4254 (3), pp. 339-356 : 349-351

Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) inexspectatus Riedel sp. n.

( Figs. 5–6 , 11 , 15 , 20 , 23 , 26, 28, 29, 32–33, 36 , 40, 41)

Diagnosis. Elytron and pronotum with irregular rough sculpture composed of wrinkles, pits and tubercles; densely covered with scales and setae; partly with greenish to brownish encrustations.

Description. Holotype, male ( Fig. 5 ). Length. Total length 23.5 mm; pronotum + elytron 18.5 mm.

Color of integument black, pronotum and elytron densely setose-squamose with encrustations of algae or lichens, in live specimens greenish, in dry specimens brownish; venter shining, legs and head dull and sparsely setose.

Head ( Fig. 11 ) dull, densely punctate, microreticulate, sparsely setose; between eyes ca. as wide as vertical diameter of eye (1.01 X). Eyes markedly prominent from outline of head. Gena 1.09 X as long as vertical diameter of eye.

Rostrum ( Fig.11 ) 2.50 X longer than wide at base; maximum width in front of antennal insertion 1.42 X width at base. Dorsum with marked median impression; pair of distinct dorsolateral furrows and antennal scrobes clothed with scales and brown encrustations.

Antenna. Funicle + club 1.66 X length of scape; club 4.08 X as long as wide.

Thorax. Pronotum 1.14 X longer than wide; sides gently sinuate, widest in apical half; vestiture of dense recumbent scales and sparse suberect scales, partly covered by encrustations; disc with irregular tubercles, some clothed by vestiture, others nude; in basal half with narrow, median impression, in anterior half with wider, roundish pit. Thoracic venter setose with thin setae not concealing surface; mesoventrite and mesocoxae with dense recumbent setae.

Elytron 4.10 X longer than wide between humeri; at greatest width 1.12 X wider than between humeri; sides subparallel; surface with vestiture of dense recumbent scales and sparse suberect scales, partly covered by encrustations; with coarse irregular transverse wrinkles obscuring indistinct striae; without longitudinal ridges; epipleural edge with indistinct fringe of setae; at apical declivity ( Fig. 20 ) intervals 1–3 with transverse ridge; subapically intervals 3 and 9 with longitudinal ridges meeting at acute angle; apical declivity without distinct protrusions or knobs.

Legs. Surface dull, microreticulate, punctate; with minute, recumbent setae and with long, yellowish, suberect bristles. Femora relatively long, parallel-sided; metafemur in repose reaching elytral apex.

Abdomen. Ventrite 1–2 medially concave; with sparse, long setae; ventrite 5 flat, subapically densely setose. Penis ( Fig. 23 ) with asymmetrical apical tip slender. Transfer apparatus ( Fig. 33 ) ca. 1.5 X as long as wide at base.

Allotype, female ( Fig. 6 ). Same as holotype except: Length. Total length 27 mm; pronotum + elytron 22 mm. Elytron wider, 3.88 X longer than wide between humeri, at greatest width 1.10 X wider than between humeri.

Intraspecific variation. Length. Total length of males 22.5–27.5 mm (n=6, x =24.3 ± 1.8), of females 27.0–30.0 mm (n=6, x =28.6 ± 1.3); pronotum + elytron of males 18.5–22.0 mm (n=6, x =19.8 ± 1.5), of females 22.0–25.0 mm (n=6, x =23.4 ± 1.2). Coloration of life specimens usually green and dominated by algal encrustations turning brown in dry collection specimens; amount of algal or lichen encrustations variable; recumbent scales of elytral grooves visible or fully covered by encrustations. Rostrum of males 2.50–2.71 X longer than wide at base (n=6, x =2.59 ± 0.08), of females 2.05–2.40 X longer than wide at base (n=6, x =2.24 ± 0.11); maximum width in males 1.42–1.56 X width at base (n=6, x =1.52 ± 0.05), in females 1.45–1.47 X width at base (n=6, x =1.46 ± 0.01). Antenna. Funicle + club 1.45–1.71 X length of scape (n=12, x =1.56 ± 0.08). Pronotum with shallow median groove wide or narrow, more or less distinct; submedian tubercles more or less numerous, more or less distinct. Elytron of males 3.92–4.55 X longer than wide between humeri (n=6, x =4.21 ± 0.21), at greatest width 1.04–1.15 X wider than between humeri (n=6, x =1.11 ± 0.04); elytron of females 3.88–4.16 X longer than wide between humeri (n=6, x =3.96 ± 0.19), at greatest width 1.09–1.20 X wider than between humeri (n=6, x =1.13 ± 0.04); elytral sculpture more distinct in specimens from Bilogay in which transverse wrinkles and grooves are deep, partly tuberculate; elytral transverse wrinkles in specimens from other localities more gentle, in some specimens almost absent; shape of suberect elytral scales relatively short, almond-shaped, or longer, lanceolate.

Material examined. Holotype: WEST NEW GUINEA, Paniai Reg., Sinak [E 137° 51´S 03° 50´], 2000–2200 m, 14–17.XII.1995 ( MZB) . Paratypes: WEST NEW GUINEA, Paniai Reg.: 3 males, 5 female (1 marked as “ allotype ”), same data as holotype ( ARC, SMNK) ; 1 female, Sinak, Tuput, 2900 m, 12.XII.1995 (ARC); 3 males, 1 female, Sinak, trail to Ilaga, 2100–2500 m, 15.XII.1995 (ARC); 3 males, 3 females, Bilogay [E 137° 01´S 03° 44´], Tigipigu, 2100–2400 m, 23.XII.1995 (ARC, SMNK); Jayawijaya Reg.: 6 males, 3 females, Mulia [E 137°57´S 03°44´], (S), Wuyuneeri, 1900–2200 m, 6–7.VII.1994 (ARC, SMNK). Other material not included in type series: Jayawijaya Reg.: 1 female, Tiom, Wanuga, 2750–2900 m, 8.XII.1995 (ARC); 1 male, Wanuga—Kwiyawagi, 2750–3000 m, 9.XII.1995 (ARC); 1 ex ( ARC 2636 ), W Wamena, road to Lake Habbema , S04° 08.256´E138° 49.049´, 2770 m, 20-VII-2010 ( SMNK) ; 2 exx (ARC2641, ARC2642), N Wamena, Poga, S03° 47.575´E138° 33.155´to S03° 47.473´E138° 33.163´, 2620–2715 m, 15-VII-2010 (SMNK).

Other material reported. WEST NEW GUINEA, Mokndoma , S 03° 39´E 137° 46´(photographic evidence, see fig. 40a–b).

Distribution ( Fig. 41 ). Paniai Reg. (Sinak, Bilogay), Jayawijaya Reg. (Lake Habbema, Tiom, Mulia). Elevation: 2200–2900 m.

Etymology. This epithet is based on Latin participle inexspectatus (unexpected) and refers to the first discovery of a Gymnopholus species with epizoic symbiosis in West New Guinea leaving a wide distributional gap to similar species in the Eastern half of the island.

Figures

FIGURE 41. Distribution of G. (Niphetoscapha) wichmanni and G. (Niphetoscapha) inexspectatus sp. n.. Base map created with GeoMapApp (http: // www. geomapapp. org).

FIGURES 5 – 8. Habitus of Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) spp., dorsal aspect: (5) G. inexspectatus sp. n., holotype; (6) G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype; (7) G. wichmanni, paralectotype, male; (8) G. wichmanni, lectotype, female.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Head and rostrum of Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) spp.: (9) G. audax; (10) G. nitidus; (11) G. inexspectatus sp. n., holotype; (12) G. wichmanni, lectotype.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Pronotum of Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) spp., female: (13) G. audax (14) G. nitidus; (15) G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype; (16) G. wichmanni, lectotype.

FIGURES 17 – 20. Elytral apex of Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) spp., female; in dorsoapical aspect (left), in profile (right): (17) G. audax; (18) G. nitidus; (19) G. wichmanni, lectotype; (20) G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype.

FIGURES 21 – 24. Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) spp.; Male genitalia; body of penis in dorsal aspect (left), in profile (right): (21) G. audax; (22) G. nitidus; (23) G. inexspectatus sp. n., holotype; (24) G. wichmanni, paralectotype.

FIGURES 25 – 32. Gymnopholus (Niphetoscapha) spp.; female terminalia: (25) G. audax; (26) G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype; (27) sternite VIII of G. audax; (28) sternite VIII of G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype; (28) spermatheca of G. audax; (29) spermatheca of G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype; (31) hemisternite of G. audax; (32) hemisternite of G. inexspectatus sp. n., allotype.

FIGURES 33 – 38. Gymnopholus spp.: (33) Transfer apparatus of G. inexspectatus sp. n., holotype; (34) Transfer apparatus of G. nitidus; (35) Left wing of G. (Symbiopholus) lichenifer; (36) Left wing of G. (Niphetoscapha) inexspectatus sp. n., allotype; (37) labels of G. wichmanni, lectotype; (38) labels of G. wichmanni, paralectotype.