Spathaspina Ramesha and Mahendiran, 2025

Ramesha, B., Mahendiran, G. & Anooj, S. S., 2025, Spathaspina Ramesha and Mahendiran, a new genus of Ceutorhynchinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from India, Zootaxa 5642 (6), pp. 592-596 : 593

Spathaspina Ramesha and Mahendiran , gen. nov.

(Type species: Spathaspina noohi Ramesha and Mahendiran , sp. nov) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:31EE3B2B-0BB2-4162-8678-5BED6D02C1F0

(Figs 1‒16)

Description: Head with rostrum parallel sided, widened or divergent after antennal insertion, surface rough with median carina from base till antennal insertion, median carina depressed at the middle of rostrum, punctate with recumbent whitish setae, scrobe reaches base of rostrum. Rostrum narrow basally, broader apically after antennal insertion. Eyes greyish white, oblong ovate, moderately convex. Pronotal disc sulcate, with two prominent tubercles on each side. Fore margin of prothorax slightly raised with small incision in the middle, pronotal spine long (0.93 mm), 0.6 x as long as pronotum. Elytra uneven, striae with deep punctures, tubercles with punctures bearing recumbent whitish setae. Legs robust, all femora toothed, metafemora stouter than pro- and mesofemora. Ventrally with sternal channel deep, extending to hind margin of mesosternum.

Notes about identification: Spathaspina closely resembles Cysmemoderes Colonnelli, 1992 in the tribe Mecysmoderini Wagner, 1938 .The genus Cysmemoderes differs markedly from all genera in the tribe Mecysmoderini by the following characters: anterior third of prontal disc sulcate and with two large prominent tubercles on each side; front margin of prothorax slightly raised with small incision in the middle; pronotal spine short; elytra uneven, the intervals bearing large prominent tubercles; striae sinuous; legs robust; femora toothed; metafemora stouter than others; sternal channel deep, scaled, extending to hind margin of metasternum. Spathaspina differs from Cysmemoderes in having head with rostrum parallel-sided, widened or divergent after point of antennal insertion, surface rough with median carina extended from base to point of antennal insertion, median carina depressed at middle of rostrum, rostrum punctate with recumbent whitish setae, scrobe reaching base of rostrum, rostrum narrow basally, broader apically after antennal insertion, eyes oblong oval, moderately convex.

Etymology: The genus is named after the long basal pronotal spine, “ Spathaspina ” meaning “long sword-like spine”. The gender is masculine.