Laparocerus lopezi, Machado, 2008

Machado, Antonio, 2008, Three new endogean species of Laparocerus Schönherr, 1834 from the Canary Islands (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Journal of Natural History 42 (17 - 18), pp. 1277-1288 : 1285-1287

Laparocerus lopezi n. sp.

( Figure 5 )

Measurements of holotype (♀)

Length. Total 5.8 mm, head 1.10 mm, rostrum 0.50 mm, scape 1.18 mm, funicle 1.18 mm, articles (1 st /2 nd /3 rd /4 th) 0.30/0.26/0.12/ 0.12 mm, club 0.52 mm, eyes 0.28, pronotum 1.24 mm, elytra 4.05 mm, tibiae (pro-/meso-/meta-) 1.26/1.04/ 1.40 mm.

Width. Head (at eye level) 0.84 mm, frons 0.52 mm, rostrum (with pterygia) 0.64 mm, rostrum (minimum dorsal/ventral) 0.41/ 0.62 mm, rostrum (base) 0.58 mm, scape 0.11 mm, club 0.14 mm, pronotum (anterior/maximum/posterior) 1.06/1.56/ 1.40 mm and elytra (maximum) 2.20 mm.

Height. Abdomen 1.70 mm.

Description of holotype (♀)

A smallish Laparocerus (length: 5.8 mm), of oblong boat-shape, dorsally quite straight in profile. Integument of chestnut-colour, lighter at elytra shiny, devoid of scales, with some pilosity on elytra. Antennae short; scape not longer than pronotum, almost straight, capitate at apical third; funicle as long as scape, articles 1–2 subequal, 5–7 subglobular; club oval, thick, longer than the three previous articles combined. Head cone-shaped, dorsally straight; eyes small, oval, fairly flattened (convexity=13%), separate from rim of frons; rostrum as long as broad, moderately convergent apicad (minimum dorsal width before the insertion of the antennae); prorostrum not delimited, epistomal keel complete; pterygia slightly salient; metarostrum laterally not keeled; frontal furrow linear, incised, extending only backwards into vertex; surface densely punctured, with some suberect hairy scales. Pronotum slightly transversal (L/ W=0.79), 0.30×length of elytra, sides moderately curved, widest at middle, broader at basal than anterior margin, both slightly concave, not rimmed; disc flattened, with an imprecise shallow small depression on each sides, median line badly defined; surface densely and coarsely punctured, with some disperse larger and deeper punctures (fewer on disc), small decumbent scales on the flanks (few on disc). Scutellum small, acutely pointed, punctured. Elytra sub-parallel progressively acuminated in apical half, maximum width towards first half, dorsally flattened, apical declivity short (suture slightly keeled); base slightly sinuate, shoulders less marked (7 th interval briefly incrassate). Striae incised, with longitudinal moderate punctures, evanescent in second half; intervals subconvex (8 th visible from above in first third). Integument shiny with few short decumbent scales (mainly in the flanks), with long and conspicuous hairyscales in apical third. Ventral parts: inter-mesocoxal process elongated, hardly elevated; integument alutaceous, shallowly punctured, with sparse cover of decumbent scales. Last ventrite apically rounded. Abdominal convexity 77%. Legs: protibiae straight, externally keeled, at apex briefly fan-like expanded, with a small mucro; meso and metatibia broadened at apex, quite hairy in apical half, the latter, without mucro. Tarsomeres narrow.

Etymology

The species is dedicated to my colleague Heriberto López, who discovered the species during an edaphic survey campaign in Gran Canaria.

Diagnostic remarks

From the three species here described, L. lopezi n. sp. is the least morphologically adapted to the edaphic environment. Perhaps it inhabits the underground environment (MSS) as well, or preferentially; further material is needed to answer this question. It can be recognized by its navicular shape, small flattened eyes, frontal furrow extending largely on to the vertex, pronotum with shallow dense punctures (double puncturation), elytra (slightly unpigmented) with alutaceous, somewhat microrugose integuments, and emerging setae on their apical third. The rostrum is dorsally narrowed, being narrowest before the level of the insertion of the antennae, while in Laparocerus the normal case is to be narrowest just after or at the level of the insertion of the antennae. This trait is shared with L. oromii n. sp. Nonetheless, both species seem not to be directly related (differently shaped tibiae) and such a trait may well reflect an adaptive convergence to underground life (more mobility for the antennae?).

Material examined

Holotype. Gran Canaria: Barranco Oscuro ( Valsendero ), 1 ♀ 4-1-2005, leg. H. López. (TFMC, reg. CO-15539) .

Distribution and ecology

Only one specimen from Laparocerus lopezi n. sp. is known. It was collected with an underground pitfall trap placed in the MSS in the remnants of laurel forest of Barranco Oscuro. This type of cloud forest once covered the entire north face of the island of Gran Canaria, but is at present, almost extinct.

Figures

Figure 5. Female of Laparocerus lopezi n. sp.