Laparocerus edaphicus, 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 : 1278-1281

Laparocerus edaphicus n. sp.

( Figures 1 and 2 )

Measurements of holotype (♂)

Length. Total 4.35 mm, head 0.88 mm, rostrum 0.44 mm, scape 0.86 mm, funicle 0.78 mm, articles (1 st /2 nd /3 rd /4 th) 0.20/0.20/0.09/ 0.10 mm, club 0.36 mm, eyes 0.20, pronotum 1.00 mm, elytra 2.95 mm, tibiae (pro-/meso-/meta-) 0.98/0.88/ 1.08 mm.

Width. Head (at eye level) 0.56 mm, frons 0.36 mm, rostrum (with pterygia) 0.52 mm, rostrum (minimum dorsal/ventral) 0.28/ 0.46 mm, rostrum (base) 0.38 mm, scape 0.12 mm, club 0.18 mm, pronotum (anterior/maximum/posterior) 0.84/1.18/ 1.04 mm and elytra (maximum) 1.65 mm.

Height. Abdomen 1.20 mm.

Description of male

A small fusiform Laparocerus (length without rostrum: 3.9–4.3 mm); colour piceousbrown with legs lighter and more reddish. Integument shiny, conspicuously punctured, devoid of scales cover, with inconspicuous flavescent pilosity. Antennae short, robust: scape shorter than length of pronotum, slightly sinuate, capitate at apical third; funicle shorter than scape, article 1–2 equal, 3–7 short, subglobular (5–7 slightly transverse); club very thick, longer than the three previous articles combined. Head cone-shaped, with broad pregenae; eyes small, flattened (convexity=10%), situated near border of frons, 0.55×as long as frons width ( Figure 2E ). Rostrum longer than broad, constricted before insertion of antennae, clearly narrower dorsally than ventrally, pregenae robust and conspicuous; pterygia salient; prorostrum convergent apicad, without punctures (base of antennae completely exposed); epistomal keel complete; metarostrum slightly V-canaliculate; frontal fovea rhombiform and short; dorsal integument isodiametrically microreticulate, with separate irregular punctures (excluded vertex, almost smooth) beset with small hairy scales. Pronotum slightly transverse (L/ W=0.84), 0.34×length of elytra, sides moderately curved, widest at middle, narrower anteriorly, not rimmed at base; integument shiny with very conspicuous large foveiform punctures and some micro-punctures, distributed separately and irregularly, more dense on flanks; large punctures beset with a thin hairy scale (if not abraded); median line vague, a smooth area devoid of punctures laterally on disc. Scutellum small, broad-triangular, punctured. Elytra oblong-elongate (L/ W=1.8) subparallel or smoothly curved; disc moderately flattened; base almost as broad as base of pronotum (no humeral callus); striae heavily marked by large foveiform punctures (as big as on pronotum), shallower in apical third; intervals subconvex, with some conspicuous foveiform smaller punctures beset of emergent short flavescent setae pointing backwards (longer and more noticeable in apical third); integument smooth, shiny, at disc with shallow separate transversal irregular marks, at base somewhat corrugated. Ventral parts: mesosternal declivity less pronounced; inter-mesocoxal process, broad and short, less elevated; integument sub-nitid with shallow large separate punctures (including coxae); pilosity dispersed and short. Last ventrite slightly truncated. Abdominal convexity 72%. Legs robust; protibiae straight, externally keeled, slightly scooped internally, fan-like at apex (hardly expanded externally and much internally), with very strong mucro. Meso- and metatibiae with strong but shorter mucro; pilosity longer and more dense on apical outer half. Genitalia ( Figures 2A– B ). Aedeagus uniformly and smoothly curved, progressively narrowing apicad, tip straight. Internal sac short, with a median large field of teeth.

Description of female

Length without rostrum: 3.7–4.6 mm. Same as male, but slightly broader and elytra laterally more curved; shoulders slightly marked. Transverse marks on elytral integument more noticeable. Preapical internal sinuosity of protibiae less developed; pro- and mesomucro short, acute (metatibiae unarmed). Last ventrite round-ended. Styli of ovipositor very short, not reaching tip of valves ( Figure 2D ). Sternite VIII ( Figure 2C ).

Etymology

The name of the species, derived from the Greek ‘‘ edaphos ’’=the soil or ground, is a Latinized adjective and refers to the soil living habits of the insect.

Diagnostic remarks

Laparocerus edaphicus n. sp. is easy to recognize by its small size, fusiform-shape with conspicuous pregenae, small flattened eyes, very shiny piceous and heavily punctured (all over) integument devoid of scale cover, scarce pilosity and anterior tibiae with outer apical angle not obtusely rounded and a very robust mucro in its inner side. The short raised apex of the median lobe of the aedeagus is also very characteristic. For differences with the other known edaphic species of Laparocerus see the key at the end of the current paper.

Material examined

Holotype. Tenerife: Anaga, Bco. de Ijuana , 1 ♂ 8-11-1986 leg. R. García ( TFMC, reg. CO-15537) .

Paratypes. Tenerife: Same locality ( UTM 28 R 038563 315973) 1 ♂ 3-2-2008 1 ♂ 25-3- 2007 leg. A. Machado ( AMC); Punta de Anaga, 1 ex 12-6-1960 leg. J.M. Fernández ( TFMC); Montes de Anaga, 1 ♀ 25-3-1973 J. Bonnet leg. ( RGB); Bco. Ijuana , 1 ♀ 29- 9-1986 leg. A. Aguiar ( AAC), same locality without date, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ leg. H. Franz ( NMW). Anaga, Anambro , 2 ♂ 1 ♀ 4-2-1977 leg. T. Palm (2 ZMUL, 1 AMC); Anaga, NE Chinobre 860 m, 2 ♀ 12-1995/1-1996 leg. L. Zerche (DEI, AMC), idem. 1 ♂ leg. A. Puchner ( DEI); Anaga, E Chinobre 700-800 m 1 ♀ inmat. 24-11-1996 leg. Schülke & Günberg ( DEI) .

Non-paratypes. Tenerife: Vueltas de Taganana, 1 ♀ 21-1-1996 leg. A. Aguiar (AAC).

Distribution and ecology

Laparocerus edaphicus n. sp. is endemic to the island of Tenerife, having being found only in the old northeastern region of Anaga. It lives underground (ca. 30–50 cm) in the damp laurel forests that cover the mountain ridge (700–800 m), but can also be sieved from the leaf litter (under ferns) and occurs occasionally under stones. It presumably feeds on roots or decaying leaves.

Figures

Figure 1. Male of Laparocerus edaphicus n. sp.

Figure 2. Laparocerus edaphicus n. sp. (A) Aedeagus, (B) apex of aedeagus, (C) female sternite VIII, (D) hemisternites of ovipositor, (E) head in lateral view.