Immatures of Palaearctic species of the weevil genus Tychius (Coleoptera, Curculionidae): new descriptions and new bionomic data with an evaluation of their value in a phylogenetic reconstruction of the genus
Author
Skuhrovec, Jiří
Author
Gosik, Rafał
Author
Caldara, Roberto
text
Zootaxa
2014
2014-07-23
3839
1
1
83
journal article
5426
10.11646/zootaxa.3839.1.1
6d32f9c2-3094-425b-bb7e-9c6e0517d4fd
1175-5326
4927721
AA7FEED5-5C1F-48D0-A172-5C25C4001DF3
Tychius
(s. str.)
decretus
Tournier 1874
Caldara 1990: 193
.
Material examined
.
1 larva
from pods of
Trifolium resupinatum
L. collected
28.v.1979
at
Posada
,
Nuoro province
,
Sardinia
(
Italy
), leg.
R
.
Caldara
, and
8 pupae
reared from larvae collected contemporaneously together with the others, all determined by association with reared adults.
Differential diagnosis.
See
Tables 2
and
3
.
Description of mature larva.
COLORATION. Head brown or dark yellow. All thoracic and abdominal segments light yellow.
HEAD CAPSULE AND MOUTH PARTS. Head width:
0.38 mm
(see
Table. 1
). Endocarinal line present, reaching middle of frons.
Des
1
located very near frontal suture;
des
2
located mediolaterally;
des
3
located along frontal suture;
des
4
very short located along frontal suture;
des
5
located anterolaterally;
des
4
7 times shorter than
des
3
and
des
5
(
Fig. 164
).
Fs
1
and
fs
2
absent;
fs
3
short, located medially;
fs
4
located anteromedially (along epistoma);
fs
5
located anterolaterally (along epistoma), 4 times longer than
fs
3
(
Fig. 164
).
Les
distinctly shorter than
des
3
.
Ves
short. Postepicranial area with group of 4 minute
pes
. Antennal segment membranous, bearing conical sensorium and without sensillum (
Fig. 167
).
Labrum (
Fig. 168
) approximately 2 times as wide as long;
lms
1
4–5 times shorter than
lms
2
,
lms
3
some shorter than
lms
2
; anterior margin doubly sinuate. Clypeus (
Fig. 168
) 2 times as wide as long; with 1 short
cls
located posterolaterally; anterior margin slightly rounded. Epipharynx (
Fig. 169
) with 2 pairs of
als
, different in length; with 2 pairs of short and triangular
ams
; with 2 pairs of relatively short and finger-like
mes
; labral rods relatively long, elongate, strongly converging posteriorly. Mandibles (
Fig. 166
) with 2 short
mds
, different in length. Maxilla (
Fig. 165
): stipes with 1
stps
, 2
pfs
of different length,
pfs
1
distinctly shorter than
pfs
2
, and 1
mbs
, distinctly shorter than
pfs
2
,
and 2 sensilla; mala with 4 straight
dms
, different in length; with 3
vms
, short and almost of equal length. Maxillary palpi: length ratio of basal and distal palpomeres 1:1; basal palpomera with 1 short
mpxs
; distal palpomera with group of 4 conical, cuticular apical processes. Prementum (
Fig. 165
) heart-shaped, with 1
prms
; margin of ligula rounded, ligula with 1
lig
; premental sclerite distinct. Postmentum (
Fig. 165
) with 3 pairs of
pms
, almost of equal length.
THORAX AND ABDOMEN. Body length
1.8 mm
(see
Table. 1
), moderately elongate. Abdominal segments I–III slightly smaller than abdominal segments IV–VI (
Fig. 170
). Spiracles on abdomen in anteromedian parts of segments (abdominal seg. I–VIII).
Chaetotaxy of body rather reduced. Setae moderately short or very short and light yellow.
Thorax.
Prothorax (
Fig. 171
) with 6
prn
; all macrosetae of equal length; 1 moderately long
ps
; 1
eus
. Meso- and metathorax (
Fig. 171
) with 1
prs
; 2
pds
, almost of same length; 1
ss
; 1
eps
; 1
ps
; and 1 short
eus
. Each pedal area of thoracic segments well-separated and with 2
pda
.
Abdomen.
Abdominal segments I–VII (
Fig. 172
) with 1
prs
; 2
pds
of different length; 3 very short
ss
; 1
eps
; 1
ps
; 1
lsts
; and 2 short
eus
. Abdominal segment VIII (
Fig. 173
) with 1
prs
; 2
pds
; 3 very short
ss
; 1
eps
; 1
ps
; 1
lsts
; and 2 short
eus
. Abdominal segment IX (
Fig. 173
) with 1
ds
; 1
ps
; and 1
sts
. Anal lobes on abdominal segment X (
Fig. 173
) with 1 very short, feebly visible seta.
Description of pupa.
COLORATION. Body whitish yellow.
MORPHOLOGY (
Figs. 174–176
). Body length
1.4–2.4 mm
; widest part
0.6–1.1 mm
(see
Table. 1
). Body elongate. Rostrum very long, approximately 7 times as long as wide, almost reaching metacoxae. Pronotum 1.4 times as wide as long.
CHAETOTAXY (
Figs. 174–176
). Setae distinct, short, unequal in length, light brown; on pronotum and head placed on small protuberances. Head capsule including 1
vs
, 1
os
, and 1
pas
. Rostrum without setae.
Vs
and
os
as long as setae on pronotum, distinctly longer than
pas
. Pronotum with 2
as
, 2
ls
, 1
ds
, and 1
pls
;
ds
distinctly smaller than other setae on pronotum. Dorsal parts of meso- and metathorax with 1 seta. Each apex of femora with 2
fes
. Setae on abdominal segments I–VIII placed medially and laterally; all abdominal setae located on small, conical protuberances. Pseudocerci very short, slightly curved inside.
Biological observations.
Pupae were found in the cell 7 days later the larvae entered the soil. The duration of the pupal stage was 12 days. Adults were found walking on the surface 3 days later.
Remarks.
The same pods, where larvae of
T. decretus
were collected, were more extensively parasitized also by larvae of
Apion trifolii
(Linnaeus, 1758)
. In the same field the closely related species
T. pusillus
was also collected, but living on
Trifolium resupinatum
(see above).