A taxonomic monograph of the Middle American leaf-litter inhabiting weevil genus Theognete Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Molytinae; Lymantini) 2458 Author Anderson, Robert S. text Zootaxa 2010 2010-05-14 2458 1 1 127 https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2458.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.2458.1.1 1175­5334 5316658 7E42061C-9D11-49C5-8737-CEED0864E699 66. Theognete echinata Anderson , new species ( Figures 134 , 170 , 205 ) Diagnosis. Size. Length, male, 2.81–3.01mm ; female, 2.95–3.51mm . Width, male, 1.57–1.88mm ; female, 1.63–2.02mm . Pronotum subcordate, scales suberect to erect, fine, hair-like, concentrated in anterior twothirds of length; punctures very fine and shallow, indistinct. Elytra with scales erect, slightly recurved towards apex, clavate, simple, arranged linearly on intervals; strial regions with scales small, appressed, fine, hair-like; posterolateral area of elytra with series of 3–4 distinct, deep punctures. Mesosternum with deep, pilose, pitlike impression. Tergite VIII emarginate in middle. Aedeagus as in Fig. 170 . Geographical distribution . México ( Tamaulipas ). Natural history . Collected from berlese extraction of cloud forest and liquidambar forest leaf litter at elevations from 1000–1375m . Derivation of specific name . Named from the Latin echinatus , meaning prickly, in reference to the form of the setae on the elytra. Material examined . 81♂ , 52♀♀ ( BMNH , CMNC , CWOB , ECOS , UAQM , USNM ) . Holotype ♂ ( CMNC ) : MÉXICO : Tamaulipas . nr. Gómez Farías , 1000m , 7.VIII.83, S&J Peck , cloud forest litter / HOLO- TYPE ♂ , Theognete echinata sp. nov. , R.S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted . Paratypes : MÉXICO . Tamaulipas . Gómez Farías (near), 1000m , 7.VIII.1983 , S. & J. Peck , cloud forest litter ( 10♂ , 9♀♀ ; CMNC ) . Mpo. Gómez Farías , 4500', 16.III.1988 , P. W . Kovarik ( 1♀ CMNC ) . Gómez Farías ( 6 mi. W .) , Rancho del Cielo , 8.VII.1967 , J. Fish , J. Reddell , P. Russell ( 1♀ USNM ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Rancho del Cielo , near cabins, 1200m , 17.VII.2006 , 23º06.063 N , 99º12.191 W , R.S. Anderson , mixed hardwood forest litter, 2006-006 ( 4♂ , 1♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Rancho del Cielo , along road, 1050–1150m , 18.VII.2006 , 23º05.657 N , 99º11.540 W , R.S. Anderson , mixed oak forest litter, 2006-005 ( 1♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Rancho del Cielo , along road, 1200m , 18.VII.2006 , 23º05.657 N , 99º12.191 W , R.S. Anderson , mixed hardwood ( Liquidambar ) forest litter, 2006-007 ( 2♂ , 1♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Rancho del Cielo , along road, 1180m , 18.VII.2006 , 23º05.657 N , 99º12.191 W , R.S. Anderson , mixed hardwood ( Magnolia ) forest litter, 2006-008 ( 14♂ , 7♀♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Julilo , 1450m , 19.VII.2006 , 23º08.473 N , 99º12.789 W , R.S. Anderson , Liquidambar /oak forest litter, 2006-009 ( 7♂ , 4♀♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Julilo , 1380m , 19.VII.2006 , 23º08.473 N , 99º12.789 W , R.S. Anderson , mixed oak forest litter, 2006-010 ( 5♂ , 3♀♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Julilo , 1300m , 19.VII.2006 , 23º08.473 N , 99º12.789 W , R.S. Anderson , mixed oak forest litter, 2006-011 ( 12♂ , 6♀♀ CMNC , UAQM ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Julilo , 1450m , 19.VII.2006 , 23º08.473 N , 99º12.789 W , J.L Cozar , Liquidambar /oak forest litter ( 2♂ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Julilo , 1380m , 19.VII.2006 , 23º08.473 N , 99º12.789 W , J.L. Cozar , oak forest litter ( 2♂ , 1♀ CMNC ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Rancho del Cielo , along road, 1180m , 18.VII.2006 , 23º05.657 N , 99º12.191 W , J.L. Cozar , mixed hardwood forest litter ( 21♂ , 17♀♀ BMNH , CMNC , CWOB , ECOS , UAQM , USNM ) . Municipio Gómez Farías , Julilo , 1450m , 19.VII.2006 , 23º08.473 N , 99º12.789 W , P.J. Horsley , oak-pine forest litter ( 1♂ CMNC ) . Chorological relationships . Sympatric with T. striatifemur and T. kovariki . Theognete distenta species group Recognition . Members of the T. distenta species group can be recognized by very slightly more widely separated procoxae than occur in the T. tzotzil group, as well as by the structure of the prosternum, which has a raised area with a “u”-shaped emargination directed posteriad between the coxae ( Figs. 12–15 ). Along with some members of the T. semistriata group and two T. tzotzil group members, the T. distenta group is the only species group in which some members have a tooth or sharp swelling on the basal margin of the elytra in the humeral region (8 species). With the exception of three species, the aedeagus is not sclerotized across the base. One species has the elytra distinctly punctate with the punctures arranged linearly along the striae. Diagnosis. Length 2.3–4.6 mm . Cuticle black. Legs moderate in length; femora with small, shallow punctures. Pronotal disk weakly cordate (14 species) to transverse and inflated, especially so in males (4 species); medially not carinate; moderately densely, shallowly to deeply punctate, regularly sculptured, not tuberculate laterodorsally; with vestiture of moderately dense to sparse, fine to coarse, appressed to erect, shallowly to distinctly plumose scales more or less evenly distributed over disk (14 species) or concentrated in paramedial and laterodorsal clumps (4 species). Pronotum with flanks flat to subtuberculate anterodorsally. Elytra rounded to elongate oval, widest part at or near midlength, smooth or variously weakly tuberculate (1 species), striae not evident or distinctly punctate and with at least some striae shallowly to moderately strongly impressed (1 species); vestiture composed of fine to coarse, appressed to erect, non-plumose (3 species) to long, distinctly plumose scales scattered regularly over disk or concentrated in clumps; strial punctures not (17 species) to deeply (1 species) impressed in lateral region of elytra. Posterolateral area of elytra with pilose crease (1 species) or variously impressed as series of 3–6 separate to subcontiguous punctures, punctures continuous with punctures of lateral region of elytra (1 species). Procoxae moderately to widely separated, by about half to full width of coxa (2 species). Mesocoxae separated by less than 1.5 x width of coxa. Prosternum variously swollen transversely in front of coxae, swelling broadly U-shaped posteriorly, impressed and pitlike posteriorly under swelling, or with swelling not to very slightly produced posteriad between coxae, deeply impressed and pit-like posteriorly under swelling. Mesosternum flat or slightly sloping anteriad, punctate or impressed to various extent at extreme apex (usually obscured by prosternum), junction with metasternum distinct or with median transverse pit-like, usually pilose, impression bounded posteriorly by metasternum (17 species). Metasternum with moderately deep median impression, with distinct, separate small pits or setose punctures laterally behind mesocoxa that may be subcontiguous with median impression. Abdominal ventrite 5 more or less punctate throughout. Tergite VIII in female emarginate in middle or subtruncate (2 species). Aedeagus short (10 species) to moderate (6 species) or long (2 species), apex rounded, not produced to slightly produced (11 species) or moderately to markedly produced (7 species); dorsally not sclerotized (15 species) or sclerotized (3 species) across base. Distribution. Click here for GoogleEarth® maps of T. distenta species group distributions. Key to species of the T. distenta species group 1 Elytra with all striae, including those in lateral deflexed region, indicated by series of distinct, linearly arranged punctures; stria 1 distinctly linearly impressed but otherwise striae generally not impressed ( Fig. 249 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 266 ......................................................................................................................................................... T. weiri 1’ Elytra with striae not indicated by distinct, linearly arranged punctures, striae generally not impressed although stria 1 and 2 sometimes with few shallow punctures and very shallowly impressed in discal region only ....................... 2 2 Elytra with humeral region with distinct tooth or angulate swelling at basal margin ................................................. 3 2’ Elytra with humeral region lacking tooth or angulate swelling at basal margin, evenly rounded ............................... 9 3 Elytra with posterolateral region with deep pilose crease (as in Fig. 27 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 260 ........... T. kaulbarsi 3’ Elytra with posteroloateral region with a series of punctures ..................................................................................... 4 4 Front coxae separated by about width of coxa ............................................................................................................. 5 4’ Front coxae separated by distinctly less than width of coxa ....................................................................................... 6 5 Elytra with scales erect, clavate (fig. 239); aedeagus as in Fig. 256 ....................................................... T. dansereaui 5’ Elytra with scales appressed, elongate-oval ( Fig. 245 ) ................................................................................ T. newtoni 6 Elytra with scales suberect, recurved; pronotum not distinctly punctate, shining, transverse and inflated in male ( Fig. 250 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 267 .................................................................................................................... T. desautelsi 6’ Elytra with scales appressed; pronotum distinctly punctate, not shining, similarly weakly cordate in male and female ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 7 Elytra distinctly longer than wide ( Fig. 237 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 255 ........................................................ T. romanoi 7’ Elytra rounded and globose, at most very slightly longer than wide ........................................................................... 8 8 Elytra with sutural stria and second stria finely, distinctly punctate and impressed ( Fig. 241 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 259 ................................................................................................................................................................ T. baranowskii 8’ Elytra with sutural stria and second stria not punctate and not to very shallowly impressed ( Fig. 246 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 263 ........................................................................................................................................................ T. globosa 9 Pronotum with scales clumped in distinct paramedian and anterolateral tufts ( Figs. 239 , 247, 248 ) ...................... 10 9’ Pronotum with scales regularly distributed, no distinct tufts although scales sometimes denser in anterior half of disk ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 10 Elytral scales fine, long and shaggy, strial regions with fine, elongate, hair-like, non-plumose scales ( Fig. 248 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 265 . Honduras ...................................................................................................................... T. corderoi 10’ Elytral scales more robust, short to moderate in length, not shaggy, strial regions with fine, hair-like, variously plumose scales ( Figs. 239 , 247 ). México ( Oaxaca ) ........................................................................................................ 11 11 Elytral scales clumped into multi-rowed tufts in anterolateral area ( Fig. 247 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 264 ... T. lalibertei 11’ Elytral scales linearly arranged in anterolateral area, not clumped ( Fig. 239 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 257 ..... T. terrestris 12 Pronotum with distinct large, deep punctures separated by less than their own diameter ........................................ 13 12’ Pronotum with small, shallow to moderately deep but indistinct punctures generally obscured by bases of attached scales .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 13 Elytral scales appressed; pronotum with few sparse but broad, plumose scales; pronotum not inflated in male ( Fig. 252 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 269 . México ( Chiapas ) ............................................................................. T. adarmstrongae 13’ Elytral scales suberect to erect, recurved (arched); pronotal punctures with single elongate, fine, simple scale ( Fig. 253 ); pronotum transverse and inflated in male ( Fig. 253 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 270 . México ( Queretaro ) .................. ..................................................................................................................................................................... T. laurentae 14 Elytral scales appressed to very slightly suberect; aedeagus as in Fig. 261 . Honduras ............................... T. boaseae 14’ Elytral scales distinctly suberect to erect. México .................................................................................................... 15 15 Pronotum and elytra with dorsal vestiture of dense, long, erect, clavate scales recurved at extreme apex, appearing bristly ( Fig. 236 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 254 ...................................................................................................... T. fossor 15’ Pronotum and elytra with dorsal vestiture of moderately dense, long, suberect to erect scales, tapered apically and recurved to various extent throughout entire length of scale, not appearing bristly ................................................. 16 16 Elytra with strial regions with distinct, elongate, fine, hair-like scales ( Fig. 251 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 268 ................. ............................................................................................................................................................... T. broadheadae 16’ Elytra with strial regions lacking distinct scales ....................................................................................................... 17 17 Elytral scales fine, recurved more apically and not fully arched, denser along intervals 2, 4 and 6 ( Fig. 244 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 262 ................................................................................................................................. T. chauliothorax 17’ Elytral scales slightly more robust, recurved more gradually throughout length and generally fully arched, regularly spaced on all intervals ( Fig. 240 ); aedeagus as in Fig. 258 .......................................................................... T. distenta