Curculionoidea (weevils) of New Caledonia and Vanuatu: Basal families and some Curculionidae Author Kuschel, Guillermo John T. Huber text Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 2008 197 99 250 journal article 978-2-85653-605-6 1243-4442 Hellerius obtusus n. sp. Fig. 28 DESCRIPTION. — Pale grey, densely squamose. Elytra in either sex with two tubercles at end of dorsum, a prominent one on interstria 3, a small one on 5, this a little basad from that on 3; elytral dorsum in lateral view in female rather strongly convex (much as in H. labrami ). Male: tergite 7 truncate. Sternite 9 robust, strongly curved, ending in a large, broad expansion. Aedeagal body about 1.3 x longer than apodemes, rather strongly curved, blunt at apex, shallowly emarginated at base; flagellum shorter than aedeagal body, robust, with a heavily pigmented base, reinforced and wider at basal 1/4, from here on half the basal thickness. Female: sternite 8 rather broadly rounded at apex, medially strongly pigmented, briefly bifurcate, rather densely setose; apodeme unusually robust, especially near blade. Distal hemisternites parallel-sided, with apical margin below styli at about right angle to axis, with a distinct emargination. Spermathecal duct extension curving strongly away from stem; stem reinforced to a knob, conically extended towards a cylindrical gland. Length: 6.2-8.0 mm. TYPE MATERIAL . — Holotype male, Bourail , IV.2001 , S. Cazeres , NZAC . Paratypes with BPBM , IRSN , MNHW , NZAC , QMBA , SRFP . MATERIAL EXAMINED . — New Caledonia . 2 males , Tiéa For- Bourail , IV.2001 , on Jasminum S. Cazeres ; 1 male , 1 female , Pocest , 21°07’S , 164°57’E , 30 m , 31.I.2004 , M. Wanat ; 1 male , 1 quereux nr La Foa , II.2002 , on Jasminum, J. P. Kataoui ; 1 male , female, Nakéty, 26.IV.2005 , G. B. Monteith ; 1 male , 1 female , Mt. Mou , 22°05’S , 166°22’E , 350 m , 4.II.2005 , G. B. Monteith ; 1 male , Col des Pirogues, 13.II.1962 , N. L. H. Krauss; 1 female , 1 female , Nouméa, Coll. Fauvel; 1 female , Plum, 20-60 m , 23- 10 km S of Koh, 300 m , 31.I.1963 , G. Kuschel; 1 female , Mok- 25.III.1968 , J. L. Gressitt; 1 male , ‘Nouvelle-Calédonie’, Coll. oué to Dothio, 150-500 m , 20-22.III.1968 , J. L. Gressitt; 1 male , Fauvel. 15 specimens . ETYMOLOGY. — The species name ‘obtúsus’ is Latin for blunt in reference to the aedeagal apex. REMARKS. — The two specimens from the Tiéa Forest , in the far NW of the main island, have very low tubercles compared with typical specimens. They are cited under H. obtusus but not included in the type series .