New basal taxa of South African Apioninae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Brentidae) Author Wanat, Marek text Zootaxa 2021 2021-09-10 5035 1 1 60 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5035.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5035.1.1 1175-5326 5499024 95CC79A1-8A2D-4532-8E59-A3DA1A437A62 Rhynchitapion pallidum sp. n. ( Figs. 56–88 , 290 ) Type material. Holotype ♂ : a) RSA (S) E Cape 255 m /- 33.9649S / 23.6627E / Tsitsikamma N.P. / Khoisan Village , Rugbos trail/(circuit), medium wet forest/ 22.11.2013 , leg. M. Wanat ( SANC ) . Paratypes ( 6 ♂ 8 ♀ ): Eastern Cape : a) S. Africa. / R . E.Turner. / Brit. Mus. /1923–510, b) Port St John ,/ Pondoland. / Sept. 1923 ( 1 ♀ , BMNH ); a) S. Africa. / R . E.Turner. / Brit. Mus. /1932–521, b) E. Cape Prov. / Katberg / 4000ft. Oct.1932 ( 1 ♂ 1 ♀ , BMNH ); Xholorha Forest , yellow trail 0-1.1 km , - 32.5368S / 27.3647E , 940-1050 m , 17.11.2013 , leg. R . Ruta ( 1 ♂ , MWC ); Tsitsikamma N.P. : Big Tree Forest trails, - 33.9656S / 23.8947E , 260 m , 21.11.2013 , leg. MW ( 1 ♂ , MWC ) ; same data as holotype ( 2 ♀ , MWC ), 22- 23.11.2013 , leg. R . Ruta ( 1 ♀ , MWC ). Western Cape : a) South Africa , CP/ Bloukrans Pass ,/ Tsitsikamma , / 33.57S 23.38E / 06.xii.1988 / R . Oberprieler [-33.95/23.6333] ( 2 ♀ , SANC ); a) S. Afr ..: Cape Prov. / Lily Vlei Nat. Res. / 33.56 S — 23.02 E , b) 4. 1983/wet forest/leg. J. Koen [ -33.9333 / 23.0333 ]( 1 ♀ , TMSA ); a) S.Afr. , S. Cape /Hark- erville Forest / 34.04S- 23.10E , b) 14.12.75, E-Y: 1313/ Sift. at for. marsh/leg. Endrödy-Younga [ -34.0667 / 23.1667 , one specimen teneral, with deformed elytra] ( 2 ♂ , TMSA ); Tsitsikamma N.P. : Nature’s Valley , Grootkloof trail, km 0-1.5, - 33.9678S / 23.5604E , 10-30 m , 23.11.2013 , beating, leg. R . Ruta ( 1 ♂ , MWC ) . Diagnosis. Much less variable and usually smaller (<3.0 mm) than Rh . variiforme sp. n. , differing from the latter species in orange-testaceous head with rostrum, antennae and legs, sparser and all golden-yellowish erect setae on entire body, longer and weaker curved rostrum, narrower head, not enlarged junction of elytral striae 3+8, penis narrowly rounded apically, female having sinuous spiculum ventrale, common oviduct at base with peculiar 3-lobate expansion. It can be distinguished from the uniformly brown Rh . usambarense sp. n. by the presence of darker fasciae on elytra, more numerous long setae on the whole body, longer and narrower rostrum and elytra, and narrower penis. Moreover, Rh . pallidum sp. n. is distinct from both congeners in having by far the thinnest tarsi (basal protarsomere well over 3 × as long as wide) and having frena as the only sclerites in endophallus. See also the key to Rhynchitapion species below. Description. Body 1.90–2.65 mm long, together with appendices light testaceous; elytra lighter than pronotum, pale testaceous or yellowish, with more or less distinctly darkened suture (but not entire sutural intervals), basal twothirds of intervals 9 and 10, and shorter median portions of intervals 7 and 8, additionally each with a variably sized darker fleck in middle of intervals 3–5; intervals 2 and 6 always remaining entire not darkened ( Fig. 57 ). Antennae entirely light testaceous, concolorous with rostrum and legs. Erect hair-like setae fine, all golden-yellow, on elytra not longer than combined breadth of three intervals. Morphological indices (n=11): rl/pl: ♂ 1.15–1.38 (M: 1.28), ♀ 1.37–1.68 (M: 1.54); rl/mxrw: ♂ 3.43–4.40 (M: 3.91), ♀ 4.10–5.15 (M: 4.59); scl/msrw: ♂ 1.33–1.74 (M: 1.50), ♀ 1.46–1.77 (M: 1.64); msrw/mtrw: ♂ 1.03– 1.10 (M: 1.06), ♀ 1.10–1.12 (M: 1.11); msrw/arw: ♂ 1.03–1.15 (M: 1.06), ♀ 0.95–1.03 (M: 1.00); msrw/minrw: 1.03–1.20; msrw/eyl: 0.73–0.87; brl/eyl: ♂ 1.55–2.22 (M: 1.85), ♀ 1.71–2.30 (M: 2.12); eyl/hl: 0.58–0.73; frw/ mtrw: ♂ 0.90–1.05 (M: 0.99), ♀ 1.00–1.15 (M: 1.07); hl/hw: 0.68–0.81; mpw/hw: 1.10–1.23; bpw/apw: 0.95– 1.07; pl/mpw: 1.10–1.24; mew/mpw: 1.72–1.95; el/pl: 2.77–3.14; el/mew: 1.74–2.00; mew/bew: 1.29–1.48; bew/mpw: 1.25–1.45; pft/msrw: 1.06–1.28; ptbl/pl: 1.13–1.31; ptbl/ptbmw: ♂ 6.86–7.25 (M: 6.99), ♀ 8.55–9.83 (M: 9.33). Rostrum parallel-sided, without expansion at antennal insertion, weakly dilated at base ( Figs. 63, 64 ), in profile slightly regularly arched ( Figs. 58, 65 ); entire rostrum finely punctate, on metarostrum also with obsolescent fine dorsal median rib, often incomplete; on sides upper margin of scrobe extended towards rostrum base as fine darker carina ( Fig. 65 ); prorostrum ventrally with thin flat median keel not associated with regular sulci, punctures unordered, partly contiguous, with short, half-erect setae; septum of scrobes flat, vanishing well before head venter; the extreme base of rostrum ventrally with fine irregular furrows. Antennae 0.8–0.9 × as long as elytra, entirely unicolorous and with protruding setae ( Fig. 66 ); antennal insertion sexually different ( Fig. 63, 64 ), ♂ : 0.50–0.55, ♀ : 0.44–0.49 from rostrum base; length/width ratio: scape 5.5–6.8, fun1 3.6–4.0, fun2 3.3–3.9, fun6 2.2–2.6, fun7 2.0–2.4, club 5.9–6.8; length of scape/fun1 1.6–1.9, fun1/ fun2 1.0–1.1, fun3–fun7 all similar, 0.6–0.7 × as long as fun1; club longer than combined length of four most distal funicular segments, with denser and weaker protruding setae. Head narrower than in Rh . variiforme sp. n. ( Figs. 63, 64 ); eyes almost semi-globular; epifrons between eyes slightly concave, with five short longitudinal sulci not much wider than single ommatidium; genae with several fine protruding setae, often arranged in a sparse subocular fringe; temples with a single row of setiferous punctures along posterior margin of eyes, then with several flattened wrinkles ( Fig. 65 ); vertex in middle with small setiferous punctures, on sides in front with punctures bearing long erect setae, posteriorly with few wrinkles continued from temples; gular sector convex, impunctate, between eyes with several blurred transverse wrinkles extending upwards to temples. Pronotum shaped as in Fig. 60 , widest in middle, shiny; punctuation differentiated, in front and middle of disc very fine, with few punctures smaller than ommatidium, bearing long erect setae, in basal half and on sides with punctures a few times larger and much denser, some lateral ones arranged in oblique rows, bearing setae 3–4 × shorter and semi-recumbent ( Fig. 61 ); basal edge of pronotal disc slightly raised; prosternum elevated on anterior margin and declining posterad, about 3 × shorter than hypomeron; prosternellum small, prominent as a conical tubercle; hypomeron with a complete raised rim of procoxae, bare, with irregular elongate punctures on sides. Scutellar shield minute, flat, subquadrate. Elytra regularly convex, with indistinct caudal part, broadest in middle or slightly behind ( Figs. 57, 58, 62 ); striae shallowly impressed, not sharply edged, with small and distant punctures having minute semi-recumbent setae shorter than double diameter of ommatidium, surrounded with visible internal elongate integumental chambers forming catenulate rows darker than pale integument of elytron; intervals gently convex, polished, impunctate, in middle several times broader than striae, in basal parts with sparse minute setae beside the long erect ones; interval 1 weakly raised along suture along middle third of its course; erect setae golden-yellowish, at most 3 × as long as breadth of intervals, gently bent posterad, more distant from each other than double interval’s breadth. Wings as in Rh . variiforme . Mesoventrite with a pair of small punctured fields, partly covered by prothorax; anapleural sutures well seen as dark lines; mesepimeral furrow narrow, with a single row of shortly setiferous punctures. Metaventrite smooth, very finely and sparsely punctate, on sides with long semi-recumbent setae; posterior rim of mesocoxae separated with distinct line. Abdomen elongate, 1.25–1.30 × as long as wide; ventrites 1–2 and 5 with minute and sparse setiferous punctures; ventrites 3–4 microreticulate; ventrite 5 with setiferous punctures denser on sides and close to apical margin. Legs long and thin. Femora slender, 2.8–3.0 × as long as high, with shiny integument, around with semi-erect setae, scale-like microsculptured only near articulations. Protibia on inner side sharply edged in distal half (more distinctly in males), and along distal one-third with appressed setae, not forming a distinct stripe; apical comb of golden setae inconspicuous. Protarsus as in Fig. 68 , 4.2–4.8 × as long as wide; tarsomere 1 cylindrical at least in basal half, tarsomere 2 weakly widened apicad, both with a minute black median dot on apical margins; length/ width ratio of tarsomeres: 1st—3.2–4.5, 2nd—1.6–2.0, 3rd—0.9–1.1; onychium protruding beyond tarsomere 3 by 0.40–0.55 own length; claws with small triangular teeth ( Fig. 59 ). Male. Protibia slightly bent inwards apically ( Fig. 69 ); meso- and metatibial mucro as in Fig. 67 . Abdominal ventrite 5 subtruncate apically, about 2.0 × as broad as long ( Fig. 74 ). Posterior margin of tergite VII with a very short fringe of microchaetae ( Fig. 73 ). Pygidium more rectangular in outline ( Fig. 70 ) and more globose than in Rh . variiforme , with apical declivity nearly vertical ( Fig. 71 ); internal tongue-like process isodiametric ( Fig. 72 ). Sternite VIII with lateral arms shorter than in Rh . variiforme and with fine sclerotized lines along basal and apical margins ( Fig. 81 ). Paired additional sclerites in the membrane between sternites VIII and IX circular. Spiculum gastrale symmetrical with straight arms ( Fig. 82 ). Tegmen with apodeme as long as basal piece arms ( Fig. 78 ); tegminal plate about twice as long as wide ( Fig. 77 ), widest subapically; suprafenestral sclerotizations asymmetrical, with straight basal margin, not fully marginal and surrounded apically with very short transparent membrane, bearing 5–6 long macrochaetae; transparent fenestral sector much smaller than in Rh . variiforme , with anterior extensions of prostegial lateral sclerotization reaching suprafenestral sclerites, additionally each parameral lobe laterally with a short longitudinal sclerotized carina; median transparent stripe of fenestral sector with microchaetae; postfenestral plate short, its margin closer to parameral lobes blurred; prostegium with well delimited one-third wide lateral sclerotized stripes and median transparent one. Penis with apodemes slightly shorter than pedon; pedon about 3.2–3.3 × as long as wide, slightly sinuate apically in profile ( Figs. 75, 76 ), in dorsal view regularly narrowing since about two-thirds length from base and narrowly rounded apically, apex poorly canaliculate and the lines not evidently radiate; endophallus with no sclerites but a pair of clavate frena situated at the pedon base in repose; inflated endophallus with a subtriangular apex having two pairs of v-like positioned dorsal conical lobes laying above each other, additional pair of finger-like latero-ventral lobes based at about the level of gonopore, bent apically; additional low median lobe present between the ventral lobes; ejaculatory duct entering in a deep dorsal depression before the inflated and lobate apex of endophallus ( Figs. 79, 80 ); gonopore on a small, bipartite, densely microspinose internal lobe ended with a minute hook. Female. Abdominal ventrite 5 broadly rounded apically, about 1.7 × as long as wide, at inner side in a transmission light with sharply delimited bladal sclerotization, not margined by any rim or carina, just by a border line ( Fig. 88 ). The fold of genital sheath encompassing ovipositor with dense transverse rows of strongly transverse microplates. Tergite VII narrowly rounded, with marginal rim ( Figs. 83, 84 ). Tergite VIII divided into a pair of thin, largely reduced hemitergites forming a semi-circle in repose ( Figs. 84, 86 ). Spiculum ventrale strongly sinuate, with obsolescent basal plate ( Figs. 84, 86 ). Gonocoxites as in Fig. 85 ; styli long and narrow, more than 3 × as long as wide. Bursa large, simply membranous, subrectangular in profile when inflated. Common oviduct with a peculiar membranous accessory gland bearing three finger-like smaller lobes ( Fig. 87 ). Spermatheca narrow, with elevated bulbus receiving small gland and thin cornu abruptly bent subapically ( Fig. 56 ). FIGURES 57–74. Rhynchitapion pallidum sp. n. Male, Tsitsikamma, dorsal habitus (57). Female, Lily Vlei: lateral habitus (58); tarsal claws (59); prothorax in dorsal (60) and lateral (61) views; elytra in postero-lateral view (62). Rostrum and head in dorsal view, female (63), male (64).Female: rostrum and head in lateral view (65); antenna (66). Male metatibial mucro (67). Female protarsus (68). Male: protibia with mucro (69); pygidium in dorsal (70), lateral (71) and ventral (72) views; tergite 7 (73); abdominal ventrites (74). Biology unknown. Rainforest species. Distribution. R.S.A. ( Eastern Cape , Western Cape ), from Port St Johns in the north to Harkerville in the south ( Fig. 290 ). Etymology. The name consisting of Latin adjective pallidus —pale, with ending – um appropriate for neuter, and referring to generally light colour of the species, specifically of the elytra.