Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk 1966
Creators: name: Haran, Julien M.
name: Marvaldi, Adriana E.
name: Benoit, Laure
name: Oberlander, Kenneth
name: Stals, Riaan
name: Oberprieler, Rolf G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Cryptolarynx

description: Genus Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966
Cryptopharynx Marshall, 1957: 17, preoccupied by Cryptopharynx Kahl, 1928 in Ciliophora: Loxodida.
Type species, by original designation: Cryptopharynx vitis Marshall, 1957.
Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966: 745 (replacement name for Cryptopharynx Marshall, 1957).
Cryptolarynx – Van den Berg 1968: 183–221 (characters). — Thompson 1992: 842, 848, 876, 881–883 (characters, relationships). — Lyal 1995: 49–51 (ventral head structures). — Lyal & King 1996: 765 (elytral file absent). — Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999: 72 (catalogue). — Marvaldi & Morrone 2000: 48 (characters). — Oberprieler et al. 2007: 494–495, 505 (species numbers, photograph). — Oberprieler 2014: 425–426, 430, 437–439 (characters, classification, relationships, biology).
The description of Cryptolarynx by Marshall (1957) was based on the two species known at the time, C. vitis and C. estriatus. Van den Berg’s (1968) detailed description supposedly applies to C. vitis as well, but this cannot be ascertained as several species of the genus occur in the area where he collected his material and no specific vouchers specimens were identified in the insect collection at Stellenbosch University. Several additional species were collected afterwards, Oberprieler et al. (2007) reporting at least another 16 species to occur in South Africa, but these were left undescribed until now, and the characteristics of Cryptolaryngini discussed by Oberprieler (2014) were also essentially based on C. estriatus and C. vitis.
Redescription (♂)
APPEARANCE AND MEASUREMENTS. Small to medium-sized weevils, body length 1.5–4.5 mm. Body in dorsal view stocky, subglobose, broadly ovate or somewhat elongate-ovate (Fig. 1). Pronotum in most species widest at base, elytral base then subequal in width; pronotum in some species widest at its middle, elytral base then as wide as widest part of pronotum. Elytra widest at or close to their middle. Body in lateral view (Fig. 3I –II) rather hunched, highest just behind elytral base to middle of elytral length; head almost hypognathous.
COLOUR AND VESTITURE. Body integument black; antennae, tibiae and tarsi generally reddish. Dorsal vestiture (pronotum + elytra) consisting of short, recumbent clothing scales, these isodiametric to 2× as long as wide, not aligned on interstriae, more or less concealing integument, colour ranging through black, dark brown to pale brown and grey to white, orange to yellow in one species; darker scales usually concentrated medially on pronotum and from there in broad stripe on elytral interstriae 1–3; paler scales concentrated at sides of dorsum or pale areas reduced to strips laterally on pronotum and along elytral interstriae 4; elytra with a pair of pale spots on interstriae 2–3 at apical ⅔ of length, spots sometimes hardly discernible or confluent to form a pale transverse band that may further merge with pale areas laterally; scales arising from strial punctures suberect in some species and then up to 4× as long as wide.
HEAD. Head capsule globose, in repose deeply retracted into prothorax, leaving only vertex and often eyes visible in dorsal view. Eyes subcircular or slightly oval, usually only slightly convex, situated dorsally or sublaterally, surrounded by a ring of mostly pale recumbent scales. Forehead flat, width ranging from less than to twice width of eye; fovea absent. Distance between eye and scrobe smaller than width of eye. Rostrum very short and broad, not differentiated from head; mandibles abutting anterior part of procoxae when head in repose. Epifrons short, width ¾× to subequal to width of forehead, medially deeply longitudinally depressed, epifrontal scales recumbent or suberect and orientated towards mouthparts. Frons largely indistinguishable but set off from epistome by slight carina, with 1 or more pairs of long setae laterally. Epistome crescentic, anterior margin medially notched, sometimes medially with single elongate seta about half as long as frontal setae. Mandibles beak-like, paucisetose (4–8 setae on each), with 2 setae long and erect and the others shorter; without scales. Maxillae with galea and lacinia separate, both bearing apical setae. Antennae inserted subdorsally at approximately midlength of rostrum; scapes slender, as long as or longer than width of epifrons between antennal insertions, regularly curved, clavate at apex and bearing erect setae, in repose folding into narrow scrobes extending onto underside of rostrum; funicles 7-segmented, longer than scape, segment 1 longer than wide, longer than or as long as 2, 1–4 flattened dorsoventrally, 2 and 4 or 2–4 angular or toothed ventrally, 5–7 globular or moderately elongate; funicles entirely hidden between head and pronotum when head in repose; clubs 4-segmented, fusiform, acuminate, shorter than funicle.
THORAX. Pronotum convex, at least moderately transverse, widest at base or near midlength, sides arcuate; integument finely and densely punctate, dull between punctures; anterior margin bisinuate, posterior margin more or less bisinuate, fitting closely to elytral bases up to level of elytral humeri. Prothorax anteriorly on each side produced into a large sharp-rimmed ventrolateral lamina extending from lower level of eye down to anterior edge of procoxa, concealing anterior prothoracic margin beneath it, rim of lamina asetose but anterior margin fringed with row of dense plumose scales, longer below eyes but shorter ventrally along prosternum. Prosternum broad, very short, depressed below anterior edge of procoxae, declivous, abutting rostrum when head in repose; procoxal cavities medially confluent, hypomeral lobes behind them short, suture of median junction faintly discernible. Mesoventrite deeply depressed, almost vertically declivous, intermesocoxal process subtuberculate; mesepimera narrowly triangular, fully separating mesanepisterna from elytral margin. Metaventrite narrower than width of metatarsus; metanepisterna fully fused to metaventrite, metanepisternal suture completely obliterated.
SCUTELLUM. Scutellar shield not exposed.
ELYTRA. Globular to broadly ovate, sides convex, widest near or anterior of midlength; jointly rounded at apex; elytral base broadly concave, not marginate; integument flat, dull or shiny, 10-striate but striae generally indiscernible on outer surface, mixed with regular punctures and covered by scales.
METATHORACIC WINGS. Absent.
LEGS. Slender. Procoxae subcontiguous, mesocoxae separated by 0.25× width of a mesocoxa. Trochanters with single long erect seta. Femora subcylindrical, unarmed; metafemora not reaching elytral apex. Tibiae straight, expanding slightly from base to apex, inner margin at least slightly bisinuate, protibiae crenulate in distal half, meso- and metatibiae unarmed; apex without spurs but with small stout mucro, this sometimes larger on metatibiae, meso- and metatibiae without corbels. Tarsi short or slender, segment 1 isodiametric or 2× as long as wide, longer than 2; 3 deeply bilobate; 5 about 2× as long as 3, gradually broadening apicad; claws paired, free, divaricate, simple with small basal lobe and long stiff ventrobasal seta.
ABDOMEN. Ventrites more or less concave medially, median impressions surrounded with cuticular ridges or not, surface more or less densely clothed with pale, recumbent scales, intermixed with suberect setae; ventrite 1 medially about twice as long as laterally, as long as or longer than each of ventrites 2–4, intercoxal process usually ogival in shape, with apex pointed or rounded, medially slightly concave to convex; ventrite 5 flat or medially slightly concave, apically devoid of scales.
MALE TERMINALIA. Body of penis elongate or moderately elongate (W:L ratio 0.25–0.6), 0.5–2.0 × as long as temones, acuminate at apex, moderately curved in profile; tectum narrow but distinct; endophallus with symmetrical copulatory sclerite, sometimes divided into two symmetrical structures, and with rows of cuticular denticles more or less visible between copulatory sclerite and base of penis body. Parameroid lobes of dorsal plate of tegmen separate, divided by median notch, not fused; apical setae always present but variable in length, number and arrangement. Spiculum gastrale asymmetrical; divergence of basal arms V- or U-shaped, right arm often angulate medially or bearing a tooth externally.
FEMALE TERMINALIA. Gonocoxites (Fig. 8K) elongate, narrowly triangular, with only a few setae apically; styli inserted apicolaterally, 2 × as long as wide, apices with 5–6 very short setae. Sternite VIII (Fig. 8L) with basal arms symmetrical, half the length of apodeme, angular at midlength. Spermatheca (Fig. 8M) stocky, cornu wide and slightly curved, nodulus rounded, collum and ramus not differentiated.
Sexual dimorphism
The sexes are distinguishable by their body shapes, males being smaller and globular and females larger and broadly ovate, and by the structure of the ventrite 1, in males centrally depressed but covered by plumose scales and in females flat.
Distribution
South Africa.
Key to the species of Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966 (males)
1. Epifrons narrow; distance between antennal insertions 0.5× length of scape (Fig. 4A–F). Scales in elytral striae suberect, on elytral declivity in lateral view generally visible above clothing of appressed scales (Fig. 3C). Distance between scrobe and lower margin of eye (Fig. 8B) distinctly greater than width of antennal club (Fig. 3A–F). Parameroid lobes elongate and narrow at apex, laterally narrowed before apex and hence spatulate (Fig. 2A–C, E–F), or sides subparallel and not spatulate (C. muellerae sp. nov., Fig. 2D) ........................................................................................ 2
– Epifrons wider; distance between antennal insertions at 0.7 to 1× the length of scape (Fig. 4G–W). Scales in elytral striae recumbent, not distinctly erect, in lateral view not visible above clothing of appressed scales (Fig. 3G–W). Distance between scrobe and lower margin of eye (Fig. 8B) greater or less than width of antennal club. Parameroid lobes variable in shape, usually wide at apex (Fig. 2G–W) ................ 7
2. Pale scales on forehead adjacent to eyes directed towards centre of eyes (Fig. 4A–C, E–F). Metatibial mucrones strongly developed, almost perpendicular to external margin of metatibiae (Fig. 8G). Apical half of metatibiae medially with setae shorter than segment 5 of metatarsi. Parameroid lobes laterally narrowed before apex (Fig. 2A–C, E–F) .......................................3 (C. vitis species group)
– Pale scales on forehead adjacent to eyes directed posteriad (Fig. 4D). Metatibiae with only a small mucro. Apical half of metatibiae medially with fringe of long white setae as long as segment 5 of metatarsi. Parameroid lobes with margins subparallel, straight before apex, hence not spatulate (Fig. 2D) ............................................................................................ 4. C. muellerae Haran sp. nov.
3. Body globular (Fig. 1A–C). Elytra isodiametric or wider than long (W:L ratio 1.0–1.1) ................ 4
– Body elongate (Fig. 1E–F). Elytra longer than wide (W:L ratio 0.9) ............................................... 6
4. Elytral scales distinctly suberect on entire elytral surface, at angle of 45° with cuticle (Fig. 3C). Abdominal ventrite 1 flat, not raised in middle (Fig. 5C) .............3. C. squamulatus Haran sp. nov.
– Elytral scales recumbent or only moderately raised, only visible in lateral view, at angle of <30° with cuticle (Fig. 3A). Abdominal ventrite 1 raised in middle, ventrite 2 declivous posteriorly (Fig. 5A–B). ......................................................................................................................................................................5
5. Appressed scales on dorsum dense, concealing integument; elytral scales imbricate, contiguous or subcontiguous (Fig. 1A). Scale covering of mes- and metanepisterna similar to that on lateral elytral interstriae. Copulatory sclerites of penis shaped like a tilted “E” (Fig. 2A) ...................................... .................................................................................................................. 1. C. vitis (Marshall, 1957)
– Appressed scales on dorsum sparse, not concealing integument; elytral scales distinctly non-contiguous (Fig. 1B). Scale covering mes- and metanepisterna white and dense, contrasting with glabrous appearance of lateral elytral interstriae (Fig. 3B). Copulatory sclerites of penis sagittate (Fig. 2B) ..............................................................................................2. C. subglaber Haran sp. nov.
6. Forehead narrow, interocular distance smaller than or subequal to width of an eye (Fig. 4E) .......... ................................................................................................................5. C. hirtulus Haran sp. nov.
– Forehead wider, interocular distance greater than width of an eye (Fig. 4F) ..................................... .............................................................................................................. 6. C. robustus Haran sp. nov.
7. Forehead narrow, as wide as or slightly narrower than distance between antennal insertions (Fig. 4G– I). Ventral prothoracic scales near eyes (Fig. 8C) not visible, in lateral view not exceeding anterior margin of pronotum .......................................................................................................................... 8
– Forehead wide, at least slightly wider than distance between antennal insertions, if equally wide (C. homaroides sp. nov.) then copulatory sclerites of penis shaped like a lobster (Fig. 2R). Ventral prothoracic scales near eyes (Fig. 8C) generally visible, in lateral view exceeding anterior margin of pronotum ......................................................................................................................................... 10
8. Metatibiae proximally simply cylindrical, without carina. Eyes large, width greater than length of antennal clubs. Abdominal ventrite 1 medially with erect setae as long as scales on ventrites; surface of ventrite 5 with longitudinal impression at approximately midlength (Fig. 5G). Apices of parameroid lobes with minute setae (Fig. 2G) .............................. 7. C. namaquanus Haran sp. nov.
– Metatibiae proximally with inner side bearing a carina (Fig. 8E). Eyes small, width subequal to or smaller than length of antennal clubs. Abdominal ventrite 1 medially with erect setae twice as long as scales on ventrites; surface of ventrite 5 flat, without impression (Fig. 5H–I). Apices of parameroid lobes with long, erect setae (Fig. 2H–I) ........................................................................ 9
9. Subbasal inner carina of metatibiae forming distinct angle with long axis of metatibia (Fig. 8E, right). Copulatory sclerite of penis consisting of two parts, a longer apical part and a shorter basal part (Fig. 2H) ...................................................................................... 8. C. carinatus Haran sp. nov.
– Subbasal inner carina of metatibiae not forming notable angle with long axis of metatibia (Fig. 8E, left). Copulatory sclerites of penis basal, each serrate medially (Fig. 2I) .......................................... ............................................................................................................. 9. C. variabilis Haran sp. nov.
10. Scales on epifrons suberect, visible in lateral view, their apices raised from integument (Fig. 4J–L). Distance between eye and scrobe subequal to or greater than width of antennal club (Fig. 3J–L) .... ..........................................................................................................................................................11
– Scales on epifrons recumbent, not visible in lateral view, their apices indiscernibly raised from integument (Fig. 4N–W). Distance between eye and scrobe generally smaller than width of antennal club (Fig. 3P) .................................................................................................................................. 13
11. Abdominal ventrite 1 with a short but high flat longitudinal peg on either side of midline (Fig. 5J). Parameroid lobes rounded at apex, bearing a single long, erect seta (Fig. 2J) ................................... .........................................................................................................10. C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957)
– Abdominal ventrite 1 medially flat to slightly concave, lacking peg (Fig. 5K–L). Parameroid lobes bluntly truncate or rounded at apex, bearing multiple erect setae (Fig. 2K–L) .............................. 12
12. Forehead wide, interocular distance significantly greater than width of an eye (Fig. 4K). Median impression of abdominal ventrite 1 concealed by scales similar to those on rest of ventrites (Fig. 5K). Metatibiae with apical mucro, apical half with inner fringe of setae as long as those on protibiae. Parameroid lobes with apical setae shorter than length of lobes (Fig. 2K) ........................................ ......................................................................................................... 11. C. pyrophilus Haran sp. nov.
– Forehead narrower, interocular distance subequal to width of an eye (Fig. 4L). Median impression of abdominal ventrite 1 concealed by plumose scales different from those on rest of ventrites (Fig. 5L). Metatibiae without mucro, apical half with inner fringe of setae twice as long as those on protibiae. Parameroid lobes with apical setae almost as long as lobes (Fig. 2L) ..12. C. pilipes Haran sp. nov.
13. Apex of protibiae expanded on inside near mucro, sometimes bearing teeth (Fig. 8I) .................. 14
– Apex of protibiae not so modified .................................................................................................. 16
14. Erect setae medially on ventrite 1 simple, not bifid at their apices (Fig. 5M). Copulatory sclerites of penis in form of small bars (Fig. 2M) ................................................. 13. C. armatus Haran sp. nov.
– Erect setae medially on ventrite 1 deeply divided, at least at their apices (Fig. 5N–O). Copulatory sclerites of penis either elongate and sickle-shaped or small and arrowhead-shaped (Fig, 2N–O) ... ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
15. Copulatory sclerites of penis elongate and sickle-shaped (Fig. 2N). Funicles with segment 2 as long as 1 ..................................................................................................14. C. falciformis Haran sp. nov.
– Copulatory sclerites of penis small and shaped like arrowheads (Fig. 2O). Funicles with segment 2 shorter than 1 ................................................................................ 15. C. oberprieleri Haran sp. nov.
16. Funicles with segment 2 with a distinct inner tooth directed anteriad (Fig. 8H), segment apically distinctly wider than apical width of segment 1 ............................ 16. C. spinicornis Haran sp. nov.
– Funicles with segment 2 apically as wide as 1, at most angled on inside ...................................... 17
17. Abdominal ventrite 1 medially with intermingled recumbent scales and erect setae, integument more or less concealed by scales (Fig. 5Q–S) ......................................................................................... 18
– Abdominal ventrite 1 medially with only erect setae and no scales, integument clearly visible (Fig. 5T–W) .................................................................................................................................... 20
18. Epistome with one or two median setae (Fig. 4Q) .................. 17. C. cederbergensis Haran sp. nov.
– Epistome without median setae (Fig. 4R–S) .................................................................................. 19
19. Body short, stocky; elytra isodiametric (W:L ratio 1) (Fig. 1R). Parameroid lobes apically with two brushes of elongate setae; copulatory sclerites of penis together shaped like a lobster (Fig. 2R) ...... ....................................................................................................... 18. C. homaroides Haran sp. nov.
– Body elongate; elytra longer than wide (W:L ratio 0.8) (Fig. 1S). Parameroid lobes apically with erect setae, the median ones longest; copulatory sclerites of penis weakly sclerotised, consisting of an elongate cluster of small cuticular teeth (Fig. 2S) .......................19. C. marshalli Haran sp. nov.
20. Pronotum with small cuticular depression on either side of midline. Body slender, pronotum and elytra moderately imbricate (W:L ratio of body <0.55) (Fig. 1T) ....20. C. endroedyi Haran sp. nov.
– Pronotal surface regular, without cuticular depressions. Pronotum and elytra tightly fitting onto another, lending the body a stocky appearance (W:L ratio of body>0.55) (Fig. 1U–W) .............. 21
21. Forehead as wide as width of an eye (Fig. 4U). Forehead and epifrons with sparse cover of scales, on epifrons mostly not contiguous, at centre of forehead leaving a bare area (Fig. 4U) .................... ........................................................................................................21. C. oberlanderi Haran sp. nov.
– Forehead 1.2–1.4 × as wide as width of an eye (Fig. 4V–W). Epifrons medially with overlapping scales (Fig. 4V–W) ......................................................................................................................... 22
22. Abdominal ventrite 2 with at least 20% of the erect setae bifid from base or from midlength (Fig. 5V). Parameroid lobes with apical setae shorter than incision between lobes (Fig. 2V); body of penis parallel-sided, its sides abruptly converging at apex (Fig. 2V) ..................22. C. san Haran sp. nov.
– Abdominal ventrite 2 with erect setae either not bifid or bifid only apically (Fig. 5W). Parameroid lobes with apical setae longer than incision between lobes (Fig. 2W); body of penis with sides sinuate, gradually converging from midlength to apex (Fig. 2W) ...................................................... ........................................................................................................ 23. C. luteipennis Haran sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Haran, Julien M., Marvaldi, Adriana E., Benoit, Laure, Oberlander, Kenneth, Stals, Riaan & Oberprieler, Rolf G., 2023, Revision of the enigmatic South African Cryptolaryngini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), with description of a new genus and twenty-two new species, pp. 1-89 in European Journal of Taxonomy 877 (1) on pages 7-65, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.877.2151, http://zenodo.org/record/8110586