Smicronyx guineanus Voss 1956
Creators: name: Haran, Julien
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Smicronyx
Smicronyx guineanus

description: Smicronyx guineanus Voss, 1956
Figs 2C, 4G, 5O
Smicronyx guineanus Voss, 1956: 628 –629
Material examined. Burkina-Faso, Bobo-Dioulasso, 1956, in nest of birds (1♀, MNHN). Cameroun, Garoua, 26.xi.1974 (1♀, CBGP). Chad, moyen chari, Fort Archambault Bakaré ou Soungoul, v.1904, J. Decorse leg. (1♂, MNHN). Ethiopia, Wollo province, Kobbo & Waldia, 16.viii.1989, Striga hermonthica, C. Parker (3♂, 1♀, BMNH); “Asteromariam”, Tsedeke, 22.xi.1982, ex. Striga sp., Abate coll. (3♂, 1♀, BMNH). Gambia, Sololo, 8.x.1982, on Striga, S. Sagnia (2♂, 2♀, BMNH). Mali, Suigima, SB 179A, 14.1666 N, 7.2332 W, 17.viii. 2013, 160 m, aerial sampling helium balloons with glue trap, LMVR/NIAID/NIH (1♂, 2♀, NMNH); Suigima, SB178A, 14.1666 N, 7.2332 W, 17.viii. 2013, 120 m, aerial sampling helium balloons with glue trap, LMVR/NIAID/NIH (1♂, NMNH); Suigima, SB410A, 14.1666 N, 7.2332 W, 27.viii. 2014, 190 m, aerial sampling helium balloons with glue trap, LMVR/NIAID/NIH (1♂, NMNH). Niger, Birni N’Konni, 14.ix.1985, Striga hermonthica, R. H. Markham (1♂, BMNH); Madarounfa, 11.x.1986, Striga aspera, K. van Elsen (1♀, BMNH); Magaria, 11.ix.1985, Striga gesnerioides, R. H. Markham (1♂, 2♀, BMNH); Maradi, 5.i.1986, Striga hermonthica, K. van Elsen (1♂, 3♀, BMNH); region of Zinder, from Maradi to Dungass, Mission Tilho, viii.1910, R. Gaillard leg. (1♀, MNHN); region of Zinder, Sultanat of Damaghèrim, Dungass, Mission Tilho, x.1910, R. Gaillard leg. (1♀, MNHN); Tabla, 15.ix.2017, M. Garba leg., on Striga hermonthica, JHAR00519_0101 (1♂, CBGP); no locality, x.1986 – ii.1987, ex. Striga hermonthica, K. van Eslen (4♂, 3♀, BMNH). Senegal, Dahra, 24.ix.1986, P. Bruneau de Miré leg., light trap (1♀, CBGP); Fatick, 9.x.2017, on Striga hermonthica parasite of maize plantation, J. Haran leg., JHAR00444 (2♂, CBGP); Kedougou, 27.ix.1981, P. Bruneau de Miré leg., light trap (1♂, 2♀, CBGP); Saint Louis, 1906, G. Melou leg. (1♀, MNHN); Thies, Bombay road, 16.xi.1983, Striga hermonthica, D.J. Greathead coll. (2♂, 5♀, BMNH); 1984, Striga on millet plants (1♀, BMNH). Sudan, Kassala Province, 1982, Striga hermonthica (2♂, 1♀, BMNH). West Africa (no locality), emerged xii.1985 – i.1986, reared ex galls of Striga gesnerioides, R. H. Markham (10♂, 9♀, BMNH).
Diagnosis (♂). Body length 2.5–2.7 mm. Colour. Body integument black, tibiae dark reddish; vestiture of elytra consisting of rounded or moderately longer than wide, recumbent, slightly overlapping scales, almost concealing integument, and series of semi-erect elongate scales on all interstriae; scales of elytra light brown, with patches of pale grey and white, usually paler on humeri and on basal half of the sides. Head. Rostrum moderately downcurved in lateral view, slightly longer than head capsule + prothorax; antennae inserted near or beyond middle. Prothorax. Slightly wider than long (w/l ratio: 1.05), sides greatly rounded, widest slightly behind middle, constricted apically, with a spot of whitish scales near scutellum, scales of sides more dense and more white. Elytra. Subparallel in basal two-thirds, rounded toward apex in apical third, widest near middle (w/l ratio: 0.58). Legs. Femora clavate, armed with distinct ventral tooth; tibiae straight, slightly bisinuate ventrally near basal third. Genitalia. Penis very elongate (w/l ratio: 0.2), sides concave, expanding in apical half and converging near apex, apex acuminate, moderately curved in lateral view, curvature stronger in apical third (Fig. 5O).
Life history. Larvae of S. guineanus have been reared from galls and seed capsules of Striga hermonthica, S. gesnerioides and S. aspera parasites of corn, millet and sorghum. Adults are found in large numbers on stems and flowers of S. hermonthica, S. gesnerioides (Anderson and Cox, 1997) and Alectra vogelii Benth (Otiodobiga 1997). Adults were collected or emerged from host plants from July to February.
Distribution. West Africa, eastward through sub-Saharan Africa to Ethiopia and Tanzania (Anderson and Cox 1997). Locations of the material examined: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali, Niger, and Senegal.
Discussion. Smicronyx guineanus is closest to S. buchnerae (see discussion on that species for diagnostic characters). Smicronyx guineanus is sympatric with Afrosmicronyx umbrinus Hustache and these species are often recorded on the same host plant. Both species have a similar general appearance, but S. guineanus is much smaller (below 3 mm, while A. umbrinus has a size of 3.8–4.0 mm) and has unarmed tibiae (A. umbrinus has a distinct ventral tooth on tibiae). One specimen of this species (JHAR00519_0101) was sequenced for the standard barcode (mitochondrial COI, genbank accession number: MH898572).
description: Published as part of Haran, Julien, 2018, A review of the genus Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae) in tropical Africa, pp. 267-287 in Zootaxa 4508 (2) on pages 283-284, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4508.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/2607088