Tepperia vagabunda Tsuji & Yoshitake 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Tsuji, Naomichi
name: Yoshitake, Hiraku
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Tepperia
Tepperia vagabunda

description: Tepperia vagabunda Tsuji & Yoshitake sp. nov.
(Figs. 15–18, 22–24 & 37–54)
http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B1F814A4-4E1E-4C16-8809-763B9BFF9037
Diagnosis. This species is similar to T. palawanica in general appearance but can be clearly distinguished from it by having paired brown longitudinal scaly bands on the pronotum and a thicker rostrum whose dorsal contour is more strongly arcuate.
Description. Male. Measurements (n = 10; in mm): TL 7.1–8.2 (holotype 7.9, mean 7.7), LP 2.1–2.6 (2.5, 2.4); WP 2.4–2.8 (2.7, 2.7); LE 5.0–5.6 (5.4, 5.3); WE 3.3–3.9 (3.8, 3.7).
Most parts of body covered with dull-white to yellowish brown recumbent scales. Vertex with paired medial patches of dark brown scales behind eyes. Rostrum covered with brownish subovate to oblong scales, which become smaller and slenderer toward apex. Pronotum mainly covered with close light-colored subovate scales, sparsely mingled with whitish and brownish suberect scales, which become slenderer toward apex; medial part bearing paired narrow triangular patches of brownish scales along midline; apical margin with paired tufts of brownish suberect scales on middle. Lateral parts of prothorax densely covered with light-colored scales, sparsely mingled with dark brown suberect scales; prosternal canal mainly glabrous except apical part densely covered with light-colored slender scales. Scutellar shield subglabrous, except apico-lateral part fringed with minute scales. Elytra mostly covered with light-colored to brownish subovate scales, with the following two paired markings of dark suberect scales: obscure stripes on subbasal parts of 4th intervals and spots on behind middle of 4th intervals; dark spots sometimes extending to 3rd intervals; strial punctures each bearing whitish subrecumbent spathulate scale. Mesoventral receptacle densely covered with minute scales on apical margin. Metaventrite and metanepisterna also covered with light-colored subovate scales, except glabrous patch on post-median part of metaventrite. Legs with femora and tibiae irregularly mottled with light-colored to brown scales. Profemur with triangular glabrous patch on apico-ventral part; meso- and metafemur glabrous ventrally along ventral sulci. Abdominal ventrites closely covered with pale brown recumbent scales and sparsely mingled with subrecumbent scales.
Head (Fig. 22). Rostrum LR/WRM 2.6–2.9, LR/LP 0.7–0.8, thicker, in profile more strongly curved ventrad; sides more weakly attenuate from base to before middle; dorsal contour more strongly arcuate. Antennae inserted just behind middle; approximate length ratio of 1st to 7th funicular segments as follows: 2.8–3.5: 2: 1: 1: 1: 1.2: 1.2–1.4; club 2.3–2.6 times as long as wide, 0.7–0.8 times as long as funicle.
Thorax. Prothorax LP/WP 0.8–0.9; sides slightly attenuate from base to behind middle.
Elytra LE/WE 1.4–1.5, WE/WP 1.4–1.5, with subbasal part weakly separately prominent on sutural intervals and 3rd and 4th intervals. Sutural intervals with minute irregular granules; 9th weakly granulate-costate from about middle to subapical part; 10th weakly granulate-costate. 10th striae more deeply sulcate on entire length.
Meso- and metafemora with ventral sulci arising from base. Tibiae weakly tuberculate basally on outer margins, then subparallel-sided apically; mesotibiae (Fig. 24) slightly curved inward. Tarsi with 1st tarsomere 1.5–2.3 times as wide as long, 1.7–1.9 times as long as and as wide as 2nd, 1.5–1.8 times as long as 3rd; 2nd subquadrate, as long as wide; 3rd 1.6–1.8 times as wide as long; 5th almost as long as 3rd.
Metaventrite approximately 1.3 times as long along midline as maximum length of mesoventrite.
Abdomen. Ventrites irregularly punctate; ventrite I slightly longer, 1.6–1.9 times as long as II along midline, hardly to barely emarginate along apical margin.
Terminalia (Figs. 37–45). Penis with body approximately 1.4 times as long as wide, subparallel-sided or slightly expanded in basal 1/3, then gently convergent apically, in profile slightly thinner; apex more weakly arcuate, faintly notched at middle.
Female. Measurements (n = 10; in mm): TL 5.4–8.3 (mean 7.6), LP 1.6–2.5 (2.3); WP 1.8–2.8 (2.6); LE 3.8–5.8 (5.2); WE 2.6–3.9 (3.7). Rostrum (Fig. 23) LR/WRM 2.5–3.0, LR/LP 0.7–0.8; dorsal surface with punctures sparser on apical half; sides more strongly attenuate from base to middle. Prothorax LP/WP 0.9. Elytra LE/WE 1.4–1.5, WE/WP 1.4–1.5. Ventrite I slightly inflated medially excepting abdominal process flattened.
Terminalia (Figs. 46–50). Tergite VIII with apical margin simple, not notched at middle. Spiculum ventrale with apical plate subparallel-sided basally. Spermatheca thicker, with cornu more strongly curved apicad.
Etymology. The specific name, “ vagabunda ”, is a Latin adjective meaning vagabond, referring to its dispersal habit with fruits of Heritiera littoralis.
Type material. Holotype, male (KUM): “(Ryukyus) / Nakaragawa River / Iriomote I. / I. Matoba ”, “ 28.IV.2005 / サキシマスオウノキ / DZƗよりī化 ”, “HOLOTYPE / Tepperia / vagabunda / Tsuji et Yoshitake, 2025” (typed on a red card; newly attached).
Paratypes. Japan: the Ryukyu Islands: [Ishigakijima Is.] 1 female, Omoto-dake, 16.III.1964, Y. Miyatake leg. (KUM). 1 ex., Omoto, 8.VI.1975, T. Takahashi leg. (KUM). [Iriomotejima Is.] 1 ex., Haiminaka, 22.III.2023, K. Fukui, S. Katoh, H. Hoshito & K. Nishida leg., as a fruit of Heritiera littoralis, emerged 6.V.2023 (PCKF). 10 exs., Komi, 25.XII.2004, J. Kantoh leg. (PCHY); 1 female, 20.V.2005, I. Matoba leg., emerged from a fruit of H. littoralis (KUM); 2 males & 1 female, 21.V.2005, I. Matoba leg., emerged from fruits of H. littoralis, (KUM); 1 male, 7.VI.2005, I. Matoba leg., emerged from a fruit of H. littoralis, (KUM); 7 exs., 29.III.2020, H. Yoshitake leg., as fruits of H. littoralis, emerged 15.IV–1.V.2020 (PCHY). 1 male, Tudwumari-hama (Tsukigahama) Beach, 5.III.2015, M. Wakabayashi leg., as a fruit of H. littoralis, emerged 27.IV.2015 (KUM); 1 ex., 26.III.2022, M. Maruyama, T. Hashizume & S. Imada leg., as a fruit of H. littoralis, emerged 5.V.2022 (KUM). 1 male & 3 females, same data as the holotype (KUM); 2 males & 1 female, same locality as the holotype, 25.IV.2005, I. Matoba leg. (KUM); 2 males & 2 females, 26.IV.2005, I. Matoba leg. (KUM & PCIM); 1 male & 7 females, 1.V.2005, I. Matoba leg. (KUM). 1 male, “Sonae” [sic!] (Sonai), 30.V.1977, J. Okuma leg., at light (KUM). 1 male, Amitori, 29.X.1988, M. Iwata leg. (KUM). 2 exs., east coast, 16–19.X.2011, S. Tetsu leg., as a fruit of H. littoralis, emerged 10.XII.2011 (PCHY). Taiwan: 1 male, Kuraru, 31.VIII.1921, T. Esaki leg. (KUM).
Non-type material examined. Japan: the Ryukyu Islands: [Iriomotejima Is.] 1 female, same data as the holotype (KUM; an abnormal specimen with distorted elytral apices).
Distribution. Japan: the Ryukyu Islands (Ishigakijima Island and Iriomotejima Island); Taiwan.
Natural history. Tepperia vagabunda is associated with Heritiera littoralis. The type series emerged from H. littoralis fruits washed ashore (Fig. 51). Larvae grew in and fed on H. littoralis seeds (Figs. 52 & 53) and pupated in the seeds when they fully matured. One or more individuals were found inside a seed (Fig. 53). New adults emerge through holes made in H. littoralis pericarps (Figs. 53 & 54).
description: Published as part of Tsuji, Naomichi & Yoshitake, Hiraku, 2025, Presence of the genus Tepperia Lea (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Oriental Region, with new combination for a Philippine species and description of a new insular species associated with the looking-glass mangrove, Heritiera littoralis Dryand. ex Aiton (Malvaceae), pp. 126-138 in Zootaxa 5613 (1) on pages 132-137, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5613.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/15216270