Mecinus latiusculus
Creators: name: Caldara, Roberto
name: Fogato, Valter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Mecinus
Mecinus latiusculus

description: 4. Mecinus latiusculus (Jacquelin du Val)
Figs 3, 111
Gymnetron latiusculum Jacquelin du Val, 1855: 68, note. H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862: 631. Desbrochers des Loges, 1893: 44. Reitter, 1907: 20. Hustache, 1931: 410, 419. Hoffmann, 1958: 1278, 1289.
Mecinus latiusculus (Jacquelin du Val). Caldara, 2001: 183.
Gymnetron flavipes Betta, 1857: 62. Caldara & Colonnelli, 2012: 91.
Gymnetron latiusculum var. rufescens Tempère, 1961: 98 (infrasubspecific name).
Gymnetron latiusculum var. uniseriatum Tempère, 1961: 98 (infrasubspecific name).
Type locality. Montpellier (France).
Type series. We have not found specimens of the type series in the collection Jacquelin du Val (MNHN). However, the original description corresponds exactly to the species usually named as M. latiusculus.
Synonyms. Gymnetron flavipes was described by Betta from specimens from Lombardy (northern Italy) no longer available. According to the original description Caldara & Colonnelli (2012) designated the neotype of this species and synonymized it with M. latiusculus.
The two varieties from France, rufescens and uniseriatum, were described respectively from a specimen collected at Morières (Vaucluse) and from three specimens collected at Coustouges and Banyuls-sur-Mer (Pyrénées-Orientales) and at Tende (Alpes-Maritimes). They can be considered unequivocally as infrasubspecific according to Art. 45.6.3 of 'ICZN (1999), since described by Tempère after 1960, and therefore these names are unavailable (ICZN 1999 Art. 45.5). However, we examined these specimens and could ascertain that they are really synonymous with M. latiusculus.
Redescription. Male. Length 2.0 mm. Body: short, oval, stout (Fig. 3). Rostrum: black, moderately long (Rl/ Pl 0.82), subcylindrical; in lateral view weakly curved, similar in width from base to apex; in dorsal view with subparallel sides, with moderately visible scrobes, distinctly striate-punctured to near apex then smooth and shining, in basal half with recumbent to erect, moderately dense, greyish, long (l/w 7–10), seta-like scales. Head: frons as wide as rostrum at base, with shallow fovea; eyes flat. Antennae: reddish with dark brown club, inserted at middle of rostrum; scape long, 5.0x longer than wide; funicle slightly longer than scape, segment 1 2.5x longer than wide, slightly stouter and 1.5x longer than segment 2, which is twice as long as wide, segments 3 and 4 about as long as wide, segment 5 weakly transverse; club short, oval, segment 1 almost glabrous. Pronotum: black, with dense and regular punctures, intervals between punctures narrow, smooth and shining, hardly visible between recumbent, moderately dense, yellowish grey, long to very long (l/w 9–12), narrow but not seta-like scales, which are denser at sides where they are also slightly wider; distinctly transverse (Pw/Pl 1.46), with moderately rounded sides, with weakly prominent apical constriction, widest at basal third, moderately convex. Elytra: reddish with black interstria 1; short (El/Ew 1.14), oval, moderately wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.39), at base weakly concave, with weakly rounded sides, widest at basal third, somewhat convex on disc; interstriae hardly visible between somewhat dense, yellowish grey, long to very long (1.0–1.5x longer than width of interstria; l/w 10–15), seta-like scales, which are arranged in 1–2 irregular rows on interstriae 2–4, 6 and 7, more numerous and arranged in 3 irregular rows on other interstriae, subrecumbent to erect (for the most part), on apical half of interstria 1 slightly longer and cristate; striae moderately visible, one third narrower than interstriae, with a row of scales which are slightly thinner and shorter than those of interstriae. Legs: moderately stout, with recumbent to suberect, moderately dense, whitish, seta-like scales, which are distinctly shorter than width of tibia; femora reddish, subclavate, all with distinct small tooth; tibiae reddish, moderately long, protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward; unci blackish, moderately stout; tarsi reddish, tarsomere 1 1.2x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 about as long as wide, tarsomere 3 bilobed and distinctly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium about as long as tarsomeres 1–3 taken together; claws blackish, equal in length, fused in basal half. Venter: metasternum black, somewhat visible between recumbent, moderately dense, whitish, seta-like scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna with somewhat dense, whitish, seta-like scales and wide, fringed scales; abdomen black, with dense and regular punctures, which are clearly visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, seta-like scales; ventrites length ratio 1–2/3–4 2,12. Penis: fig. 111.
Female. As in male except rostrum distinctly longer (Rl/Pl 1.09), thinner, moderately curved, smoother and more shining, antennae inserted between basal third and median third, femora with very small tooth. Sternite 8 and spermatheca: as in M. pascuorum (Figs 144 and 157).
Variability. Length 1.8–2.3 mm. Sometimes the apical part of the rostrum is reddish. The elytral vestiture varies in thickness.
Remarks and comparative notes. This species is characterized by the particular disposition of the elytral vestiture, which is denser on some interstriae, especially on the apical half of interstria 1, where the scales are slightly longer than others and form a comb. It is closely related to M. pascuorum, M. crassifemur and M. ictericus; apart from the elytral vestiture, M. latiusculus can be separated from these species by the rostrum in female being less curved, whereas it differs from the first two species also by the more transverse pronotum and the smaller tooth of the profemora in male.
Biological notes. Larvae feed on fruits of Plantago sempervirens Cranz (= P. cynops L.). Adults were collected also on P. arenaria W. & K. (Hoffmann 1958).
Distribution. Spain, France, Italy; quoted by Hoffmann (1958) also from southern Russia and the Carpathians.
Non-type specimens examined. SPAIN: Andalucía, Almeria, Sa de las Estancias SW Rubio, 1500–1800 m, 5.V.1985, Warchalowski leg. (1, DEIM); Andalucía, Granada (4, MNHN); Aragona, Sierra de Loarre, S Jaca, 13.V.1999, Białooki leg. (1, PBCS); Aragona, Moncayo, 1000–1500 m, 20.V.1999, Talamelli leg. (3, FTCM); Comunidad Valenciana, Alicante, Callosa, 20.IV.1980 (3, MMCT); Galicia, Roda de Bara, NE Taragona, 7.VI.1997, Białooki leg. (1, PBCS). FRANCE: Aquitaine, Veynas, Planet leg. (2, MNHN); Languedoc-Roussillon, Aude, Fabrezan, 29.V.1984, Péricart leg. (1, MNHN); Languedoc-Roussillon, Aude, Portal, 5.VI.1965, on Plantago cynops (10. MNHN); Languedoc-Roussillon, Lozere, Florac, 5.VI.1959, on Plantago cynops (4, MNHN); Languedoc-Roussillon, Pyrénées-Orientales, Amelie-les Bains, 25.V.1950. Tempère leg. (4, MNHN); Languedoc-Roussillon, Pyrénées-Orientales, Prades (15, MNHN); Languedoc-Roussillon, Pyrénées-Orientales, Targassonne, 29.VI.1962 (2, MNHN); Provence-Alpes- Côte d'Azur, Alpes Maritimes, Bézaudun, 18.VII.1975, Péricart leg. (1, MNHN); Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Le Bonde, 17.VII.1925 (1, MNHN); Provence-Alpes- Côte d'Azur, Alpes Maritimes, Saint Dalmas de Valdeblore, 1300 m, 24.VII.1967, Péricart leg. (1, MNHN); ProvenceAlpes-Côte d'Azur, Alpes Maritimes, Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée, 4.VII.1967, Péricart leg. (4, MNHN); ProvenceAlpes-Côte d'Azur, Alpes Maritimes, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, 3.VII.1967, Péricart leg. (1, MNHN); ProvenceAlpes-Côte d'Azur, Vaucluse, Badoin, 26.V.1957, on Plantago cynops (12, MNHN); Rhône-Alpes, Drôme, Nyons (3, MNHN); Rhône-Alpes, Isère, Champ, 29.V.1907, Planet leg. (5, MNHN). ITALY: Lombardia, Pavia, Varzi, 2.VI.1973, Caldara leg. (1, RCCM); Lombardia, Pavia, S. Margherita di Staffora, 20.V.2002, Diotti leg. (1, LDCC); Lombardia, Pavia, Monte Penice, 9.VI.1966, Bartoli leg. (8, CPCM); Liguria, Genova, Val Bisagno, V.1954, Magnano leg. (1, LMCP); Liguria, Savona, Andora, 29.V.1966, Bartoli leg. (2, CPCM); Emilia Romagna, Forlì, Passo dei Mandrioli, 1900 m, Pain leg. (1, CPCM); Marche, Monte Castel Manardo, 1600 m. 8.VII.1940 (1, HWCB); Umbria, Perugia, Colfiorito, 10.VII.1957, Mancini leg. (1, GOCA); Lazio, Monte Giano, La Mozza, 1550 m, 22.VI.1991, Borovec leg. (1, RBCS); Abruzzo, L'Aquila, Assergi, 18.V.1975 (1, ECCR); Abruzzo, Monte San Franco, 1600 m, VIII.1989, Magnano leg. (3, LMCP); Abruzzo, Gran Sasso, Monte Cristo, 26.V.1984, Colonnelli leg. (4, GOCA); Abruzzo, Gran Sasso, Campo Imperatore, 1900 m, 10.VIII.1969, Caldara leg. (1, RCCM); Abruzzo, L'Aquila, Collebrincioni, 1100 m, 16.VI.1988, Poggi leg. (1, MSNG); Abruzzo, Majella, Vall'Orfento, Decontra, 8.V.1988, Altea & Osella legg. (2, GOCA); Abruzzo, Monti della Laga, P. Sevo, 1800–2400 m, 19.VI.1973, Cornacchia leg. (1, PCCP); Abruzzo, L'Aquila, Sella di Corno, 1000 m, 23.VI.1991, Borovec leg. (1, RBCS); Abruzzo, Gran Sasso, Passo delle Capannelle, 1250 m, 24.VI.1991, Borovec leg. (4, RBCS); Abruzzo, L'Aquila, Monte Calvo, 1500 m, 23.VI.1991, Borovec leg. (1, RBCS); Abruzzo, Pescara, Popoli, Colle Capo Pescara, 28.VIII.1992, Osella leg. (1, GOCA); Abruzzo, L'Aquila, Barisciano, 1000 m, 26.V.1986, Colonnelli leg. (1, PACF).
description: Published as part of Caldara, Roberto & Fogato, Valter, 2013, Systematics of the weevil genus  Mecinus  Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I. Taxonomic treatment of the species, pp. 1-105 in Zootaxa 3654 (1) on pages 15-16, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3654.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5265486