Cryptolarynx robustus Haran & Marvaldi & Benoit & Oberlander & Stals & Oberprieler 2023, sp. nov.
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
Cryptolarynx robustus

description: 6. Cryptolarynx robustus Haran sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 1907FA04-FD58-4E1E-AAC1-83CE5225B449
Figs 1F, 2F, 3F, 4F, 5F
Differential diagnosis
Cryptolarynx robustus sp. nov. belongs to the C. vitis species group, see Remarks section under that species for details. In this group it is distinguishable from C. hirtulus sp. nov. by the width of its forehead being greater than the width of an eye (narrower in C. hirtulus). Uncorrected p-distances between C. robustus (JHAR02560) and C. hirtulus (JHAR02561) were found to be 17.4% for COI and 1.7% for EF1 (Supp. file 1).
Etymology
The species name is derived from the Latin adjective ‘ robustus ’ and refers to the stocky appearance of the species. The specific epithet is an adjective in the masculine form.
Material examined
Holotype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; “REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape Province, Malmesbury. 10.ix.2019. J. Haran leg.” “ 33.454° S 18.743° E, at base of Oxalis spp. JHAR02560_0101. Cirad-CBGP coll.” “Holotype. Cryptolarynx robustus Haran 2023 ”; SAMC.
Paratypes REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – Western Cape • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; SAMC • 1 ♀ (preserved in ethanol); same collection data as for holotype; CBGP.
Description (♂)
MEASUREMENTS. Body length 4.5–5 mm.
COLOUR AND VESTITURE. Body integument black, antennae, tarsi and sometimes tibiae reddish. Dorsal vestiture (pronotum + elytra) consisting of short, overlapping, recumbent, subtriangular clothing scales, 1.2–2 × as long as wide, subcontiguous on interstriae, and longer, slightly suberect scales, at least 3× as long as wide, in each strial puncture, visible in lateral view on elytral declivity; scales creamy-white, brown and black; pale scales usually concentrated in two longitudinal stripes on pronotum and on elytral interstria 4, black scales forming spots on interstriae 1–4 at apical ⅔ of elytral length.
HEAD. Forehead slightly wider than epifrons near antennal insertions, wider than width of an eye, scales suberect, not entirely concealing integument. Eyes flat, in dorsal view only slightly exceeding outline of head, surrounded by a ring of short pale scales directed towards centre of eye; distance between eye and scrobe larger than width of antennal club. Epifrons narrow, distance between antennal insertions 0.5× length of scape, scales at least 3× as long as wide, suberect, overlapping. Frons with single pair of long lateral setae. Epistome with two median setae arising from same puncture. Antennal funicles with segments 1–2 elongate, subequal, about 3× as long as wide; 3–4 slightly longer than wide, compressed, slightly angular on inside; 5–7 globular, isodiametric.
PRONOTUM. Transverse (W:L ratio 1.3), almost semicircular in dorsal view, widest near midlength, sides arcuate; width of apex 0.67 × width of base.
ELYTRA. Broadly ovate, slightly longer than wide (W:L ratio 0.9), sides convex, widest near midlength.
LEGS. Protibiae with outer margin straight, inner margin slightly bisinuate; metatibiae with black apical mucro and inner setal fringe, the setae shorter than segment 5 of metatarsus. Tarsi with segment 2 slightly wider than long.
ABDOMEN. Ventrite 1 slightly concave; ventrites 1–2 with plumose scales medially; other surfaces with overlapping creamy-white scales, partly concealing integument.
TERMINALIA. Body of penis elongate (W:L ratio 0.3), 1.5–1.7× as long as temones, sides moderately convex, widest near midlength; curvature in profile weak and regular, dorsoventrally slightly narrowed before apex. Copulatory sclerite weakly sclerotised or not discerned in examined specimen. Parameroid lobes separate, divided by deep median notch, each lobe narrow, narrowed anteapically and rounded at apex, bearing long setae marginally and discally, all setae oriented centrifugally. Spiculum gastrale with basal arms regularly curved.
Sexual dimorphism
Males can be distinguished from females by the width of their forehead (as wide as epifrons in male, distinctly wider in female), and females also lack a mucro on the metatibiae and plumose scales on ventrite 1.
Life history
Adults of C. robustus sp. nov. were collected in September, at the bases of plants of Oxalis cf. purpurea in patches of Renosterveld.
Distribution
The species was only found at the type locality in the Western Cape province (Fig. 13).
Remarks
Cryptolarynx robustus sp. nov. and C. hirtulus sp. nov. have a similar general appearance and can be found in sympatry at the same localities.
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 25-28, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.877.2151, http://zenodo.org/record/8110586