Dinas (Microspina) Skuhrovec & Batelka 2014, subgen. nov.
Creators: name: Skuhrovec, JiĜí
name: Batelka, Jan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Dinas

description: Microspina subgen. nov.   
(Figs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2G, 3A–I, 7A–D)  
 Type species. Dinas sitonaeformis Wollaston, 1867: 137.   
 Differential diagnosis. See in Table 1.   
 Etymology. The name of the new subgenus refers to the distinct spina at midlength of the femora and also represents the opposite to Macrospina Mateu, 1956, the only Cape Verde endemic genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae).   
 Comparative notes. We follow WOLLASTON (1867) and ROUDIER (1957) in recognizing two distinct groups of Dinas based on the adult morphological characters given above. In spite of that, we do not consider any of the diagnostic characters as adequate to delimit separate genera. Characters used for delimiting genera in the Entiminae (i.e. size and shape of the epistome, presence/absence of a carina separating the frons from the epistome, presence of the median longitudinal furrow on the epifrons, shape and length of the scrobe, shape of tibial apex, corbels and claws, position of sutures and ratio of length of abdominal ventrites) (R. Borovec, pers. comm.) are identical for all Dinas species. This is a reason why we assign the subgeneric rank to both groups recognized in this study.   
 Length of the scape and its ratio to the length of the funicle is sometimes used as a generic character (R. Borovec, pers. comm.). Species of Microspina subgen. nov. have a long scape, which overlaps the eyes distinctly more than in Dinas (s. str.) species. The length of the scape compared to the funicle, in Microspina subgen. nov. species, is identical (ratio = 1; ratio of scape vs. funicle and club together = 1.5); whereas Dinas (s. str.) species have a longer funicle than scape length (ratio = 0.85; ratio of scape vs. funicle and club together = 1.2). This difference may possibly be explained by the different life styles of the adults. Adults of Microspina subgen. nov. were observed on shrubs eating flowers and pollen grains. On the contrary, Dinas (s. str.) species have so far only been found on the ground and under stones, which may explain their shortened antennae, characteristic of ground-living Entiminae. Whether members of Dinas (s. str.) are nocturnal or diurnal is not known, but diurnal activity of Microspina species is of note, because Laparocerini in the Macaronesian region are nocturnal (MACHADO & AGUIAR 2005) as are many other Entiminae (e.g. the majority of Otiorhynchus Germar, 1822 species).   
Median longitudinal furrow on epifrons small but Median longitudinal furrow on epifrons distinct, deep distinct, shallow and present only on part of epifrons; and well developed in the whole length of epifrons, epifrons without transverse striae along the furrow reaching vertex and occiput; epifrons with transversal (Fig. 2A). striae along the furrow in males (Fig. 2B).  
 The Microspina subgen. nov. may be further subdivided into two subgroups. The characters de¿ning these subgroups are as follows: Microspina species from the Northern Chain islands have narrow elytra, elongated in males and much wider and more oval in females, and their rostrum is concave in the middle on the sides. On the contrary, Microspina species from the Southern Chain islands have broadly ovate elytra which only slightly differ in shape between males and females, and they have the rostrum parallel-sided in the middle.
description: Published as part of Skuhrovec, JiĜí & Batelka, Jan, 2014, Taxonomy of the Cape Verde endemic weevil genus Dinas (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). Part I: Description of a new subgenus, and two new species from São Nicolau Island, pp. 315-336 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54 (1) on pages 319-321, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5301939