Theognete backorum Anderson 2010, new species
Creators: name: Anderson, Robert S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Theognete
Theognete backorum

description: <b>63. <i>Theognete backorum</i> Anderson, new species</b> (Figures 153, 188, 223) <b>Diagnosis.</b> Size. Length, male, 3.03–3.82mm; female, 3.43–3.99mm. Width, male, 1.63–2.25mm; female, 1.85–2.08mm. Pronotum weakly cordate, moderately deeply, rather densely punctate except along midline and towards lateral margins; scales appressed or feebly arched, short and broad, not clumped, apices plumose; flanks with punctures subcontiguous but not arranged into sulci. Elytral intervals with single row of wellspaced, non-overlapping, suberect to erect, clavate, simple scales. Strial regions each with a row of appressed, fine, hair-like scales. Posteroloateral area of elytra with a series of 3–4 distinct punctures. Aedeagus as in Fig. 188. <b>Geographical distribution</b>. México (Chiapas). <b>Natural history</b>. Collected from berlese extraction of cloud forest, liquidambar forest and riparian mesophytic forest leaf litter at elevations ranging from 1300–2100m. <b>Derivation of specific name</b>. Through his support of the Nature Discovery Fund at the Canadian Museum of Nature, this species is named after Frédéric and Guylaine Back of Monteral, Quebec, Canada, as a gift from Mario Lalanne. <b>Material examined</b>. 30&amp;male;, 13&amp;female;&amp;female; (CWOB, CMNC, ECOS). Holotype &amp;male; (CMNC): MÉXICO: Chiapas. 8.9km E. Rayón, 1500m, 19.IX.1991, R. Anderson, cloud forest litter, 91-109 / HOLOTYPE &amp;male;, <i>Theognete backorum</i> sp. nov., R. S. Anderson. Aedeagus extracted. Paratypes: MÉXICO. Chiapas. El Bosque (6.6 mi. W.), 4800', 29.VIII.1973, A. Newton (2&amp;male; MCZC). Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán (8 mi. N), 6000', 26– 27.VIII.1973, A. Newton, berlese cloud forest leaf litter (2&amp;male;, 1&amp;female; MCZC). Rayón (8.9 km E.), 1500m, 19.IX.1991, R. Anderson, cloud forest litter, 91-109 (10&amp;male;, 4&amp;female;&amp;female; CMNC). Bochil (5.9 km. E.), 1300m, 15.IX.1992, R.S. Anderson, 92-104, riparian mesophytic forest litter (1&amp;male; CMNC). Yerbabuena Preserve, 2.1 km. N. W. Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán, 2100m, 23.IX.1992, 92-114, R.S. Anderson, cloud forest litter (3&amp;male;, 2&amp;female;&amp;female; CMNC). Yerbabuena Preserve, 2.1 km. N. W. Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán, 2100m, 23.IX.1992, 92-114, R.S. Anderson, liquidambar forest litter (2&amp;male;, 1&amp;female; CMNC). Municipio Solhistuacán, Reserva La Yerbabuena, 17°11'00.3" N 92°53'52.4" W, 2050m, 22.VII.2003, R. Anderson, wet cloud forest litter, 2003-115 (1&amp;male; CMNC); same as before except: 1950m, oak/pine/liquidambar forest litter, 2003-116 (1&amp;female; CMNC); 1850m, oak/pine/liquidambar forest litter, 2003-117 (1&amp;male;, 1&amp;female; CMNC). Municipio Coapilla, Cerro El Calvario, nr. Tapalapa, 17°10'25.8" N 93°07'52.2" W, 2000m, 23.VII.2003, R. Anderson, oak/pine/liquidambar forest litter, 2003-119 (7&amp;male;, 4&amp;female;&amp;female; CWOB, CMNC, ECOS). Municipio Coapilla, Coapilla (6–8km. N.E.) 17º 10’25” N 93º 07’52” W, 2030m, 26.VII.2005, R. Anderson, oak/pine/liquidambar forest litter, 2005-009 (1&amp;male;, CMNC). <b>Chorological relationships</b>. Sympatric with <i>T. sylvatica</i>, <i>T. campbelli, T. cortesi, T. illuviosa, T. weadockae, T. jonesi</i> and <i>T. tzotzil</i>.
description: Published as part of <i>Anderson, Robert S., 2010, A taxonomic monograph of the Middle American leaf-litter inhabiting weevil genus Theognete Champion (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Molytinae; Lymantini) 2458, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 2458 (1)</i> on page 62, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2458.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5316658