Smicronychini Seidlitz 1891
Creators: name: Haran, Julien M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae

description: Key to Smicronychini of southern Africa
1. Vestiture of elytra consisting of imbricate scales, polygonal, shiny, completely concealing the integument; middle of 4th interstria generally with a band of white scales (Fig. 1A). Body of penis very elongate (ratio w/l: 0.15), bearing erect setae laterally (Fig. 5A) ....... Sharpia madibai sp. nov.
– Vestiture of elytra different, not combining these traits, lacking contrasting band of white scales on 4 th interstria. Body of penis shorter (ratio w/l above 0.20), sides smooth, not bearing erect setae .. 2
2. Protibiae with a distinct tooth or thickening near middle of ventral side. Body size generally over 2.5 mm ............................................................................... 3 (genus Afrosmicronyx Hustache, 1935)
– Ventral side of protibiae straight or slightly bisinuate, lacking tooth or thickening near middle of length. Body size equal to or under 2.5 mm ........................... 6 (genus Smicronyx Schönherr, 1843)
3. Body black; scales black, short, not overlapping on elytra (Fig. 1B) ...................... A. cycnii sp. nov.
– Body covered with grey or brown or whitish scales, overlapping on elytra and concealing the integument ........................................................................................................................................ 4
4. Antennae slender, segments 3–4 of funicle longer than wide. Tarsi elongate, the length of article 4 exceeding 3, as long as the length of 1 + 2 ............................................... A. nebulosipennis sp. nov.
– Antennae more robust, segment 3–4 of funicle wider than long. Tarsi shorter, length of article 4 exceeding 3, shorter than the length of 1 + 2 .................................................................................... 5
5. Sides of body of penis straight (Fig. 5C), length longer (ration w/l: 0.36) ............. A. louwi sp. nov.
– Sides of body of penis convex (Fig. 5D), length short (ration w/l: 0.56) .......... A. marshalli sp. nov.
6. Integument dark red or with some shade of reddish. Vestiture of elytra forming a large transverse white band on apical half (Fig. 2E); scales rounded, as long as wide. Rostrum very distinctly downcurved in lateral view ............................................................................ S. zonatus Haran, 2018
– Integument of elytra of mature specimens at least partly black. Vestiture forming multiple, poorlydefined and narrow transverse whitish stripes, or vestiture homogenous or almost glabrous. Rostrum moderately downcurved in lateral view (Fig. 3 D–E) ....................................................................... 7
7. Body size over 2.2 mm ..................................................................................................................... 8
– Body size under 2.2 mm ................................................................................................................... 9
8. Integument of prothorax smooth. Scales on elytra elliptical, not overlapping .. S. gracilipes sp. nov.
– Integument of prothorax densely granulate. Scales on elytra rounded, isodiametric, overlapping .... ................................................................................................................................. S. similis sp. nov.
9. Body of penis very short, isodiametric or slightly longer than wide in dorsal view (ratio w/l: 0.8– 1), the sclerotized part of dorsal face narrowed longitudinally (Fig. 5 L–M). Mesanepisterna and Metanepisterna densely covered with overlapping, rounded, whitish scales. ................................ 10
– Body of penis distinctly longer than wide (ratio w/l <0.6), dorsal face fully sclerotized (Fig. 5 G–K, N–P). Episterna with brown or grey scales, generally not concealing the integument. ..................11
10. Prothorax strongly granulate, isodiametric (ratio w/l: 1). Elytra with white and brown scales forming ill-defined transverse white bands (Fig. 2 A–C). Body of penis very short (ratio w/l: 1; Fig. 5L) ........................................................................................................................ S. san sp. nov.
– Prothorax with coarse punctures, slightly longer than wide (ratio w/l: 1.07). Elytra with homogeneous cover of greyish scales, not forming particular pattern (Fig. 2D). Body of penis more elongate (ratio w/l: 0.60; Fig. 5M) ................................................................................ S. drakensbergensis sp. nov.
11. Scales on elytra of fresh specimens scarce, leaving large glabrous areas (Fig. 1 H–I) ................... 12
– Scales on elytra of fresh specimens forming a more or less dense cover over dorsal surface (Figs 1 J– L, 2F–H) ......................................................................................................................................... 13
12. Body of penis black, elongate (ratio w/l: 0.28; Fig. 5G), apodemes ¼ the length of the body. White scales on elytra generally forming transverse bands (Fig. 1H) .................. S. pseudocoecus sp. nov.
– Body of penis brown, less elongate (ratio w/l: 0.44; Fig. 5H), apodemes as long as length of body. White scales on elytra very scarce, forming elliptical spots (Fig. 1I) ........ S. paucisquamis sp. nov.
13. Scales on elytra forming a contrasting black square on basal half of interstriae 1–4, surrounded with white scales (Fig. 2H) ............................................................................... S. namibicus Haran, 2018
– Pattern of elytra different ................................................................................................................ 14
14. Pale scales on elytra generally condensed in an oblique band between shoulders and apical ¾ of suture of elytra (Figs 1J, 2G). Body of penis elongate (ratio w/l <0.35) ....................................... 15
– Pale scales on elytra forming multiple ill-defined transverse stripes or only condensed on shoulders. Body of penis shorter (ratio w/l> 0.40) ......................................................................................... 16
15. Prothorax isodiametric (ratio w/l: 1). Claws always equal in length. Body of penis parallel sided in dorsal view, regularly thick in lateral view (Fig. 5I) ............................... S. fallax (Gyllenhal, 1836)
– Prothorax slightly wider than long (ratio w/l: 1.15). Claws generally unequal in length. Sides of body of penis slightly expanding toward apex in dorsal view .... S. albosquamosus Wollaston, 1854
16. Scales on elytra rounded, homogeneously brown with white scales condensed on shoulders and a few scattered on the rest of elytra (Fig. 2F). On Parthenium L. sp. ........... S. lutulentus Dietz, 1894
– Scales on elytra elongate, much longer than wide, brown, grey or white, the pale scales forming illdefined transverse bands (Fig. 1 K–L) ............................................................................................. 17
17. Integument of elytra at least partly reddish (Fig. 1L). Endophallus slightly sclerified, not visible at base of body of penis in dorsal view ............................................... S. pauperculus Wollaston, 1864
– Integument of elytra entirely black (Fig. 1K). Endophallus sclerified, forming elongated striae at base of body of penis in dorsal view ................................................................... S. australis sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Haran, Julien M., 2021, The Smicronychini of southern Africa (Coleoptera, Curculionidae): Review of the tribe and description of 12 new species, pp. 34-73 in European Journal of Taxonomy 735 on pages 68-69, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.735.1239, http://zenodo.org/record/5707947