Solariola mariaeclarae Bello' & Osella & Baviera 2019, sp.n.
Creators: name: Bello', Cesare
name: Osella, Giuseppe
name: Baviera, Cosimo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Solariola
Solariola mariaeclarae

description: Solariola mariaeclarae Bellò, Osella & Baviera sp.n.
(Figs 9, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9 ’, 9’a, 9’b, 9’c, 9’d, 9’e, 9bis, 9bisa, 9bisb, 9bisc, 9bisd, 9bise, 9’bis, 9’bisa, 9’bisb, 9’bisc, 9’bisd, 9’bise, 44i, 55, 55’, 98, 141, 184) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7AE310ED-26C9-4C95-9DC2-4882F05E74E6
Type locality. Sicily, Catania, Calatabiano, Foce Alcantara (Fig. 235).
Diagnosis. A large size Solariola (TL: 3.10–3.60 mm; BL: 2.60–3.20 mm) belonging to the doderoi group with slender body shape. Within the species group, it is easily recognisable by brownish cuticle, the mesorostrum covered by whitish-yellowish pappolepida and the elongate elytra with elytral punctures very small. Rostrum quite elongate (RL: 0.50–0.65 mm, RW: 0.35–0.45 mm, RL/RW: 1.33–1.44). Mesorostrum carinae divergent to sides. Forehead convex (FW/MW: ratio 2.30–2.55). Mesorostrum and submentum covered by whitish, compact and elongate pappolepida. Antennae elongate and thin (SL: 0.55–0.70 mm, FL: 0.85–1.00 mm, SL/FL: 0.65–0.72). Pronotum transverse or slightly elongate (PL: 0.70–0.85 mm, PW: 0.65–0.85 mm, PL/PW: 0.95–1.08) with many echinopappolepida at base. Elytra sub-parallel to sides, dorsally vaulted (EL: 1.77–2.25 mm, EW: 0.91–1.10 mm, EL/EW: 1.95–2.24.
Type series. Holotype male with following labels: [genitalia in DHMF] [transparent label] / ♂ [w, p] / Sicilia, Catania, Calatabiano, S. Marco, Foce Alcantara, vaglio Populus, 01. III. 2013, leg. Baviera C[osimo] [w, p]. / N37°48.368’ E15°15.335’ [w, p] / Solariola alcantarae, Holo [r, hw] / collezione Cesare Bellò / esemplare fotografato by Francesco Sacco [y, p] / Solariola mariaeclarae Holotype det. Bellò, Osella & Baviera, 2018 [r, p] (MCIZ).
Paratypes. 70 specimens (34 males and 36 females) with following labels: Sicilia: Catania, Calatabiano, S. Marco, Foce Alcantara (Alcantara S 1), 29. VI. 2010, leg. Baviera C. / N37°48.368’ E15°15.335’ (CBA); ibidem, 19. V. 2010, Baviera leg. (CBA, CBE); ibidem, 11. III. 2011, Baviera leg. (CBA); I, Sicilia, Catania, Calatabiano, San Marco, Foce Alcantara, vaglio Populus, 01. III. 2013 / N37°48.348’ E15°15.335’ Baviera leg. (CBA, CBE, LDO); ibidem, 18. XII. 2013, leg. Baviera (CBA, CBE, GOS, LDO, MZUF). All with label: Solariola mariaeclarae paratype det. Bellò, Osella & Baviera, 2018 [r, p].
Additional material examined. 20 males and 31 females with following labels: Sicilia: Messina, Graniti, Postoleone, vaglio Quercus, 340m, 19. XII. 2013, leg. Baviera C. / N37°52.770’ E15°12.210’ (CBA, CBE); ibidem, 11. 03. 2015 (CBA, CBE). 1 female: Sicilia, Catania, Castiglione di Sicilia, 600 s.l.m., CTCG1.1, 19. IV. 2010, Leg. Baviera C. (CBA). Additional material examined are fifty-two specimens.
Holotype description. Male. See Figs 9, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e. Body shape slender and subcylindrical (TL: 3.20 mm and BL: 2.70 mm). Brownish cuticle.
Rostrum quite elongate (RL: 0.55 mm, RW: 0.40 mm, RL/RW: 1.37), conical to sides with expanded pterygium. Epistome absent. Mesorostrum carinae divergent to sides. Submentum covered by whitish-yellowish pappolepida, also around mesorostrum. Interocular pit visible. Forehead convex (FW/MW: ratio 2.30). Vestigial eyes flat and just visible.
Antennae thin and elongate (SL: 0.60 mm, FL: 0.90 mm, SL/FL: 0.67); AS ratio: 8.7.4.3.3.3.3.15. Scape clubbed, slightly more robust than funicle, curved at proximal third and progressively thickening towards apex. Funicle long and quite thin; all antennal segments with short and thin setae. Club three-segmented, elongate-oval, in length twice the width, densely covered by thin setae.
Pronotum slightly elongate (PL: 0.70 mm, PW: 0.65 mm, PL/PW: 1.08), wider at middle and with many echinopappolepida at base. Scutellum visible.
Elytra elongate, sub-parallel to sides, dorsally vaulted (EL: 1.90 mm, EW: 0.95 mm, EL/EW: 2.00), wider in the middle with just convex suture. Humeri rounded. Striae with 15–16 punctures, catenulate, shallow. Interstriae flat with short and recumbent setae. Elytral declivity>60 degrees.
Legs quite slim and elongate with femora clubbed. Protibia with five–six spines on inner edge and an evident mucro on inner apical angle. Protibia sinuous on inner edge and slightly curved in side view. Metatibia and mesotibia straight in side view. All tibia with noticeable apical comb.
Tarsal segment 1 short, conical; segment 2 short and transverse; segment 3 very bilobed; all segments with thin golden setae. Onychium curved, robust and short with one short claw.
Male genitalia. See Figs: dorsal shape aedeagus Fig. 55; apex of penis Fig. 55 ’; IX sternite Fig. 98.
Female genitalia. See Figs: spermatheca Fig. 141; VIII sternite Fig. 184.
Sexual dimorphism. Males can usually be recognized by their smaller size, slender appearance, more rounded humeri, legs stronger with a more noticeable apical mucro, and ventrites 1 and 2 slightly hollowed.
Paratypes and others specimens variability. Paratypes, sexual dimorphism excluded, are similar to the holotype but differ in size. Specimens not paratypes, differ from those typical for the pronotum as long as wide.
Distribution. See Figs. 221, 221a. Sicilian endemic. Known from Catania, Calatabiano, Alcantara River mouth, and Postoleone locality, inside the catchament area of the Alcantara River, at 300–400 meters of elevation.
Etymology. This species is named after Maria Chiara, the young daughter of one of us (Baviera).
Ecology and Phenology. We collected S. mariaeclarae by Winkler or Berlese extractors from soil obtained sifting the leaf litter on sandy soil sifting Populus sp. (Foce Alcantara) or clay soil (Postoleone) sifting Quercus sp., in winter.
Main soil type. Fluvic-Eutric Cambisol (European Soil Data Centre; Panagos et al. 2012).
Reproduction. Amphigonic.
Associated species. Sympatric with Pseudomeira obscura (A. & F. Solari, 1907) and Pseudomeira vitalei (Desbrochers, 1892) at the Alcantara River’s mouth and Pseudomeira erinacea Bellò & Baviera, 2010 in Postoleone.
description: Published as part of Bello', Cesare, Osella, Giuseppe & Baviera, Cosimo, 2019, A taxonomic monograph of the genus Solariola Flach, 1908 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), pp. 1-261 in Zootaxa 4676 (1) on pages 58-71, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4676.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3468945