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394 Accepted by R. Anderson: 26 Aug. 2013; published: 6 Sept. 2013
ZOOTAXA
ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)
ISSN
1175-5334 (online edition)
Copyright © 2013 Magnolia Press
Zootaxa 3709 (4): 394–400
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Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3709.4.6
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6C12E275-C5F4-4372-99E9-A6FF79FA9170
A new species of Anchylorhynchus Schoenherr (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
from the Amazon, with a record of a new host palm for the genus
ROBERTA DE MELO VALENTE
1
&
BRUNO AUGUSTO SOUZA DE MEDEIROS
2
1
Universidade Federal do Pará, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Invertebrados. E-mail: rvalente@ufpa.br
2
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University.
E–mail: souzademedeiros@fas.harvard.edu
Abstract
Anchylorhynchus vanini sp. nov. from the Amazon is described, including the mouthparts and male genitalia. The new
species is compared with similar species within the genus and the key to the species of Anchylorhynchus provided by
Vaurie (1954) is modified to include the new species. Adult specimens were collected in flowers of the palm Syagrus
vermicularis Noblick and additional collections in other palms species suggest that this association is specific. This is the
first record of the palm Syagrus vermicularis as host for a species of Anchylorhynchus.
Key words: Acalyptini, Derelomina, Weevil, Neotropical
Introduction
The genus Anchylorhynchus Schoenherr currently has 22 valid species distributed in the Neotropical region from
Panama to Argentina (de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda 2013; O’Brien & Wibmer 1982; Vanin 1995; Wibmer &
O’Brien 1986), and was last revised by Vaurie (1954). Since then, five new species have been described and the
genus was moved from the Petalochilinae to the Acalyptini, subtribe Derelomina (Bouchard et al. 2011; Franz
2006). Most of the described species are found in the Cerrado and Mata Atlântica biomes in southeastern Brazil,
with only seven species recorded from the Amazonian region (A. amazonicus Voss; A. tricarinatus Vaurie; A.
bicarinatus O’Brien; A. gottsbergerorum Vanin; A. pinnocchio de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda; A.
centrosquamatus de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda; and A. luteobrunneus de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda).
Remarkably, all the new species of Anchylorhynchus described since Vaurie (1954) are from the Amazon or
Central America, indicating that the diversity of Anchylorhynchus in the region has just started to be explored.
Adults of Anchylorhynchus are associated with and often collected in palm flowers, mostly in species of Cocos L.,
Butia (Becc.) Becc., Syagrus Mart. and Oenocarpus Mart. (de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda 2013; Franz &
Valente 2005; Vaurie 1954). Adults feed on pollen (de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda 2013; Bondar 1940;
Silberbauer-Gottsberger 1990) and oviposit in female flowers (de Medeiros & Núñez-Avellaneda 2013;
Silberbauer-Gottsberger 1990), with larvae feeding internally on female flowers and maturing fruits (da Silva et al.
2011).
The first author conducted a survey of weevils associated with palms in the area of the mining project “Níquel
Vermelho (Canaã dos Carajás, Pará, Brazil) in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2005 and found specimens
of Anchylorhynchus in the flowers of Syagrus vermicularis Noblick. Also in the Brazilian Amazon, additional
specimens were collected from the same host in the Serra das Andorinhas State Park (São Geraldo do Araguaia,
Pará, Brazil) in 2011. The specimens from both localities turned out to be a new species of Anchylorhynchus from
the Amazonian region, which we describe and illustrate here.
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A NEW ANCHYLORHYNCHUS FROM THE AMAZON
Material and methods
Insects visiting palm inflorescences of Syagrus vermicularis in two localities (Canaã dos Carajás and São Geraldo
do Araguaia, Pará State) in the Brazilian Amazon were collected by wrapping inflorescences in anthesis with a
plastic bag. The weevils were sorted and pinned. Specimens identified as a new species of Anchylorhynchus were
compared with specimens from other species of the genus (including types observed by the second author).
External morphology of 152 specimens was analyzed under a ZEISS Discovery V20 stereomicroscope, and
pictures of the holotype and a paratype female were taken with a Leica M125 Automontage. For dissections, five
specimens (3 ♂, 2 ♀) were first softened for some minutes in hot water. Following this, mouthparts and the
abdomen were dissected, with genitalia being held for some minutes in a hot 10% solution of KOH for removing
soft tissues. Genitalia and mouthparts were illustrated using a camera lucida attached to an optical microscope
LEICA DM 1000. The terminology follows Morimoto & Kojima (2003), Marvaldi & Lanteri (2005), Franz (2006)
and Davis (2009).
The label information is provided exactly as seen on the specimens, with the following conventions: a
backslash indicates a line break, square brackets enclose the contents of a single label and double quotes enclose all
the labels for a given specimen. For paratypes, we also list in brackets the number and gender of specimens and
their voucher numbers. Specimens are labeled with their type status, gender, genus name and species epithet and
the author and year, e.g., “Holotype male, Anchylorhynchus vanini Valente & de Medeiros, 2013”. The labels are
rectangular, printed and red for the holotype and yellow for paratypes. The repeated information is removed and
indicated by "same as holotype" or "same date". The holotype is deposited in the entomological collection of the
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG). The paratypes are deposited in the MPEG, Museu de Zoologia da
Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), in the collection of Curculionidae of Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
American Museum of Natural History, New York, U.S.A. (AMNH) and the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa,
Canada (CMNC).
Description
Anchylorhynchus vanini sp. nov.
Figs. 1–2
Male (Figs. 1A, 2B–F). Length of pronotum + elytra: 4.9–7.0mm. Integument brown, densely covered by
yellowishbrown, spatulate, non-overlapping scales, revealing punctures, especially along median line of pronotum;
rostrum, head and scutellum dark brown and covered by scales smaller than on other dorsal surfaces; antennae, legs
and ventral surface covered by pale setae. Rostrum 1.2–1.4 times as long as pronotum, with seven carinae
(including the pair along scrobe) well-defined to base. Mouthparts: Mandibles slightly asymmetrical; apically
with two distinct obtuse incisors; dorsally convex and with two long setae, ventrally concave and glabrous; molar
region subtruncate, articular region slightly sinuate. Maxillae elongated, moving in vertical axis; mala with an
anterior lobe, almost reaching apex of palpomere I, setation: apical region covered by numerous long setae,
subapical region with a small projection and five spatulate setae, region adjacent to stipes with five long dorsal
setae; palpiger with seven long lateral setae and ca. 15 dorsal short setae, ventrally glabrous; palpomere I 1.2 times
longer than wide, with three setae on apicolateral edge of outer margin; palpomere II 1.6 times longer than wide,
with three setae on apicolateral edge of outer margin; palpomere III 1.6 longer than wide, with one very small seta
along inner margin and numerous apical sensilla; stipes with one very long lateroventral seta; cardo with four short
lateroventral setae. Labium: prementum subquadrate, anteriorly concave, with dorsal region covered by numerous
setae, lateral margin with ca. nine long setae; anterior tendon (ligula) elongate, narrow, sparsely covered by short
setae; palpomere I as long as wide, with five long setae on centrolateral region (towards outer margin) and one
ventral seta longer than three palpomeres together; palpomere II 1.4 times longer than wide, with two short setae on
centrolateral edge of outer margin; palpomere III 1.6 longer than wide, with a very small seta along inner margin
and numerous apical sensilla. Antennae: scape 1.2–1.3 times as long as funicle, reaching distal margin of eye;
funicle: article I 1.2–1.3 times as long as article II, article II 1.3–1.4 times as long as article III; article III 1.4–1.5
times as long as article IV; articles IV–VI subequal in length; club four–articulated, with suture between apical
VALENTE & DE MEDEIROS
396 · Zootaxa 3709 (4) © 2013 Magnolia Press
articles indistinct, 3.3–3.4 times longer than wide. Pronotum trapezoidal, 2.1–2.4 times wider than long; covered
by scales directed obliquely to center-apex on disc and backward on sides; anterior margin darkbrown and concave,
without constriction (collar) in dorsal view; lateral margins, subparallel from base to middle, then convergent to
apex, prominent and forming a strong acute angle with hypomerum in lateral view; posterior margin slightly
bisinuate and as wide as humeri; scales longer in lateral and basal margins than on disc. Protibiae curved toward
apex. Elytra 1.5–1.6 times longer than wide, 4.0–4.5 times longer than pronotum; wider in basal 1/2, lateral
margins subparallel from base to middle, then slightly convergent to apex; epipleuron with inflexion well marked
along interval IX, prominent and forming an acute angle with side in lateral view; humeri not prominent.
Prosternum convex, densely covered by scales, anterior margin concave and with row of long scales, collar
evident; hypomeron strongly concave; sternellum very narrow. Meso- and metasternum densely covered by
scales on sides; metasternum in middle shining and with a concavity demarked by acute lateral margins. Ventrites
shining, covered by fine sparse scales; ventrites I–II depressed in median region; posterior margin of ventrites II–
IV straight; ventrite V trapezoidal, plane in median region, with subtruncate posterior margin. Aedeagus. Median
lobe 2.8–3.0 longer than wide; dorsally convex; with subparallel lateral margins, slightly constricted in anterior
region; distal margin rounded, with an obtuse median projection; orificial plates large, basal margin with sparse
spiniform projections and curved sclerite with a bifid posterior projection. Apodemes of aedeagus 1.6–1.7 times as
long as median lobe.
Females (Figs. 1B, 2A). Length of pronotum + elytra: 4.7–6.7mm. Females differ from males in having
pronotal disc with a large dark brown triangular area, densely punctate, each puncture with a small seta; lateral
areas of pronotum with integument paler than disc and covered by yellowish-brown spatulate scales. Pronotum
more trapezoidal, with lateral margins parallel in basal 1/3 then strongly converging to apex, basal margin
distinctly narrower than humeri, with a wider median process. Hypomeron less concave than in male. Protibiae
straight toward apex. Elytra more round and convex. Metasternum convex. Ventrites I–II only slightly concave;
ventrites III and IV narrower, retracted, separately angulate, with posterior margin of each segment distinctly
projecting and bisinuate; ventrite V concave in median region. Body part ratios: length rostrum/length pronotum:
1.2–1.4 times; pronotum width/length: 1.9–2.1 times; elytron length/width: 1.4–1.5 times; length elytron/length
pronotum: 4.4–4.8 times.
Variation. Rostrum from light-brown to red-brown, sometimes lighter in middle of dorsal region. Scales of
head and scutellum sometimes very small, apparently lacking. Dark area of pronotal disc (♀) with color from dark
brown to black. Punctures of elytral striae sometimes darker. Mandibular teeth vary from obtuse to acute. Setae
may be decumbent in labium and maxillae.
Etymology. Named after Dr. Sergio Antonio Vanin, who mentored both authors and for his friendship and
dedication to the study of Neotropical Curculionidae. As a side note, a species of Anchylorhynchus, A. bucki Vanin,
happens to be the first species described by him.
Remarks. Anchylorhynchus vanini sp. nov. is very similar to Anchylorhynchus aegrotus Fahraeus and both
can be easily distinguished from most other species of Anchylorhynchus by the elytra covered by completely
yellowish brown scales and variably reduced scales on head and pronotum revealing the punctures. The yellow
morphs of Anchylorhynchus variabilis Gyllenhal are further distinguished by having all the scales on the underside
and epipleura transformed to hairs. The shape of the pronotum, very wide in males and with a distinct inflexion in
females, is also shared between A. aegrotus and A. vanini sp. nov. Females can be distinguished from A. aegrotus
by the dark area on the pronotum. Both males and females of A. vanini sp. nov.
(4.7–7.0 mm) are generally larger
than A. aegrotus (4.3–5.5 mm). The aedeagus of A. vanini sp. nov. is slightly wider at the apex, while it is slightly
narrower in A. aegrotus. Finally, A. vanini sp. nov. is the only species of Anchylorhynchus with two long setae on
the mandibles. Most species have only one long external seta, while A. tricarinatus has three setae. A. aegrotus is
distributed along the Cerrado and Mata Atlântica biomes in Brazil, and has been collected only from Syagrus
romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman, while A. vanini sp. nov. is distributed in the Brazilian Amazon and has been
collected only from Syagrus vermicularis.
The key to the species of Anchylorhynchus provided by Vaurie (1954: 13–14) may be modified as follows to
include the new species:
14 Beak from apex to front of eye at most 1.4 times as long as pronotum; pronotum in male at least twice as wide at base as long,
in female narrower than elytra and with sharp angulation or tubercle on sides at middle; punctures on pronotal disc usually vis-
ible, especially along the median line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14a
Zootaxa 3709 (4) © 2013 Magnolia Press · 397
A NEW ANCHYLORHYNCHUS FROM THE AMAZON
14a Body length generally larger, 4.7–7.0 mm. Pronotum in male more trapezoidal and wider, 2.0–2.4 times wider than long,
entirely covered by yellowish-brown scales; in female pronotal disc with distinct dark area covered by tiny setae. Median lobe
with distal margin rounded and with an obtuse median projection. Mandibles with two long setae . . . . . . . . .A. vanini sp. nov.
- Body length generally smaller, 4.3–5.5 mm. Pronotum in male less wide, 1.9–2.0 times wider than long; in both male and
female entirely covered by large scales or covered by large scales in the sides and tiny setae in the disc; scales either uniformly
yellowish-brown or forming a central longitudinal band of brown scales continuing in the scutellum and base of elytra. Median
lobe with distal margin constricted. Mandibles with only one long external seta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A. aegrotus
FIGURE 1. Anchylorhynchus vanini sp. nov., habitus, dorsal, lateral and ventral view. A Male, Holotype. B Female, Paratype,
MZUSP. Scale bars: 2 mm.
VALENTE & DE MEDEIROS
398 · Zootaxa 3709 (4) © 2013 Magnolia Press
FIGURE 2. Anchylorhynchus vanini sp. nov. A Female mandibles, dorsal view. B–F Male: B Mandibles, dorsal view. C
Maxilla, dorsal view. D Labium, dorsal view. E Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral view. F Pronotum (arrows indicate the direction of
the scales). Scales bars: A–D, 2µ; E, 0.01mm, F, 1mm.
Natural history. Adults were collected by the first author in flowers of Syagrus vermicularis, locally known as
“gueroba”. This palm is distributed in transition zones between Amazon forest and Cerrado in the Brazilian states
of Pará, Tocantins and Maranhão, so it is likely that A. vanini sp. nov. is also found elsewhere. This is the first
record of S. vermicularis as a host for a species of Anchylorhynchus. In the two localities studied, insects were also
collected from flowers of Syagrus inajai (Spruce) Becc. and Syagrus cocoides Mart., in addition to a number of
others palms (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex. Mart., Attalea maripa Mart. Aubl., Attalea phalerata Mart. ex.
Spreng., Astrocaryum vulgare Mart., Mauritia flexuosa L. f. and Oenocarpus distichus Mart.). Specimens of
Anchylorhynchus vanini sp. nov. were only found in S. vermicularis, suggesting that the association is specific at
least locally. Besides, supporting the specificity o the association, A. vanini sp. nov. was not collected in similar
Zootaxa 3709 (4) © 2013 Magnolia Press · 399
A NEW ANCHYLORHYNCHUS FROM THE AMAZON
studies conducted elsewhere in the Brazilian Amazon where S. vermicularis was not recorded: Caxiuanã, Pará
(Valente 2000), Querência, Mato Grosso (Valente & Guimarães 2010) and in the region of the middle Xingu River
in a number of palms (Syagrus cocoides, Syagrus inajai, Attalea maripa, Attalea phalerata, Astrocaryum
gynacanthum Mart, Astrocaryum aculetum G Mey, Astrocaryum murumuru Mart., Astrocaryum paramaca Mart.,
Astrocaryum vulgare Mart., Bactris acanthocarpa Mart., Bactris brongniartii Mart., Bactris campestris Poepp. ex
Mart., Euterpe longebracteata Barb. Rodr., Euterpe oleracea Mart., Geonoma maxima (Poit.) Kunth, Mauritia
flexuosa, Mauritiella armata (Mart.) Burret, Oenocarpus distichus and Socratea ezorrhiza (Mart.) H. Wendl.).
Geographical distribution. Lowland rainforests, in open forests in Pará (Canaã dos Carajás and São Geraldo
do Araguaia), Brazil, in elevations ranging from 210 to 500 m.
Type material. Holotype male deposited in MPEG: “Brasil–PA–Canaã dos Carajás\ Projeto Níquel Vermelho\
-6°28’32”/-49°52’27”\ 27–XI–2005\ R.M Valente col. [label 1], Em inflorescência de\ Syagrus vermicularis\
amostra 03 [label 2]”. Paratypes: same as holoype (15 ♂ [2 dissected], 15 ♀ UFPA; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ MZUSP); same as
holoype but, “amostra 01”(9 ♂, 16 ♀ UFPA; 2 ♂ MZUSP, 3 ♂, 3 ♀ CMNC); “amostra 02” (1 ♀ MPEG; 1 ♂
MZUSP); same as holoype but, “02–V–2004, amostra 01” (4 ♂ MPEG); “07–V–2004, amostra 02” (2 ♂, 2 ♀ [1
dissected] UFPA); “26–VIII–2004, amostra 01” (3 ♂, 1 ♀ MPEG) “25–XI–2005, amostra 01”(2 ♂, 7 ♀ MPEG);
“25–XI–2005, amostra 03” (3 ♂, 4 ♀ MPEG), “25–XI–2005, amostra 04” (11 ♂ [1 dissected], 8 ♀ UFPA; 1 ♀
MZUSP); “25–XI–2005, amostra 05” (2 ♂, 3 ♀ AMNH); “25–XI–2005, amostra 06” (2 ♂, 2 ♀ MPEG); “25–XI–
2005, amostra 07” (1 ♂, 1 ♀ MPEG); “25–XI–2005, amostra 08” (4 ♀ [1 dissected] UFPA; 2 ♀ MZUSP). “Brasil–
PA–São Geraldo do Araguaia\ Serra das Andorinhas\ Fazenda do Cunha, Córrego Jatobá\ 25–X–2011 [label 1], Em
inflorescência de\ Syagrus vermicularis\ amostra 01, 9:00 horas\ Guimarães, J.R. Col”. [label 2] (1 ♂, 2 ♀ UFPA);
same date but, “amostra 02, 9:27 horas” (1 ♂, 4 ♀ MPEG); “amostra 03, 9:48 horas” (1 ♂, 4 ♀ MPEG); “amostra
04, 10:10 horas” (1 ♂, 2 ♀ MPEG); “28–X–2011, amostra 05, 10:12 horas” (1 ♂, 1 ♀ UFPA).
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Núcleo Regional do Leste Paraense (CNPq 558202/2009–8) of Programa de Pesquisas em
Biodiversidade – Amazônia Oriental for financial support of the collections in the Serra das Andorinhas and use of
equipment. To MPEG for supporting the curation of the material collected and Vale S. A. for the financial support
of the collections in Canaã dos Carajás. Thanks also to Ricardo Pinto da Rocha for allowing access to the
Automontage equipment.
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