Published December 31, 2008 | Version v1
Taxonomic treatment Open

Pseudomelactus acutus

  • 1. John T. Huber

Description

Pseudomelactus acutus (Faust)

Fig. 10

Melactus acutus Faust, 1889: 62.

Pseudomelactus acutus – Heller 1916: 312.

DESCRIPTION. — Besides the characters listed in the key, P. acutus differs fom the other two species in having the last three ventrites, at least medially, black, in having distinct granules also on elytra, a complete basal rim on pronotum, much broader tarsi, and elytra mottled with black spots.

Length: 6.8-11.2 mm.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Four syntypes present. Lectotype female, 11.2 x 5.0 mm, ‘ N. Caled. [Mont d’Or], Siewers, acutus Faust, Coll. J Faust’, SMT.D. Paralectotypes: 1 male, 2 females, SMT. D. Identified specimens with BPBM, IRSN, NZAC, QMBA, SMT.D, SRFP.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. Baie de Prony, Dumbéa Valley, Hauteur des Sources, La Coulée, 3 km E of La Coulée, Lake Yaté, Mont d’Or, Nouméa, Plaine des Lacs (Chutes de la Madeleine, La Capture), Riv des Pirogues. 56 specimens.

HOSTPLANTS. — Grevillea (Proteaceae) for a series of specimens collected by G. Kuschel and M. Wanat.

REMARKS. — Because of relatively large size (10 mm), and the description of Otiorhynchus artensis Montrouzier (1861) agreeing to a good extent with P. acutus, I am inclined to believe that it might have been this species were it not for the author having said that the elytra of the species from Île d’Art were ‘très convexes’ ‘ P. acutus is not yet known from the northwest half of New Caledonia. Montrouzier’s unique specimen could not be located, presumed lost. I know of no insect collection from Art I. since Montrouzier was there in the early 1850’s.

Notes

Published as part of Kuschel, Guillermo, 2008, Curculionoidea (weevils) of New Caledonia and Vanuatu: Basal families and some Curculionidae, pp. 99-250 in Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 197 on pages 124-125

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Linked records

Additional details

Biodiversity

Collection code
MATERIAL, EXAMINED , SMT, BPBM, IRSN, NZAC, QMBA, SRFP
Family
Curculionidae
Genus
Pseudomelactus
Kingdom
Animalia
Order
Coleoptera
Phylum
Arthropoda
Scientific name authorship
Faust
Species
acutus
Taxon rank
species
Type status
syntype
Taxonomic concept label
Pseudomelactus acutus (Faust, 1889) sec. Kuschel, 2008

References

  • 59: 43 - 98. HELLER K. M. 1916. - Die Kafer von Neu-Caledonien und den benachbarten DEJEAN P. F. M. A. 1821. - Catalogue de la collection de Coleopteres de M. Inselgruppen. In Sarasin & Roux (eds) Nova Caledonia. A. Zoologie 2 (3): le Baron Dejean. Paris, Crevot. 8 + 136 + 2 pp. 229 - 365, pl. 10, 11.
  • ou expose methodique et critique de tous les genres proposes jusqu'ici MONTROUZIER X. 1861 a. - Essai sur la faune entomologique de la Nouvelledans cet ordre des insectes, vol. 7. Roret, Paris, 620 p. Caledonie (Balade) et des iles des Pins, Art, Lifu, etc. Annales de la Societe LANTERI A. A. 1986. - RevisiOn del genero Asynonychus Crotch (Coleoptera: Entomologique de France (3) 8 (4): 867 - 916.