Research Article |
Corresponding author: Christoph Germann ( germann.christoph@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Yannick Chittaro
© 2023 Christoph Germann, Carlo Braunert.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Germann C, Braunert C (2023) Anchonidium selvanum sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Molytinae) from northern Portugal. Alpine Entomology 7: 195-200. https://doi.org/10.3897/alpento.7.111490
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The fourth species of Anchonidium sensu stricto from Western Europe is described, photographed and compared with its congeners; an updated key of the genus is given. The habitat in the northern mountain chains in Portugal in the native Quercus mountain forests is characterized and illustrated.
Molytinae, Typoderini, morphology, taxonomy, ancient forest, Quercus forest
The genus Anchonidium Bedel, 1884 comprises at present five species. Three of them in Western Europe (A. unguiculare (Aubé, 1850), A. braunerti Germann, 2020 and A. spathiferum Germann, 2020) belonging to Anchonidium sensu stricto. Furthermore, two morphologically deviating species from the Caucasus region (A. caucasicum (Motschulsky, 1845), A. perpensum Faust, 1886) recently re-defined by
We here focus on a new species of Anchonidium s. str. from northern Portugal, morphologically most closely related to Anchonidium spathiferum Germann, 2020 from Serra do Estrela.
We provide the description of the new species in a condensed form. For details, we refer to the exhaustive redescription of the genus sensu stricto by
For the collection methodology of specimens, all details are given in
Acronyms are as follows:
NHML Natural History Museum London;
Holotype
♂ 413_23.2 Portugal, Vila Real, Sra do Alvão, Bilhó, Bobal, 41°23'56"N, 7°49'48"W, 880m, Quercus cerris, Q. pyrenaica, Erica umbellata, 31.5.2023, leg. C. Germann (
Paratypes
: 1 ♀ Portugal, Vila Real, Serra do Marão, 750 m, 21.05.1997, leg. W. Starke (cLB). – 1 ♂, 1 ♀ Portugal, Vila Real, Serra do Marão, 750 m, June 1997, leg. Th. Aßmann (cLB). – 1 ♂ Portugal, Vila Real, Serra do Marão, 750 m, 10.06.1997 (
(Figs
7–9. Aedeagus of Anchonidium selvanum sp. nov, holotype. 7. Dorsal view; 8. Ventral view; 9. Lateral view; 10–14. Female genitalia of a paratype; 10. Tergites 8 and 7 and Sternite 8; 11. Spermatheca; 12. Sclerotized bursal atrium; 12, 13. Dorso-ventral views; 14 Lateral view (Photos: C. Germann).
Male genitalia
: Penis tube-like, in dorso-ventral view laterally diverging just before apex, almost rectangular, apical margin weakly rounded (Figs
Female genitalia
: Sternite 8 with plate drop-shaped, apodeme shorter than plate, apex thickened and laterally strongly protruding (Fig.
Anchonidium selvanum sp. nov. is named after the native oak-forest in Portugal, characterised below, the name is taken from the Portuguese “la selva” which means the primeval forest. Unfortunately, this native habitat is severely threatened by the intensive wood logging, the reforestation with Eucalyptus and Mimosa trees from Australia or Pinus halepensis Mill. which all grow fast and the short time yield per square meter tempts the forest owners to plant them (
We found most numerous specimens per locality in remains of the native oak forests – 69 at the type locality in two sifting samples, and 57 at localities just nearby where the forest had been cut supposedly years before – (Figs
2A | Ventral side of pronotum at anterior margin with faint and shallow rostral notch or channel. First ventrite with oval groove between metacoxae; elytra laterally rounded, shorter, 1.4–1.5 times as long as wide; 10 to 13 punctures on elytral disc from base to declivity; widest in first third; aedeagus thin (lateral view), slender and flattened with almost rectangular apex and rounded sides; apex dorsally with well visible setae. Sclerotized bursal atrium helmet-like with bubble on top. Great Britain (Cornwall), W- and NW-France, N-, NW- and S-Spain, N-Portugal, N-Morocco (Fig. |
A. unguiculare (Aubé, 1850) |
2B | Ventral side of pronotum at anterior margin only sinuate, no rostral notch or channel detectable. First ventrite without groove, but with very coarse oval punctures between metacoxae; elytra parallel sided, longer, 1.5–1.8 times as long as wide; 14 to 17 punctures on elytral disc from base to declivity; widest in or behind middle; aedeagus shorter, tube shaped, blunt and thick in lateral view; apex without well visible setae | 3 |
3A | Elytra widest in middle, 1.6–1.8 times as long as wide; Aedeagus parallel sided, apex in dorsal view evenly rounded. Portugal (Serra de Monchique) (Fig. |
A. braunerti Germann, 2020 |
3B | Elytra widest behind middle, 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide. Aedeagus slightly expanded to apex, apex in dorsal view straight | 4 |
4A | Body robust. Apex of aedeagus very broad, spatula-shaped with sinuate apical margin. Bursal atrium sclerotized, frog shaped. Portugal (Serra da Estrela) (Fig. |
A. spathiferum Germann, 2020 |
4B | Body slender. Apex of aedeagus narrower, apex weakly rounded, not sinuate (Figs |
A. selvanum sp. nov. |
The distribution of the four Anchonidium s. str. species in Portugal follows the mountain chains and river valleys (Fig.
Records from Anchonidium sensu stricto in Western Europe. A. unguiculare (blue dots), A. braunerti (green dot), A. spathiferum (red dot) and A. selvanum sp. nov. (yellow dots). Background map by https://www.simplemappr.net/.
Due to the constant loss of its characteristic habitat, Anchonidium selvanum sp. nov. must be considered as threatened. The relict character of those forests and the new species is of special importance, and we need to address this observation here. These ancient oak forests are tiny relicts of a habitat type, which had a much wider distribution in ancient times; surely these forests covered a considerable part of those mountain chains. Nevertheless, due to exceptionally redundant wildfires in Portugal (
The observed ecological demands of the Anchonidium s. str. species investigated differ to a certain extent. We collected all species under humid and shaded conditions. A. unguiculare accepts larger varieties of forests, from mediterranean Oak forests in the south of Spain and in Morocco, to the oceanic influenced deciduous forests along the Atlantic coast of Spain, France and Great Britain. A. braunerti seems to be restricted to the highest elevations of Serra de Monchique in a habitat type where heather and mosses dominate nowadays. We collected A. spathiferum in a very similar habitat, where, however, the absence of an ancient Oak forest might explain the rareness of specimens found. Here, with the discovery of A. selvanum sp. nov. it is obvious that this new species is restricted to the ancient Oak forests, and as we could show with specifically prospected localities, the more northern situated mountain chains are populated by A. unguiculare. The latter species also occurred in much larger numbers in more ancient forests, rather comparable with A. selvanum sp. nov.
Many thanks to all our friends joining the successful Portugal excursion, Michael Balkenohl (Bonstetten), Ruedi Bryner (Biel) and Salome Steiner (Bern). Many thanks to Mandy Schröter (