European Journal of Taxonomy 20: 1-8

http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2012.20

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2012 • Christoph Germann

Research article

On the mysterious Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891

(Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae)

Christoph GERMANN

Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, CH-3005 Bern

and Natur-Museum Luzern, Kasernenplatz 6, CH-6003 Luzern, Switzerland.

E-mail: germ ann. christoph@gm ai 1. com

Abstract. During verifications of museum material for the Catalogue of the Palaearctic Coleoptera, the

type specimen of Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891 conserved in the Hungarian National Museum was

examined. The type specimen had been found by Gustav Huguenin in the Emmental region in Switzerland.

The species was never found again and remained therefore mysterious. After the examination of the

type specimen, it became clear that Hylobius huguenini belongs to the American genus Heilipodus

Kuschel, 1955 (comb, nov.), and there it ranks as a good species next to Heilipodus goeldii sp. nov.,

described here, and H. polyspilus (Pascoe, 1889), both from Brazil. The type specimens of Heilipodus

goeldii sp. nov. were found in the Emil August Goldi-collection in the Natural History Museum of the

Burgergemeinde Bern.

Keywords, new combination, Heilipodus goeldii, new species, Brazil, Switzerland.

Germann C. 2012. On the mysterious Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae).

European Journal of Taxonomy 20: 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/eit.2012.2Q

Introduction

Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891 was described, based on a single female specimen from the Emmental,

a region from hilly to mountainous altitudes between the cantons Berne and Lucerne on the northern side

of the Swiss Alps. The species was never found again, and therefore its identity remained mysterious. It

was included in the Fauna Coleopterorum Helvetica by Stierlin (1898) in the World Catalogue by Dalla

Torre & Schenlding (1932), and as a doubtful record also in the checklist of the Swiss weevils (Germann

2010). It was previously stated that - based on pictures of the type specimen - the specimen is more

s im ilar to the Am erican species of the genus (Germann 2011).

During the re-examination of species names for the catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Miguel Alonso-

Zarazaga (Madrid, Spain) asked me to unravel this mystery, and as a highly endemic Hylobius restricted

to the Emmental-region is very unrealistic, I suspected a misplaced specimen. When Gustav Huguenin,

a Swiss internist and pathologist (1840-1920), collected the specimen on which Reitter (1891) based his

description, exhaustive plantations of mostly North American conifers were made around the Entlebuch,

a subregion of the Emmental. As Huguenin visited Bad Weissenburg in the Simmental several times in

the years 1885-1903 (Latsch 1991), he could have collected the specimen during this time, probably

visiting his relatives at Krauchtal, where he was born. So a promising track to solve the mystery, was

European Journal of Taxonomy 20: 1-8 (2012)

to check for misplaced Holarctic members of the genus Hylobius Germar, 1817. But after comparing

specimens of North American Hylobius from NHM and NMNH, previously identified as such based on

the key by Warner (1966), with the type specimen of H. huguenini, this track proved to be wrong. The

detailed and critical re-examination of the type finally revealed that H. huguenini belongs to the genus

Heilipodus Kuschel, 1955 (new combination). In comparison with specimens from the Emil August

Goldi-collection (NMBE), H. huguenini comb. nov. is closely related to H. goeldii sp. nov. described

below, and both species are similar to Heilipodus polyspilus (Pascoe, 1889) from Brazil

Material and methods

Photographs were taken with a 5-megapixel digital camera (Leica DFC 420), the genitalia were

photographed in glycerine. Series of images were captured through a binocular (Leica MZ16) and

processed by an Auto-Montage software (Imagic Image Access, Version 8). All measurements were

taken digitally with the measurement-tool of the above mentioned Auto-Montage software.

Material was examined from the following collections:

NHM

HNHM

NMBE

NMBA

NMNH

The Natural History Museum, London

Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest

Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern

Naturhistorisches Museum Basel

Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Results

Class Hexapoda Blainville, 1816

Order Coleoptera Linne, 1758

Superfamily Curculionoidea Latreille, 1802

Family Curculionidae Latreille, 1802

Genus Hylobius Germar, 1817

Genus Heilipodus Kuschel, 1955

Heilipodus huguenini (Reitter, 1891) comb. nov.

Figs 1A, C, E, G; 2G-H, J

Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891: 97 (description).

Hylobius huguenini - Stierlin 1898: 298 (faunistic catalogue). — Dalla Torre & Schenlding 1932: 16

(World Catalogue). — Germann 2010: 112 (faunistic checklist). — Germann 2011: 160 (supplement to

faunistic checklist).

Remark

The type specimen is in a relatively good condition, the tarsal segments 2-5 of the right hind leg are

missing as well as the onychium of the left fore leg. The specimen is slightly immature; this explains its

light reddish-brown colour.

Holotype

5, “Schweiz Emmen-Tal [handwritten]” // “Holotypus Hylobius Huguenini Reitter 1891 [label with red

margin]” // “Emmenthal” // “Hyl. Huguenini Rtr. Emmenthal Schweiz [handwritten]” // “Coll. Reitter”

(HNHM).

GERMANN C., On the mysterious Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891

Measurements

Size 8.6 mm (without rostrum).

Redescription

Colour. Body, head, antennae and legs reddish-brown (see above).

Vestiture. Body, head and legs covered with elongated, oval, yellowish scales of variable width. Tips of

broader scales truncated. Frons covered with broader scales. Scarcely standing scales restricted to first

fifth of rostrum. Pronotum with broader scales forming lateral bands at each side just before humeral

calli of the elytra. Surrounding scales thinner. Elytra with broader and thinner scales patchily arranged,

and forming short bands at base of the 3 rd and especially 5 th interstriae. Broader scales are denser just

behind second half of elytra, forming a diffuse transverse banding. Scutellum very densely covered with

overlapping whitish broader scales.

Head. (Fig. IE) Globular, rostrum 3.5 times as long as wide, eyes oval and flat. Interocular distance half

as wide as base of rostrum. Rostrum narrowest in its middle, widened to apex to about the size at base.

Fig. 1 . A, C, E, G. Heilipodus huguenini (Reitter, 1891) comb, nov., holotype. A. Habitus dorsal.

C. Habitus lateral. E. Head and rostrum. G. Ventrites. — B, D, F, H. Heilipodus goeldii sp. nov. paratype,

ditto.

European Journal of Taxonomy 20 : 1-8 ( 2012 )

Rostrum striate and weakly punctate on its first half; only faintly punctate and glossy towards apex.

Antennae inserted after last third of rostrum; scrobes from the anterior margin of the eyes apicalwards.

Scrobes visible from above from the middle of the rostrum to the apex. Antennal scape reaching base of

rostrum. Funicular segments as follows: (L/W): 1 st ; 2.3, 2 nd ; 2.1, 3 d ; 1.2, 4 th ; 0.9, 5 h and 6*: 0.7 and yth ;

0.8, club oblong oval.

Pronotum. (Fig. 1A, C) Transverse (L/W = 0.7), widest just behind the middle, strongly constricted

towards fore margin, densely tuberculate and transversely wrinkled, carinate in the middle, tubercles

glossy. Slightly curved in lateral view. Base weakly sinuate, bulged towards scutellum.

Elytra. (Fig. 1A, C) Elongate (L/W = 1.8), parallel sided. Base sinuate. Shoulders well pronounced,

slightly convex at disc in the middle. Elytra strongly constricted before their last fifth, therefore convex

on each side before elytral declivity; apex flattened in lateral view. Striae linear and regularly punctate,

interstriae about as wide, convex and glossy. Striae and interstriae weakly blurred by transverse wrinkles.

Legs. Strong, all femora strongly dentate, tibiae sinuate at inner side, apex with long curved uncus

at inner angle. Tips of tibiae in-and outside (ventrally and dorsally) with apical combs, bristles light

brown; dorsal row of the apical comb of hind tibiae composed of more than two bristles in parallel. Four

visible tarsal segments, 1 st segment 1.5 times longer than 2", 3‘ of about the same length, twice as wide,

4 segment tiny, 5 1 reaching twice as far as 3' . Claws simple.

Abdomen. (Fig. 1G) Five ventrites, process of first ventrite broadly rounded with tuberculiform tip.

Female genitalia. Ventrite 8 with apodeme as long as plate, distinctly constricted before plate. Plate

broad, feebly sclerotized, V-shaped, setose at apex. Spermatheca with very long and straight nodulus,

cornu short and very strongly bent towards nodulus (Fig. 2H, J). Ovipositor with broad styli (Fig. 2G).

Heilipodus goeldii sp. nov.

Figs IB, D, F, H; 2A-C, I, K-L

Etymology

The new species is dedicated to Emil August Goldi (1859-1917) late director of the Museu Paraense

(now Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi).

Holotype

(J, “M, H. d. Mathan Obidos 1904/1905 Mus. Goeldi Parah”, (new) red label: Holotype Heilipodus

goeldii sp. nov. Germann des. 2012 (NMBE).

Paratypes

2J5, same data as holotype, (new) red label: Paratype Heilipodus goeldii sp. nov. Germann des. 2012

(NMBE).

Type locality

Brazil, Para, Obidos (Amazon Basin).

Size

S'. 8.5 mm; 5 5 : 9.3 and 9.5 mm (without rostrum).

Description

Colour. Body, head, antennae and legs dark-brown.

GERMANN C., On the mysterious Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891

Fig. 2. A-C. Heilipodus goeldii sp. nov., holotype. A. Aedeagus dorsal. B. Ditto ventral. C. Ventrite 8.

— D-F. Heilipodus polyspilus (Pascoe, 1889), ditto. — G-H, J. Heilipodus huguenini (Reitter, 1891)

comb, nov., holotype. G. Ovipositor. H. Ventrite 8 of female. J. Spermatheca. — I, K-L. Heilipodus

goeldii sp. nov., paratype. I. Ventrite of female 8. K. Spermatheca. L. Ovipositor.

European Journal of Taxonomy 20 : 1-8 ( 2012 )

Vestiture. Body, head and legs covered with elongated, oval, yellowish scales of variable width. Tips

of broader scales truncated. Eyes encircled with broader scales. Scarcely standing scales restricted to

first fifth of rostrum. Pronotum with broader scales forming lateral spots at each side just before humeral

calli of the elytra. Surrounding scales thinner. Elytra with broader and thinner scales patchily arranged,

and forming spots at base of the 3 rd and especially 5 th interstriae. Scutellum very densely covered with

overlapping whitish broader scales.

Head. (Fig. IF) Globular, rostrum 3.5 times longer than wide, eyes oval and flat. Interocular distance

half as wide as base of rostrum. Rostrum narrowest in or just behind its middle, widened to apex to about

the size at base. Rostrum striate and weakly punctate on its first half; only faintly punctate and glossy

towards apex. Antennae inserted behind last third of rostrum; scrobes from the anterior margin of the

eyes apicalwards. Scrobes visible from above from the middle of the rostrum to the

Apex. Antennal scape reaching base of rostrum. Funicular segments as follows (F/W; holotype): 1 : F8,

2 nd : 2.7, 3 rd : 1.2, 4 d ’: 1.0, 5 d ’: 1.0, 6 th : 1.1 and 0.8, club oblong oval.

Pronotum. (Fig. IB, D) Transverse (F/W = 0.6-0.7), widest just behind the middle, strongly constricted

towards fore margin, densely tuberculate and transversely wrinkled, weakly carinate in the middle,

tubercles glossy. Slightly curved in lateral view. Base sinuate, convex towards scutellum.

Elytra. (Fig. IB, D) Elongate (F/W = F6-F7), widest in first third. Base sinuate. Shoulders well

pronounced, slightly convex at disc in the middle. Elytra constricted before their last fifth, therefore

convex on each side before elytral decline; apex flattened in lateral view. Striae more or less linear and

punctate, interstriae about as wide, convex and glossy. Striae and interstriae blurred by coarse transverse

wr ink les

Fegs. Strong, all femora strongly dentate, tibiae sinuate inside, apex with long curved uncus at inner

angle. Tips of tibiae in-and outside (ventrally and dorsally) with apical combs, bristles light brown;

dorsal row of the apical comb of hind tibiae composed of more than two bristles in parallel. Four visible

tarsal segments, I s segment 1.5 times longer than 2 n , 3 r of about the same length, twice as wide,

4 segment tiny, 5 1 reaching twice as far as 3* . Claws simple.

Abdomen. (Fig. 1H) Five ventrites, process of first ventrite broadly rounded with tuberculiform tip.

Female genitalia. Ventrite 8 with apodeme as long as plate, distinctly constricted before plate. Plate

broad, feebly sclerotized, rhomboidal, setose at apex. Spermatheca with long, bent and pointed nodulus,

cornu elevated and straight (Fig. 21, K). Ovipositor with slender styli (Fig. 2F).

Male genitalia. (Fig. 2A-B) median lobe of aedeagus parallel sided, containing a cuneiform sclerite

inside. Tip of penis tuberculiform. Ventrite 8 with very long apodeme (Fg. 2C).

Sexual dimorphism

Weak, last ventrite of the male specimen bulged in the middle, rostrum of the male more coarsely striate.

Differential diagnosis

Very close to H. huguenini comb, nov., differences are as follows: i) eyes encircled with scales; ii) habitus

more robust, elytra broader; iii) scales more spotted, not forming transverse bandings; iv) striae and

interstriae more blurred by coarse transverse wrinkles; v) scales forming lateral spots on pronotum instead

of bandings; vi) median carina on pronotum less pronounced; vii) ventrites more transverse; viii) female

genitalia different (Fig. 2G-F). Both species are similar to Heilipoduspolyspilus (Pascoe, 1889) (a single

male specimen with the following indications was examined: “Brasilien, Porto Alegre, X.-XII.58 K.E.

GERMANN C., On the mysterious Hylobius huguenini Reitter, 1891

Htidepohl” coll. Frey, NMBA) in their general habitus, but differ by i) the much less coarsely tuberculate

pronotum, by ii) the indistinct third interstriae on the elytra, which are broadened and elevated in

H. polyspilus , by iii) the light brown bristles of the apical combs of tibiae, and by iv) the male genital

organs (Fig. 2D-F), note that the male of H. huguenini comb. nov. is unknown.

Discussion

The genus Heilipodus was established by Kuschel (1955) to accommodate part of the species formerly

belonging to Heilipus Germar, 1824. The genus Heilipodus Kuschel, 1955 is distributed, according to

Wibmer & O’Brien (1986), in South America with 87 species (including the present ones transferred and

described), while 36 species are known from Central America (O’Brien & Wibmer 1982). No species

are known from North America.

Concerning their lifestyle, as far as it is known, Heilipodus are stem borers of various plants. Farvae

and pupae of H. erythropus (Klug, 1829) were collected by Rosado-Neto (1980) in Brazil (Parana)

from Eryngium F. (Apiaceae). Another species - Heilipodus intricatus (Boheman, 1836) - was used

in Australia as potential biological control organism against the invasive Baccharis halimifolia F.

(Asteraceae) from the USA (Riding 1983).

Heilipodus is characterised by the following traits after Kuschel’s key (1955):

I. frons between the eyes narrower than rostrum at its base (characteristic of the subtribe Hylobiina);

2. dorsal comb of the hind tibiae consisting of more than one row of bristles;

3. epistome not prolonged in the middle;

4. femora strongly teethed;

5. hind margin of first ventrite cut;

6. scrobes directing towards lower side of rostrum;

7. prementum glabrous;

8. basal fold of first ventrite simple (not dilated);

9. ovipositor: coxite with stylus;

10. antennal scape not reaching the eyes;

11. frons much narrower than rostrum at base, fore tibiae not sulcate at dorsal side.

Based on these characters, H. huguenini belongs to the genus Heilipodus (comb, nov.) and with its

spotty pattern it is similar to H. goeldii sp. nov. and to H. polyspilus. All three species belong to the

more discretely coloured species of the genus. After the author’s investigations H. huguenini comb. nov.

is a valid species within the genus Heilipodus. The original areal is most likely somewhere in South

America, and based on its similarity to H. goeldii sp. nov., probably in the Amazon Basin. However, it

remains mysterious as to how a specimen of this presumably Neotropical species found its way to the

Emmental region in Switzerland. International trading is known around Burgdorf, which could have

raised the chance of introduced specimens travelling along with goods. Also a mislabelled specimen or an

accidentally misplaced specimen during exchange of material by Huguenin (or Reitter) with colleagues

cannot be excluded. However, the starting hypothesis that the specimen was introduced together with

pine trees from North Am erica can be rejected.

Acknowledgements

I am thankful to Miguel Alonso-Zarazaga (Madrid) for highlighting the persisting difficulties of the

status of Hylobius huguenini. Otto Merkl (HNHM) kindly enabled me to examine the type specimen,

and Zoltan Gyorgy (HNHM) prepared helpful photographs for a pre-examination. Thanks to David

Furth and Alexander Konstantinov (NMNH), Eva Sprecher (NMBA), and to Max Barclay (BMNH) for

the loan of specimens for comparison. Thanks to Peter Nagel (Department of Enviro nm ental Sciences,

European Journal of Taxonomy 20 : 1-8 ( 2012 )

Institute of Biogeography, University of Basel) and Michael Geiser (NMBA) for transmitting the type

specimen. I am thankful to two anonymous referees for their valuable co mm ents on the manuscript.

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Manuscript received: 2 May 2012

Manuscript accepted: 4 August 2012

Published on: 8 August 2012

Topic editor: Koen Martens

In compliance with the ICZN , printed versions of all papers are deposited in the libraries of the institutes

that are members of the EJT consortium: Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; National

Botanic Garden of Belgium, Meise, Belgium; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium;

Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences,

Brussels, Belgium; Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.