Research Article |
Corresponding author: Jiří Skuhrovec ( jirislavskuhrovec@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Miguel Alonso-Zarazaga
© 2016 Jiří Skuhrovec, Petr Bogusch.
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:
Skuhrovec J, Bogusch P (2016) The morphology of the immature stages of Metadonus vuillefroyanus (Capiomont, 1868) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Hyperini) and notes on its biology. ZooKeys 589: 123-142. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.589.7847
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Last instar larva and pupa of Metadonus vuillefroyanus (Capiomont, 1868) (Curculionidae: Hyperini) are described and compared with known larvae of the other 43 hyperine taxa. The thorn-like setae located on distinct black protuberances on the larval body are characteristic features of the genus Metadonus and the subgenus Eririnomorphus of the genus Hypera. The biological singularity of this species was studied and described. The variable colouration of larvae has been confirmed in association with the variability of the host plant’s colouration at the studied localities. This species’ reported inability to spin cocoons has been disproven. A different type of cocoon with two layers, where the inner layer consists of proteins from Malpighian tubules while the outer layer contains soil particles, is described. This type of cocoon is unique compared with those known from other hyperines, which usually pupate on or above the ground and do not use substrate particles in building their cocoons.
Weevil, mature larva, pupa, larval development, life cycle, host plant, Suaeda vera , Amaranthaceae , Spain, Palaearctic region
The phylogeny and taxonomy of hyperines is still unresolved. Recently, hyperines together with Bagoini and Gonipterini have been considered unclassifiable tribes in Curculionidae (
Hyperines have characteristic shapes, but the genera recently included in the tribe have so far shown no distinct diagnostic or synapomorphic characters that would permit a satisfactory concept of Hyperini (
Several recent taxonomic studies deal with the Palaearctic fauna of Hyperini.
The genus Metadonus has been revised recently (
The immature stages of Metadonus vuillefroyanus are here described for the first time. Knowledge of the immature stages and the life history of a species are important for both taxonomic and applied use and can help protect this species more effectively. Taking into account the information gathered by the first author about the biology of immature stages and adults of Metadonus vuillefroyanus, the second author undertook a study trip to Spain. In the present paper we provide biological data based on Bogusch’s observations obtained during his field work in Spain, and we describe the immature stages of this species.
The material used to describe the immature stages was collected, and field observations were conducted in the following localities: SPAIN: Almería: Cabo de Gata National Park, Cabo de Gata, Salinas, surroundings of salt marshes (36°46'48"N, 2°13'44"W, 2 m), 29-III-2014, 1 ♂ and 15 larvae swept from Suaeda vera; 31-III-2014, 5 larvae swept from Suaeda vera; Tabernas env., river valley (37°02'57"N, 2°24'28"W, 339 m), 1-IV-2014, 2 mature larvae swept from Suaeda vera, all P. Bogusch and A. Astapenková leg., P. Bogusch det., revised by J. Skuhrovec, in the collections of P. Bogusch and J. Skuhrovec. Descriptions of immature stages were done on four larvae and two pupae.
Part of the larval and pupal material was preserved in Pampel fixation liquid (4 parts glacial acetic acid, 6 parts 4% formaldehyde, 15 parts 95% ethyl alcohol and 30 parts distilled water) and used for the morphological descriptions. These specimens are now deposited in the Group Function of Invertebrate and Plant Biodiversity in Agrosystems of the Crop Research Institute (Prague, Czech Republic). Plants were identified by the collectors. To prepare the slides we followed
The observations and measurements were made using a light microscope with calibrated oculars (Olympus BX 40 and Nikon Eclipse 80i). The following measurements were taken for each larva: head width, length of the body (larvae fixed in a C-shape were measured along segments), width of the body in the widest place (metathorax or abdominal segments I–IV), and these for each pupa: length and width at the widest place. The thorax and abdomen were not sclerotised, and it is unlikely that the fixation process altered the weevils’ proportions; measurements of these parts are given for comparison purposes only.
Drawings were made with a drawing tube on a light microscope and processed using a computer program (Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo-Paint 11, GIMP 2). The thoracic spiracle is placed on the prothorax near the boundary of the prothorax and mesothorax, as shown in the drawing (see Fig.
We used the terms and abbreviations for the setae of the mature larva and pupa studied following
Phytonomus vuillefroyanus Capiomont, 1868: 135
Measurements (in mm). Body length: 10.0–14.0 (mean 12.0). The widest place in the body (abdominal segments II–VI) measures up to 2.5. Head width: 0.9–1.1 (mean 1.0).
Colouration. Dark brown to black head (Fig.
Vestiture. Body elongated, slightly curved, rounded in cross section (Fig.
Head capsule (Fig.
Antennae located at the end of the frontal suture on each side, membranous and slightly convex basal article bearing one conical triangular sensorium, relatively long; basal membranous article with three sensilla different in both shape and length (Fig.
Clypeus (Fig.
Mouth parts. Labrum (Fig.
Thorax. Prothorax distinctly smaller than meso- and metathorax. Spiracle bicameral, placed between the pro- and mesothorax (see Material and methods). Prothorax (Fig.
Abdomen. Abdominal segments I–VI of almost equal length, next abdominal segments decreasing gradually to the terminal parts of the body. Abdominal segment X reduced to four anal lobes of unequal size, the dorsal being distinctly the largest, the lateral pair equal in size, and the ventral lobe very small. Anus located terminally; ambulatory ampullae bilobate to circular. Spiracles bicameral, the eight abdominal spiracles located laterally, close to the anterior margin of abdominal segments I–VIII. Abdominal segments I–VII (Figs
Measurements (in mm). Body length: 7.0–8.0 (♂ 8.0; ♀ 7.0); at the widest region: 4.5–5.0. The widest place in the body is commonly between the apex of the meso- or metafemora. Unfortunately, both pupae were damaged and the measurements are not precise.
Colouration. Body yellowish with greenish abdomen (Figs
Morphology (Figs
Chaetotaxy (Figs
Habitats. Metadonus vuillefroyanus occurs only at saline sites in the presence of its host plant. This species has been observed both at saline sites near the sea (locality Cabo de Gata less than 1 km from the seashore, Fig.
Adult behaviour. Adults are only occasionally present on host plants during the day; most of them are hidden under the plant and are active at night.
Host plant. Both adults and larvae were observed feeding exclusively on Suaeda vera (Fig.
Life cycle. At the beginning of April, 15 mature larvae and five younger larval instars were swept from host plants. At that time, the host plants had quite young fresh leaves, so the development of these individuals probably began a few days or weeks earlier in the spring so larvae would emerge on the young leaves of the host plant. We suppose the whole larval development to be short-lasting, approximately three weeks at most. The larvae were kept in small plastic containers (height 12 cm, width 4 cm) with small holes for air circulation and exchange. Four to five larvae were kept in each container and no aggressive behaviour was observed, as is known in some Hyperini, e.g., Brachypera vidua (Gené, 1837) (
The pupae have a green colouration that changes to a brownish colour approximately five days after the start of pupation (Fig.
Biotic interactions. Several of the larvae did not pupate, but larvae of parasitoids emerged and formed typical dark-brown puparia with a whitish band (Figs
The larvae of 43 hyperine taxa have already been described (
The comparison of the larvae and pupae of Metadonus vuillefroyanus with those described by
Only one brief description of Metadonus distinguendus were done by
Various morphological characteristics of larvae of the tribe Hyperini were published by
Knowledge of the immature stages and life histories of species can help to protect endangered species more effectively. The detailed description of larvae and pupae and their comparisons with known descriptions as reported here demonstrates that it is possible to identify this species in its immature stages, as has been accomplished for other groups (i.e., Entiminae:
Hyperines are mainly known for two typical but biologically unusual features: ectophytic larvae with cryptic colouration and the ability to spin mesh cocoons. Both these features have been confirmed in Metadonus vuillefroyanus with specific details.
We would like to thank Alena Astapenková (University of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic) for help with field collections and observations of this species. The study of the first author (JS) was supported by a grant from the Czech Ministry of Agriculture (Mze ČR) RO0415. We thank Adriana Marvaldi (Argentina) and Rafal Gosik (Poland) for commenting on the manuscript and for valuable discussions about larval and pupal chaetotaxy. The language was corrected by American Journal Experts company.