Corresponding author: Alexander Riedel (
Academic editor: M. Alonso-Zarazaga
The hyperdiverse genus
Van Dam MH, Laufa R, Riedel A (2016) Four new species of
This study is based on 18 specimens, the result of a ten-day expedition to the area east of Silali Village in the Nakanai Range of West New Britain during November of 2014 by the first two authors. Specimens were collected by beating foliage and by sifting of leaf litter with subsequent extraction of specimens using Winkler eclectors (
Type depositories are cited using the following codes:
Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australia
Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Karlsruhe, Germany
Zoologische Staatssammlung, München, Germany
University of Papua New Guinea, Entomology Collection
DNA sequencing and sequence analysis follows the method described by
Specimens were studied under a Leica MZ16 dissecting microscope and a fluorescent desk lamp for illumination. Measurements were taken using an ocular grid. Body length was measured in dorsal aspect from the elytral apex to the front of the pronotum, and elytral width between the humeri at their greatest extent and across
Fully apterous genus of
Holotype, male (Fig.
Holotype (
This epithet is a noun in apposition and based on the likeable fictional character Chewbacca in George Lucas’ Star Wars movies, portrayed primarily by Peter Mayhew. This species has dense scales on the head and the legs, which reminds the authors of Chewbacca’s dense fur.
Presumably, the species belongs in the
Holotype (Fig.
Holotype (
This epithet is based on the Latin adjective
This species belongs to the
Holotype (
This epithet is a Latin adjective based on a combination of the Latin nouns
This species may belong to the
Holotype (
This epithet is a Latin adjective based on the name of the village near to which the holotype was collected.
This species belongs to the
1 | Species found on foliage. Pronotum subapically rounded, without distinct constriction |
|
– | Species found in the litter layer. Pronotum subapically with distinct constriction and pair of angular projections (Fig. |
|
2(1) | Body larger, pronotum plus elytron ca. 5.63 mm. Elytron black, nude except subapically with elongate patch of white scales. Fig. |
|
– | Body smaller, pronotum plus elytron ca. 3.02–3.06 mm. Elytron without subapical patch of white scales. |
|
3(2) | Pronotum smooth, almost impunctate. Male mesotibia subapically with premucro larger than uncus |
|
– | Pronotum densely punctate. Male mesotibia subapically with uncus; premucro minute or absent |
|
4(3) | Body elongate. Metafemur subapically with stridulatory patch |
|
– | Body subovate. Metafemur without stridulatory patch |
|
The absence of a record of a weevil genus from a Melanesian island is often difficult to interpret, i.e. it is usually unclear whether this is based on a true absence or on a lack of records. Prior to this study,
Despite many days of searching for
M.H.V.D. and R.L. were funded by NSF award DBI #1402102, and A.R. received support from the German Research Foundation, DFG (RI 1817/3-3). We thank J.H. Boone of the Bishop Museum for a picture of