The subfamily Molytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): General notes and descriptions of new taxa from New Zealand and Chile

Abstract

The vaginal and intersegmental pouches observed in female Curculionoidea are reported and termed according to location. Subfamily characters are reassessed and 18 taxa previously with subfamily rank are demoted to tribes of Molytinae. These are listed with the other tribes of the world fauna of the subfamily. A few general remarks on the New Zealand molytine elements are made and a key to the genera of the tribe Molytini of New Zealand is presented. Four species are described from New Zealand: tribe Molytini — Karocolens pittospori n. g., n. sp., Lyperobius coxalis n.sp., and L. nesidiotes n.sp.; tribe Phrynixini — Tymbopiptus valeas n.g., n.sp. (based on 1800 and 1680 years old subfossil fragments of a presumably extinct fern-weevil). The genus Germainius n.g. is erected for the Chilean fern-weevil Philippius laesicollis (Fairmaire & Germain). The following synonymies of genera are established: Euodontus Broun, 1883 (also spelt Eudontus) is synonymised under Pogonorhinus Broun, 1883; Metopotoma Casey, Nov. 1892 under Dioptrophorus Faust, Aug. 1892; Stewpeckia Osella, 1980 under Lymantes Schoenherr, 1838; and Neophycocoetes O'Brien & Wibmer, 1982 under Thalasselephas Egorov & Korotyaev, 1976.