Systematic revision of the genus Curiades Pascoe (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), a potential mimic of Mutillidae from Brazil.

DEL RÍO, M. GUADALUPE; LANTERI, ANALÍA A.

ZOOTAXA

MAGNOLIA PRESS

Lugar: Auckland; Año: 2012 vol. 3570 p. 82 - 88

1175-5326

Abstract The monotypic genus Curiades Pascoe 1880 (Curculionidae: Entiminae: Naupactini) is redescribed based on the type species C. boisduvali (Boheman 1840), endemic to Río de Janeiro, Brazil. Curiades boisduvali shows a characteristic color pattern and vestiture composed of long erect setae that resembles species of Dasymutilla Ashmead 1899, a genus of Mutillidae (Hymenoptera) whose wingless females have aposematic colors and painful stings. The similarities between the wasp (model) and the weevil (mimic) suggest a case of Batesian mimicry. The morphological characters of the rostrum and antennae justify a close phylogenetic relationship of Curiades and Platyomus Sahlberg 1823, even though based on its hairy vestiture the former is superficially more similar to Trichaptus Pascoe 1880, another Brazilian naupactine mimic of mutillid wasps. The present contribution includes a redescription of Curiades and its only known species, accompanied by habitus photographs, line drawings of genitalia and other diagnostic features.