18. Mecinus linnavuori (Korotyaev)

Fig. 16, 61

Gymnaetron linnavuori Korotyaev, 1994: 95.

Mecinus linnavuori (Korotyaev). Caldara, 2001: 183.

Type locality. Dhi Qar Nasiriyah, Abu Gar (Iraq).

Type series. This species was described from four specimens collected in various Iraqi localities. We examined one male paratype (not female as quoted in the original description) from Al-Basrah near Sofwan (ZISP).

Redescription. Male. Length 1.7 mm. Body: short, oval, moderately slender (Fig. 16). Rostrum: brown, moderately long (Rl/Pl 0.86), subcylindrical; in lateral view weakly and regularly curved, weakly narrowed from base to apex (Fig. 61); in dorsal view with parallel sides from base to apex, with weakly visible scrobes, weakly striate-punctured in basal half then smooth and shining, in basal half with recumbent to subrecumbent, somewhat dense, whitish, long to very long (l/w 8–12), seta-like scales. Head: frons slightly wider than rostrum at base, with distinct fovea; eyes narrow, flat. Antennae: reddish, inserted at middle of rostrum; scape moderately long, 5.0x longer than wide; funicle moderately longer than scape, segment 1 2.2x longer than wide, stouter and 1.3x longer than segment 2, which is 1.3x longer than wide, segments 3–5 about as long as wide; club moderately long, oval. Pronotum: reddish, with sparse punctures which are irregular in size (in part very small) and disposition, intervals between punctures in part wider than punctures, slightly rough, shining, somewhat visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, moderately dense, light brown on disc and whitish at sides, long to very long (l/w 8–12), seta-like scales; moderately transverse (Pw/Pl 1.27), with moderately rounded sides, widest between basal third and median third, with weakly prominent apical constriction, weakly convex. Elytra: reddish; moderately short (El/Ew 1.29), at base moderately concave, moderately wider than pronotum (Ew/Pw 1.36), with subparallel sides, almost flat on disc; interstriae hardly visible between somewhat dense, light brown and whitish (more numerous at sides), long to very long (1.5–2.0x longer than width of interstria; l/w 8–15), seta-like scales, which are recumbent (for the most part and arranged in 2–3 irregular rows), to suberect (longer than others and arranged confusedly); striae hardly visible, as wide as half of interstriae, with shallow punctures, with a row of scales similar to shorter ones covering interstriae. Legs: moderately slender, with subrecumbent to erect, somewhat dense, whitish, long, seta-like scales, which are slightly shorter than or as long as width of tibia; femora reddish, unarmed; tibiae reddish, moderately slender, protibiae with apical part of ventral surface weakly directed outward; unci blackish, very stout, all equal in length; tarsi reddish, tarsomere 1 1.5x longer than wide, tarsomere 2 as long as wide, segment 3 not bilobed and slightly wider than tarsomere 2, onychium as long as tarsomeres 1–3 taken together; claws blackish, almost equal in length, fused in basal half. Venter: metasternum dark brown, clearly visible between sparse, whitish, long, hairlike scales; mesothoracic epimera and meso- and metathoracic episterna with sparse, whitish, in part narrow and seta-like and in part wide and fringed scales; abdomen dark brown with reddish ventrite 5, with shallow punctures which are sparse and irregular in size (in part very small) and disposition, and clearly visible between recumbent to subrecumbent, sparse, whitish, long, seta-like scales; ventrites length ratio 1–2/3–4 1.70. Penis: as in M. paratychioides (Fig. 120).

Female. Not examined.

Variability. We examined only the male paratype described above.

Remarks and comparative notes. This taxon differs from the other two species of the group, M. paratychioides and M. desertorum, by the segment 2 of antennal funicle only moderately longer than wide. Moreover it differs from M. paratychioides by the shorter rostrum and the elytra with longer scales, and from M. desertorum by the cylindrical rostrum and the narrower and flat eyes.

Biological notes. No data are available.

Distribution. Iraq.

Non-type specimens examined. None.