Hypera temperei Hoffmann, 1958 – first discovery of the western alpine element in the Swiss Alps with biological details, and new morphological insights (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

Abstract

Since its description based on a single female from the Maritime Alps in France, no other localities of this enigmatic alpine species have become public. In a scree slope in the Valais at high montane altitudeHypera tempereiHoffmann, 1958 was discovered for the first time elsewhere, in Switzerland. The species’ biology is unravelled, its habitat is described, and photographs of the male, larvae and pupa are presented. The re-investigation of the species morphology revealed thatHypera tempereiis closest toH. postica(Gyllenhal, 1813), and not toH. viciae(Gyllenhal, 1813) as previously supposed. A revision of specimens in collections revealed thatH. tempereiis distributed even more eastern in the alpine Arc in Grisons at high montane to high alpine altitudes. Hence the species shows a considerably wider distribution in the Alps than supposed before.