Purealus beckelorum, a new genus and species of cleonine weevil from western Texas and eastern New Mexico (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Lixinae, Cleonini)

Abstract

The new genus Purealus Anderson (type species, Purealusbeckelorumgen n. et sp. n., type locality: McKenzie Lake, Gaines County, Texas) is described to accommodate a new species of cleonine weevil from western Texas and eastern New Mexico. Habitus images and images of taxonomically significant structures are presented. Purealus appears to be unique within Cleonini in the distinctly tumescent and asperate base of elytral interval 3, and widely separated procoxae, two characters apparently not shared with any other world Cleonini. The species cannot be placed in either Apleurus or Scaphomorphus due to a combination of characters in part shared by each genus and the lack of characters used to define the monophyly of each genus. Coding of the character states and addition to the analysis presented in a recent comprehensive analysis of world Cleonini did not provide any significant information on phylogenetic affinities. No information on plant associations is available; most specimens have been collected walking on the ground in winter months in arid habitats.