Pseudomicracis pilosa Jordal, 2022

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2022, The strongly dimorphic bark beetle genus Pseudomicracis (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) in Madagascar-an integrated taxonomic revision, Zootaxa 5125 (3), pp. 325-343 : 333-336

Pseudomicracis pilosa Jordal , sp. nov.

( Figs 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EFAC357A-ADC9-4412-9F02-6094C6144517

Type material. Holotype, female: Madagascar, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana, Centre ValBio [-21.25, 47.42] alt. 950 m, ex Ocotea branch, 30.ix.2012, B. Jordal, leg. Paratypes: same data as holotype (2) ; same data as holotype except ex Cryptocarya branch (3) ; same data as holotype except 3.x.2012 (allotype male and 3 paratypes) . Holotype, allotype and four paratypes deposited in ZMUB , four paratypes in NHMW .

Diagnosis. Basal segment of antennal club about one-quarter the length of club; strial setae white, comparatively broad, about one-third as wide as interstrial setae, in part confused within rows; pronotal setae similar to strial setae, densely placed.

Description, female. Length 1.2–1.6 mm, 2.7–3.0 × as long as wide; colour brown to very dark brown. Frons flattened, shiny, impunctate, vestiture consisting of very short, fine setae mainly along the lateral and upper part of frons, Antennal scapus broadly triangular, nearly spike-like dorsally, with broad tuft of setae slightly longer than length of club; antennal club with two procurved sutures, basal segment short, about one-quarter the length of club. Eyes large, separated above by 1.3–1.7 × their width. Pronotum asperate on anterior half, vestiture of white coarse setae. Elytral interstriae smooth, with uniseriate rows of narrowly spatulate or bristle-like setae, strial punctures small, setae white, comparatively broad, in part confused. Protibiae with one lateral and two apical denticles along outer margin.

Male similar to female except scapus rounded with few setae, anterior margin of pronotum with 4–6 raised teeth, interstrial setae almost as broad as long, truncated.

Etymology. The Latin feminine nominative adjective pilosa , meaning hairy, refers to the densely set rows of setae from elytral base to apex, the relatively thick and visible strial setae, and the dense setae of the pronotum.

Distribution and biology. Madagascar. Only known from three nearby locations in Ranomafana. It was collected from thin branches of Ocotea and Cryptocarya (both in Lauraceae ). Each male was joined by exactly two females (n=5), where females made longitudinal egg tunnels in the bark (not the phloem).

Remarks. This species appears to be much more setose than most other species in the genus, except those in the Saurotocis group. It shares with P. vitrioculata the relatively large eyes but is distinguished from that species particularly by the short basal segment of the antennal club, and its generally setose appearance.

Figures

FIGURES 20–28. Dorsal, lateral and front view of Pseudomicracis vitrioculata male holotype (20, 23, 26); Pseudomicracis pilosa male allotype (21, 24, 27), and female holotype (22, 25, 28).