Asiophilus Jordal

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2010, Revision of the genus Phloeoditica Schedl - with description of two new genera and two new species in Phloeosinini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae), ZooKeys 56, pp. 141-156 : 147-148

Asiophilus Jordal gen. n.

Type species:

Phloeoditica phloeosinoides Browne, 1966, by current designation.

Diagnosis:

A typical phloeosinine genus with 5-segmented funicle, flattened club with two oblique sutures and widely separated pro- and mesocoxae. It is readily distin guished from Phloeosinus by the entire eye and less produced outer apical margin of the protibiae, and by the ascending venter.

Description:

Body length 1.5-1.65 mm. Frons convex; eyes entire, distance between eyes 2.7-2.9 their width; funicle 5-segmented, antennal club large and moderately flattened, with two oblique sutures. Pronotum and elytra roughly punctured, with a pair of medial closely set erect setae. Scutellum large, flat, slightly sunken with a small depression in elytra around scutellum; elytral base procurved, raised with a single complete row of crenulations. Metepisternal setae hair-like or bifid. All coxae widely separated; protibiae with 5-6 lateral and apical socketed teeth. Venter ascending to meet elytral apex.

Etymology.

From the Greek word philos (having affinity for) and Asia, referring to the type localities in Vietnam and Philippines.

Comments.

Browne (1966) placed Phloeoditica phloeosinoides in Phloeoditica with much hesitation and referred to several characters that deviate from Phloeoditica curta and Phloeoditica elegans , e.g. the larger and dorsally visible scutellum, the scant vestiture, and two real sutures in the antennal club. Species of this genus bear some superficial resemblance to the hylesinine genus Ficicis , but is readily distinguished by the 5-segmented funicle and the lack of pronotal asperities. Taxa included: Asiophilus phloeosinoides (Browne) and Asiophilus macropunctatus Jordal, sp. n.