Scolytodes pseudolepidus Jordal and Smith, 2020

Jordal, Bjarte H. & Smith, Sarah M., 2020, Scolytodes Ferrari (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) from Ecuador: 40 new species, and a molecular phylogenetic guide to infer species differences, Zootaxa 4813 (1), pp. 1-67 : 41-42

Scolytodes pseudolepidus Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:32CD9DD8-8301-4A5C-BD69-7512B5011BC0

( Figs 74, 77, 80 )

Type material. Holotype, female: Ecuador: Napo Prov., Res. Ethnica Waorani, 1km S Onkone Gare Camp., Trans. Et. , 00°39’10’’S, 76°26’W, 220m elev., October 1995, T.L. Erwin et al. collectors, indiv #000963 . Holotype temporarily held in trust at USNM for MECN .

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 sharply elevated to near apex. Protibiae with an additional mesal tooth. Elytra with erect setae on odd-numbered interstriae. Ventral vestiture largely bifid to plumose. Most closely related to S. lepidus Wood, 1975 , but differs by the much less abundant setae in the female frons, and by the regular presence of erect setae on all odd-numbered interstriae.

Description, female. Length 2.1 mm, 2.3 × as long as wide; colour dark brown. Head. Eyes entire, separated above by 2.2 × their width. Frons concave between eyes from upper level of eyes to epistoma, finely punctured in impressed area except impunctate and shiny at level of antennal insertion; vestiture consisting of scant long setae arising from margin of concave area, and much shorter and finer setae within impressed area. Antennal club with two obliquely procurved sutures, segment 1 and 2 partially corneous. Funiculus 6-segmented. Pronotum reticulate, with dense, deep punctures on posterior half, punctures more shallow and smaller on anterior half, mixed with distinct asperities, anterior row of asperities forming a faint wavy rim. Vestiture consisting of few short recumbent setae and at least eight long, erect setae (4-2-2). Elytra smooth, shiny; striae regular, punctures moderately large, deep, spaced by their diameter; interstrial punctures slightly smaller, confused; interstriae 10 sharply elevated to near apex. Vestiture consisting of erect, slightly spatulate, setae on odd-numbered interstriae, particularly on posterior half and sides. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.5 × the width of one procoxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.8 × the width of a procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal tooth 1 and 2 subequal, with 3–4 lateral spines or rugae decreasing in size towards tibial base; an additional mesal tooth present on its posterior face; protibial mucro short, obtuse. Meso- and metatibiae with 6 lateral, long, socketed teeth on distal half. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mes- and metanepisternum mixed bifid to plumose, on metasternum largely bifid except simple on posterior half.

Male. Not known.

Key ( Wood 2007). Keys to couplet 62, S. lepidus , but differs as noted in the diagnosis.

Etymology. The combination of the Latin adjective lepidus , meaning glamorous, and the Latin prefix pseudo - (derived from ancient Greek), meaning false, refers to the similarity to Scolytodes lepidus .

Biology and distribution. Only known from the type locality in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. The specimens were collected by canopy fogging.

Figures

FIGURES 73–81. Dorsal, lateral and frontal views of the female holotype of Scolytodes semicrassus (73, 76, 79), Scolytodes pseudolepidus (74, 77, 80), and Scolytodes semilepidus (75, 78, 81).