Scolytodes semilepidus 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 : 42

Scolytodes semilepidus Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BE9DF7F6-FC1F-4F74-BA9A-026241910EDB

( Figs 75, 78, 81 )

Type material. Holotype, female: Ecuador: Napo prov., Tiputini biodiversity station, 220–250 m, June 1998, 00° 37’55’’S, 76° 08’39’’W, T.L. Erwin et al collectors; individual #000568 . 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. pseudolepidus but differs by the much more abundant setae in the female frons and which extends to the vertex, the lack of an impunctate area on lower frons, by the much more broadly separated eyes, and by the mainly regular interstrial punctures on interstriae 1–4 and 6.

Description, female. Length 2.3 mm, 2.2 × as long as wide; colour dark brown. Head. Eyes entire, separated above by 3.3 × their width. Frons concave between eyes from vertex to epistoma, finely punctured in impressed area; vestiture consisting of 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 four long, erect setae (4-0-0). Elytra smooth, shiny; striae regular, punctures moderately large, deep, spaced by less than their diameter, subcontiguous; interstrial punctures slightly smaller, mainly in regular rows except more confused on interstriae 5 and 7–9; interstriae 10 sharply elevated to near apex. Vestiture consisting of erect setae on each 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 semi - (derived from various ancient sources), meaning half, refers to the similarity to Scolytodes lepidus .

Biology and distribution. Only known from the type locality in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. The specimen was 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).