Scolytodes rufifrons 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 : 54-55

Scolytodes rufifrons Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:688E5EE1-223D-4A55-B2A5-4CD44A35503A

( Figs 111, 114, 117 )

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., July 1994, T.L. Erwin et al. collectors; indiv#000977 . Allotype male: same data as holotype, except July 1995 . Paratypes: same data as holotype except October 1994 (2) ; except October 1995 (1); except June 1998 (1). Holotype and allotype temporarily held in trust at USNM for MECN. Two paratypes deposited in QCAZ , one in MSUC and one in ZMBN

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 only weakly elevated to level of ventrite 3. Protibiae with an additional mesal tooth near tarsal insertion. Pronotum strongly asperate on anterior half. Head dark ochre red, eyes narrowly separated above. Closely related to S. naevius Wood, 1981 , S. maestus and S. echinus , but differs from all these by the narrowly separated eyes, ochre-red head, and the spatulate shape of interstrial setae (absent in S. naevius ), and in the male by having distinct fine setae in most of the frons.

Description, female. Length 1.4–1.6 mm, 2.5–2.7 × as long as wide; colour light brown, pronotum slightly darker, head dark ochre-red. Head. Eyes entire, separated above by 0.5–0.6 × their width. Frons weakly concave between eyes from just below upper level of eyes to epistoma, densely punctured in impressed area; vestiture consisting of a fringe of long, slightly elevated setae along the margin of the impressed area, and short, fine setae scattered in central part of impressed area. Antennal club pilose. Funiculus possibly 5-segmented. Pronotum r eticulate, dull, punctures shallow, obscure, spaced by 1–3 × their diameter, punctures not reaching anterior margin, replaced on anterior half by rough asperities. Vestiture consisting of 8 long, erect setae (4-2-2) and scant additional, shorter, fine setae on the anterior third of pronotum. Elytra shiny, smooth; striae mainly regular, punctures minute, shallow, barely visible; interstriae with tiny punctures, about half the size of those in striae. Interstriae 10 weakly raised to level of ventrite 3. Vestiture consisting of rows of long, erect setae on each interstriae, mainly on declivity, and scattered microscopic, fine setae. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.2–0.3 × the width of one procoxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.5 × the width of a procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal teeth 1 similar to 2, with 2–3 additional tiny granules towards tibial base; an additional mesal tooth present on posterior face near base of tooth 2; protibial mucro obtuse. Meso- and metatibiae with 5–6 socketed teeth on distal half. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum trifid, on metanepisternum and anterior part of metasternum bifid, simple on posterior and ventral part.

Male. Similar to female except frons convex, with frontal vestiture consisting of fine recumbent setae, eyes separated by 1.1–1.2 × their width.

Key ( Wood 2007). Keys to couplet 86, S. naevius , but differs by having erect interstrial setae, narrowly separated eyes, and much more elongated body shape.

Etymology. The Latin name rufifrons is a masculine adjective, meaning red forehead, referring to the dark ochre-red head in both sexes.

Biology and distribution. Collected by five different canopy fogging events, in the Ecuadorian Amazon lowland type locality. It was collected in July and October in two consecutive years, and in June two years later.

Figures

FIGURES 109–117. Dorsal, lateral and frontal views of the female holotype of Scolytodes vietus (109, 112, 115), Scolytodes echinus (110, 113, 116), and Scolytodes rufifrons (111, 114, 117).