Hylocurus incognitus Atkinson, 2024

Atkinson, Thomas H., 2024, New species, new synonymy, taxonomic notes and new records of bark and ambrosia beetles from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae and Scolytinae), Zootaxa 5424 (2), pp. 151-175 : 158-159

Hylocurus incognitus Atkinson , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2C81AD64-4354-4308-8FA4-2DC81544F67A

Fig. 5 (A–D)

Diagnosis. As is the case in many species, males have a complete ring of elevated tubercles at the base of the declivity which distinguishes it from most species in the southeastern United States. Males differ from those of all known species of the genus by the presence of a pair of large, rounded tubercles in the center of the declivital face, somewhat displaced laterally from the suture.

Male. Length pronotum: 1.04 mm; length elytra: 1.32 mm; total length: 2.36 mm; maximum width: 0.98 mm; length / width: 2.41 (n=3).

Frons flattened, reticulate, with scattered low tubercles, vestiture inconspicuous. A faint longitudinal impression from center of frons to epistoma. Epistomal margin smooth in central ¼, sparse tufts of setae along margin to either side to antennal bases. Antennal scape short, about twice as wide as long, with sparse, short setae, each less than length of scape. Funicle about ½ length of scape. Flagellum with five segments. Club rounded, basal portion corneous; two procurved sutures on club face, marked with rows of setae.

Pronotum with summit slightly anterior to middle, weakly impressed behind, with sparse, short, forwardoriented setae behind summit. Entire surface reticulate. Anterior margin elevated, irregular, weakly serrate; anterior slope with low, flattened asperities, twice as wide as long, separated by their width, closer and smaller near summit. Disc with closely spaced, low, curved elevations; punctures not evident.

Elytral disc with striae strongly impressed, punctures nearly confluent; striae slightly narrower than interstriae; striae 1–3 most impressed, less so laterally. Interstriae rounded, with short, uniseriate setae associated with deep punctures; length of setae subequal to interstrial width; granules not present. All interstriae with rounded projections at base of declivity, all in line as seen from above, forming a complete circumdeclivital ring. Raised elevation of 9 extended posteriorly, abruptly ending at interstria 9, not crossing stria 9 or reaching costal margin. Declivital surface weakly concave within circumdeclivital ring, surface smooth, shining. Strial punctures as large as on disc; striae clearly identifiable at base, punctures becoming smaller, confused towards apex and midline. Some small tubercles associated with punctures, but not forming rows. A strongly elevated, rounded tubercle present almost exactly in the center of the face, on combined interstriae 1 and 2, higher and larger than tubercles at base of declivity; separated from suture by about half its basal width. Elytral apex acute, not strongly projected.

Female. Unknown.

Type Material. Holotype male: United States: Texas: Harris Co., Bear Creek Park, 29.8230 N, 95.6331 W, 5-IV-2013, S. Marquez, Lindgren funnel trap with alpha pinene and ethanol ( USNM, USNMENT01547790 ) ; Paratype males: Texas: same data as holotype ( TAMU, 1); Louisiana: Natchitoches Co., Kisatchee Natl. Forest , [31.4764 N, 93.0296 W], 3-IV-2011, T. Haley, Lindgren funnel trap with alpha pinene, ipsenol, ipsdienol, cis verbenol (1 male, USNM, USNMENT0154771 ) . Oklahoma: Oklahoma Co., Oklahoma City , 14.7 km NNE, 323 m, 35.5825 N, 97.4367 W, 1-12-IV-2016, Lindgren funnel trap, A. Edwards ( TAMU, 2); same but 1-III – 1- IV-2016 ( CMNH, 1); Edmond, 13.5 km WSW, 343 m, 35.6217 N, 97.6217 W, 1-27-IV-2016, Lindgren funnel trap, A. Edwards ( CMNH, 1); Oklahoma City, 5 km EE, 373 m, 35.4369 N, 97.4767 W, 24-III- 27-IV-2016, Lindgren funnel trap, A. Edwards ( CMNH, 1).

Etymology. The name reflects my opinion that rather than being an undescribed species, it is the male of a previously described species from the southeastern U.S. (possibly H. spadix Blackman ) or northeastern Mexico.

Biology and Distribution. Nothing is known about the hosts or biology of this species. All specimens were collected in traps.

Comments. I have seen types of all described species of Hylocurus from the U.S., Mexico, Central America and South America and this does not match any of them. Although I have not seen the types, this does not match the descriptions or figures (declivities of all species) of species described by Bright (2019). The circumdeclivital ring of denticles surrounding a flattened declivity is characteristic of males of many species in this genus.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Hylocurus incognitus. Male holotype (USNMENT01547790): (A) Dorsal, (B) Lateral, (C) Frontal, (D) Posterior. Specimen data: Texas: Harris Co., Bear Creek Park, 29.8230 N, 95.6331 W, 5-IV-2013, S. Marquez, Lindgren funnel trap with alpha pinene and ethanol (USNM). All photographs by the author.