Scolytodes concavifrons Jordal

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2013, New species and records of Scolytodes (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Scolytinae) from South America, Zootaxa 3721 (6), pp. 529-551 : 536-537

Scolytodes concavifrons Jordal , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:089AB709-E77A-4A97-81B4-68124F3FE867 ( Figs 12, 15, 18 )

Type material. Holotype, female: “ Ecuador: Napo Provincia, tributary to Tiputini, S0º49’ W76º24’, 28 June 1996, A. Cognato coll., Ex Cecropia leafstalks”. Allotype and paratypes (6): same data as holotype. Holotype and allotype in MSUC, paratypes in ZMBN (2), USNM (2) and MSUC (1).

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 sharply elevated far beyond level of metacoxae, protibiae without an additional mesal tooth. Compared to the many species breeding in Cecropia petioles, this species is unique by the strongly concave female frons and the emarginate eyes.

Description female. Length 2.1–2.2 mm, 2.1–2.2 times longer than wide; colour brown. Head. Eyes separated above by 2.8–3.0 times their width, slightly emarginate in front. Frons concave between eye margins from epistoma to just above upper level of eyes; surface densely punctured, dull, merely visible under densely set small setae. Vestiture consisting of a ring of long protruding golden setae along the margin of impressed area; concavity densely pilose by short fine erect setae about one-quarter the length of longest marginal setae. Antennal club pilose, without visible sutures. Funiculus 6-segmented. Pronotum as long as wide, widest at base, sides curved, moderately broadly rounded in front; surface finely reticulated, with tiny shallow punctures spaced by 2–3 times their diameter. Glabrous (0–0–0). Elytra 1.3–1.4 times longer than wide, 1.5–1.6 times longer than pronotum; sides straight on basal two-thirds, broadly rounded behind; striae not impressed, punctures very shallow, sharply demarcated, spaced by their diameter; interstriae 3 times wider than striae, punctures two-thirds the size and similar to those in striae, slightly confused. Interstriae 10 reaching almost to apex. Glabrous, with microscopic strial and interstrial setae close to margins. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.7 times the width of a coxa. Mesocoxae separated by the width of one procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal teeth 1 and 2 of equal size pointing posterolaterad, 5–6 additional small spines or granules towards tibial base. Mesotibiae with 7–9 small lateral socketed teeth irregularly spaced on distal half. Metatibiae with 7–8 small lateral socketed teeth on distal half. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum and metanepisternum simple.

Description male. Similar to female except frons simple, convex, slightly swollen between level of antenna and upper eyes (almost obtusely longitudinally carinate), demarcated above by a transversely curved weak impression; surface reticulate, with a few microscopic setae and some longer along the epistomal margin.

Key. With some uncertainty it will lead to couplet 41, but no species in this part of the key (or elsewhere in the genus) has a strongly concave female frons.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the strongly concave female frons.

Biology and distribution. Only known from the type locality in the Amazonian lowland forest, breeding in Cecropia leafstalks.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 18. Dorsal, lateral and front view of Scolytodes cenchros (10, 13, 16), S. pascopomus (11, 14, 17), S. concavifrons (12, 15, 18).