Scolytodes fulvus Jordal

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2013, New species and records of Scolytodes (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Scolytinae) from South America, Zootaxa 3721 (6), pp. 529-551 : 547

Scolytodes fulvus Jordal , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:08560F4B-7489-4170-BB92-9B64C88A805F ( Figs 46–48 )

Type material. Holotype, female: " Venezuela: Merida, ULA Biol. Res, La Carbonerra, 20 km SE Azulita, 28VI 1989, 2300 m, S&J Peck. Podocarp. for. litter. 89-24 0". Holotype in CMN.

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 reaches beyond level of metacoxae, protibiae without additional mesal tooth, body setose. Related to S. habilis Wood and S. banosus (Hagedorn) , but distinguished from the former by the larger size and the longer erect vestiture, and from the latter by smaller size, reticulate pronotum, the presence of sutures in the antennal club, and by the shorter elytral vestiture.

Description female. Length 2.35 mm, 2.25 times longer than wide; colour light brown or yellow. Head. Eyes separated above by 2.4 times their width. Frons flattened from upper level of eyes to epistoma, transversely impressed just above epistoma, with a tiny granule on epistoma; surface reticulate, dull, punctures sparse and shallow. Vestiture consisting of a few scattered erect thin setae. Antennal club with two obliquely procurved sutures marked by short setae, some longer setae interspersed, segment 1 and 2 subcorneous. Funiculus apparently 5-segmented, sixth segment discernable by faint suture joined with club. Pronotum as long as wide, widest at midlength, sides weakly curved on basal half, slightly constricted and narrowly rounded in front; surface smooth, reticulate, dull, shallow punctures spaced on average by 1–1.5 times their diameter. Vestiture consisting of evenly distributed fine long recumbent setae (0–0–0). Elytra 1.5 times longer than wide, 2.0 times longer than pronotum; sides diverging slightly posteriorly, somewhat obovate, narrowly rounded behind; striae not impressed, punctures in rows, shallow, slightly elongated, spaced by the size of their diameter; interstriae three times wider than striae, punctures of same size and shape as those in striae, confused and difficult to distinguish from striae. Interstriae 10 reaching level of ventrite III. Vestiture consisting of fine recumbent strial and interstrial setae, some longer very fine setae mainly (but not exclusively) on odd numbered interstriae. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.85 times the width of a coxa. Mesocoxae separated by 1.1 times the width of a procoxa. Protibiae narrow, armed by two lateral teeth of equal size, five additional granules or tiny spines towards the base. Mesotibiae with 6 lateral socketed teeth on distal half. Metatibiae with 6 lateral socketed teeth on distal third. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum and metanepisternum bifid.

Key. The identification of this species goes wrong in the first couplet as do all related species ( S. banosus and similar species), as all need to go through couplet 59.

Etymology. From Latin fulvus , meaning ‘reddish yellow’, referring to the colour of the holotype. This is likely the mature colour as close relatives are all light brown, yellow or reddish in colour.

Biology and distribution. Only known from a single individual from Venezuela. The type locality has the following GIS: N8° 38' 28.89", W71° 22' 55.20". Related species are found in the highlands of Costa Rica and Panama.

Figures

FIGURES 46 – 51. Dorsal, lateral and front view of Scolytodes fulvus (46 – 48) and S. sagittarius (49 – 51).