Socotractus, Colonnelli, 2014

Colonnelli, Enzo, 2014, Apionidae, Nanophyidae, Brachyceridae and Curculionidae except Scolytinae (Coleoptera) from Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54, pp. 295-422 : 370-371

Socotractus gen. nov.

Type species. Systates angusticollis Taschenberg, 1883 , by present designation.

Description. Small to medium size from 3.17 to 6.87 mm. Vestiture of moderately dense lanceolate to very elongate partly golden scales and more or less erect hair-like scales. Rostrum subparallel sided, subtriangularly narrowing apically, pterygia feebly developed, scrobes foveiform and closed forward. Epifrons dorsally flat or moderately convex and with weak median carina, at base with rather deep transverse sulcus, level of epifrons higher than that of head in profile. Epistome smooth, not clearly distinct from epifrons and gradually sloping towards apex. Mentum bisetose. Scape clubbed and slightly to strongly compressed dorsoventrally, its surface somewhat strigose, funicular antennomere I inserted on its ventral side. Head short, scrobes moderately large, in the form of elongate pit and entirely visible from above, vertex at extreme base striolate, eyes rather small, slightly elliptical and strongly convex. Pronotum much narrower than elytra, not or slightly transverse, with sparse deep rather large punctures sometimes separated by small flat granules, anterior and posterior margins truncate, sides not or moderately rounded, disc slightly convex with feeble anterior depression. Scutellum invisible. Elytra oval or elliptical, 10-striate, apical declivity continuing outline of elytra. Intervals at least on female with feeble to moderate protuberances. Legs elongate, femora moderately clubbed, edentate, tibiae slightly curved inwards in apical third, internal margin somewhat mucronate apically. Procoxae contiguous, mesocoxae separate by elongate process much shorter that diameter of coxa, metacoxae widely separate by space about twice length of metaventrite. Metatibial corbels open.

Differential diagnosis. The combination of bisetose mentum, subparallel sided rostrum triangularly narrowing towards apex, foveiform small scrobes feebly protruding laterally and closed forward, epistome ill-defined, barely sloping forward and not separate from epifrons, deep thin transverse sulcus between interocular space and rostrum, small convex eyes, elytral intervals with weakly to moderately protruding tubercles at least in females, and mucronate tibiae make it impossible to confuse this new genus with any other Palaearctic or Afrotropical Peritelini .

Etymology. The name alludes to the island of Socotra and to the genus Epactus . Gender is masculine.