Premnophilus maiai Atkinson & Flechtmann, 2023

Atkinson, Thomas H., Flechtmann, Carlos A. H. & Petrov, Alexander V., 2023, Synopsis of the Neotropical Premnobiina (Coleoptera: Curculonidae: Scolytinae Ipini) with descriptions of new species, new synonymy and keys to species, Zootaxa 5249 (1), pp. 69-91 : 84

Premnophilus maiai Atkinson & Flechtmann , new species

Fig. 8 A–D urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:461E6F51-FECC-46D5-94AA-224517197E97

Diagnosis. This species and P. bertii differ from those previously described here in that the declivity is clearly sulcate, with a rounded margin from the declivital apex almost to its base which bears 2–3 denticles. There are no granules on the declivital face.

Female. Total length: 2.10 mm, maximum width: 0.75 mm, length of elytra: 1.18 mm, total length / width: 2.80, elytra length / width: 1.57, pronotal length / width: 1.23 (n=1). Elytra reddish brown, pronotum yellowish brown.

Frons shining, smooth, with small, shallow punctures, these widely spaced, some with erect setae slightly longer than the distance between punctures. Punctures becoming granulate near epistoma. A very weakly elevated, longitudinal carina runs from well above the eyes but ends before the epistomal margin. First segment of anterior face of antennal club corneus, bisinuate, middle portion not reaching middle of club; distal part densely pubescent without visible sutures; pubescent area not reaching base of antennal laterally. Posterior face with corneous portion occupying 3/4 club length, pubescent distally, lateral areas not pubescent.

Anterior margin of pronotum bluntly rounded, subtruncate, asperities on its leading edge notably larger than those on the rest of the anterior slope. Summit slightly anterior to middle, asperities short, flattened, with about 3 their thickness, becoming shorter towards summit. Pronotal disc shining; punctures shallow, small, widely spaced. Erect setae on disc, spaced by about their length.

Elytral disc shining, smooth. Striae not impressed, punctures shallow, with short recumbent setae. Interstriae about 2 width of striae with mostly uniseriate erect setae, their length slightly longer than interstrial width. Interstriae becoming weakly granulate near base of declivity. Declivity steep occupying 25% of declivital length in lateral view; steep, with face sulcate from the base to the apex. A rounded posterolateral marginal elevation is present on the declivity from apex to near the base. Declivity narrowly concave in center of declivity between interstria 3, narrowed posteriorly. Strial punctures present on declivital face, surface dull. Three acute denticles are present on rounded declivital margin, one near base on interstria 3 and a pair of closely spaced denticles closer to elytral apex.

Male. Unknown.

Type Material. Holotype, female, Brazil: Amapá, Tartarugalzinho, Comunidade Entre Rios— Projeto de Assentamento Cedro, Retiro Paraíba, 17′32″ N, 5118′34″ W, 22–VIII–2015, FIT with ethanol, Amazonian terra firme forest fragment, W.R. Silva ( MEFEIS).

Distribution. Lower Amazonian region ( Fig. 12F ).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Jos Luiz da Silva Maia, head of the Division of Forest Protection and Environment of the forest company Duraflora in Agudos, state of São Paulo, where he worked for many years. He worked collaboratively with the second author in Scolytinae research projects over many years.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Premnophilus maiai Atkinson & Flechtmann, female holotype. A. dorsal habitus; B. lateral habitus; C. frons and antenna; D. declivity. All photographs by T.H. Atkinson.

FIGURE 12. Known localities for Neotropical species of Premnobiina. A. Premnobius cavipennis; B. Premnobius ambitiosus; C. Premnobius perezdelacrucei; D. Premnobius species.; E,F. Premnophilus species. Species are grouped only to avoid overlap of collection localities on maps. No ecological or systematic relationships are implied.