Scolytoplatypus peniculatus Gebhardt & Beaver, 2021

Gebhardt, Heiko, Beaver, Roger A. & Allgaier, Christoph, 2021, Three new species of Scolytoplatypus Schaufuss from China, and notes on the movement and functions of the prosternal processes (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Zootaxa 5082 (5), pp. 485-493 : 490-491

Scolytoplatypus peniculatus Gebhardt & Beaver sp. nov.

Fig. 1N–S , 2C

Type material. Holotype: male: CHINA: Yunnan, Puer, Jingdong, Ailoshan , 2682 m, 24.5406N 101.0304E, leg. L.Z. Meng, 28.V.2018 ( CAS, 1m) . Paratypes: As holotype ( CAS, 2f; NHMUK, 1m, 2f; NHMW, 1f); as previous except: 24.532N, 101.015E, 2499 m, 30.v.2018, ALS(X)2400-2FI ( RAB, 1m); as previous except: 24.541N, 101.030E, 2681 m, 30.v.2018, ALS(X)2600-4FI ( RAB, 1m); as previous except: 24.540N, 101.031E, 2683 m, 11.v.2018, FIT, ALS2600-3FI ( RAB, 2f); as previous except: Honghe, Hekou, Dajianshan, 22.908N. 103.697E, 2137 m, 1.v.2018, DJS3-2 ( RAB, 1m); as previous except: 2111 m, FIT, DJS1-2 ( HGT, 1m, 1f; RAB, 1f) .

Diagnosis. This species is the largest known species of Scolytoplatypus , with males 4.7‒4.8 mm long, and females 4.9‒5.3 mm, and can be distinguished by size alone. It lacks a profemoral tooth, and has small interstrial spines near the summit of the elytral declivity. The basal angles of the pronotum are not produced. It is most closely similar to S. pubescens Hagedorn. It resembles that species in the male frons with an area of dense, short hairs in the middle and a male prosternum with two triangular processes anteriorly. The males can be distinguished by a prosternum with obtuse triangular processes ( Fig. 2C ), in contrast to elongated, acute triangular processes in S. pubescens ( Fig. 2F ) In both sexes of S. peniculatus , the declivity lacks the dense vestiture present in S. pubescens , and all interstriae bear a single row of spines, each with a single, long, erect seta.

Description:

Male: 4.7‒4.8 mm long, about 1.9 times as long as wide, castaneous to dark brown.

Frons. Concave, surface shining, glabrous above the epistoma, otherwise punctured, more coarsely towards the apex, centrally with an oval area of very dense, short pubescence, the lateral margins in the lower part with a row of long hairs curving towards the midline, next to and above the upper part of the eyes a brush of long, yellowishbrown hairs curving downwards on each side towards the midline, the brushes overlapping medially and extending to the epistomal margin, the brushes separated dorsally by about the width of the anterior pronotal emargination.

Antennal club. 2.3 times as long as wide, elongate triangular widest near the base, acuminate, densely covered with short appressed setae, anteroventral margin with long, erect setae.

Pronotum. 1.2 times as wide as long, dorsal surface minutely reticulate, with fine punctures bearing fine, yellowish setae over the whole surface, the setae longer anteriorly, anterior margin convex with a median emargination, anterior angles broadly rounded, pronotum widest in anterior quarter, the sides gradually narrowing to the slightly produced posterior angles, posterior margin bisinuate; pronotum with a large, deep, approximately triangular fovea at the anteroventral angle, extending to the anterior and ventral margins.

Prosternum. Posterior part slightly raised medially, and with a small triangular projection in the midline at the posterior margin, granulate-punctate with long coarse yellowish hairs directed posteriorly, anterior margin almost straight without a median projection, with two oblique, widely separated, moveable triangular processes, their tips directed towards each other.

Procoxae. Flattened anteriorly, slightly swollen posteriorly, with coarse, yellow setae, longer and denser at the posterior margin, forming a loose brush, the longest hairs nearly 1.5 times longer than the length of the procoxa.

Elytra. 1.2 times longer than wide, 1.7 times longer than the pronotum, wider than pronotum, scutellum sunken, elytral bases straight, sides subparallel on anterior three-fourths, only slightly widened towards the apex, abruptly rounded behind, in lateral view the convex declivity beginning about three-fourths from base, elytral surface shining, glabrous, irregularly punctate to top of declivity, declivity with interstriae elevated, shining and finely carinate close to top, ventrally the carinae replaced on all interstriae by a single row of backwardly-pointing spines, each bearing a single, long, erect seta inserted just behind the spine, the rows on interstriae 1–3 extending to the apex; remainder of declivital surface dull and rugulose.

Female: 4.9–5.3 mm long and about 1.9 times as long as wide, castaneous to dark brown.

Frons. Convex, above the epistoma with a triangularly impressed area, with a central carina, surface microreticulate, with fine punctures bearing setae.

Antennal club. Oval, coarsely hairy, 1.4 times as long as wide.

Pronotum. 1.25 times as wide as long, widest in the middle, constricted posteriorly, dorsal surface minutely reticulate, finely punctured, median emargination much shallower than in male, mycangial pit in midline in anterior half, oval, a narrow area around it glabrous, otherwise with sparse, long, yellowish setae, shorter posteriorly; anteroposterior angle without a fovea.

Prosternum. Flattened, punctate, with posteriorly-directed setae.

Procoxae. Smaller than in male, flattened, the setae shorter and less abundant, not forming a brush.

Elytra. Generally as in male, but without carinae on interstriae at the top of the declivity.

Distribution. China (Yunnan). A montane species found only above 2000 m.

Etymology. Referring to the pubescent area on the frons which is reminiscent of a brush (Latin: peniculus = brush)

Host plants. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus and details of Scolytoplatypus spp. nov.: S. costatus male (2.2‒2.3 mm), habitus dorsal (A), habitus lateral (C), frons anterior (D); S. costatus female (2.3‒2.4 mm), habitus dorsal (B), habitus lateral (E), frons anterior (F); S. geminus male (2.9‒3.3 mm), habitus dorsal (G), pronotum (H), habitus lateral (I), frons anterior (J), pronotum anteroventral with f = fovea (K), declivity (L), prosternum (M); S. peniculatus male (4.7‒4.8 mm), habitus dorsal (N), habitus lateral (P), frons anterior (Q); S. peniculatus female (4.9‒5.3 mm), habitus dorsal (O), habitus lateral (R), frons anterior (S). The bars represent 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Male prosternum of Scolytoplatypus costatus, S. geminus and S. peniculatus in comparison to their close relatives: S. costatus (A), S. geminus (B), S. peniculatus (C), S. zahradniki (D), S. blandfordi (E), S. pubescens (F). The bars represent 0.5 mm.