Remansus pygmaeus Jordal

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2013, Deep phylogenetic divergence between Scolytoplatypus and Remansus, a new genus of Scolytoplatypodini from Madagascar (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae), ZooKeys 352, pp. 9-33 : 22-23

Remansus pygmaeus Jordal sp. n. Figs 36-39

Type material.

Holotype, female: "Madagascar, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana National Park, 5 km NE Centre ValBio [-21.24, 47.41]. Ex Weinmannia twig, 10. Oct. 2012, B. Jordal leg." / “ZMBN/ENT-Scol-10”. The holotype is deposited in University Museum of Bergen (ZMBN).

Diagnosis.

Female. Posterior corners of pronotum rounded; scutellum flat at the same level as elytra; declivity characteristically truncated and marked by a circular blunt rim. One of the smallest known species in the tribe and the only species smaller than 2 mm in Africa and Madagascar. Closely related to Remansus serratus , but distinguished by the much smaller size (1.7 vs. 3.7 mm), the nearly glabrous elytral disk and posterior half of pronotum.

Molecular data.

DNA barcodes in Table 1.

Description.

Female.Length 1.7 mm, 1.85 × longer than wide; colour black.

Head. Eyes separated above by 4.0 × their width. Frons broadly flattened from vertex to epistoma, surface strongly reticulated, with tiny shallow punctures spaced by 1.5 –2× their diameter, except smooth and impunctate on a triangular area on central lower third. Epistoma elevated, shiny, with a short median carina extending from epistoma to impunctate area. Vestiture consisting of a few scattered fine setae.

Pronotum 0.8 × as long as wide, sides almost straight, weakly constricted on posterior third, surface reticulate with minute shallow punctures spaced on average by 2 × their diameter; median mycangial pore on anterior fifth round with a tuft of setae; pronotal vestiture consisting of sparse fine short setae, and about 20 much longer erect setae on anterior half.

Elytra 1.05 × longer than wide, 1.5 × longer than pronotum; sides almost straight, slightly constricted just before declivity, broadly triangular at apex; striae not impressed except weakly so at declivital margin; strial and interstrial punctures on disk entirely confused, shallow, with minute setae of variable length. Interstriae 10 elevated to level of ventrite I. Declivity dull, rugose, punctures variable but generally larger than on disk; vestiture on declivity of fine ground setae and fewer but coarser stiff and slightly curved short setae.

Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.5 × the width of one coxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.6 × the width of one procoxae. Protibiae broad, with one large laterally curved distal spine, and five additional lateral small spines or granules, with small granules on the posterior face.

Ventral vestiture. Metanepisternum with bifid long setae.

Male: unknown.

Etymology.

The Latin masculine adjective pygmaeus pertaining to the mythical race of African dwarfs, referring to the relative small size for this species, being the smallest species of Scolytoplatypodini in Africa and Madagascar.

Distribution and biology.

Only known from the type locality in the Ranomafana National Park. One female and one pupa were taken from a fallen branch of Weinmannia ( Cunoniaceae ), about 1.5 cm in diameter. The egg tunnel was transversely spiral shaped, with eight pupation chambers directed longitudinally, like bullet chambers in a revolver barrel. Based on empty pupal chambers the brood size in this type of host is 6-10 (n=3).