Pseudomicracis lauricola Jordal, 2022

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2022, The strongly dimorphic bark beetle genus Pseudomicracis (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) in Madagascar-an integrated taxonomic revision, Zootaxa 5125 (3), pp. 325-343 : 336

Pseudomicracis lauricola Jordal , sp. nov.

( Figs 29, 31, 33, 34 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A85CF4EF-CC24-43FD-AB33-61A1E205ED5A

Type material. Holotype, female: Madagascar, Diana region , Montagne d’Ambre Nat. Park, 800 m alt., GIS: - 12.54, 49.17, Ex. Ocotea branch, 1.xi.2019, J. Eliassen, leg. Allotype, male: same data as holotype, except ex old branch, B. Jordal leg. Paratypes: same data as allotype (2) ; same data as allotype , except ex. Cryptocarya branch, 3.xi.2019 (4); same data as holotype (2). Holotype, allotype and four paratypes deposited in ZMUB , four paratypes in NHMW .

Diagnosis. Basal segment of the antennal club only one-quarter of total length of club; female scapus spikelike, with strongly plumose, long setae; male frons rugose-punctate, distinctly impressed just above epistoma; male pronotum serrated along central anterior margin.

Description, female. Length 1.2–1.4 mm, 2.7–3.0 × as long as wide; colour brown. Frons flattened or slightly impressed longitudinally on central third, smooth to finely granulated, rugose-punctate above, vestiture consisting of rather densely placed, fine recumbent setae. Antennal scapus triangularly elongated into a dorsal spike, in front with long plumose setae; antennal club with two procurved sutures, basal segment about one-quarter the length of the club. Eyes separated above by 2.5 × their width. Pronotum asperate on anterior half, asperities denser near anterior margin and the summit, more scattered in the middle declivous part and absent along anterior margin; smooth and very finely punctuated on posterior half; setae scant, bristle-like. Elytral interstriae smooth, with uniseriate rows of narrowly spatulate setae from base to apex; strial punctures shallow, with fine recumbent setae separated by their length. Protibiae with one lateral and two apical denticles.

Etymology. Composed by the stem of Laurus , the laurel tree, with the connecting vowel -i, and the suffix -cola, meaning inhabitor, referring to a preference for host trees in the plant family Lauraceae .

Distribution and biology. Madagascar. Only known from the northern tip of the island where it was repeatedly collected from the bark of small branches fallen from Cryptocarya and Ocotea trees ( Lauraceae ).

Remarks. A rather featureless species which is morphologically most similar to P. pilosa and P. atra sp. nov. having a small basal segment of the antennal club, and serrated anterior margin of the male pronotum. However, it has uniseriate rows of interstrial setae reaching basal margin of the elytra.

Figures

FIGURES 29–35. Dorsal, lateral and front view of Pseudomicracis lauricola female holotype (29, 31, 33), and male allotype (34); Pseudomicracis atra male holotype (30, 32, 35).