Scolytodes obovatus Jordal

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2013, New species and records of Scolytodes (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Scolytinae) from South America, Zootaxa 3721 (6), pp. 529-551 : 539-540

Scolytodes obovatus Jordal , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:618B9B18-FF37-43E7-9BEB-9B925EE72B42 ( Figs 21, 24, 27 )

Type material. Holotype, female: “ Bolivia, La Paz, Coroico, Cerro Uchumachi, 2550 m, 16º 12.71' S 67º42.81' W, 28.1.2001, R. Anderson. Cloud forest litter, 2001-014D". Allotype: Bolivia, La Paz, 6.0 km W. Chulumani, El Paraiso, 2550 m, 16º 23.61' S 67º33.19' W, 20.1.2001, R. Anderson, wet Clusia –bamboo litter, 2001-006A. Paratypes (8): same data as allotype (1); same data as holotype (4); Bolivia, La Paz, Coroico, Cerro Uchumachi, 2150 m, 16º 12.16' S 67º43.33' W, 27.1.2001, R. Anderson, 2nd growth cloud forest litter, 2001-013A (2); Bolivia, La Paz, 9.4 km E. Chulumani, Apa-Apa, 2100 m, 16º 20.99' S 67º 30.30' W, 21.1.2001, R. Anderson, lower yungas litter, 2001 – 007D (1). Holotype, allotype and four paratypes in CMN, other paratypes in USNM (2) and ZMBN (2).

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 sharply elevated far beyond level of metacoxae, protibiae without an additional mesal tooth. Generally recognized by the obovate body shape, the tiny recumbent strial setae arising from shallow strial punctures with a flat bottom, and by the variable size and placement of erect interstrial setae.

Description female. Length 2.5–2.6 mm, 2.0–2.1 times longer than wide; colour black. Head. Eyes separated above by 3.1–3.3 times their width. Frons weakly concave from epistoma to just below upper level of eyes, more strongly transversely impressed at level of antennal insertion; surface smooth on lower half, reticulate above, shiny; punctures deep, irregularly spaced, more widely spaced towards vertex. Vestiture consisting of fine and moderately long erect setae in impressed area and near eye margin, cuticle clearly visible in pilose area. Antennal club flattened with 2 transverse sutures marked by setae. Funiculus 6-segmented. Pronotum 0.90 times as long as wide, widest at base, sides subparallel on basal half, somewhat narrowly rounded in front; surface reticulated, subshining, with distinct punctures irregularly spaced on average by twice their diameter. Vestiture consisting of tiny recumbent setae along margins, and 8 erect longer bristle-like setae (4+2+2). Elytra 1.3 times longer than wide, 2.0–2.1 times longer than pronotum; sides diverging on basal two-thirds, narrowly rounded behind; striae not impressed, punctures shallow with flat bottom, irregularly spaced by an average of 2 times their diameter; interstriae 3 times wider than striae, punctures similar to those in striae, about two-thirds the size, more widely spaced by about 2–4 times their diameter, mainly in rows, confused close to declivity. Interstriae 10 reaching level of ventrite III. Vestiture consisting of fine erect interstrial setae of variable length and interspace and fine short recumbent strial setae arising from the centre of strial punctures. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.7 times the width of a coxa. Mesocoxae separated by the width of one procoxa. Protibiae with distal teeth 1 and 2 of similar size, pointing laterad. Meso- and metatibiae with 6–7 lateral socketed teeth on distal half. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum and metanepisternum simple.

Description male. Similar to female except the frons is less impressed and bears shorter and fewer setae.

Key. No matching features after couplet 23.

Etymology. From the Latin masculine adjective obovatus , meaning ‘egg-shaped’, referring to the obovate shape of the elytra and the narrower pronotum.

Biology and distribution. Known from four close Bolivian localities east of La Paz. Two specimens were sifted from Clusia litter, but they are not closely related to any known Clusia feeding species.

Figures

FIGURES 19 – 27. Dorsal, lateral and front view of Scolytodes frontocarinatus (19, 22, 25), S. sus (20, 23, 26), S. obovatus (21, 24, 27).