Scolytodes animus Jordal and Smith, 2020

Jordal, Bjarte H. & Smith, Sarah M., 2020, Scolytodes Ferrari (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) from Ecuador: 40 new species, and a molecular phylogenetic guide to infer species differences, Zootaxa 4813 (1), pp. 1-67 : 32

Scolytodes animus Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5BF03D89-6BFC-4FD4-B5C1-7D310648D8C0

( Figs 47, 50, 53 )

Type material. Holotype, female: Ecuador: Los Ríos, Canton Valencia , Reserva Murucumba, S 00°38.544’ W 79°08.902’, 731m, 16.V.2015, Cognato, Smith, Osborn, Martinez et al., ex Coussapoa log . Allotype: same label as holotype. Paratypes: same data as HT (2); Napo province, Cosanga, McClarin’s camp, 2100m, GIS: -0.594, -77.877, ex unknown branch, #710, 2iii2018, R. Osborn, leg. (3) ; in ‘Petrov’-FIT, #871, J. McCarin, leg (1). Holotype and allotype in QCAZ , 2 PTs in USNM, 2 in ZMBN, 2 in MSUC.

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 elevated to level of metacoxae. Protibiae without additional mesal tooth. Female frons concave, with long marginal setae. Differs from the very similar S. pseudoanimus Jordal and Smith (described below) by the less pronounced asperities on the pronotum, and by the female frons which has shorter setae, is less deeply impressed, and is clearly marked by a heart-shaped pattern around the median carina on lower half. They both differs from S. cavus Jordal, 2018 and S. excavatus Jordal, 2018 by the more extensive vestiture in the female frons, smaller size and more elongated shape, and by the longer erect setae on pronotum and elytra.

Description female. Length 1.6–2.1 mm, 2.4–2.5 × as long as wide; colour brown. Head. Eyes variably emarginated, separated above by 2.0–2.3 × their width. Frons shallowly concave between eyes from vertex to epistoma, with an interrupted bead-like carina on median lower half; surface finely, densely punctured below upper level of eyes, with miniscule setae forming a heart-shaped pattern, above shiny and densely punctured; main vestiture consisting of long protruding setae along margin of impressed area. Antennal club pilose, with two obliquely procurved sutures weakly indicated. Funiculus 6(?)-segmented. Pronotum strongly reticulated, dull, with tiny, shallow punctures reaching anterior margin, spaced by 3–4 × their diameter; asperities obscure. Vestiture consisting of 8 long, erect setae (4-2-2), and small recumbent setae close to anterior margin. Elytra smooth, shiny; striae irregular, not impressed, punctures shallow, very small; interstrial punctures confused, intermixed with striae; interstriae 10 elevated to level of metacoxae. Vestiture consisting of about 30–50 erect interstrial setae on odd interstriae, and nearly invisible interstrial and strial setae. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.3 × the width of one procoxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.7 × the width of a procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal tooth 1 slightly longer than 2, lateral edge rounded, smooth, with 2–3 very small to obscure granules towards tibial base; protibial mucro obtuse. Meso- and metatibiae with 5–6 lateral socketed teeth on distal half and one-third, respectively. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum simple or bifid, on metanepisternum and sternum simple.

Male. Similar to female except frons nearly glabrous with few scattered setae, lower frons flat, strongly reticulated, densely punctured.

Key ( Wood 2007). Does not fit any part of the key, largely due to the combination of a short raised part of interstriae 10 and the lack of an additional tooth on the protibiae.

Etymology. The Latin name animus , a masculine noun meaning heart or soul, in reference to the figurative heart in the female frons.

Biology and distribution. Known from median and high altitudes in Ecuador. It was collected once by a flight intercept trap baited with ethanol, and taken from bark of an unknown tree, and from a Coussapoa trunk ( Urticaceae , Cecropieae) together with S. teres .

Figures

FIGURES 46–54. Dorsal, lateral and frontal views of the female holotype of Scolytodes teres (46, 49, 52), Scolytodes animus (47, 50, 53), and Scolytodes pseudoanimus (48, 51, 54).