Scolytodes otongae 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 : 19-20

Scolytodes otongae Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A5366A0A-8B96-4552-AA4C-8FC96D2385DA

( Figs 11, 14, 17 )

Type material. Holotype, female: Ecuador: Cotopaxi, Otonga , 2100m, 00°25’061’’[S], 79°00’547’’[W], 18 Jul.2004 Flia Tapia Arbol N °. Holotype is deposited in QCAZ .

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 sharply elevated to near apex. Protibiae without additional mesal tooth. Elytra glabrous. Distinguished from the very similar S. samamae by the larger size, more broadly separated eyes, and strongly confused punctures on the elytral interstriae, and further from related species S. piceus and S. chapuisi by the distinct asperities on the anterior fourth of the pronotum. The similar S. alni Wood, 1969 is much larger with more narrow body shape and the elytral punctures are smaller than in S. otongae , especially on the declivity.

Description female. Length 2.2 mm, 2.2 × as long as wide; colour dark brown. Head. Eyes weakly sinuate, separated above by 2.8 × their width. Frons weakly impressed from vertex to epistoma, surface covered by a dense, long tuft of golden setae from vertex to epistomal lobe. Antennal club pilose, without clear sutures. Funiculus 6- segmented. Pronotum weakly reticulated, subshining, punctures on posterior two-thirds small, shallow, spaced by 1–3 × their diameter, replaced on anterior one-third by fine asperities. Vestiture consisting of 6 erect, very long setae (4-0-2). Elytra smooth, shiny; striae regular, not impressed, punctures small, spaced by 1–2 × their diameter; interstriae 3–4 × wider than striae, punctures slightly smaller, densely placed, strongly confused; interstriae 10 sharply elevated to near apex. Glabrous. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.4 × the width of a coxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.8 × the width of one procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal tooth 1 and 2 subequal, 2–3 additional tiny, blunt lateral spines towards tibial base; protibial mucro obtuse. Meso- and metatibiae with 8–9 lateral socketed teeth on distal two-thirds. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum, metanepisternum and metasternum simple.

Male. Not known.

Key ( Wood 2007). Keys with some hesitation to couplet 58, S. alni Wood , but differs by the smaller size, stouter body shape and larger elytral punctures.

Etymology. The species is named after the Otonga nature reserve (Cotopaxi province).

Biology and distribution. Only known from the type locality in the highland Ecuadorian rainforest.

Figures

FIGURES 10–18. Dorsal, lateral and frontal views of the female holotype of Scolytodes samamae (10, 13, 16), Scolytodes otongae (11, 14, 17), and Scolytodes chaplini (12, 15, 18).