Laricobius kovalevi Nikitsky

Leschen, Richard A. B., 2011, World review of Laricobius (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), Zootaxa 2908, pp. 1-44 : 14-15

9. Laricobius kovalevi Nikitsky in Nikitsky & Lafer, 1992

(figs 10, 40)

Diagnosis. Body bicolored. Head dark; ocelli present. Prothorax transverse with well developed lateral carina and sides explanate. Pronotum dark; posterior tooth absent. Scutellum dark. Surface of elytra not incurvate; elytral punctures not confluent. Epipleura at base dark. Ventrites dark. Femora light. Tibiae light. Aedeagus without median carina on phallobase; medium lobe subacute; apices of parameres without an internal ridge.

Description. Length 2.80 mm. Body bicolored with head, prothorax, scutellum, elytra along sides to level above abdominal ventrite 2 (covering stria 10), epipleuron, and venter chocolate brown; elytra reddish brown to dark tan; antenna reddish brown to dark brown with AI and club darker, legs reddish brown to dark tan. Head with ocelli; u-shaped furrow present; interocular distance about 4x the width of the eye; macropunctures rounded, distinct to indistinct and not rounded, fusing sometimes to form irregular trenches and present at the center of the frons; micropunctures coarse; setae erect, moderately elongate with an average length as long as 2/3 the width of the eye. Antenna with length of A3 about equal to A4, ratios 1.9:1.6:1.4:1.3:1.3:1.2:1.1:1.0:1.5:1.6:2.4; A11 not strongly asymmetrical. Prothorax transverse and rectangular, dorsoventrally flattened, and widest at middle, sides evenly rounded; about 0.73 x as long as wide (pronotal length/greatest pronotal width = 0.73); depth = 0.42; pronotum laterally broadly explanate, lateral carina with a distinct sharp edge; anterior angle variable (90º to about 60° and rounded), not forming a tooth; posterior angle indistinct, short tooth absent at the posterior of the lateral margin; foveae visible dorsally; macropunctures on disc distinct, well-impressed and well-separated; micropunctures coarse; setae erect, long with average length 2/3 or equal to width of eye. Elytra about 3.48 x as long as wide (elytral length/greatest elytral width = 3.48) and 3.37 x as long as pronotum (elytral length/pronotal length = 3.37); surface not incurvate at basal third; macropunctures not coalescing to form grooves, separated by an average of 1/2 puncture diameter; micropunctures fine; microsculpture visible; setae suberect to erect, moderately long averaging about 2/3the length of the eye. Aedeagus with phallobase quadrate, about 1/2 the length of the median lobe, median carina absent; median lobe not projecting beyond apices of parameres, narrow with its greatest width less than the width of the parameres, apex subacute and converging apically at about apical 1/3, median groove or carina absent, ostium subapical; parameres broad and subacute, short setae present on apices and along inner margin, internal subapical ridge absent. Spiculum gastrale apically narrow.

Comments. Among the ocelli-bearing species with an explanate pronotal margin, L. kovalevi can be distinguished by the black head and pronotum and lighter elytra. The posterior pronotal tooth is absent in L. kovalevi , which is present in L. rubidus , while the femora and tibiae are light which can distinguish L. kovalevi from L. erichsonii .

I had two paratypes in relatively poor condition from ZMUM for study and only the male genitalia were dissected from one of these. A single measured specimen fell outside of the published size range of the species (2.1– 2.5 mm). At the time this manuscript was in review, additional specimens of this species from Japan were sent sent to N. Havill (USDA) and myself by S. Shiyake (OMNH), and based on dissection, this species is confirmed as a L. kovalevi .

Hosts. Plant: Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel.

Distribution. Russia: Far East. Japan: Honshū.

Type material examined. PARATYPES ( ZMUM): 2, ИАГАД. обп. ЛГ–19 Стоковое, 11 KM ЮВ КУЛУ, 14 0 6 1976, Л. Глумкова, Paratypus Laricobius kovalevi Nikitsky (red label with name hw).

Additional material examined. 5, Tekari-dake, Senzu, Honkawane-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka Pref., Japan, 24. September, 2001, Y. Tahira leg., altitude 2,540m, on Pinus pumila (2, OMNH; 2, NZAC; 1, YPM); 1, Mt. Hakkoda, Aomori Pref., Japan, 4 October 2007, S. Shiyake leg., altitude 1,520 m, on Pinus pumila (1, YPM).