Scolytodes chaplini 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 : 20

Scolytodes chaplini Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CFC7A24D-6036-46C5-88A7-AD050CFDF416

( Figs 12, 15, 18 )

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 Cecropia petiole . Allotype: same label as holotype. Paratypes: same data as HT (8). El Cotopaxi, La Maná, Yakusinchi Reserve , S 00°07.030’ W 79°08.717’, 450–550m, 12–14.V.2015, Cognato, Smith, Osborn, Martinez et al; ex Cecropia petioles (66) . Holotype, allotype and 34 PT in QCAZ, 10 paratypes in USNM, 10 in ZMBN, and 10 in MSUC.

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 sharply elevated to near apex. Protibiae without additional mesal tooth. Distinguished from closely related species in the cecropiavorus group, except S. punctifer Wood, 1969 , by the limited vestiture in the female frons. It is distinguished from S. punctifer by fewer tibial denticles, by the short patch of setae in the lower female frons, and a small, sharp tubercle on the epistoma.

Description female. Length 1.7–2.1 mm, 2.2–2.4 × as long as wide; colour dark brown. Head. Eyes entire, separated above by 2.1–2.2 × their width. Frons convex, with the epistomal rim triangularly elevated to form a small, sharp, tubercle. Frons reticulated, lightly punctured. Vestiture consisting of short setae on median third, from level of antennal insertion to epistoma, scattered small setae elsewhere. Antennal club pilose, without sutures. Funiculus 6-segmented. Pronotum reticulate, dull; tiny, shallow punctures reaching anterior margin, spaced by 1–3 × their diameter. Vestiture consisting of 4 erect, very long setae (2-0-2). Elytra smooth, shiny; striae regular, not impressed, punctures small, shallow, spaced by about 2 × their diameter; interstriae 4 × wider than striae, punctures slightly smaller, more widely spaced, in rows. Glabrous (except microscopic setae on declivity). Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.2 × the width of one procoxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.6 × the width of a procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal tooth 1 subequal to 2, with 3–4 additional tiny lateral spines towards tibial base; protibial mucro very short, almost obtuse. Meso- and metatibiae with 6–7 lateral socketed teeth on distal half. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum, metanepisternum and metasternum simple.

Male. Similar to female, except slightly smaller (1.6–1.7 mm), frons glabrous except scattered single setae, epistoma smooth, without tubercle.

Key ( Wood 2007). Keys to couplet 29, but differs in many respects from S. trispinosus Eggers, 1934 and S. tucumani Wood, 2007 .

Etymology. Named after the comedian Charlie Chaplin and his characteristic moustache, in reference to the short, dense vestiture on the lower median fourth of the female frons.

Biology and distribution. Collected from Cecropia petioles at lower altitudes in Ecuador.

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).