Pseudomicracis difficilis ( Schedl, 1965 )

Jordal, Bjarte H., 2022, The strongly dimorphic bark beetle genus Pseudomicracis (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) in Madagascar-an integrated taxonomic revision, Zootaxa 5125 (3), pp. 325-343 : 331-333

Pseudomicracis difficilis ( Schedl, 1965)

( Figs 13, 16, 19 )

Micracis difficilis Schedl, 1965: 64

Type material. Holotype, female, and allotype, male: Madagascar, Perinet, 16.xi,1952, im flug, K.E. Schedl [ NHMW].

Diagnosis. Length 1.5–1.7 mm; female frons flat, smooth, shiny, with scant setae; scapus triangular to slightly falcate, with small dorsal tuft of setae; eyes separated above by 2.5–2.7 × their width; pronotal and elytral disc smooth and shiny; interstriae with rows of erect and narrowly spatulate setae mainly restricted to declivity.

Distribution and biology. Madagascar. Breeds under bark of very dry Cryptocarya branches. One brood was recorded, consisting of seven pupae and one adult specimen.

New records. Madagascar, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana National Park , ex Cryptocarya branch, 5. October 2012, B. Jordal, leg. [2 specimens, ZMUB] .

Remarks. Rather similar to males of P. vitrioculata sp. nov., but is clearly distinguished from the latter by the much smaller eyes.

Figures

FIGURES 11–19. Dorsal, lateral and front view of Pseudomicracis madagascariensis male allotype (11, 14, 17) and female from Marojejy (12, 15, 18); Pseudomicracis difficilis female (13, 16, 19).