Pityophthorus chilgoza Wood, 1989

Buhroo, Abdul Ahad, 2024, A taxonomic monograph of subfamily Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Western Himalaya, Zootaxa 5533 (1), pp. 1-82 : 9

2. Pityophthorus chilgoza Wood, 1989

( Figure 4 )

This species is diagnosed by the following morphological characters: ♀ frons flat from eye to eye, finely, rather closely punctured near margins, ornamented by a marginal fringe of long hairs, setae in central area sparse to obsolete and much shorter; the anterior margin of compound eye emarginate; pronotum almost as long as wide; sides on basal half sub-straight, rather narrowly rounded anteriorly, anterior margin armed by four serrations, median pair much longer; anterior half asperate, asperities smaller and more confused than in other Indian species; posterior areas smooth, shining, rather finely, not closely punctured; glabrous except for sparse setae near margins; scutellum somewhat sub-triangular, elytra 1.8× as long as wide; sides almost straight and parallel on basal two-thirds, rather narrowly rounded posteriorly; striae not impressed, punctures moderately large, deep; interstriae nearly one and a half times as wide as striae, smooth, shining, impunctate; declivity rather steep, weakly bisulcate; strial punctures minute, interstriae 2 widened, smooth, shining, impunctate, 3 unarmed, a few small punctures evident; vestiture of minute strial hair and, on declivity, a few short, erect, interstrial setae; body length: 1.4 mm, 2.70× as long as wide.

Male similar to female except frons somewhat convex, its surface irregularly rugose punctate, shining with a short, acute median carina; body length: 1.45 mm.

Remarks: Although this species resembles P. deodara in appearance, they are not closely related. It may be distinguished by the long pubescence on the female frons, the absence of a carina on the female frons, the less strongly (shallowly) impressed declivital sulcus, and the much more confused arrangement of smaller pronotal asperities.

Material examined: Holotype ♀ and Allotype in Smithsonian NMNH, USA (images). Type locality: Kilba (7000 ft.), U. Bashahr Div., Punjab, India

Distribution: India: Himachal Pradesh

Hosts: Pinus gerardiana ( Pinaceae )

Figures

FIGURE 4. Pityophthorus chilgoza. Holotype female: dorsal view A, lateral view B. (Courtesy: Dr. Sarah M. Smith).