Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohmeyer, 1908a

Buhroo, Abdul Ahad, 2024, A taxonomic monograph of subfamily Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Western Himalaya, Zootaxa 5533 (1), pp. 1-82 : 61-62

48. Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohmeyer, 1908a

( Figure 61 )

This species is diagnosed by the following morphological characters: ♂ frons concave, with uniform fine granules and minute punctures; vestiture on frontal surface with very fine erect and somewhat longer hair-like setae; upper and lateral edges of frons with long hair-like setae, those on upper part until middle of eyes somewhat curved towards center of frons; pronotum 1.30× wider than long, widest at anterior third, vestiture of fine and short hair-like setae denser at anterior margin; pronotal surface shining, minutely punctured, punctures very shallow and set 3–4 diameters apart from each other, surface between punctures minutely reticulate; lateral margins of pronotum sharply elevated and propleura strongly concave; prosternum weakly convex, with an obscure triangular elevation between procoxae, its indistinct pointed apex oriented backwards, anterior margin armed with two divergent translucent processes set far apart; scutellum small, triangular, flush with elytral surface; elytra 1.14× as long as wide, 1.71× as long as pronotum, sides almost parallel upto the commencement of declivity with abruptly declivous apex; elytral surface minutely punctured, shining, without signs of reticulation; elytral punctures not organized in rows and interstriae invisible; interstriae finely carinate at declivity, except interstriae 1 broadly elevated, not carinate bearing 9–10 tubercles of medium size, diverging towards elytral apex; carina on all other interstriae very low with a few tubercles; elytral declivity convex, not impressed; posterior dark carinate portion of elytra with yellowish and dense recumbent hair-like setae; color pale brown, elytra with only slightly darkened suture; each elytron with a large yellow area extending from anterior margin up to middle of elytral length; body length: 2.78 mm, 2.05× as long as wide.

Female similar to male, but frons is not impressed and long pubescence at lateral and upper edges of frons is not developed; pronotum has a median mycangial pore in its centre; body length: 3.26 mm.

Remarks: We agree with Mandelshtam & Petrov (2010b) that S. kunala is distinct from S. daimio . This species resembles S. daimio , but is smaller in size and has different color pattern on elytra. Short frontal vestiture easily distinguishes the male S. kunala from S. daimio and S. darjeelingi males in which the longest setae extend in a brush from the upper frontal parts up to the epistoma.

Material examined: New records: India: 1 ♂, 1 ♀. Kashmir, Thajwas Sonamarg (34° 18.222′ N, 075° 16.388′ E, 9105 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 30.08.2018 ( KUIC). Kashmir, Pahalgam (34° 05.15′ N, 075° 15.47′ E, 8000 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 07.09.2019 ( KUIC) .

Distribution: India: Kashmir

Hosts: Acer caecium ( Sapindaceae ), Prunus cornuta ( Rosaceae )

Figures

FIGURE 61. Scolytoplatypus kunala. Male: dorsal view A, frons B, ventral view C; female: dorsal view D, lateral view E.