Coptoborus vrataski, Smith & Cognato, 2021

Smith, Sarah M. & Cognato, Anthony I., 2021, A revision of the Neotropical genus Coptoborus Hopkins (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae, Xyleborini), ZooKeys 1044, pp. 609-720 : 609

Coptoborus vrataski sp. nov. Figure 19D-F, K

Type material.

Holotype, female, Brazil: Rondônia, 62 km SW Ariquemes, nr Fzda. Rancho Grande, 3-15-XII-1996, JE Eger, black light trap (FSCA).

Diagnosis.

3.2 mm (n = 1), 2.67 × as long as wide. This species is distinguished by the elytra attenuate, elytra deeply sulcate along interstriae 2, interstriae 2 densely granulate, posterolateral margin of elytra carinate from apex to interstriae 7, and declivital interstriae densely covered with long thick erect scale-like setae.

Similar species.

C. panosus .

Description

(female). Holotype 3.2 mm, 2.67 × as long as wide. Body dark brown, antennae and legs lighter. Head: epistoma tuberculate. Frons dull, finely punctate, setose; each puncture bearing a long, erect hair-like seta. Eyes broadly and moderately emarginate. Submentum narrow, triangular, deeply impressed. Antennal scape regularly thick, as long as club. Pedicel shorter than funicle. Club longer than wide, flat, type 4; segment 1 corneous, convex on anterior face, occupying basal ~1/4; segment 2 narrow, subconvex, corneous segments 1 and 2 present on posterior face. Pronotum: 1.0 × as long as wide. In dorsal view basic and parallel-sided, type 2, sides parallel in basal 2/3, rounded anteriorly, abundantly covered with long hair-like setae; anterior margin with four serrations, median pair larger. In lateral view tall, type 2, disc flat, summit pronounced, at midpoint. Anterior slope with densely spaced, narrow coarse asperities, becoming lower and more strongly transverse towards summit. Disc strongly shiny with sparse, minute punctures, some longer hair-like setae at margins. Lateral margins obliquely costate. Elytra: 1.7 × as long as wide, 1.7 × as long as pronotum. Scutellum small. Elytra attenuate, parallel-sided in basal 70%, then acutely rounded to apex, apex entire. Disc shagreened, dull; striae minutely punctate, each puncture bearing a recumbent hair-like seta the length of three punctures; interstriae flat, minutely, densely punctate, unarmed, each puncture bearing a long, erect hair-like seta. Declivity steep, occupying ~1/3 of elytra, shagreened, shiny, declivital face weakly convex; striae 1 and 2 deeply impressed, striae 3 weakly impressed, strial punctures larger, deeper than those of disc, each puncture bearing a semi-erect seta as long as three punctures; interstriae 2 deeply sulcate; interstriae densely granulate, granules large, separated by the distance of one granule, interstriae densely setose, setae long thick erect scale-like, twice as long as interstriae 1 width. Posterolateral margin apically produced, sharply carinate. Legs: protibiae obliquely triangular, broadest at apical 1/4; apical 1/2 of outer margin with six large, socketed denticles, their length longer than basal width. Meso- and metatibiae flattened; outer margin evenly rounded with eight large, socketed denticles.

Etymology.

Portrayed by Emily Blunt, Sergeant Rita Vrataski, the 'Angel of Verdun’ is the heroine in the movie 'Edge of Tomorrow’ (2014). The granulate elytral gives the species an armored appearance reminiscent of the character’s combat jacket. Noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Brazil ( Rondônia).

Biology.

Unknown.

Figures

Figure 19. Dorsal, lateral, frontal and declivital view of Coptoborus villosulus, 1.7 - 2.2 mm (A-C, J), C. vrataski holotype, 3.2 mm (D-F, K), C. yar holotype, 2.8 - 2.9 mm (G-I, L). All photographs by SMS.