Scolytodes pseudoanimus 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 : 32-33

Scolytodes pseudoanimus Jordal and Smith , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C06D66D9-5EB0-45B4-9797-21F4A6FF52E8

( Figs 48, 51, 54 )

Type material. Holotype, female: Ecuador: Napo prov., Tiputini biodiversity station, 220–250 m, June 1998, 00° 37’55’’S, 76° 08’39’’W, T.L. Erwin et al collectors; individual #000960 . Holotype temporarily held in trust at USNM for MECN .

Diagnosis. Interstriae 10 elevated to level of metacoxae. Protibiae without additional mesal tooth. Female frons concave, with long marginal setae. Differs from the very similar S. animus by the larger asperities on the pronotum, and by the female frons which has much longer setae and is more deeply impressed, without heart-shaped pattern on lower half.

Description female. Length 1.5 mm, 2.3 × as long as wide; colour brown. Head. Eyes weakly emarginate, separated above by 2.5 × their width. Frons concave between eyes from vertex to epistoma, with an interrupted bead-like carina on median lower half; surface finely, densely punctured below upper level of eyes, with miniscule setae, forming a circular or nearly heart-shaped pattern, above upper level of eyes punctures are larger and area shinier; main vestiture consisting of very long protruding setae along margin of impressed area, longest setae forming a peculiar downward hook Antennal club pilose, with two obliquely procurved sutures weakly indicated. Funiculus 6(?)-segmented. Pronotum strongly reticulated, dull, with tiny, shallow punctures reaching anterior margin, spaced by 3–4 × their diameter; anterior third with distinct low asperities. Vestiture consisting of 8 long, erect setae (4-2-2), and small recumbent setae close to anterior margin. Elytra smooth, shiny; striae irregular, not impressed, punctures shallow, very small; interstrial punctures confused, intermixed; interstriae 10 elevated to level of metacoxae. Vestiture consisting of about 30 erect interstrial setae on odd interstriae, and nearly invisible interstrial and strial setae. Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.3 × the width of one procoxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.8 × the width of a procoxa. Protibiae narrow, distal tooth 1 and 2 subequal, lateral edge with 3–4 tiny granules towards tibial base; protibial mucro obtuse. Meso- and metatibiae with 6 lateral socketed teeth on distal half. Ventral vestiture. Setae on mesanepisternum and anteriorly on metanepisternum bifid, elsewhere simple.

Male. Unknown.

Key ( Wood 2007). Does not fit any parts of the key, largely due to the combination of a short raised part of interstriae 10 and the lack of an additional tooth on the protibiae.

Etymology. The composite name pseudoanimus refers to the similarity to, though distinct from, S. animus (pseudo, derived from old Greek, pseudes, meaning false).

Biology and distribution. Only known from the lowland type locality in Ecuador. It was collected by canopy fogging .

Figures

FIGURES 46–54. Dorsal, lateral and frontal views of the female holotype of Scolytodes teres (46, 49, 52), Scolytodes animus (47, 50, 53), and Scolytodes pseudoanimus (48, 51, 54).