Scolytus nitidus Schedl, 1936a

Buhroo, Abdul Ahad, 2024, A taxonomic monograph of subfamily Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Western Himalaya, Zootaxa 5533 (1), pp. 1-82 : 55

43. Scolytus nitidus Schedl, 1936a

( Figure 55 )

This species is diagnosed by the following morphological characters: ♂ frons flat, longitudinally aciculated, with a dense brush of yellowish hair-like setae on either sides sloping from vertex to epistoma; antennal club elliptical with acutely procurved suture, surface with minute, dense pubescence; pronotum slightly wider than long (1.05×), lateral sides somewhat parallel upto middle, moderately narrowing towards substraight anterior margin; anterior pronotum with a subapical coller-like constriction; surface shiny black,with minute and widely separated punctures; scutellum large, scutellar impression covered by white long hair-like setae; elytra dark red brown, 1.09× as long as its width, 1.16× as long as pronotum; elytral strial punctures moderately large, round and shallow, interstrial punctures slightly widely placed than strial punctures; a small subapical elytral constriction visible; 2 nd abdominal ventrite ascending abruptly and perpendicularly with a minute pointed tubercle in the middle near its posterior border; body length: 3.08–3.34 mm, 2.40× as long as wide.

The female similar to male but can be distinguished by somewhat convex frons with sparse long hair-like setae on its surface; the abdominal tubercle is slightly larger in ♂ than in ♀; body length: 3.58–3.64 mm.

Material examined: New records: India: 7 ♂ ′s, 3 ♀ ′s. Kashmir , Srinagar, Zakura (34° 09′31.49′′ N, 074° 50′01.04′′ E, 5272 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 24.09.2012 ( KUIC) . Kashmir , Baramulla, Darkash Tangmarg (34° 02.676′ N, 074° 28.360′ E, 6888 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 25.5.2017 ( KUIC) . Kashmir , Kupwara, Tangdhar (34° 23.527′ N, 073° 51.894′ E, 6365 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 10.07.2017 ( KUIC) . Kashmir , Kupwara, Semari Teetwal (34° 25.032′ N, 073° 48.148′ E, 3670 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 11.07.2017 ( KUIC) . Kashmir , Ganderbal, Nuner (34° 12′56.26′′ N, 074° 47′00.90′′E, 5259 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 18.09.2020 ( KUIC) . Kashmir , Baramulla, Salamabad Uri (34° 05.186′ N, 074° 01.765′ E, 4415 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 30.09.2017 ( KUIC) . Kargil , Poyen (34° 33.692′ N, 076° 08.122′ E, 8710 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 31.08.2018 ( KUIC) . Kargil , Hardass (34° 36.371′ N, 076° 05.507′ E, 8770 ft.), A.A. Buhroo, 31.08.2018 ( KUIC) .

Distribution: India: Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand. Nepal, Pakistan, China (Xizang)

Hosts: Crataegus songarica and Cydonia oblonga ( Rosaceae ) (new host records). Betula utilis ( Betulaceae ), Cotoneaster microphyllus ( Rosaceae ), Juglans regia ( Juglandaceae ), Malus domestica , Prunus armeniaca , P. avium , Sorbus lanata ( Rosaceae )

Figures

FIGURE 55. Scolytus nitidus. Male: dorsal view A, lateral view B; female: dorsal view C, fronto-lateral view D.