Dryocoetiops moestus (Blandford)

Beaver, Roger A., Smith, Sarah M. & Sanguansub, Sunisa, 2019, A review of the genus Dryocoetiops Schedl, with new species, new synonymy and a key to species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Zootaxa 4712 (2), pp. 236-250 : 244-245

Dryocoetiops moestus (Blandford)

(Figs 13-17)

Dryocoetes moestus Blandford 1894: 96 .

Taphrorychus moestus (Blandford) : Murayama 1957: 623.

Dryocoetiops moestus (Blandford) : Knížek 2011: 86.

Dryocoetes dinoderoides Blandford 1894: 97 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes coffeae Eggers 1923: 161 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes javanus Eggers 1936: 87 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes javanus Eggers : Schedl 1962: 697 (synonymy with D. coffeae Eggers )

Dryocoetes hirsutus Schedl 1939: 34 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes tonkinensis Schedl 1942a: 179 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes eugeniae Schedl 1942a: 180 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes malaccensis Schedl 1942a: 180 . syn. n.

Dryocoetes australis Schedl 1942b: 181 . syn. n.

Pseudopoecilips taradakensis Murayama 1957: 618 . syn. n.

Taxonomy. The holotypes of D. moestus and D. dinoderoides from Japan (NHML) have been examined and directly compared with the holotypes of D. tonkinensis from Vietnam, D. eugeniae and D. malaccensis from West Malaysia, and D. australis from Australia, and a paratype of D. hirsutus from West Malaysia (all NMW); with specimens in NHML determined by K. E. Schedl and F. G. Browne as D. coffeae , D. hirsutus and D. tonkinensis , and (incorrectly) as D. kepongi (Schedl) ; and with numerous specimens in NHMB, NKME and RAB from Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia (Java, West Papua), Japan, Malaysia (East and West), Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Blandford (1894), Eggers (1923, 1936) and Schedl (1939, 1942a, b) separated the species that they described by various small differences in the body length and proportions, details of the sculpture of the frons, pronotum and elytra, the elytral vestiture, and the steepness of the slope of the elytral declivity. The original descriptions were generally based on single specimens of each species. Study of longer series from a wider range of localities shows that the characters they used are variable and intergrade. For example, Figures 14 and 17 show a difference in elytral shape, and in the form of the interstrial setae on the elytral declivity of a specimen from Malaysia (Fig. 14), and one from Australia (Fig. 17), but intermediates also occur. We propose that all the species listed above should be synonymized under the oldest name, Dryocoetiops moestus . Pseudopoecilips taradakensis was previously synonymised with Dryocoetiops kepongi (Schedl) by Beaver (2011). However, further study indicates that the species should be included as a synonym of D. moestus . The species is variable in size (1.9–3.1 mm long) and proportions (2.3–2.5 times as long as wide), as might be expected for a species with a wide distribution.

Distribution. Australia, ‘Borneo’, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (Sichuan, Yunnan), India (Bengal, Meghalaya), Indonesia (Java), Japan, Malaysia (E. and W.), Nepal, New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor, Vietnam.

New records. BRUNEI, Temburong, nr. K. Belalong Field Stud. Centre , 4°33′N, 115°09′E, 250m, ex liane, 2.ii.1992 ( R. A. Beaver) (2) ; as previous except: ex Nephelium sp., 14.ii.1992 (1); as previous except: ex Shorea sp., 19.ii.1992 (1); CAMBODIA, Siem Reap, Angkor Park , light trap, 4.xii.2004 (Danny & Jump) (1) ; CHINA, Sichuan, Mt. Emei , 600–1050 m, 5–19.v.1989 (Lad. Bocák) (1) ; S. Yunnan, (Xishuangbanna), 23 km NW Jinghong, vic. Na Ban ( NNNR), 22°09.49′N 100° 38.92 ′, 730m, second[ary] for[est], EKL, 30.x.2008 (L. Meng) (1) ; Yunnan, Gaoligong Mts. , 25°22′N 98°49′E, 1500–2500 m, 17–24.v.1995 (Vit Kubáň) (1) ; INDIA, Meghalaya, 3 km E Tura ,

25°30′N 90°14′E, 1150 m, 4.v.1999 (Dombický & Pacholátko) (1); NEPAL, P. Seti, D. Bajheng, way Segu Bagar (29°34’49’’N 81°13’44’’E) to before Talkot (29°36′17′′N 81°17′54′′E, 1300-1400m, 15.vi.2009 (A. Kopetz) (1) ;

Kathmandu V., Godavari , 1500 m, 29.iv.1984 (B. Bhakta) (1) ; THAILAND, Chiang Mai, Doi Chiang Dao WS, Nature trail, 19°24.278′N, 98°55.311′E, 491 m, pan trap, 5–6.x.2007 (Songkran & Apichart) (2) ; Chiang Mai, Doi Phahompok NP, Doi Phaluang , 20°1.06′N, 99°9.581′E, 1449 m, Malaise trap, 20–27.vii.2007 (Wongchai P.) (1) ; Chiang Mai, Doi Pui , 18°50′23′′N, 98°53′53′′E, 1200–1300 m, EtOH trap, various dates from 11.vi.–17.ix.2014, 8.vii.–11.xi.2015, 25.v.2016 (S. Sanguansub et al.) (22) ; as previous except: ex Mangifera indica , ix.2014 (2); as previous except: ex Diospyros kaki , 27.vii.2012 ( R. A. Beaver) (4) ; Nakhon Sri Thammarat , Khao Luang N.P., EtOH trap, 1.ix.2010 (W. Sittichaya) (1) ; TIMOR LESTE, Ermera, Mertutu , Railori, S 8.76809, E 125.41182, ex Persea americana shoot, 22.ii.2019 ( T. Popic) (3).

Biology. The habits of the species have been briefly described above under the genus. Browne (1961) and Kalshoven (1958) (both as D. coffeae ) list trees in thirteen different families as hosts, indicating the polyphagy of the species. To that list can be added, based on collections made by the authors: Diospyros kaki (Ebenaceae) in Thailand, and Gomphia serrata (Ochnaceae) in West Malaysia. The species has also been collected from the petiole of large fallen leaves of Campnosperma auriculata (Anacardiaceae) , and of three species of Artocarpus (Moraceae) in West Malaysia ( Beaver & Browne 1979 as D. coffeae ), and from an unidentified liane in Brunei (see above). The diameter of the stems attacked varied from 0.25–1.2 cm. The gallery is sometimes started in an abandoned entrance gallery made by another species of beetle ( Kalshoven 1958; R. A. Beaver, pers. obs.). Recorded brood sizes vary from 7 to 24 ( Browne 1961; Kalshoven 1958). These authors also note an association with twig-boring xyleborine scolytines. Browne (1961) suggests that the species may be of economic importance, noting an occasion when stressed seedlings of Intsia palembanica (Leguminosae) were attacked and killed. However, attacks are normally secondary, following those of other species.