Scolytus neofacialis Schedl, 1976

V. Petrov, Alexander & Y. Mandelshtam, Michail, 2010, New data on Neotropical Scolytus Geoffroy, 1762 with description of five new species from Peru (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae), ZooKeys 56, pp. 65-104 : 85-86

Scolytus neofacialis Schedl, 1976 Figs 1920

Material examined.

Brazil: Varginha, M. Gerais, II-1972, M. Alvarenga Holotype ♂, NHMW, Wien. Peru: 20 km NE from Iquitos, Momon river, Gen Gen vill. alt. 120 m, 6.02.2007, A.Petrov (1♀).

Diagnosis.

Species differs from Scolytus bolivianus Schedl by smaller punctures on pronotal disk, by shorter bristles at elytral interstriae and significantly more abundant hairs at female front (the latter species is known only by female holotype).

Description.

Male: Body length 3.2-3,4 mm, 2.1 times as long as wide; colour dark brown, elytra reddish brown. Front faintly convex, strongly shining; center of front and epistoma with sparse longitudinal furrows, lateral sides of front densely aciculate from vertex to epistoma. Vestiture on lateral and dorsal pronotal margins of long, moderately abundant, incurved hair, vestiture in central area shorter, less abundant. Antenna brown, covered by short golden hairs, club elliptical, with apex evenly rounded. Pronotum 1.04 times as long as wide, reddish brown, with darker apical margin; surface smooth, shining, punctures small in disk, on lateral margins larger and subrugose on anterior area; lateral margins and anterior area of pronotum covered by thin, short yellow hairs; pronotum divided from prosternite by a well-developed acute lateral margin. Lateral sides of prosternite (propleura) roughly punctured by punctures of moderate size, these punctures smaller compared to punctures at lateral sides of pronotum.

Scutellum triangular, not deeply set in scutellar impression.

Elytra reddish brown, unicolorous, surface faintly shining, nearly dull. Elytra 1.2 times as long as wide, 1.2 times as long as pronotum, striae weakly impressed in base of elytra and narrowly, distinctly impressed on posterior half; interstriae on basal portion flat, smooth, not impressed, in posterior half impressed equally to striae, bristle-carrying interstrial punc tures larger compared to strial punctures, interstriae with rows of numerous erect golden bristles organized on the complete elytral surface in regular rows. Abdomen reddish brown, its surface faintly shining, nearly dull; second sternite subvertical, junction with first sternite abrupt, transversely subcostate, fifth sternite weakly concave, apical margin weakly elevated. All sternites abundantly covered by long yellow hairs, curved towards elytral apex.

Female: body length 3.2 mm, 2.1 times as long as wide; colour reddish brown, pronotum 1.04 times as long as wide, elytra 1.0 times as long as wide, 1.0 times as long as pronotum, morphology similar to male, except front and abdomen. Front convex with yellow moderately long hairs, curved towards center of the front, in the middle of the front hairs are shorter when compared to male; from upper frontal portion longer hairs go down, these hairs oriented towards front centre; abdomen more convex compared to male.

Notes.

The holotype of Scolytus neofacialis preserved in NHMW (Vienna) is a male. The female is here described for the first time.

The species is very similar to Scolytus bolivianus Schedl, from which it differs only by the body size. It is quite probable that Scolytus neofacialis in the future will turn out to be a synonym of Scolytus bolivianus which was described from one incompletely developed male. Further investigation of Scolytus bolivianus will require a new series.