Coptoborus uhura, 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 uhura sp. nov. Figure 18D-F, N

Type material.

Holotype, female, Peru: Madre de Dios Dept., Los Amigos Biological Station, 12°34.9S, 70°6.04W, Smith, Hulcr, 26.iv.-2.v.2008, sample Peru 6, branch (MUSM).

Diagnosis.

2.0 mm (n = 1), 2.55 × as long as wide. This species is distinguished by the elytral apex attenuate and entire and not produced, declivital interstriae 2 flattened, declivital interstriae 1-3 denticulate, posterolateral margin of declivity with interstriae 3 and 9 joining, forming a carina and continuing submarginally to apex, stout form, declivity weakly sulcate, denticles on interstriae 3 distinct, their height equal to interstriae width, and declivital interstriae setae uniseriate, sparse, bristle-like.

Similar species.

C. barbicauda , C. bettysmithae , C. capillisoror , C. hansen , C. schulzi , C. subtilis , C. trinity .

Description

(female). Holotype 2.0 mm (n = 1), 2.55 × as long as wide. Body, antennae and legs light brown, elytra ferruginous. Head: epistoma smooth. Frons subshiny, finely punctate, setose; each puncture bearing a long, erect hair-like seta. Eyes broadly and moderately emarginate. Submentum large, triangular, deeply impressed. Antennal scape regularly thick, as long as club. Pedicel shorter than funicle. Club longer than wide, flat, type 3; segment 1 corneous, transverse on anterior face, occupying basal ~1/5; segment 2 broad, 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 5/7, rounded anteriorly; anterior margin without serrations. In lateral view tall, type 2, disc flat, summit pronounced, at midpoint. Anterior slope with densely spaced, narrow fine 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: 1.6 × as long as wide, 1.5 × as long as pronotum. Scutellum minute. Elytra attenuate, parallel-sided in basal 65%, then acutely tapered to apex, apex entire. Disc smooth, subshiny; strial punctures moderate, shallow, glabrous; interstriae flat, sparsely, minutely punctate, unarmed, each puncture bearing a long, erect seta. Declivity gradually rounded, occupying ~1/2 of elytra, shagreened, dull, declivital face weakly sulcate; striae 1 deeply impressed, strial punctures larger, deeper than those of disc, each puncture bearing a semi-recumbent hair-like seta as long as a puncture; interstriae flat, sparsely and inconsistently denticulate, interstriae 1 and 3 denticles uniseriate, spaced by at least four widths of a denticle, interstriae 3 denticles distinct, their height equal to interstriae width, interstriae 2 with denticles only on basal third, setae sparse, uniseriate, short, erect, bristle-like, as long as interstriae 1 width. Posterolateral margin with interstriae 3 and 9 joining, forming a granulate carina and continuing submarginally to apex. Legs: protibiae obliquely triangular, broadest at apical 1/4; apical 1/2 of outer margin with seven large, socketed denticles, their length longer than basal width. Meso- and metatibiae flattened; outer margin evenly rounded with seven large, socketed denticles.

Etymology.

Portrayed by Nichelle Nichols and Zoe Saldana, Uhura is a heroine in the 'Star Trek’ television and movie franchise (1966-present). This species is reddish and reminiscent of the uniform Uhura wore on the original 'Star Trek’ television show. Noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Peru (Madre de Dios).

Biology.

The species was collected from an unidentified branch.

Figures

Figure 18. Dorsal, lateral, frontal and declivital view of Coptoborus tristiculus 2.2 - 2.3 mm (A-C, M), C. uhura holotype, 2.0 mm (D-F, N), C. vasquez holotype, 2.4 mm (G-I, O), C. vespatorius, 2.55 - 2.8 mm (J-L, P). All photographs by SMS.