Female. Frons flattened to convex; antennal club flat, pilose, without sutures; pronotum with a dorsal mycangium (except seven species), pronotum weakly to strongly constricted laterally in posterior third, hind corners rounded or acute, posterior margin straight to strongly bisinuate; scutellum visible, narrow and sunken or broader and flush with elytra; procoxae widely separated; protibiae broad, on its posterior side with coarse granules and blunt spines, some forming rugae.

Male. Similar to female except frons slightly to very strongly concave, pronotum without mycangium, some with anterior fovea on lateral sides (Asian species), laterally constricted or not in posterior third; protibiae generally smooth on posterior side, sides straight to strongly curved and asymmetrical, laterally with small or large lateral spines.

Scolytoplatypus Schaufuss and Remansus Jordal, gen. n.

Asia, Africa and Madagascar.

Scolytoplatypus permirus Schaufuss.

For a complete diagnosis of the genus and discussions on morphological features, see reviews by Beaver and Gebhardt (2006) and Browne (1971).

Scolytoplatypus mutabilis Schedl. Gender masculine.

Male. Frons concave, antennal funicle 6-segmented, club flattened and pilose without sutures; procoxae widely separated, protibiae narrow, nearly parallel-sided; pronotum not constricted laterally, posterior corners rounded, posterior margin nearly straight; scutellum large, flush with elytra.

Female. Similar to male except frons flat to slightly convex; pronotum with a median mycangium about one-quarter distance from the anterior margin, posterior lateral margins of pronotum weakly constricted; protibiae very stout, broad, with coarse granules and rugae on its posterior side.

Based on the Latin masculine participle meaning ‘left behind’ or ‘having endured’, referring to the first branch of Scolytoplatypodini that has remained in Madagascar since the origin of the tribe.

Holotype, male: Madagascar, Perinet, 16.XI.1952, K.E. Schedl, leg (NHMW).

Length 3.0–3.4 mm.

Male. Frons weakly concave, with a feeble longitudinal carina from epistoma to vertex. Elytra smooth, striae not impressed on disc and declivity, vestiture of dense, short, fine setae not in rows. Protibiae almost parallel-sided, with a moderately sized, curved lateral spine at distal end, and four additional smaller spines (granules) towards base. Procoxae rounded, separated by 0.7× the width of one coxa.

Female. Similar to male except frons weakly convex, eyes more widely separated; declivity near apex with two patches of longer and more densely placed setae; protibiae broad, with granules on posterior side. Procoxae very broad, separated by 0.8× the width of one coxa.

The female is here reported and diagnosed for the first time. It differs externally from the male only in those dimorphic features given in the diagnosis. This is the only species in Remansus with both male and female known.

DNA barcodes in Table 1.

New records: Fianarantsoa Prov, Forêt d’Atsirakambiaty, 7.6 km 285° WNW Itremo, 20°35'36"S, 046°33'48"E, BLF7155, 22–26 Jan 2003, EB09 sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood). Fianarantsoa Prov, Ranomafana National Park, JIRAMA water works, 21°14'55"S, 047°27'08"E, MA-02-09D-13 and MA-02-09D-08, 21-24 Dec 2001, malaise trap. Fianarantsoa Prov, Ranomafana National Park, radio tower, 21°15'03"S, 047°24'26"E, MA-02-09B-05, 28 Nov-6 Dec 2001, malaise trap, all material in CAS. Fianarantsoa prov, Ranomafana NP, Valo area [-21.31, 47.43], alt. 1100 m, ex Albizia branch, 6. Oct. 2012, B.Jordal leg. (ZMBN).

Previously reported from Anjanaharibe and Marojejy forest reserves in the Northern part of the island, and in Perinet east of Antananarivo (Schedl 1977). The new collections from the Fianarantsoa district indicate a broad distribution across the forested parts of the country, although it seems less frequently collected, and in fewer numbers, compared to Scolytoplatypus hova and Scolytoplatypus permirus. The collection from Albizia (Fabaceae) is the first documented host plant for this species, but a much broader range of host plants is expected due to the association with ambrosia fungi.

Holotype, female: “Madagascar: Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana, Vato trail [-21.29, 47.42] alt. 1100m ex Eugenia branch. 2012: 2x-9, Sahondra Rahanitriniaina” / “ZMBN/ENT-Scol-8” Paratype, female: same data as holotype except museum label “ZMBN/ENT-Scol-9”. The holotype and paratype are deposited in the University Museum of Bergen (ZMBN).

Female. Pronotum with mycangium only one-quarter distance from anterior margin, posterior corners rounded, posterior margin straight; scutellum flat at the same level as elytra. It is closely related to Scolytoplatypus mutabilis, but distinguished from that species by the visible striae, larger elytral punctures, the coarse, short setae on the declivity, and by the much smaller body size.

DNA barcodes in Table 1.

Female. Length 2.2–2.3 mm, 1.9–2.0× longer than wide; colour black.

Head. Eyes separated above by 4.6× their width. Frons broadly flattened from vertex to epistoma, surface strongly reticulated, with large punctures spaced by their diameter, except smooth and impunctate on a triangular area on central lower third, a short median longitudinal keel dividing triangular area. Vestiture consisting of a few scattered fine setae.

Pronotum 0.8× as long as wide, sides almost straight, barely constricted on posterior third, surface reticulate with minute shallow punctures spaced on average by their diameter; center of median mycangial pore positioned from anterior margin about 0.24× the pronotal length; pronotal vestiture consisting of sparse fine short setae, with somewhat longer setae on anterior half.

Elytra 1.1× longer than wide, 1.6× longer than pronotum; striae not impressed, punctures in irregular rows, spaced within a row on disc by 2–3× their diameter, closer together towards declivital summit, almost subconfluent; interstrial punctures similar to those in striae, irregularly placed, confused. Interstriae 10 elevated to level of ventrite I. Declivity with small granules, strial punctures 2‒3× larger than on disk, oblong or asymmetric, subconfluent; vestiture on declivity consisting of stiff, short, curved setae, with a patch of longer setae on each side of suture close to apex; a subapical rim runs from the suture to about interstria 8.

Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.5× the width of one coxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.6× the width of one procoxa. Protibiae broad, with one distal laterally curved spine, and many additional small spines or granules on its posterior side.

Ventral vestiture. Metanepisternum with long bifid setae.

Male: unknown.

Named after Sahondra Rahanitriniaina, our helpful Malagasy collegue who collected the type specimens and many other scolytine beetles during our joint field trip to Ranamafana National Park.

Only known from the type locality in the Ranomafana National Park. Two females were taken from a fallen branch of Eugenia (Myrtaceae).

Holotype, female: “Madagascar, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana National Park, 5 km NE Centre ValBio [-21.24, 47.41]. Ex Weinmannia twig, 10. Oct. 2012, B. Jordal leg.” / “ZMBN/ENT-Scol-10”. The holotype is deposited in University Museum of Bergen (ZMBN).

Female. Posterior corners of pronotum rounded; scutellum flat at the same level as elytra; declivity characteristically truncated and marked by a circular blunt rim. One of the smallest known species in the tribe and the only species smaller than 2 mm in Africa and Madagascar. Closely related to Remansus serratus, but distinguished by the much smaller size (1.7 vs. 3.7 mm), the nearly glabrous elytral disk and posterior half of pronotum.

DNA barcodes in Table 1.

Female. Length 1.7 mm, 1.85× longer than wide; colour black.

Head. Eyes separated above by 4.0× their width. Frons broadly flattened from vertex to epistoma, surface strongly reticulated, with tiny shallow punctures spaced by 1.5–2× their diameter, except smooth and impunctate on a triangular area on central lower third. Epistoma elevated, shiny, with a short median carina extending from epistoma to impunctate area. Vestiture consisting of a few scattered fine setae.

Pronotum 0.8× as long as wide, sides almost straight, weakly constricted on posterior third, surface reticulate with minute shallow punctures spaced on average by 2× their diameter; median mycangial pore on anterior fifth round with a tuft of setae; pronotal vestiture consisting of sparse fine short setae, and about 20 much longer erect setae on anterior half.

Elytra 1.05× longer than wide, 1.5× longer than pronotum; sides almost straight, slightly constricted just before declivity, broadly triangular at apex; striae not impressed except weakly so at declivital margin; strial and interstrial punctures on disk entirely confused, shallow, with minute setae of variable length. Interstriae 10 elevated to level of ventrite I. Declivity dull, rugose, punctures variable but generally larger than on disk; vestiture on declivity of fine ground setae and fewer but coarser stiff and slightly curved short setae.

Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.5× the width of one coxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.6× the width of one procoxae. Protibiae broad, with one large laterally curved distal spine, and five additional lateral small spines or granules, with small granules on the posterior face.

Ventral vestiture. Metanepisternum with bifid long setae.

Male: unknown.

The Latin masculine adjective pygmaeus pertaining to the mythical race of African dwarfs, referring to the relative small size for this species, being the smallest species of Scolytoplatypodini in Africa and Madagascar.

Only known from the type locality in the Ranomafana National Park. One female and one pupa were taken from a fallen branch of Weinmannia (Cunoniaceae), about 1.5 cm in diameter. The egg tunnel was transversely spiral shaped, with eight pupation chambers directed longitudinally, like bullet chambers in a revolver barrel. Based on empty pupal chambers the brood size in this type of host is 6–10 (n=3).

Holotype, male: “Madagascar, Antsiranana Prov, Parc National Montagne d’Ambre (Petit Lac Road) 12°31'13"S, 49°10'45"E, MA-01-01D-03, 29 Jan – 11 Feb 2001, Malaise trap”. The holotype is deposited in California Academy of Science (CAS).

Male. With a unique Amasa-like truncateddeclivity and rounded posterior angles of the pronotum. Characters suggest a close relationship to Remansus pygmaeus Jordal, but it is distinguished from that species by the much larger size, narrow body shape, the pilose body, and by the slightly elevated scutellum that is not entirely flushwith the elytra. It is further distinguished from males of Remansus mutabilis by the dentate upper declivital margin.

Male. Length 3.7 mm, 2.1× longer than wide; colour yellowish brown, darker brown on declivity and elytral lateral margins.

Head. Eyes separated above by 4.2× their width. Frons concave from vertex to epistoma via inner eye margins; upper half rugosely, densely punctured, lower half smooth and shiny. Vestiture consisting of fine setae increasing in length towards upper part of concave area, longest and most dense along upper margin from vertex to upper level of eyes.

Pronotum 0.9× as long as wide, sides subparrallel, brodest on anterior half, broadly, transversely rounded in front; surface finely reticulated with minute shallow punctures irregularly spaced by 1–4× their diameter; pronotal vestiture consisting of fine short setae, slightly longer close to anterior margin.

Elytra 1.2× longer than wide, 1.7× longer than pronotum; sides almost straight, broadly triangular at apex; decivital margin marked by a dentate rim, each incision marks the end of diskal stria; striae otherwise not impressed, interstriae on disk only reckognised by the lighter colour, punctures not clearly visible, confused and minute. Interstriae 10 elevated to level of ventrite I. Declivity rugosely granulated, largest granules on interstriae 1 (suture). Vestiture consisting of dense fine setae spaced on disk by less than one-third the length of each seta, on declivity about 2–3× longer than setae on disk.

Legs. Procoxae separated by 0.4× the width of one coxa. Mesocoxae separated by 0.5× the width of one procoxae. Protibiae narrow, with one larger distally lateral curved spine, and 6–7 additional lateral small spines, posterior face mainly smooth, with 4–5 tiny granules close to lateral edge.

Ventral vestiture. Metanepisternum mainly with long simple setae, a few shorter bifid setae anteriorly.

Female: unknown.

The Latin masculine adjective serratus means ‘serrated’, referring to the short pointed projections from interstriae at the declivital summit.

A single specimen was collected in a Malaise trap just south of Montagne d’Ambre.