Description of new Dryocoetes (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) speciesfrom Afghanistan and Northern India and redescription of Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohm

Abstract A new bark beetle species, Dryocoetes brownei from Northern India and Afghanistan, is described as a new to science and redescription of Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohmeyer, 1908, previously known only from the female holotype, is provided.


Introduction
One more new species of Scolytinae in the genus Dryocoetes was discovered during study of materials kept in Natural History Museum, London (NHML), and several more examples of this species were found in the O.N. Kabakov collection from Afghanistan.
Oriental Scolytoplatypus species were recently reviewed by Beaver and Gebhardt (2006). Th is paper gave new insights into the taxonomy of the genus and has helped researchers to describe new species from the region. However, treatment of Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohmeyer, 1908 in most papers, including the cited one, is doubtful or erroneous. Schedl (1973) considered S. kunala to be a senior synonym of S. darjeelingi Stebbing, 1914, but Beaver andGebhardt (2006) treated S. kunala as a junior synonym of S. daimio Blandford, 1893 and S. siomio Blandford, 1893, but as a distinct species from S. darjeelingi. Importantly, all Scolytoplatypus species known from Himalaya, besides S. kunala, were recorded only in Eastern Himalaya, whereas S. kunala was discovered in Kashmir Province, Western Himalaya (Strohmeyer, 1908). We have found three males and two females of Scolytoplatypus species collected by O.N. Kabakov in Afghanistan in Russian collections. After comparison of these specimens with the female holotype of S. kunala we consider these specimens from Afghanistan to be conspecifi c with S. kunala and provide redescription of both male and female of this poorly known species. S. kunala is reinstated here as separate good species. So far we extend the geographical range of Oriental Scolytoplatypus to the west and consider S. kunala to be the most "western" Scolytoplatypus species from Asia.
Frons is rather densely but not coarsely, uniformly punctured, with an enlarged puncture in center forming a small fovea. Frontal surface shining, without reticulation. Vertex more sparsely punctured and with smaller punctures. A median longitudinal black line (sulcus) on vertex probably indicates internal strengthening of the head. Frons with rather long, fairly sparse, yellowish hair-like setae, not forming tufts typical of females of Dryocoetes species. Hair-like setae signifi cantly longer at lateral sides of pubescent frontal area. Epistoma with long dense yellowish setae directed downwards. Eyes rather large, emarginate anteriorly. Antennae typical for genus: funiculus 5-segmented and club obliquely truncate with recurved sutures on anterior face, and one suture near apex on posterior face.
Pronotum slightly longer than wide (1.9 vs. 1.8 mm); sides subparallel in basal three fourth and apex simply rounded, without teeth on anterior margin. Pronotal surface generally granulate, more coarsely anteriorly, punctured area very small and restricted to central portion of pronotal base around impunctate median line extending approximately one fi fth of pronotal length only. Pronotal surface between granules shining, without any reticulation. Sides and anterior margin of pronotum with long, curved, yellow hair-like setae.
Scutellum large, fl at, fl ush with elytral surface, of same reddish color as elytra. Elytra slightly wider (2.0 vs. 1.9 mm) than pronotum, nearly cylindrical, only slightly widened towards apex, 3.2 mm long. Elytra extremely coarsely punctured on the disk, especially on striae 1-3 (Fig. 1) . Juxtasutural stria not impressed both on disk and on declivity, its punctures nearly as deep and as large as punctures of second stria. Interstriae in central part of disk narrow, 1.5-2.0 times narrower than striae, rather convex and shining, with minute punctures nearly 5 times smaller in diameter than strial punctures, in one irregular row on each interstria; minute tubercles present on interstriae on disk, but not on declivity.
Declivity slightly fl attened, convex, not steep, dull. Ventrolateral sides of declivity not armed and lacking minute tubercles on declivital surface. First and second interstriae are widened at declivity. Strial punctures of fi rst and second interstriae on declivity larger than punctures of other striae, but more than two times smaller than on disk. First and second striae slightly divergent towards elytral apex. Suture appearing only slightly convex on declivity because juxtasutural striae are not deepened. Elytra with rather long yellow interstrial hair-like setae, longer laterally and on the declivity; strial hair-like setae recumbent and approximately 5 times shorter that interstrial setae.
Legs typical for the genus, protibia with 5 socketed teeth on outer surface, mesoand metatibiae each with 5 spines on outer margin.
Underside of body reddish brown, abdomen covered with rather long setae on posterior margin of ventrites.
Female. Similar to male, but the frons with a dense tuft of long yellow hair-like setae. Etymology. Th e new species is dedicated to the eminent British coleopterologist F.G. Browne, who fi rst labeled the holotype as a possible new species. Diagnosis and comparison with other Indian Dryocoetes species. A new barkbeetle is described from Northern India that diff ers from all other Indian species of the genus Dryocoetes by the exceptionally large punctures of the elytral discal striae and by the large size of the body.
In India, four species of genus Dryocoetes were previously reported to occur, namely D. hewetti Stebbing, 1908, D. himalayensis Strohmeyer, 1908, D. quadrisulcatus Strohmeyer, 1908and D. indicus Stebbing, 1914. We were able to study all these four species in the Zoological Museum of Moscow University (ZMMU). Th e fi rst of them has a spatulate antennal club, and extremely long declivital pubescence, and was correctly transferred to the genus Taphrorychus (Wood and Bright, 1992). D. himalayensis and D. quadrisulcatus diff er from both D. indicus and D. brownei by the much smaller body size and by the strongly deepened fi rst striae on the disk and the declivity. Although this feature is more evident in males of these species, it is also developed in the females. D. indicus is also smaller in size (4.0 mm vs 5.1 mm) than D. brownei, has equally punctured striae and interstriae on the disk, and minute but evident tubercles on the declivity.
Frons concave, uniformly shagreened, minutely, uniformly punctured. Vestiture of whole frontal surface consists of very fi ne erect and relatively long hairlike setae visible from lateral and dorsal view (not from frontal view). Upper and lateral edges of frons with long hairlike setae; those on upper part until middle of eyes very long and curved towards center of frons. Longest setae convergent in middle of frons, not extending beyond middle of frons; those on lateral edges of fl attened lower frontal part become shorter ventrad and are not so curved (Fig. 4); frons is quite diff erent from S. daimio with frontal tufts of hairs attaining epistomal margin (Fig. 5). Pronotum wide and short, 0.8 times as long as wide (1.9 mm vs 2.3 mm), widest in anterior third, vestiture of fi ne and short hair-like setae denser at anterior margin. Pronotal surface shining, minutely punctured, punctures very shallow and set 3-4 diameters apart from each other. Surface between punctures minutely reticulated. Posterior part of pronotum more lightly coloured than anterolateral angles. Lateral margins of pronotum sharply elevated and propleura strongly concave.
Prosternum weakly convex, with an obscure triangular elevation between procoxae, its indistinct pointed apex oriented backwards, and base of triangle forming anterior prosternal margin. Th is margin is armed with two divergent translucent processes set far apart (Figs 6, 7).
Scutellum small, triangular, fl ush with elytral surface. Elytra 1.38 times as long as wide, 2.0 times as long as pronotum, clearly widened posteriorly. Elytral surface minutely punctured, shining, without signs of reticulation. Elytral punctures not organized in rows and interstriae invisible besides at declivity where all interstriae with exception of the fi rst one are fi nely carinate. First declivital interstriae at declivity are broadly elevated, not carinate and bear 9-10 tubercles of median size, towards elytral apex evidently divergent. Carina on all other interstriae very low and devoid of tubercles. Elytral declivity convex, not impressed. Posterior dark carinate portion of elytra has yellowish and dense recumbent hair-like setae, anterior light portion of elytra is glabrous.
Underside of beetle is uniformly light yellow. Fourth and fi fth abdominal sterna with abundant long yellowish hair-like setae protruding beyond abdominal apex.
Front femora without tooth above apex. Front tibiae with three widely set spines at lateral edge and with apical mucro. Tarsi long, third segment not bilobed, fi fth segment as long as all previous combined. Female. Similar to male, but frons is not impressed and long pubescence at lateral and upper edges of frons is not developed (Fig. 8). Pronotum has a median mycangial pore in its centre.
Length 2.8 mm (HT -2.96 mm), body stout, 2.15 times as long as wide. Body pale brown, elytral colour pattern essentially as in male, body surface faintly shining.
Head brown, darker compared to other body parts. Frons faintly convex, dull. Frontal surface gently shagreened. Lateral frontal parts near eyes faintly shining. Middle part of frons with a sickle-shaped faintly shining impression above mandibles, upper part of impression near center of the frons with two symmetrically placed small tubercles that are seen with diffi culty. Slightly elevated dark median line continues from vertex down to epistomal impression. Frontal surface covered by shallow round punctures. Median part of frons covered by sparse, short erect hair-like setae, with somewhat higher density in middle of frons. Short recumbent hair-like setae are concentrated around eyes. Vertex is covered with round shallow punctures, glabrous. Antennae brown with sand-coloured triangular fl at club.
Pronotum subquadrate, surface faintly shining, covered by microscopic round punctures, with faintly developed fl attened tubercles laterally from pronotum center. Slightly anteriorly to pronotum middle a well-developed mycangial pore with a bunch of pale fi ne hair-like setae is developed. Posterior part of pronotum up to the central pore is covered by pale microscopic hair-like setae; anteriorly to the pore, pronotum with more long pale erect hair-like setae. Lateral pronotal margin as in all Scolytoplatypus is acute. Prothorax has an impression for protibiae. Intercoxal piece fl at, its lateral margins near apex with bunches of long golden hair-like setae.
Scutellum as in male. Elytra light brown, faintly shining. Elytral base 1.2 times as wide as pronotum base. Maximal elytral width at beginning of declivity. Declivital margins not evenly rounded toward elytral apex, elytral apex somewhat angular. Dorsum of declivity evenly arched towards apex. Elytra 1.4 times as long as wide. Elytral surface with circular punctures. Strial punctures not deepened and of similar size to interstrial punctures, so that striae are obscure, not clearly seen. Interstriae slightly elevated on declivity, fi rst interstriae with minute tubercles, seen with diffi culty. Elytral surface covered with microscopic light hair-like setae.
Metasternum light brown, covered by short pale hair-like setae. Metacoxal cavities with clearly marked raised margin.
Abdomen light brown. Sternites covered by minute shallow round punctures and pale hair-like setae; these setae clearly longer on 3-rd, 4-th and 5-th sternites than on 1-st and 2-nd sternites.
Legs light yellow. Denticles on outer lateral protibial surface rather strong in the specimen described, but probably intraspecifi cally variable.
Diagnosis. In habitus the species resembles specimens of S. daimio, but smaller in size and has another color pattern on elytra (with only poorly developed light dark pattern). Frontal pubescence essentially as in S. zahradniki Knížek, 2008or S. tycon Blandford, 1893. Rather short frontal vestiture easily distinguishes the male S. kunala from S. daimio and S. darjeelingi males in which the longest setae extend in a brush from the upper frontal parts up to the epistoma (Fig. 5). Based on the habitus and details of the male prosternum morphology, S. kunala is most closely related to S. daimio and S. darjeelingi, diff ering from both species in the presence of rather short frontal vestiture in the male. Th e last feature is present not only in S. kunala but also in S. tycon, hovewer in the latter, the male prosternum is diff erently developed and the body is much stouter. Th e pale area of the elytra is surrounded only by slightly darker zone formed by brown elytral apices and elytral margins, not black as in S. darjeelingi Strohmeyer, 1914. All other Oriental species can be easily distinguished by the features given in the modifi ed key of Beaver and Gebhardt (2006) (see below). In the recently described Scolytoplatypus zahradniki Knížek, 2008 with similar frontal pubescence the male prosternum does possess two processes anteriorly, but they are closely set and not wide apart as in S. kunala. A similar prosternum to S. kunala is seen in S. daimio, but not in S. zahradniki, which possesses closely set translucent processes at anterior margin of pronotum and a distinct type of pronotal elevation with a sharp keel protruding forwards and backwards. Th e S. zahradniki males can also be distinguished by the clearly carinate elytral interstriae which are only slightly elevated on the S. kunala declivity (Knížek 2008). Th e female of S. kunala can be distinguished from the females of S. daimio and S. zahradniki by the smaller body size and by presence of declivital tubercles only on the 1 -st elytral interstria, by very faint striae on the apical part of the elytral declivity. Unfortunately, the recently published key to Indian Scolytoplatypus by Maiti and Saha (2009) ignores the paper by Beaver and Gebhardt (2006) and uses quite another  set of features to distinguish species. Importantly, it does not use the male prosternum structure to provide principal features to identify species groups. Th ree new species were described as new by Maiti and Saha (2008), namely S. gardneri, S. lopchuensis and S. samsinghensis; however use of another set of features to distinguish species does not allow the inclusion of these three species into the key by Beaver and Gebhardt (2006). S. samsinghensis diff ers from S. kunala by the much larger size (3.75-3.80 mm versus 2.70-3.00 mm), by the uniformly dark reddish brown to blackish brown body color, by the presence of conspicuous interstrial ridges on the elytral disk both in males and in females and also by the very short frontal pubescence both in male and in female. Besides, sparse long, erect declivital hair-like setae present in S. samsinghensis male are absent in S. kunala. Both S. lopchuensis and S. gardneri are slightly smaller in size compared to S. kunala (2.55-2.60 mm vs. 2.70-3.00 mm). Th e female of S. lopchuensis diff ers from that of S. kunala by the absence of the mycetangium pore in the centre of the pronotum, and the female of S. gardneri is unknown. Males of both species, S. lopchuensis and S. gardneri, are diff erent from S. kunala in having even frontal vestiture without a fringe of hair-like setae on the upper frontal rim with their apices converging towards the centre of the frons. S. kunala is very closely related to S. darjeelingi Stebbing sensu Maiti and Saha, 2009; however, in contrast to Maiti and Saha's description, S. darjeelingi has very long tufts of hair-like setae originating from the upper part of the frons (Stebbing 1914, Beaver andGebhardt 2006) and extending to the epistoma near the mandibles.
Discussion. Th e key to Oriental Scolytoplatypus species males by Beaver and Gebhardt (2006) can be easily modifi ed to include both redescribed S. kunala and recently described S. zahradniki.   (2006) can also be modifi ed to include the redescribed species, Scolytoplatypus daimio, and recently described Scolytoplatypus zahradniki Knížek.
Th e key to females will be changed from couplet 15.
17A. Elytral striae weakly impressed before declivity; elytral disc with fi ne hair-like setae on both striae and interstriae.