Type locality.
Peru, Loreto province, left bank of Amazon River, Itaya River.
Type material.
Holotype ♂ (ZMM): PERU: LORETO PROVINCE: right bank of Amazon River, 30 km S from Iquitos, Panquana camp., 120 m a.s.l., 30.01.1997, leg.. A.V. Petrov. Paratype: 1♀ (Petrov collection): PERU: LORETO PROVINCE: Itaya river, left bank of Amazon River, 58 km SSW from Iquitos to Nauta, 120 m a.s.l., 4°11'S ; 73°26'W 10.02.2007, leg.. A.V. Petrov (1♀).
Diagnosis.
Species morphologically closely related to Scolytus bispinatus and Scolytus carveli , from which can be distinguished with ease by form and position of second sternite tubercle and also by presence both in male and in female of small sharpened median tubercle at posterior margin of fourth sternite.
Description.
Male: Body length 2.0 mm, 2.85 times as long as wide; colour reddish brown. Head dark grayish brown. Front flat with a small median elongate tubercle running from epistoma nearly up to center of front. Circular impression clearly seen in upper portion of front above upper level of eyes nearby margin with vertex. Frontal surface shining, longitudinally aciculate. Lateral parts of front cov ered by very sparse grey hairs of moderate length, their apices directed towards center of front. Antennae brown, covered by short golden hairs, club elliptical with evenly rounded apex. Pronotum 1.0 times as long as wide. Maximal width of pronotum at half of its length, lateral sides evenly rounded towards apex and base; towards apex, pronotum appears more elongate. Faintly elevated median line runs from centre of pronotum towards its apical portion. Pronotum grayish brown, its basis lighter, reddish-brown; surface shining, at basis and in central part of disk pronotum with small shallow punctures, punctures at lateral sides and in apical portion larger but also shallow. Sharply elevated lateral margin separates pronotum from other parts of prothorax (propleura). Lateral sides of prothorax (propleura) are abundantly and evenly punctured by punctures of moderate size. Scant pubescence limited to few hairs at apical portion of pronotum.
Scutellum triangular, deeply set in scutellar impression.
Elytra reddish-brown. Elytra 1.1 times as long as wide, 1.0 times as long as pronotum; lateral sides of elytra are nearly parallel up to declivity, from the begi nning of declivity and up to sutural apex elytra are evenly rounded. Elytral surface shining, with regular rows of small punctures. Interstriae flat and smooth, with sparse punctures, conspicuous only in posterior portion of elytra. In posterior portion of elytra, interstriae with rows of pale erect hairs. Abdomen reddish-brown. Second sternite is vertical, perpendicularly set in relation to first sternite, anterior margin of second sternite weakly elevated, costate. Second sternite base armed by a large, median spine. This spine has a very specific outline, its two rounded apices are directed into opposite sides from the same basis, so when looking from below tubercle has form of stylized heart (Fig. 28). Elevated median line runs from base of tubercle towards second sternite center. Posterior margin of fourth sternite with small median sharpened tubercle(Fig. 29). Lateral sides of second and third sternites with minute denticles, second sternite with sharpened denticles, third sternite with smaller denticles with blunt apices. Abdominal surface shining, punctured by minute punctures, covered with very sparse tiny erect hairs. Legs reddish brown, with golden hairs.
Female: similar to male except front more convex, vestiture less abundant and shorter, tubercle in anterior frontal portion of triangular form; second sternite unarmed. As in male, posterior margin of fourth sternite with small median sharpened tubercle at posterior margin, lateral sides of second and third sternites with denticles, but these denticles are extremely small.
Distribution.
Known only from the type locality.
Etymology.
This new species is named in honour of the eminent entomologist Professor Stephen L. Wood who dedicated his life to studies of Scolytidae and Platypodidae .
