The smallest known species of Afrotropical Scolytoplatypus Schaufuss (Curculionidae, Scolytinae) – with unique features and an isolated phylogenetic position

By

Jordal, Bjarte

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

749

Pages

125-130

Subjects

Afrotropics , ambrosia beetle , molecular phylogeny , Scolytoplatypodini

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.749.24199

 

Abstract

Recent flight intercept trapping in Gabon provided four female specimens of a new species of Scolytoplatypus Schaufuss with several unusual features. It is the smallest known Afrotropical species found to date (1.6 mm long), it has unusually long antennal clubs, and some characters show resemblance to small Asian species or to the Malagasy genus Remansus Jordal. Genetic data from four genes nevertheless place this species as the sister lineage to all other Afrotropical species where it forms an isolated position corresponding to deviant morphological features.