Taxonomy of Xylographellini ( Coleoptera : Ciidae ) from the Australian and Oriental regions with descriptions of new species of Scolytocis and Xylographella

Xylographellini beetles occur mainly in lands of the Southern Hemisphere. However, the taxonomy of Australian and Oriental species is incipient. The tribe comprises four genera, of which Scolytocis Blair, 1928 and Xylographella Miyatake, 1985 were recently redescribed and reported from Australia but without descriptions of new species. Here, three new species of Xylographellini are described: Scolytocis australimontensis sp. n. from Australia, with smooth interspaces of pronotal punctures; Scolytocis insularis sp. n. from the Pohnpei Island (Caroline Islands, Micronesia), with microstriated interspaces of pronotal punctures; and Xylographella frithae sp. n. from Australia, with six raised keels in elytral declivity. Scolytocis samoensis Blair, 1928, type species of the genus, is recorded from Guam (Mariana Islands, Micronesia) and redescribed. Keys for the Scolytocis and Xylographella occurring in the Australian and Oriental regions are also provided.

Our objective is to describe three new species of Xylographellini: Scolytocis australimontensis sp.n. and Xylographella frithae sp.n. from the Australian region; and Scolytocis insularis sp.n. from the Oriental region.Moreover, Sc. samoensis is recorded for the first time from Guam (Mariana Islands) and redescribed.Identification keys to Australian and Oriental Scolytocis and to all known species of Xylographella are also provided.Lopes-Andrade (2008) and Lawrence (2016).The number of available specimens was low, but some were dissected in attempts to find males.Holotypes were not TAXONOMY Key to Australian and Oriental species of Scolytocis Blair

Generic limits follow
Metatibiae with outer edge straight (Fig. 5) to barely rounded (Fig. 10), usually with a clear distinction between outer and apical edges; spines of outer edge separated by one spine-width or more (Figs 5,10,15).If distinction of outer and apical edges of metatibiae is not clear (Fig. 10),   Scolytocis sp. in Lawrence (2016: 198).
Diagnosis.Scolytocis australimontensis sp.n. can be distinguished from other Australian and Oriental species of Scolytocis by the combination of the following features: pronotum with a conspicuous rugose border along the posterior edge and smooth interspaces of punctures; metatibiae with a clear distinction between the outer and apical edges, the outer edge being straight and bearing at least five spines separated from each other by more than a spine-width.Scolytocis novazelandiae has a similar posterior pronotal border, but interspaces of punctures are microreticulate.Scolytocis werneri has a comparatively narrower posterior pronotal border and interspaces of punctures are coarsely reticulate.
Material examined.Australia: holotype (ANIC) labeled "17.Etymology.The species name derives from the Latin adjectives "australis", which means "of the South" and refers to Australia, and "montensis", which means "of or belonging to mountains", both in the genitive singular.The name is a reference to the Australian mountains where most specimens were collected.
Remarks.This new species was collected only in localities above 800 m, three of them at Australian mountains (Mount Haig, Mount Edith and Mount Bartle Frere) (Fig. 24).This species may be included in the Sc.werneri species-group, in which the species have a rugose border along the posterior pronotal edge.Diagnosis.Scolytocis insularis sp.n. can be distinguished from other Australian and Oriental species of Scolytocis by combination of the following features: pronotum with interspaces of punctures microstriated and posterior edge devoid of a rugose border; metatibiae without a clear distinction between outer and apical edges, the outer edge being slightly rounded.

Scolytocis insularis
Description, holotype (Figs 6-10).Adult apparently not fully pigmented but in good condition, except for lacking the right antenna and one tarsus.Measurements in mm: TL 1.08, PL 0.35, PW 0.48, EL 0.73, EW 0.48, GD 0.48.Ratios: PL/PW 0.74, EL/EW 1.53, EL/PL 2.07, GD/EW 1.00, TL/EW 2.26.Body elongate, convex; dorsum and venter yellowish brown; anten-nae, palpi and tarsi yellowish; dorsal vestiture of minute setae, smaller than a puncture-width and barely discernible even in high magnification (150×), except for the posteriormost portion of elytra with conspicuous setae (easily seen in lateral view); venter subglabrous.Head with anteriormost portion visible from above; dorsum with shallow, coarse, fine punctures, separated from each other by a puncture-width or less and with microreticulate interspaces.Antennae bearing nine antennomeres, as follows (in mm, left antenna measured): 0.06, 0.03, 0.04, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.03, 0.03, 0.05 (FL 0.07, CL 0.11, CL/FL 1.57).Eyes finely facetted, each bearing about 70 ommatidia; GW 0.11.Gula 0.47 times as wide as head.Pronotum with shallow, single punctation; punctures irregular, fine, separated from each other by a distance of one to two puncture-widths on disc and one puncture-width close to the laterals; interspaces transversely microstriated on disc, diagonally microstriated near lateral edges; anterior edge broadly rounded; lateral edges smooth, not explanate and not visible when seen from above; posterior edge without a rugose border along it.Scutellar shield triangular, bearing small punctures; BW 0.12.Elytra with confuse, shallow punctation; punctures coarsely and irregularly distributed, with somewhat rugose interspaces; elytral apex truncate; apical declivity (posterior one-fourth of elytra) with conspicuous cuticular globules (Fig. 9, arrows).Hind wings developed, apparently functional.Hypomera with coarse, shallow punctation; each puncture bearing a fine decumbent seta; interspaces transversely microstriated.Prosternum in front of coxae biconcave; interspaces transversely microstriated.Prosternal process laminate, as long as prosternum at midline, apex acute.Pro-, meso-and metatibiae (Fig. 10, left metatibia) with similar shape and length, approximately three times as long as broad, expanded from base to basal two-thirds; tibiae with outer edge slightly rounded, devoid of a clear distinction of outer and apical edges; outer edge with about 15 spines, a bit sparser near tibial base and getting closer until apex.Metaventrite with coarse, small punctures; interspaces transversely microstriated; discrimen about twofifths the length of metaventrite at midline.Abdominal ventrites with coarse, small punctures, separated from each other by a puncture-width or less; interspaces transversely microstriated; length of ventrites (in mm, from base to apex at the longitudinal midline) as follows: 0.12, 0.05, 0.05, 0.05, 0. Etymology.The species name is a Latin adjective in the genitive singular and means relative or belonging to an island, in reference to the insular distribution of this species.
Remarks.This new species is known only from the type locality, Kolonia, a coastal town and capital of the state of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia (Fig. 24).The species does not fit in any previously proposed species-group of Scolytocis.
Here, we propose the Sc.insularis species-group to encompass this single species, the group defined by the combination of the following features: biconcave prosternum; outer edge of metatibiae slightly rounded, without a clear distinction between outer and apical edges.The prosternum is also biconcave in species of the Scolytocis danielssoni and the Scolytocis fritzplaumanni species-groups.However, in the Sc.danielssoni species-group the species are comparatively larger and have a rugose border along the posterior pronotal edge.In the Sc.fritzplaumanni group the species are also larger than Sc.insularis and bear a smooth border along the posterior pronotal edge.Metatibiae with slightly rounded outer edge are also seen in species of the Scolytocis bouchardi and the Scolytocis lawrencei species-group, but they have triconcave and tumid prosternum, respectively, and are exclusively neotropical.Blair, 1928 Figs 11-15, 24 Scolytocis samoensis : Blair 1928: 95-96 (description, type species of Scolytocis Blair, 1928, by original designation); Lopes-Andrade 2008: 14, 36 (inclusion in the Sc.lawrencei species-group, taxonomic notes).
Diagnosis.Scolytocis samoensis can be distinguished from other Australian and Oriental Scolytocis by the following combination of features: pronotum devoid of a rugose border along the posterior edge; metatibiae with a clear distinction between outer and apical edges, the outer edge being straight and usually bearing three well-separated spines (Fig. 15); elytral punctation, seriate.
Remarks.Scolytocis samoensis is the type species of the genus and was described based on a single specimen from Samoa, possibly a female, deposited in the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Muse-um (Hawaii, USA).Blair (1928) mentioned the poor condition of the holotype.This species was tentatively included in the Sc.lawrencei species-group by Lopes-Andrade ( 2008) and here we keep the same opinion.The specimens we examined from Guam (Fig. 24) fit the original description by Blair (1928).Xylographella sp. in Lawrence (2016: 198).
Diagnosis.Xylographella frithae sp.n. differs from X. punctata in possessing longitudinal raised keels at elytral declivity and in the smooth interspaces of pronotal punctures.It is closely related to X. speciosa, but differs in possessing six longitudinal raised keels at elytral declivity, rather than twelve, and in being comparatively smaller (TL less than 1.90 mm).
Description, holotype .Adult fully pigmented.Measurements in mm: TL 1.65, PL 0.60, PW 0.75, EL 1.05, EW 0.80, GD 0.73.Ratios: PL/PW 0.80, EL/EW 1.31, EL/PL 1.75, GD/EW 0.91, TL/EW 2.06.Body elongate, convex; dorsum and venter dark reddish brown; antennae, palpi and tarsi a bit lighter; dorsal vestiture of minute setae, smaller than a puncture-width and barely discernible even in high magnification (150×), except for the posteriormost portion of elytra with conspicuous setae (easily seen in lateral view); venter subglabrous.Head concealed by pronotum and not visible from above; dorsum with shallow punctures, separated from each other by a puncture-width or less and with microreticulate interspaces.Antennae bearing 10 antenommeres, as follows (in mm; left antenna measured): 0.09, 0.04, 0.06, 0.03, 0.02, 0.02, 0.02, 0.04, 0.04, 0.06 (FL 0.15, CL 0.14, CL/FL 0.93).Eyes finely facetted, each bearing about 80 ommatidia; GW 0.15.Gula 0.42 times as wide as head.Pronotum with moderately deep, single punctation; punctures irregular, separated from each other by a puncture-width or less and with smooth interspaces; anterior edge broadly rounded; lateral edges finely crenulate, not explanate and not visible when seen from above.Scutellar shield triangular, bearing a few punctures near lateral edges; BW 0.11.Elytra with coarse, deep, dual punctation; large punctures coarsely and irregularly distributed, deeper than those on pronotum, about twice as large as small punctures; small punctures sparsely and irregularly distributed; interspaces of punctures, smooth; elytral apex truncate; apical declivity (posterior one-third of elytra) bearing six raised keels (three in each elytron) converging to apex (Fig. 19, arrows).Hind wings developed, apparently functional.Hypomera with coarse, shallow punctation; each puncture bearing a fine decumbent seta; interspaces, microreticulate.Prosternum in front of coxae biconcave; interspaces, microreticulate.Prosternal process laminate, as long as prosternum at midline.Protibiae about three times as long as broad and expanded near apex; outer edge with spines extending from apex to almost its base; inner facet with a conspicuous tuft of long bristles along the apical two-fifths of the inner edge.Meso-and metatibiae (Fig. 20, left metatibia of a paratype) about four times as long as broad; outer edge with spines extending from apex to almost its base.Metaventrite with coarse, small punctures; interspaces, microreticulate; discrimen apparently absent.Abdominal ventrites with coarse, large punctures, separated from each other by a puncture width or less; interspaces, microreticulate; length of ventrites (in mm, from base to apex at the longitudinal midline) as follows: 0.22, 0.09, 0.08, 0.08, 0.17   Etymology.The new species is named in honor of the ornithologist Dawn Whyatt Frith, who collected all specimens from the type locality.The species name is Latinized from "Frith" using the feminine suffix in the genitive singular (-ae).
Remarks.This is the first described species of Xylographella from the Australian region.The genus encompasses only two other species: X. punctata Miyatake, 1985 andX. speciosa Lopes-Andrade, 2008, the former from the Japanese islands of Honshu and Shikoku, and the latter from the provinces of Mindanao and Luzon in the Philippines.Images of X. frithae were recently provided by Lawrence (2016).