Pseudopityophthorus

Type species

Crypturgus minutissimus Zimmermann

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 965-982

Diagnosis

Pseudopityophthorus is distinguished from the similar Pityophthorus Eichhoff by the reduced or absent striaestriae:
longitudinally arranged lines often impressed or marked by punctures that are located between the interstriae on the Coleopteran elytron
and the more abundant and sometimes scale-like elytral vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
. They can also be differentiated by the more elaborate frontal vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
present on the male. The rows of pronotal asperitiesasperities:
pertaining to surface roughenings or dot-like elevations that are not pointed
are similarly arranged but are separated and do not form contiguouscontiguous:
sharing an edge or boundary; touching
bands.

Description

The species in this genus range from 1.2 to 2.6 mm in length and are approximately 2.6 to 3.1 times as long as wide. Their color ranges from brown to almost black. The elytral striaestriae:
longitudinally arranged lines often impressed or marked by punctures that are located between the interstriae on the Coleopteran elytron
are weak or obsoleteobsolete:
pertaining to a structure which is indistinct, not well developed, or almost absent
. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is longer than wide. The scutellumscutellum:
a shield-like bony plate or scale, as on the thorax of some insects
is small and flush with the elytraelytra:
the two external and hardened or sclerotized forewings of adult Coleoptera, often appearing leather-like in texture
. The declivitydeclivity:
the apical portion of the beetle elytra that slopes downward
is usually convex, with an abundant hair-like to scale-like vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
, which extends to the elytraelytra:
the two external and hardened or sclerotized forewings of adult Coleoptera, often appearing leather-like in texture
and is unarmedunarmed:
having no granules, teeth, tubercles, spines, or other protective structures
. The metepisternummetepisternum:
the sclerite between the first and second lateral thoracic sutures
is only visible anteriorly. The fronsfrons:
the upper anterior portion of the head capsule
vestiture of long setaesetae:
a hollow, often slender and hair-like cuticular projection
is a male character with only a few exceptions. The scapescape:
the first and basal segment of the insect's antennae
is usually longer than the 5-segmented funiclefunicle:
the antennal segments located between the scape and the club in some Coleoptera
. The oval to obovateobovate:
inversely egg shaped (ovate), with the narrow end basal
clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
has the first two suturessutures:
a seam or seam-like line of contact between two sclerites or hardened body parts immovably connected
septateseptate:
having a septum or septa
and procurvedprocurved:
pertaining to structure (antennae, setae) which is basally perpendicular to the body and whose apical part is curved anteriorly
, forming notches on the sides, and the third is at the apex. The procoxaeprocoxae:
extra segment occasionally preceding coxa (hip joint) of the first or anterior pair of legs of arthropods
are contiguouscontiguous:
sharing an edge or boundary; touching
.

Distribution

North America, Central America, and Colombia

World fauna

Number of species: 27, Native species: 11, Introduced species: 0

Hosts

Castanea, Fagus, Quercus, Ostrya