Tetraopes huetheri Skillman, 2007

Frederick W. Skillman, Jr., 2007, A new species of Tetraopes Schoenherr (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Insecta Mundi 2007 (8), pp. 1-3 : 1-3

Tetraopes huetheri Skillman , new species

( Fig. 1, 2, 3 )

Description: Male: Form ( Fig. 1-2 ) small, slightly flattened; integument pale orange and reddish, underside dark chestnut brown; pubescence not obscuring punctation, moderately dense, appressed, yellowish white, few, long, erect, pale, setae.

Head reddish, narrower than pronotum, front convex, moderately coarsely, densely, separately punctate, most punctures giving rise to a short, yellowish white, erect seta; pubescence fine, sparse, appressed, yellowish white, thinning towards vertex; genae slightly longer than lower eye lobes; maxillary palpi slightly enlarged, acute at apices; mandibles feebly arcuate, deeply excavated externally at base; labrum reddish, narrow, short, wedge shaped, broadly rounded at apex, clothed with a few, erect, white setae; eyes small, very finely faceted, upper lobes widely separated; area between antennal tuberculi shallowly impressed; antennae vary from dark reddish brown to dark brown, extending to fourth abdominal segment, first three segments shining, dorsal surface with numerous short black hairs, ventral surface sparsely clothed with white pubescence and a few, short, erect, black hairs, shining beneath; segments from fourth densely clothed with very fine, appressed, dark brown pubescence, narrowly yellowish white annulate at bases and apices with a few erect, black hairs at apices, more numerous beneath.

Pronotum broader than long, sides prominently obtusely tuberculate; apex shallowly impressed; base very shallowly impressed laterally; umbone reddish, broad, large, almost hexagonal, shallowly convex, slightly to moderately elevated, sides not delimited, disk with fine, scattered to moderate punctation, some giving rise to very short, pale erect hairs, each side with two black spots; area surrounding umbone with sparse to moderately dense, short, appressed, yellowish white pubescence, especially dense on basal side of lateral tubercles; most tubercles having a few, long, erect, pale setae; base slightly elevated at scutellum, fringed with mostly short, yellowish white hair and having a transverse band of color ranging from slightly darker than surrounding area to a wide, dark brown band that can extend to the basal black spots. Prosternum narrow, feebly impressed at apex, shining, finely, transversely wrinkled, sparsely clothed with yellowish white, appressed pubescence, a few, longer, suberect, pale hairs present; meso- and metasterna micropunctate, moderately clothed with appressed yellowish white pubescence. Scutellum dark brown to black scantly clothed with black pubescence.

Elytra about 2 times as long as broad, sides parallel; punctures over basal ½ coarse, dense, subcontiguous becoming smaller and less dense toward apex; pubescence moderate, pale, suberect,

1

underlying pubescence dense, short, appressed, yellowish-white, denser over apical 1/3; humeri black;

two black, shining, sutural spots present at about basal ¼, two larger black spots also present at midelytra

at beginning of apical 1/3, apices rounded and slightly darkened. Legs long, micopunctate; femora

moderately to densely clothed with yellowish-white, apressesd pubescence, long, pale hairs sparse; tibiae

clothed with yellowish-white, suberect pubescence; tarsi with claws appendiculate.

Abdomen densely micropunctate, densely clothed with fine, appressed, yellowish-white pubescence;

fifth sternite subtruncate at apex. Length 7.0 - 8.5 mm.

Female: Form and color similar to male, but more robust. Front of head strongly convex. Antenna

shorter. Fifth abdominal segment broadly truncate with small notch at apex ( Fig. 3 ) and impressed

longitudinally at middle extending from base half way to apex. Length 8.0 - 9.8 mm

Type material. HOLOTYPE male and allotype from “ U.S.A., South Dakota: Lawrence Co., Upper

Mirror Lake west end, 23 Aug. 2006, on Asclepias verticillata , J and C Huether” (deposited in FSCA).

Paratypes (10 males, 4 females): same data as holotype (6); “ U.S.A. South Dakota: Lawrence Co., Mirror

Lake fish hatchery NW side, 24 Aug. 2005, J. Huether” (3); “S.D. Lawrence Co., Mirror Lakes, 24 Aug.

2005, R. Turnbow” (5). Paratypes deposited in JPHC, RHTC, FWSC, RMBC, EMEC.

A single rubbed and greased specimen not included in the type series is labeled: “WY: Cook Co., Vic.

Entrance Devil’s Tower Natl. Mnt., 22 Aug. 2006, J. and C. Huether”.

Whorled milkweed, Asclepias verticillata L.

(Fig. 4), is assumed to be the host as all specimens

were swept from this plant. The presumed host

ranges into 41 states, including WY. More collecting

is needed in this area to help determine the range

of T. huetheri .

Diagnosis. Tetraopes huetheri cannot be

confused with any other described North American

species. The combination of small size, prominent

pronotal tubercles, low to moderately elevated

umbone, appendiculate tarsal claws, and lack of

elytral chevron serve to distinguish it.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Jeffrey

P. Huether who caught the first specimens and

provided the picture of the presumed host.

Figure 4. Whorled milkweed, Asclepias verticillata L.

The following couplets should be inserted into Chemsak and Noguera’s 2003 key to known species of

Tetraopes :

2(1). Thoracic umbone narrow, disk convex; sides of pronotum not lobed; elytral chevron, if present, broad; form cylindrical ................................................................................................................ 3

— Thoracic umbone broad, disk flattened to shallowly convex; sides of pronotum lobed or obtusely tuberculate; elytral chevron, if present, narrow, transverse; form broad .............................. 2A

2A(2). Thoracic umbone almost quadrate, disk flattened; sides of pronotum moderately lobed; median elytral chevron, if present, narrow, transverse, located at basal one-third; form broad; length 12mm; Mexico (Jalisco) ..................................................... T. crassus Chemsak and Noguera

— Thoracic umbone almost hexagonal, disk shallowly convex; sides of pronotum prominently, obtusely tuberculate; no elytral chevron present; form broad, slightly flattened; length 7.2 - 9.8 mm; U.S. A (South Dakota) ........................................................ T. huetheri Skillman , n. sp.

Figures

Figure 1-3. Tetraopes huetheri Skillman, n.sp. 1) holotype male; 2) Tetraopes huetheri Skillman, holotype male umbone; 3) Tetraopes huetheri Skillman, allotype female fifth abdominal segment showing notch and longitudinal impression.