Potemnemus sepicanus Kriesche, 1923 : 429

Wallin, Henrik & Kvamme, Torstein, 2015, A review of the genus Potemnemus Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) with description of a new species from Papua New Guinea, Zootaxa 4040 (5), pp. 501-542 : 517-518

Potemnemus sepicanus Kriesche, 1923: 429

Figs. 24 , 25, 26, 27, 28 , 59, 60, 61, 62 , 81 .

Potemnemus hispidus Gressitt, 1952: 54 nov. syn.

Examined type specimen. HT ♀ MNHUB, BL = 51.0 mm, BW = 16.2 mm, Papua New Guinea, Etappenberg (near Wewak, East Sepik Province); 1912.10.9–17, leg. S.G. Ledermann;

Other specimens examined. Papua New Guinea: 1♂ CUN, BL = 39.6 mm, Morobe Province (MP), Aseki, 1992.10; 1♀ CUN, BL = 43.5 mm, MP, 1992.10; 1♀ CUN, BL = 53.0 mm, MP, Aseki, Pawamanga Village, 2006.03.27, leg. M. Hudson; 1♂ CHW, BL = 55.0 mm, Maprik, East Sepik Province, 1995.12.21; 1♀ CHW, BL = 47.0 mm, MP, Aseki, Yeva Village, 1997.06.30; 1♂ CHW, BL = 45.0 mm, MP, Aseki, Hiyewini village, 1995.03.28; 1♂ CHW, BL = 45.0 mm, MP, Aseki, 2004.10.10; 1♀ NHRS, BL = 51.5 mm, Sekar, leg. H. Kuhn (ex. coll. F.R. Mason).

Potemnemus hispidus Gressit, 1952: 54 nov. syn. ( Fig. 28 ).

Examined type specimen. HT ♀ AMNH, BL = 39.0 mm (photo examination), Papua New Guinea, Mount Mabion (near Selbang, Western Province).

Morphological characteristics: a large to very large and robust species (BL = 39.0–55.0 mm, BW = 16.2) with body approximately 3.1 x longer than wide ( Figs. 24–28 ). Antennae: relatively long in females and very long in males: extending beyond apices by about 4–5 antennomeres in females and by about six antennomeres in males. Thorax: pronotum with a longitudinal yellowish and narrow band interrupted medially with a dark brown spot. Pronotum is densely granulated apically and below the broadened base at each lateral spine. Medially pronotum has a raised “bulb-like area with very fine granules along posterior margin (more pronounced in larger male specimens). There are also two tiny and conical tubercles on the middle of pronotum. Elytra: sub-parallel with small spines scattered over the entire surface. The colour is dark brown with distinct, white patches forming two irregular, transverse white bands. Lateral carina on elytra with a series of large granules ( Fig. 27 ). Humeral spine in males is short and straight. Legs: strongly mottled with white and brown pubescence. Venter: dark brown to black and weakly mottled with a mixture of short brownish and greyish pubescence. Prosternal process with a broad and blunt tubercle anteriorly. Male genitalia: aedeagus 12.0–18.0 mm long and strongly curved towards apex ( Fig. 59 ), with dorsal surface smooth and shining ( Fig. 60 ). Parameres (3.0– 3.5 mm long) broad, slightly narrowing towards anterior margin, inner margins straight and well separated, with relatively long setae attached dorsally and ventrally, dorsally deeply punctured towards apices, and the projection at base (between the two parameres) blunt ( Fig. 61 ). Tergite VIII (3.5–4.0 mm long) large and elongated with a straight posterior margin covered with relatively fine and short setae ( Fig. 62 ). The colour of male genitalia is brownish.

Remarks. This species is most similar to P. ennevei , but is easily separated by the weakly mottled ventral surface, the short and straight humeral spine in males, and the distinct white patches forming two irregular, transverse white bands on elytra. P. sepicanus has, so far, only been found in the eastern parts of the island of New Guinea ( Fig. 81 ).

Figures

FIGURE 81. Known records of Potemnemus spp. (red numbers) and Periaptodes spp. (blue numbers) from Australia, the island of New Guinea, Moluccas and Solomon Islands. 1. Potemnemus ennevei De Jong, 1947, 2. Potemnemus kaszabi (Breuning, 1973), 3. Potemnemus lima Pascoe, 1866, 4. Potemnemus nylanderi Wallin & Kvamme, 2014 nov. sp., 5. Potemnemus pristis Pascoe, 1866, 6. Potemnemus rosenbergii Vollenhoven van, 1871, 7. Potemnemus scabrosus (Olivier, 1790), 8. Potemnemus sepicanus Kriesche, 1923, 9. Potemnemus thomsoni Lansberge, 1880 sp. res., 10. Potemnemus trimaculatus Lea, 1918 sp. res., 11. Potemnemus tuberifer Gahan, 1894, 12. Potemnemus wheatcrofti (Breuning, 1971) comb. nov., 13. Potemnemus wolfi Berchmans, 1925 sp. res., 14. Periaptodes frater (Van de Poll, 1887), 15. Periaptodes lictor Pascoe, 1866, 16. Periaptodes olivieri (Thomson, 1864), 17. Periaptodes potemnemoides Kriesche, 1936, 18. Periaptodes testator Pascoe, 1866, 19. Periaptodes paratestator Breuning, 1980.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Habitus. 19, ♀ P. wolfi Berchmans, 1925 sp. res., 46.0 mm (photo: U. Nylander); 20. HT ♀ P. wolfi Berchmans, 1925 sp. res., lateral view (photo: M. Eulàlia Gass i Miracle, ZMA); 21. HT ♂ P. thomsoni Lansberge, 1880 sp. res., 45.0 mm (photo: A. Taghavian, MNHN); 22. HT ♂ P. pristis Pascoe, 1866, 30.0 mm (photo: M. Barclay, BMNH); 23. ♀ P. pristis Pascoe, 1866, 47.5 mm; 24. ♀ P. sepicanus Kriesche, 1923, 53.0 mm (photo: U. Nylander).

FIGURES 25 – 30. Habitus. 25. ♂ P. sepicanus Kriesche, 1923, 43.0 mm (photo: U. Nylander); 26. HT ♀ P. sepicanus Kriesche, 1923, 51.0 mm (photo: U. Nylander); 27. HT ♀ P. sepicanus Kriesche, 1923, lateral view (photo: U. Nylander); 28. HT ♀ P. hispidus Gressit, 1952 nov. syn., 39.0 mm (copyright 2002 - 2005, The American Museum of Natural History, AMNH); 29. HT ♂ P. ennevei De Jong, 1947, 55.0 mm (photo: Ben Brugge, ZMA); 30. PT ♀ P. ennevei De Jong, 1947, 51.0 mm (photo: Ben Brugge, ZMA).

FIGURES 59 – 66. Male genitalia (from left to right: aedeagus lateral view, aedeagus dorsal view, parameres and tergite VIII), 59 – 62. P. sepicanus Kriesche, 1923; 63 – 66. P. ennevei De Jong, 1947.