Solenoptera scutellata (Gahan, 1890)

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2015, The Prioninae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Hispaniola, with Diagnoses, Descriptions of New Species, Distribution Records, and a Key for Identification, The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (3), pp. 353-388 : 369

23. Solenoptera scutellata (Gahan, 1890) ( Figs. 4c, d , 10c , 16b )

Discussion. This species is endemic to Hispaniola and quite rare. Specimens previously assigned to this species from Cuba have been determined to be Solenoptera fraudulenta Galileo and Martins (Galileo and Martins 1993c) . All specimens known are from western Dominican Republic, collected in the daytime in the summer months of July and August.

This species is very distinctive as it has a short, rounded scutellum (as is typical of the genus) that is densely covered with golden white pubescence. The males have a flattened pronotum, densely punctate on either side of a shiny, glabrous, longitudinal median impression, and densely punctate ventrally. Females have a pronotum of similar shape, shiny and sparsely punctate dorsally, shiny and glabrous ventrally. Antennomere 3 is one-third longer than the scape in males (about as long as the scape in females), differentiating it from S. fraudulenta in which the males have the third antennomere about as long as the scape. It is also very similar to Solenoptera tomentosa , new species (described herein) but differs based on the following characters: the elytra are glabrous (elytra have many scattered setae throughout in S. tomentosa ); the pronotum is glabrous on the disk (with small, dense patches of white pubescence on ridges lateral to medial impression in S. tomentosa ); the prosternal process has a deep notch and greatly diverging apices in S. scutellata (weakly notched with non-diverging apices in S. tomentosa and S. fraudulenta ); metasternal pubescence limited to narrow, oblique fascia (metasternum with dense coating of white pubescence over all of anterior and lateral portions, continuous with densely pubescent metepisternum in S. tomentosa ); and abdominal pubescence limited to lateral margins (ventrite 2 completely, densely pubescent with remaining ventrites densely pubescent on wide margins in S. tomentosa ).

Hispaniolan Localities. D O M I N I C A N REPUBLIC: Santo Domingo (original description, no further data; Tippmann collection [ USNM]) ; Independencia Province (east southeast of Jimaní, south of Lago Limon , 18°24′N, 71°44′W, 23 August 1992, 20m, beating, Sikes and Brodzinsky [ WIBF]; Sierra de Bahoruco, Villa Barrancolí, Rabo de Gato Trail [based on photo by Pedro Genaro]) .

Figures

Fig. 4. Dorsal habitus of Hispaniolan Solenoptera species. a) S. furfurosa, male, b) S. furfurosa, female holotype, c) S. scutellata, male, d) S. scutellata, female, e) S. vittata, male, f) S. vittata, female, g) S. helbi, female holotype, h) S. rugosa, female holotype, i) S. tomentosa, male paratype.

Fig. 10. Hispaniolan Prioninae. a) Elateropsis dichroma, female holotype, ventral view, b) Elateropsis woodleyi, male holotype, ventral view, c) Solenoptera scutellata, male, ventral view, d) Solenoptera tomentosa, male paratype, ventral view, e) Hovorodon bituberculatum, female, prosternal process, f) H. bituberculatum, female mandible, lateral view, g) Stenodontes exsertus, female mandible, lateral view.

Fig. 16. Distribution maps of Hispaniolan Prioninae. a) Elateropsis sericeiventris, Elateropsis trimarginatus, Elateropsis dichroma, and Elateropsis woodleyi, b) Solenoptera dominicensis, Solenoptera scutellata, and Solenoptera rugosa.