Xela tysoni, Botero & Bezark & Santos-Silva, 2020

Botero, Juan Pablo, Bezark, Larry G. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2020, A new genus, new species and taxonomic notes on American Cerambycinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Zootaxa 4758 (1), pp. 157-175 : 164-165

Xela tysoni sp. nov.

( Figs. 11–15 )

Description. Male. Integument mostly black, with violaceous reflections, especially on dark area of elytra; mouthparts orangish-brown, except brownish distal segment of maxillary and labial palpi; mandible orangish-brown on basal 2/3, with margins slightly darkened, black on distal third; clypeus and labrum orangish-brown (postclypeus more reddish-brown laterally); elytra orangish-brown on anterior third (dark area projected forward dorsally, making its anterior margin M-shaped).

Head. Frons coarsely, abundantly, partially confluently punctate; longitudinally sulcate centrally; with long, erect, moderately abundant yellowish-brown setae. Area between antennal tubercles and posterior margin of eyes longitudinally sulcate centrally (following sulcus on frons); vertex finely, abundantly punctate (punctures slightly sparser close to prothorax); with brown pubescence not obscuring integument, bristly between antennal tubercles, sparser close to prothorax. Area behind eyes smooth close to eye, finely, moderately abundantly punctate on remaining surface behind upper eye lobe, slightly striated on remaining surface behind lower eye lobe; with brown pubescence on punctate area behind lower eye lobe; with long, erect, moderately abundant yellowish-brown setae close to lower eye lobe, nearly glabrous on remaining surface behind lower eye lobe. Genae minutely punctate close to eye, smooth toward apex; with short, erect, sparse yellowish-brown setae toward clypeus, longer, more abundant toward ventral surface. Antennal tubercles moderately elevated; apex rounded; sculpturing and setae as on frons, except smooth and glabrous apex. Postclypeus wide, finely, densely punctate; with long, erect, moderately abundant yellowish setae. Labrum slightly distinctly punctate, with a few long, erect yellowish setae laterally. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous on posterior third, slightly transverse striate on central third, finely, transversely, abundantly striate on anterior third, with long, erect, abundant yellowish-brown setae on anterior 2/3, more so on anterior third. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.48 times length of scape (0.29 times distance between outer margins of eyes); in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.96 times length of scape (0.58 times distance between outer margins of eyes). Antennae 1.95 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at basal quarter of antennomere VIII. Scape with abundant, bristly black pubescence partially obscuring integument, with long, erect black setae interspersed ventrally. Pedicel nearly glabrous. Antennomeres with black pubescence, with long, erect black setae interspersed throughout, longer ventrally on basal segments, gradually shorter and sparser from antennomere VIII. Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III: scape = 0.57; pedicel = 0.09; IV = 1.23; V = 1.32; VI = 1.20; VII = 1.16; VIII = 1.07; IX = 1.07; X = 0.95; XI = 1.07.

Thorax. Pronotum finely, abundantly punctate except smooth lateral gibbosities; with dark brown pubescence not obscuring integument, distinctly sparser on lateral gibbosities, with long, erect yellowish-brown setae interspersed. Sides of prothorax finely, sparsely punctate central area below lateral tubercle; with long, erect, moderately sparse yellowish-brown setae. Prosternum transversely striate-punctate; with long, erect, moderately abundant yellowish-brown setae. Ventral surface of mesothorax with long, erect yellowish-brown setae, more abundant laterally. Ventral surface of metathorax with long, decumbent brownish setae (bristly centrally close to mesocoxae, and posteriorly close to metacoxae), more abundant on metanepisternum and sides of metaventrite, distinctly sparser toward central area of metaventrite. Scutellum with minute yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument. Elytra. With three longitudinal carinae, two dorsally (innermost becoming indistinct from middle; second reaching posterior quarter), another humeral, reaching about posterior fifth; sides of basal quarter vertical, and remaining area of sides gradually less so; with abundant bristly pubescence not obscuring integument, yellow on light area, black on dark area; with fringe of short setae on epipleural margin, yellow and light area, black on dark area. Legs. Femora abundantly plicate; with abundant, bristly dark-brown pubescence not obscuring integument. Protibiae with black pubescence, obscuring integument on posterior 2/3 of ventral surface, with long, erect black setae dorsally and laterally. Mesotibiae with dark brown pubescence nearly obscuring integument, distinctly bristly on anterior half, with long, erect dark brown setae interspersed ventrally on anterior half. Metatibiae with dark brown pubescence nearly obscuring integument dorsally, laterally, and ventrally on anterior third and near apex, with yellowish-brown pubescence on remaining ventral surface, with long, erect dark brown setae dorsally and ventrally, yellowish-white ventrally.

Abdomen. Ventrites finely, moderately sparsely punctate; with long, erect, moderately abundant dark-brown setae; apex of ventrite V strongly, widely emarginate, with fringe of long dark brown setae; and slightly concave, with long dark brown setae laterally.

Dimensions in mm. Total length, 13.40; prothoracic length (centrally), 1.35; anterior prothoracic width, 1.40; posterior prothoracic width, 1.60; widest prothoracic width, 1.90; humeral width, 2.70; elytral length, 10.40.

Type material. Holotype male from GUATEMALA, Quetzaltenango: Fuentes Georginas , 2400 m, 14– 16.VI.2015, W.H. Tyson col. ( CASC, formerly WHTC).

Etymology. The species is named after Bill Tyson, cerambyid worker and friend of the second author who provided the specimen for study.

Figures

FIGURES 11–15. Xela tysoni, holotype male: 11) Dorsal habitus; 12) Ventral habitus; 13) Lateral habitus; 14) Head, frontal view; 15) Abdominal apex, ventral view.